-reliance on fossil fuels

Question 1

coal, oil and gas are all examples of what type of non-renewable resource?

Answer 1

fossil fuels

Question 2

coal is an example of a fossil fuel. name two other fossil fuels.

Answer 2

oil,gas

Question 3

list four uses of fossil fuels in modern day life.

Answer 3

Power / Electricity.
Transport Fuel
Plastics
Pharmaceutics
Fibres

Question 4

fossil fuel and an example

Answer 4

fossil fuel – fuel consisting of the remains of organisms preserved in rocks in the earth’s crust with high carbon and hydrogen content.

any one relevant example: such as coal, oil or gas.

Question 5

renewable energy source and an example

Answer 5

renewable energy source – a form of energy derived from natural sources that do not use up natural resources to harm the environment.

any one relevant example: such as the sun, wind, tides.

Question 6

name one fossil fuel found on Earth

Answer 6

coal,oil,gas

Question 7

state two different manufacturing processes that rely on fossil fuels for their raw materials.

Answer 7

plastics/pharmaceuticals/fibres

Question 8

in the early 1800s coal and other fossil fuels were instrumental in the Industrial Revolution.

identify two reasons why fossil fuels have been important in the development of modern society.

Answer 8

fossil fuels are a source of fuel for transport/electricity generation.

fossil fuels also provide raw materials for plastic/pharmaceutical/fibre production

Question 9

state three main manufacturing industries where fossil fuels are used

Answer 9

plastics,pharmaceuticals,transport,fibres

Question 10

explain why global action on conservation of fossil fuels and climate change is needed

Answer 10

conservation is triggered by a realisation that the worlds non-renewable resources are diminishing and that countries are using fossil fuels at a faster rate especially in emerging economies e.g. China, India

climate change has been linked to increasing use of fossil fuels.

global action is needed because the impact of excessive resource use affects the whole world

Question 11

explain why global action on fossil fuel conservation is necessary, by making reference to lifespan of reserves, location of reserves and accessibility.

Answer 11

lifespan of reserves:
fossil fuels are a finite resource, meaning they will eventually run out unless they are conserved.
fossil fuel reserves are estimated to last between 50 and 200 years.

Question 12

explain why global action on fossil fuel conservation is necessary, by making reference to lifespan of reserves, location of reserves and accessibility.

Answer 12

Lifespan of reserves:
fossil fuels are a finite resource, meaning they will eventually run out unless they are conserved.
fossil fuel reserves are estimated to last between 50 and 200 years.

Location of Reserves:
Fossil fuel reserves can be located in areas of the world which are politically unstable/hostile, e.g. large methane deposits in Russia/large oil deposits in the Middle East and North Africa.

Accessibility:
There are environmental and social issues surrounding extraction of fossil fuels, e.g. drilling for oil in the Arctic has been suspended following campaigning against it.

Question 13

State 2 pieces of evidence presented by the global scientific community linking the combustion of fossil fuels with global warming and climate change.

Answer 13

Weather patterns – Floods, Increased storms and famines.
Sea temperature rises.
Ecology changes.
Polar Ice caps melting.
Rise in sea levels.

Question 14

The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) has concluded that the combustion of fossil fuels, and subsequent increase in global carbon emissions, is linked to global warming and climate change.

Describe three different pieces of scientific evidence that link the combustion of fossil fuels to global warming and climate change.

Answer 14

• Levels of carbon dioxide has increased markedly.
• There are fewer cold days, nights and frost events.
• Hot days, nights and heat waves are more common.
• There is an increase in ocean temperature.
• There are increases in drought and heavy precipitation events.
• There is an increase in hurricane activity.

Question 15

The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change has produced reports that link the combustion of coal, oil and natural gas to increased global carbon emissions which cause climate change.
Identify three environmental changes being caused by climate change.

Answer 15

• Larger glacial lakes appearing in larger numbers [1]
• An increase in sea levels [1]
• Significant changes in some ecosystems found in polar regions [1]
• Events which normally happen in Spring, e.g. unfolding of leaves and bird migration happening earlier than previously recorded [1]
• Predictions of larger drought affected areas in the world [1]

Question 16

Carbon trading has been put forward as a method of monitoring and reducing global carbon emissions. Describe two issues surrounding the use of carbon trading

Answer 16

• Complexity of the market.
• Difficulties surrounding governance of the market. Carbon markets open to
fraud and manipulation.
• Economic cost of trading carbon credits.

Question 17

Outline one advantage and one disadvantage of carbon trading as a viable option for reducing global carbon emissions.

Answer 17

Any one advantage from:

Carbon trading should result in less carbon entering the air so reducing the greenhouse effect.

• Carbon trading should provide a government control of the carbon emitted by its industries.

• Organisations which have earned unused credits can sell them.

Any one disadvantage from;

• The market can be open to fraud and manipulation.

• Some businesses could be unwilling to get involved in the trade, as they do not want to incur costs that will reduce profit margins.

• Credit limits available in a country may be too high to produce a significant decrease in harmful emissions.

• The measurement of carbon emissions is very difficult

Question 18

Carbon trading is a policy used to alter greenhouse gas emissions.

Explain what is meant by carbon trading and outline three aspects of how it works in practice.

Answer 18

• A carbon trade is an exchange of carbon credits between countries. {1}
• Countries are assigned maximum carbon emission levels. {1}
• If a country exceeds its maximum level it is penalised. {1}
• Countries that have higher carbon emissions can buy the right to release more carbon dioxide into the atmosphere from countries that have lower carbon emissions. {1}

Question 19

State one reason why carbon trading policy may not alter greenhouse gas emissions.

Answer 19

Any one from;
* The market is open to fraud.
* Businesses may not participate.
* Credit limits may be too high.

Question 20

State the name of the concept developed at the Kyoto Protocol in 1997 intended to help reduce carbon emissions.

Answer 20

Carbon Trading – must be correctly named.

Question 21

Carbon trading is a concept which was set out in the Kyoto Protocol in 1997 in an attempt to curb emissions of carbon dioxide or greenhouse gases.

Discuss two ways in which carbon trading can reduce worldwide carbon emissions.

Answer 21

• Countries are assigned maximum carbon emission levels in the form of carbon permits. [1] If a country exceeds its maximum level it must buy extra carbon permits from other countries. This financial penalty encourages the country to lower their CO2 emissions. [1]

• Countries who produce less than their allotted carbon emissions
can sell their carbon permits to other countries. [1] This financial incentive encourages the country to lower their CO2 emissions. [1]

• Countries are assigned carbon permits each year. Countries who
fail to lower their CO2 emissions will be penalised by getting a lower number of carbon credits in the next year. [1] Therefore encouraging the country to lower their CO2 emissions. [1]

Question 22

Outline three different reasons why carbon trading is not always a success in reducing overall carbon emissions.

Answer 22

Any three of the following:

• The market is open to fraud. Larger countries can manipulate smaller countries and force them to sell their credits at a low price. [1]

• Businesses may not participate. Some businesses can afford to pay the fines without even trying to reduce their carbon dioxide output. [1]

• Credit limits may be too high. Setting the credit limits is extremely complicated and can lead to some participants being given too many credits, giving them no incentive to lower their carbon dioxide emissions. [1]

• It is difficult to measure emissions accurately and consistently across so many different countries and industries. [1]