Paper 2) Fragile Environment Flashcards
Fragile Environment Countries
-The Philippines
-Japan
-Norway
-The Marshall Islands
-Iraq
The Philippines - fragile environment
-Hit by on average 20 typhoons each year
-prone to flooding
Japan - fragile environment
-Japan is located where four of the Earth’s tectonic plates converge
-home to about ten percent of the world’s active volcanoes
-Japan experiences around 1,500 earthquakes per year
Norway - fragile environment
Many of Norway’s glaciers are vulnerable to rising global temperatures. Glacial retreat.
The Marshall Islands - fragile environment
The Likiep atoll is home to around 400 people - highest point on the Marshall Islands (only 10m above sea level)
-vulnerable to rising sea levels
Iraq - fragile environment
-Result of climate damage, years of war, oil exploration forcing farmers off their land
-Salty water making its way back inland because of an increased number of dams
-most of Iraq’s marshland and fertile land has turned to desert
Fragile environment definition
Any natural environments/ biomes that are sensitive and vulnerable to change, particularly by human activity
Ecosystem definition
The interactions between the living things and the non living things in one locations
Biome definition
Made of many similar ecosystems
Abiotic factors
A non-living condition or thing, that influences or affects an ecosystem and the organisms in it
Biotic factors
A living thing that has an impact on another population of living things or on the environment
Why are fragile environments threatened
The growth of the world’s population today threatens to disturb the fragile balance of environments
-Humans have disturbed 90% of the Earth to some degree
Where do tropical rainforests tend to form
-around the equator because its hot and wet
-between the tropics of Cancer and Capricorn
-found in Central and South America, western and central Africa, western India, Southeast Asia, New Guinea, Australia
Biggest victims of global warming
-oceans
-they provide 50% of the earth’s oxygen
-ocean acidification - corals are at risk
-around 1 billion people rely on oceans for food
4 main theories to explain climate has changed in the past
-the sunspot theory
-the eruption theory
-the cosmic materials
-the orbital theory
The Sunspot Theory
The sun’s output is not constant and can fire out more solar energy towards the earth than other periods of time
-the earth has more solar energy from the sun, which makes the climate warmer
The Eruption Theory
Volcanic eruptions produce ash and sulphur dioxide gas. If they rise high enough, they will spread around the stratosphere by high level winds
-a blanket of ash and gas stops sunlight from reaching the Earth’s surface - cools the planet
-after the ash cloud has settled, greenhouse gases in the atmosphere will trap more heat and warms the planet
-haven’t been many super volcanic eruptions in the recent years when the climate has changed drastically
The Cosmic Materials
A large asteroid would blast millions of tones of ash and dust into the atmosphere. Would cool the climate as the dust and ash would block incoming sunlight
The Orbital theory
Changes in the way the Earth orbits the sun. Sometimes the Earth’s orbit is more of an eclipse or circular.
-Earth’s axis tilts and wobbles
-changes alter the amount of sunlight the Earth receives and where sunlight falls on the earth’s surface
-significant changes happens over thousands of years
Evidences of climate change
-Ice cores
-Pollen analysis
-Tree rings
-Historical sources
-Temperature records
Ice cores
From ice sheets that show different layers - have trapped air bubbles contain CO2 levels and O2 isotopes that correlate with each other
-There could be slight dating errors though
Pollen analysis
By analysing pollen - can see how ecosystems have changed in response to the climate - Pollen grains have been preserved in waterlogged sediment
-needs good preservation of pollen which doesn’t always happen
Tree rings
The thickness of rings in trees depends on the climate
-only very recent data (relatively) - covers such a small period of time
Historical sources
Pictures and written accounts
-cooler periods in time (ice over the Thames)
-warmer periods (Greenland accessible and lived in)
-before 1880 there are no reliable measurements
Temperature records
-earth is 0.8 degrees warmer in last 120 years
-nearly every one of the hottest years on record have been since 2000
-relatively recent data
Climate Change definition
May be a result of both human and natural processes. A large scale, long term shift in the planet’s weather patterns and average temperatures
Greenhouse effect definition
Natural processes where gases in the atmosphere trap heat from the sun, warms and keeps the planet habitable
Enhanced greenhouse effect definition
Human activity is changing the atmosphere and trapping more heat.
Global warming definition
A gradual rise in the global temperatures caused by human activities increasing the amount of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere.
What part of the world is expected to heat up the most?
The Artic Circle - warming at about four times the global average rate
-90% of the human population live in the Northern hemisphere
-Therefore there are more emissions and more heat becomes trapped
-Artic amplification - ice reflect heat, dark seawater absorbs heat. As ice melts, the dark water absorbs heat, and more ice melts
The greenhouse effect process
- the Sun’s energy reaches the Earth’s atmosphere
- some of is reflected back to space and some is absorbed and re-radiated by greenhouse gases.
Facts about carbon emissions for different countries
-The EU, USA and Japan emit 33% of all CO2 emissions
-China alone emits 29% (and rising)
-The developing world produces an average of 1-3 tones of CO2 p.p.p.y, while in the developed world, it is 10-25 (per person per year)
4 greenhouse gases
-Carbon dioxide
-Methane
-Nitrous Oxide
-F-Gases and CFCs
Carbon dioxide gas sources
-burning fossil fuels - cars, plane
-burning wood as fuel
-deforestation - trees remove CO2 from atmosphere
Methane gas sources
-Animals (cows)
-melting permafrost (methane is released when permafrost melts)
-decay of organic matter
-waste in landfill sites
-animal manure
Nitrous oxide gas sources
-Burning of fossil fuels
-use of artificial fertilisers
F-Gases and CFCs sources
-Gases containing fluorine
-Chlorofluorocarbons are released by aerosols and coolants in fridges, freezers and air conditioning systems
-in some types of packaging and insulation
Human activities that cause climate change
-air travel - fossil fuel combustion - CO2, nitrous dioxide
-livestock - cows/sheep produce methane during digestion
-industry - manufacturing - high carbon footprint
-electrical energy consumption - devices
-deforestation - release stored CO2 into atmosphere
Impacts of global warming
-drowning cities
-extreme weather
-change distribution of ecosystems
-sea level rise
-locust swarms
-climate refugees
-spread of disease
Impact of global warming - drowning cities
-due to sea level rise
-around 10% of the world’s population live in coastal areas that are less than 10 meters above sea level
-Miami (USA) is one of the most threatened cities in the world
-Would flood all of Miami beach and leave downtown Miami on an island of water disconnected from the rest of Florida
-Maldives could be under water completely - highest point is only 2.4 meters above sea level
Impact of global warming - extreme weather
-more frequent and more intense natural hazards such as tropical storms, tornadoes, heatwaves and droughts
-Warmer seas - more intense storms. Tropical storms have increased in frequency, intensity and power since 1980
-frequent and longer droughts - desertification is increasing and the Sahel region is expanding at an alarming rate
Impact of global warming - Change the distribution of ecosystems
-general warming will push the world’s biomes towards the poles
Pros:
-the change in the climate will allow farming to be pushed further towards the poles
-retreat of ice will make resources such as oil, natural gas, and minerals accessible and allow them to be exploited
-Artic Ocean will become ice-free in the summer - open up possibility of shipping routes serving the polar coasts of North America and Eurasia
Cons:
-also results in other areas of farmland becoming less productive
Impact of global warming - sea level rise
-a significant amount of the world’s economic wealth is generated and located at the coast
-encourage migration
-have a huge negative impact on employment as coastal farmland, cities, the lost jobs and economic opportunities lost
Impact of global warming - locust swarms
-better breeding conditions as it is wetter
-major epidemic in East Africa, South Asia, Middle East
-farmland swarmed - reduce crops, a loss of economic activity and an increase in famine
Impact of global warming - climate refugees
-increase food and water insecurity
-could lead to conflict as people are forced to migrate in search of food and water
Impact of global warming - spread of diseases
-where parts of the world become drier, water will become a scarcer resource
-where this happens, people are forced to use unclean water, outbreaks of water-borne diseases, such as cholera, typhoid
Characteristics of desertification
-absence of surface water
-dried up rivers and ponds
-water table lowered (the level below ground which is saturated with water)
-vegetation biodiversity degraded or lost
-soil erosion increased as bare soil exposed to wind
Natural causes of desertification
-Soil degradation - the removal of soil means less support for the vegetation
-More erratic rainfall - when rain does fall it is often for very short intense periods. This makes it difficult for the soil to capture and store the rain so water resources are reduced
-Changing in rainfall patterns - been less predictable and the occasional drought year sometimes extend to several years. As a result - the vegetation cover begins to die and leaves bare soil
Human causes of desertification
-population increase - puts more pressure on the land to grow more food
-overgrazing - too many cattles can destroy vegetation
-mass migration - desertification takes hold in one area, local people move elsewhere in search of food and water. Wherever they settle, they increase the population pressure on the environment
-overcultivation - intensive use of marginal land exhausts the soil and crops will not grow
-deforestation - roots no longer binds the soil, leading to soil erosion
Land management strategies used in farming to reduce desertification
-Atriplex shrubs are grown in shallow ditches to trap water. Plants help bind the soil and provide food for sheep and animals in the region
-ponding banks - areas of land enclosed by low walls which are able to store water
-earth bunds - reduce soil erosion. Built a low stone wall along the contours of the slopes. Walls trap water and soil
-terracing - build into the hillside to make it look like steps. Helps growth as it is flat and traps water
-growing trees - offer food and shade
The Great Green Wall initiative
In the Sahel region they have created a living green wall of trees and bushes, full of birds and other animals
-Senegal has planted 11 million trees
-restoration of over 20 million hectares of land
-creation of 350,000 jobs
-wind used to erode the soil, now it is more protected
-leaves falls, acts as a compost which fertilises the soil
-brings shade - needs less water
-increase the humidity of the earth as roots hold water in the soil
Desertification management strategy - education
-teaching local farmers which types of crops harm the soil and which protect it.
-Sustainable farming practices such as crop rotations, agroforestry
Desertification management strategy - use of technology
-Small scale
-people using methods appropriate to their level of development, not expensive equipment
-upesi stoves - uses half the amount of fuelwood compared to traditional methods
-solar cookers
-reduces deforestation as less fuelwood is needed
Distribution of the world’s deforestation
-95% of global deforestation occurs in the tropics
-Brazil and Indonesia account for almost half
-most of today’s richest countries are increasing tree cover through afforestation
Causes of deforestation
-commercial farming
-logging
-residential housing
-road building
-cattle ranching
-mineral extraction
Causes of deforestation - logging
Only valuable trees are chopped down (Selective logging), but as they fall, they damage other trees
-clear-felling - all trees in an area are uniformly cut down.
Causes of deforestation - road building
-built through rainforests to enable minerals, timber, cattle, and crops to be moved easily
-bring in new settlers who clear areas for farming
Causes of deforestation - cattle ranching
-cleared for plantations growing single crops (rubber, coffee)
-Plants and grassland are grown where huge herds of cattle graze on for a few years before another area is cleared for seeding with grass
Causes of deforestation - Mineral extraction
Large areas of forests are cleared for the open cast mining of minerals such as iron, gold, bauxite and copper
Economic gains for deforestation in MICs and LICs
-development of land for mining, farming and energy will lead to jobs both directly (construction and farming) and indirectly (supply and support industries).
-improved transport infrastructure opens up new areas for industrial development and tourism
Economic losses for deforestation in MICs and LICs
-number of tourists attracted by rainforests could decrease
-pollution of some water sources, increasingly dry climate may result in water shortages
-plants with huge medical benefits and high profits may become extinct
-fires (used to make space for farming land), burn out of control, destroying cast areas of valuable rainforest
Impact of deforestation - soil erosion
-removal of soil by wind and rain. Roots of trees bind the soil together. Due to deforestation, soil can easily become loose and erode away
-disturbs the natural soil-plant cycle and makes soils extremely vulnerable to soil erosion
-topsoil also holds huge amounts of carbon which is now known to have major potential influence on CO2 levels in the atmosphere
Impact of deforestation - loss of biodiversity
-ending forest clearance would not save some species from decades of destruction, scientists find
-rare species disappear even if deforestation was stopped overnight
-animals lost to date are just one-fifth of those that will slowly die out
Ecotourism definition
-stay in small scale accommodation in the ecosystem
-Incorporates local people - travel guides, hotel staff and you get educated about the ecosystem
-Makes sections of the rainforest a national park
Selective logging and replanting definition
Trees are picked rather than all the trees. They pick the larger trees to make more money and leave the smaller ones so they can still become fully grown.
Heli-logging: helicopters used to remove logs because less damage is done to the remaining forest.
Debt reduction definition
HIC’s (USA) allow LIC’s (Malaysia) to reduce the amount they owe if they guarantee protection of the tropical rainforest.
-known as debt-for-nature swapping.
Internal agreements about the uses of tropical hardwoods
International restrictions in place (such as International Tropical Timber Agreement (ITTA) 2006)
-restrict wood such as mahogany and teak (for use in expensive furniture) that is not from a sustainable source being imported to a country.
Why is deforestation happening in the Amazon?
-timber is a valuable source of income for Brazil
-25 million landless people in Brazil - new land is needed for settlements
-multi-national companies use the land to run cattle farms, to sell beef to developed countries
Resources of the Amazon rainforest
-estimated 150-200 billion tons of carbon are stored in its forests and soils
-influence rainfall cycles throughout South America by releasing 20 billion tonnes of water into the air every day
-home to 10% of known species on earth
Deforestation statistics in the Amazon
-approximately 17% has been lost already
-every minute an area the size of 5 football pitches is cut down
Local effects of deforestation on the Amazon rainforest
-some of the cattle ranchers and settlements have been abandoned, due to the poor soil quality on the previous rainforest area
-96% reduction in the number of tribes’ people. Land taken from them.
-soil becomes infertile as the canopy layer is removed and the rainfall can remove more of the soil
How Brazil has responded to deforestation
-The Forest code (1965) requires that all landowners in the Amazon keep 80% of their property as rainforest
-The Amazon Region Protected Areas (ARPA) scheme turned 45 million hectares of rainforest into national parks and reserves.
-promised to restore 12 million hectares of land abandoned by farmers back to rainforest
-Encouraging other sustainable management techniques ( selective logging, agro-forestry, educational programmes)
International agreements used for tackling global warming over the last 25 years
-Kyoto Protocol (1997)
-Paris Agreement (2015)
-COP-26 (2012)
Kyoto Protocol
1997
-all countries to cut emissions by average of 5% by 2012
Paris Agreement
-Latest attempt to control global GHG emissions
-Limit global warming to well below 2 C above pre-industrial levels
-As of November 2018 - 194 states and the EU have signed the Agreement
-under President Trump, the USA pulled out of this in June 2020
COP 26
2021
-The COP26 summit brought parties together to accelerate action towards the goals of the Paris Agreement and the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change.
How can organisations reduce their greenhouse emissions
-invest in/ switch to renewable energy
-use/ produce energy efficient appliances
-Reducing packaging
The Maldives - managing climate change
-floating islands
-building the islands upwards
-sea wall
-environmental refugees
