Section 3: Climate Change Flashcards
What are two key features that will define the start of the Anthropocene?
- There must be evidence of long term changes to the Earth as a global system (I.e. big changes occurring all over the planet at the same time)
- There must be a ‘marker’ of this event that can be identified and dated from digging down into rocks, ocean floor or glacial ice.
What is the greenhouse effect?
The greenhouse effect is a process that occurs when gases in the Earth’s atmosphere trap the suns heat. This process makes sure the earth doesn’t get really cold.
What is the enhanced greenhouse effect?
The enhanced greenhouse effect is where extra greenhouse gases in our atmosphere trap too much if the sun’s energy. This causes a warming effect, it is called global warming.
What are the four major greenhouse gases?
- Carbon dioxide
- Flurogases
- Methane
- Nitrous oxides
What percentage of greenhouse gas emissions are carbon dioxide
75%
What is the greenhouse strength of carbon dioxide? (If carbon dioxide = 1)
1
What percentage of greenhouse gas emissions are from Fluoro-gases?
2%
What is the greenhouse strength of fluoro gases? ( if carbon dioxide = 1 )
Approx. 10,000
What percentage of greenhouse gases come from methane?
17%
What is the greenhouse strength of methane? ( if carbon dioxide = 1 )
30
What percentage of greenhouse gases come from nitrous oxide?
6%
What is the greenhouse strength of nitrous oxide? ( if carbon dioxide = 1 )
600
Where does carbon dioxide come from?
-burning fossil fuels to generate electricity for homes and businesses
-burning fossil fuels to power transport
-deforestation
Where do fluoro gases come from?
-man made gases used in aerosol cans and in refrigerators
Where does methane come from?
-agriculture (cattle and rice)
-melting permafrost
Where does nitrous oxide come from?
-agriculture (fertiliser manufacturing and use)
-burning fossil fuels (for example, in car engines)
What are the 5 countries that emit the most carbon dioxide?
China- 11,680 tonnes a year (32%)
USA- 4,535 tonnes a year (13%)
India- 2,412 tonnes a year (7%)
Russia- 1,674 tonnes a year (5%)
Japan- 1,062 tonnes a year (3%)
What were pre-industrial (1800) carbon dioxide levels like?
Roughly 280
What were carbon dioxide levels when scientists started measuring them in 1958?
Roughly 320
What were carbon dioxide levels in 2020?
410
By how many parts per million has carbon dioxide levels increased since 1800?
130
What are 5 pieces of evidence that the earths natural and climate systems are changing?
- Droughts
- Extreme heat
- Ice melting
- Storms
- Wildlife and Ecosystems dying.
What is a positive feedback loop and give an example of how one can make climate change worse.
Positive feedback loop- when something happens and, in it doing so, causes itself to happen again more intensely. Sometimes called a vicious cycle or snowball effect.
As permafrost is melting methane is released warming the earth even more meaning more permafrost will melt etc…
What is a carbon footprint?
The best estimate we can get of the full climate change impact. (Of a specific person, company or country)
How can you reduce your own carbon footprint? (Give 3 examples)
- Use public transport, cycle or walk instead of going by car when possible
- Eat more local products and not ones from somewhere far away where the product would have been flown here.
- Turn off the lights when you leave a room.
How can governments make policies to mitigate against climate change?
- Add more insulation to new houses so you don’t need to turn on the heating as much
- Plant more trees and have more protected wild areas.
- Promote the use of renewable energy instead of burning fossil fuels
