Risky Science across Borders, Global Trade, and Green Energy Flashcards
5 degrees Celsius
Maxuim level of increase in average temperature above pre- industrial levels that nations agreed to as a goal in the 2015 Paris Agreement; exceeding this level is referred to as climate overshoot
Carbon emissions
Carbon dioxide emissions created from human use of fossil fuels make up most of the greenhouse gas emissions currently responsible for global warming
Conference of the Parties (COP) meetings
annual meetings of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change aimed at stabilizing global greenhouse gas emissions through international cooperation
Fossil fuels
non-renewable energy resources such as coal, gas, and oil that cause harmful greenhouse gas emissions when burned
Geoengineering
large-scale manipulation of the Earth’s climate processes to mitigate global warming by reflecting solar radiation back into space (SRM) or removing carbon dioxide from the atmosphere (carbon capture or sequestration)
Bauxite
a rock containing high amounts of aluminum that is mined to produce aluminum; larger deposits are found in tropical regions
Climate crisis
the threat of global warming and climate change
Green energy
energy produced from natural, renewable sources that do not pollute or cause harm to the environment
International Energy Agency (IEA)
an forum of 29 industrialized nations that provides data and policy recommendations and facilitates international cooperation to help the world transition to clean energy
Net zero
a target that will be reached when the amount of greenhouse gasses produced by human activity is balanced by the amount removed from the atmosphere; achieved through reductions in carbon emissions and removal of emissions from the atmosphere
Rare earth metals
17 metallic elements with unusual properties; necessary to produce many high-tech products
Renewable energy (“renewables”)
Natural sources of energy that are constantly replenished, such as wind, sunlight, and the movement of water
Semiconductor
A material that can conduct electricity; a key component of electronic devices
