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Climate change > Semester 1 all lectures. > Flashcards

Semester 1 all lectures. Flashcards

1
Q

In what other ways is climate change discussed other than in science?

A

Art, comedy (John Oliver) and media.

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2
Q

Examples of sceptics and the points they make.

A

Paul Nuttall, previous UKIP leader claims climate scientists manipulate data for funding.
Donald Trump tweets “Global warming was created by the Chinese to make US manufacturing non-competitive”.
Nigel Lawson launch the Global Warming Policy Foundation, known for using disingenuous arguments and misleading graphs.

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3
Q

Climate change is not about belief or non-belief says?

A

Dr Helen McGregor “The science of human-induced climate change is not something on believes in but an obvious conclusion drawn from the data”
IPCC reports Unequivocal evidence for global warming – unquestionable. Very high confidence in the role of human activities.

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4
Q

Benefits to adapting/mitigating early.

A

It will be cheaper than emergency fixes.

Energy independence, rain forest preservation and clean air are other benefits.

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5
Q

Early recognition of carbon dioxides role in the Earths greenhouse effect.

A

John Tyndall - Found water vapour absorbs infrared radiation.
Svante Arrhenius - Discovered man-made greenhouse effect.
Guy Callender - Linked the rise of CO2 with temperature rise.
Keeling curve from 1960 shows rise in CO2.

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6
Q

Montreal protocol agreed in what year?

A

1987

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7
Q

IPCC stands for?

A

Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change.

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8
Q

IPCC founded in what year?

A

1988

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9
Q

Kyoto protocol agreed in what year?

A

1997

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10
Q

When did the US pull out of the Kyoto protocol? And what happened shortly after.

A

2005, the protocol then became international law for those still within it.

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11
Q

Copenhagen Climate summit was?

A

2009

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12
Q

2019 climate action includes what?

A

Striking and extinction rebellion.

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13
Q

The Earths natural greenhouse effect is?

A

Solar radiation enters and long-wave radiation is reflected out. Some of this is held in by greenhouse gases, this creates a positive energy balance.

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14
Q

What are the greenhouse gases?

A

CO2, H2O, CH4 (Methane), O3 (Tropospheric ozone), N2O (Nitrous oxide) and CFCs (Chloroflurocarbons).

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15
Q

PPMV stands for?

A

Parts Per Million by Volume.

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16
Q

PPBV stands for?

A

Parts Per Billion by Volume.

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17
Q

PPTV stands for?

A

Parts Per Trillion by Volume.

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18
Q

Joseph Fournier described what?

A

The earths natural greenhouse effect in 1824.

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19
Q

Mars’ greenhouse effect.

A

A thin atmosphere with low CO2 - Low greenhouse effect.

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20
Q

Venus’ greenhouse effect.

A

A dense atmosphere with high CO2 - High greenhouse effect.

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21
Q

Is there a pettern between global temperatures and sea level throughout history?

A

Yes, they are linked.

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22
Q

Name of the super continent.

A

Pangaea.

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23
Q

What did Pagaea split into first?

A

Laurasia and Gondwana.

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24
Q

Describe the Cretaceous warmth.

A

High sea levels, large amounts of limestone/chalk formed, possible causes are high CO2 or a low albedo due to lack of ice.

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25
Q

Cooling in what period after the Cretaceous warmth?

A

Oligocene-Miocene.

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26
Q

How are past temperatures reconstructed?

A

Ice cores and deep ocean sediments.

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27
Q

What period had radpid changes in CO2 levels (not ours)

A

Pleistocene.

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28
Q

Words to remember the geological timescale are what?

A

Carmels Often Sit Down Clumsily, Possibly Their Joints Creek, Perhaps Early Oiling May Prevent Permanent Harm.

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29
Q

Geological timescale.

A

Cambrian, Ordovician, Silurian, Devonian, Carboniferous, Permian, Triassic, Jurassic, Cretaceous, Palaeocene, Eocene, Oligocene, Miocene, Pliocene, Pleistocene and Holocene.

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30
Q

Geological indicator of past cold climate is?

A

Glacial troughs.

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31
Q

Geological indicator of past warm climate is?

A

Desiccation cracks.

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32
Q

Biological evidence for past warm climate is?

A

Limestones and corals.

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33
Q

Controls on long term climate change include?

A

The suns energy, Milankovitch cycles, Variations in the earths geomagnetic field, Geothermal variation, distribution of land and sea, composition of the atmosphere.

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34
Q

The quaternary is when?

A

Last 2.o-2.6 Ma

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35
Q

The quaternary is full of glacial and inter-glacial periods, what period are we in now?

A

The holocene is an interglacial period.

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36
Q

What are the three Milankovitch cycles?

A

Orbital eccentricity, Axial tilt and Procession of the equinoxes.

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37
Q

What is Orbital eccentricity?

A

A 100,000 year cycle.

The change in the shape of the earths orbit around the sun.

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38
Q

What is Axial tilt?

A

A 41,000 year cycle.

Change in the angle of the north pole.

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39
Q

What is Procession of the equinoxes?

A

A 23,000 year cycle.

A rotation of the pole direction.

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40
Q

Reason for increase in CO2 concentration.

A

The global human population is growing and becoming more socially complex.

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41
Q

Example of intentionally confusing the public.

A

Confusion between weather and climate by Donald Trump in tweets about a cold spell in America to deny global warming.

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42
Q

How do humans effect CO2 levels?

A

Fires, deforestation, agriculture and burning fossil fuels. These things majoring increased during the industrial revolution.

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43
Q

The Anthropocene is what?

A

A name for a possible new geological era, marked by human activity.

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44
Q

Three sceptic arguments are?

A

The industrial revolution is only 0.000004% of the Earths 4.6 billion years.
CO2 concentrations have been higher in the past, this is true but they haven’t beem higher in the last 400,000 years.
The earth has been warmer in the past, this is also true however we were in a Cenozoic cooling period until now.

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45
Q

What % of CO2 in the atmosphere came from the industrial revolution?

A

30%

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46
Q

What is the Hockey stick graph?

A

Graph showing global temperature for the last 1000 years.

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47
Q

Effects humans have already had on Earth.

A

Hockey stick graph, effected biodiversity and demise of glaciers (15% volume loss from 2000-2005).
Permafrost is melting.

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48
Q

Limitations to climate modelling.

A

CO2 may not increase at the rate we predict. Different regions of the world will react differently.

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49
Q

How many models have the IPCC produced for different levels of CO2 levels?

A

4 main ones, all showing different outcomes.

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50
Q

What is computational climate modelling and how can it improve?

A

This modelling works with complex mathematical equations based on well established physical laws defining the behavior of weather and climate.
If this physical laws are better understood and computer power increases then modelling accuracy will increase.

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51
Q

What is Hindcasting?

A

This is predicting the climate of recent years to test the accuracy of modelling.

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52
Q

Testing climate models by?

A

Hindcasting, short term predictions and running multiple models.

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53
Q

Where will warm fastest?

A

The poles.

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54
Q

Maslin predicts a warming of what?

A

1.1-6.4 degrees.

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55
Q

Maslin predicts a sea level rise of what?

A

At least half a metre, if the Greenland icesheet breaks up them 6.5 metres.

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56
Q

Maslin predicts a weather pattern change, what does this mean?

A

Extreme events like droughts likely to occur more often.

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57
Q

What does ENSO stand for?

A

El Niño Southern Oscillation.

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58
Q

ENSO is likely to become more frequent, what does this mean?

A

The extreme weather that El Nino brings with be more common.

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59
Q

What is a tipping point?

A

When a change to the Earths system results in a positive feedback loop.

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60
Q

What are Geomorphological hotspots?

A

Landforms/Landscapes that are most prone to dramatic and irreversible changes

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61
Q

What are ecological hotspots?

A

Parts of ecology that are most prone to dramatic and irreversible changes e.g. coral reefs.

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62
Q

Australia’s extreme weather events are?

A 
Queensland floods (Jan 2011)
Cylclone Yasi (Jan 2011)
Wildfires (Feb 2009)
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63
Q

Africa is vulnerable to climate change, why?

A

It is underdeveloped, high population density, a change in rainfall levels would have a dramatic effect.

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64
Q

Canada has positive and negative effects to its above average warming rate, what are they?

A

Negative: A reduction in snow/ice has implications for ecosystems, e.g. polar bears and whales. The Tundra melting is releasing large amounts of methane.
Positive: Longer growing season and increased tourism. They are a developed country so may be able to cope better than others.

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65
Q

Climate change effects on the UK.

A

The winters will be wetter, so flooding will increase, summers will be dryer and warmer, heatwaves can be difficult to manage and deadly for the elderly and infants.

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66
Q

What kind of population is going to be affected most?

A

Large or vulnerable due to lack of water and food security that may occur.

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67
Q

What does sensitivity mean?

A

The degree of impact from change.

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68
Q

What does Resilience mean?

A

The ability to absorb disturbances.

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69
Q

What does adaptive capacity mean?

A

Ability to adjust and cope with change.

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70
Q

What does Vulnerability mean?

A

Degree of susceptibility to and inability to cope with change.

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71
Q

Can all countries cope the same?

A

No, they all have different coping ranges.

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72
Q

How will we know a countries coping range?

A

By analysing their response to climatic stresses.

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73
Q

What is the IPCC a partnership between?

A

The scientific community and the worlds governments.

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74
Q

What does the IPCC do?

A

Assesses the evidence on climate change and it impacts, gives adaptation/mitigation options.
Brings together peer review literature.

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75
Q

Is there a measure to the terminology used by the IPCC

A

Yes, e.g. High confidence = at least a 9 out of 10 chance of being correct.

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76
Q

Warming will increase extreme weather events, does the IPCC agree with this statement?

A

Yes. Climate change is loading the dice for negative events to happen.

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77
Q

Crisicisms of the IPCC are?

A

Some believe it is too conservative and the effects will be worse than they say, others pick out any small error and use it to dismiss the arguments made by the IPCC. Some question the relevance of the reports compared to other pressing issues in the world.

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78
Q

Is climate change sceptisim going away?

A

No, it is on the rise - this could be due to blogs and twitter becoming more popular so inaccurate facts can be spread more easily.

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79
Q

Drivers of climate sceptisim are?

A

Sceptics like Nigal Lawson spreading his opinion although it differs from the assessment of experts. Argues that phasing out fossil fuels is morally unfair to developing countries.
Climategate increased sceptisims even though there was no dishonesty found.
Many sceptic groups out there funded by fossil fuel companies.

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80
Q

How are scientists fighting climate change sceptisim?

A

Releasing official statements on their views of climate change. Interacting with the public more.

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81
Q

What is industry?

A

Primary industry is extractive.
Secondary industry is manufacturing. (some reports define industry differently and only use some parts in figures so read carefully)

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82
Q

What % of greenhouse gasses were produced by industry in the economic sector?

A

21%

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83
Q

There is a debate on where the responsibility lies within industry, who is this between?

A

Production (direct) or consumption (indirect)

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84
Q

How has industries perspective on climate change changed over time?

A

Originally most industry was united against climate change.
$2 billion spent 2000 - 2016 against climate change legislation.
Companies and NGOs now have partnerships. ENGOs put pressure on companies to be more climate friendly.
Climate change seen less of a threat but more of an opportunity.

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85
Q

What does BINGO stand for?

A

Business and Industry Non-Governmental Organisation.

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86
Q

How long have BINGOs been included offically in climate conferences?

A

Since 2000

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87
Q

What is a grey BINGO?

A

Made up of manufacturing companies, aim to cast doubt on human induced climate change. E.g. Global Climate Coalition in 1989 - Disbanded in 2002 after big names like BP left.

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88
Q

Reactionary BINGOs are?

A

Claim global warming is over exaggerated, offered $10,000 to any article that emphasized short comings of the IPCC. Favour taxing consumers over industry. E.g. American Enterprise Institute.

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89
Q

When did grey and reactionary BINGOs mostly dissapear?

A

2000

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90
Q

What are green BINGOs?

A

Aim to implement and switch to better sources of energy, help companies explore more sustainable development. Influence climate discussions. E.g. Business Council for Sustainable Energy.

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91
Q

Shells opinion on climate change is?

A

They are attempting to consider the environment, making sustainability reports. Agree the problem should be managed.

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92
Q

ExxonMobil’s stance on climate change is what?

A

They invested hugely in denial of climate change but have since advocated for carbon tax.

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93
Q

Difference between reactive and proactive responses to climate change.

A

Reactive - Trying to slow change and seeing it only as a negative.
Proactive - Exploiting the opportunities and supporting the environmental regulation.

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94
Q

Origin of ENGOs

A

In the past nature was seen as something to be dominated by humans, this brought ENGOs about when concern grew in the 50s and 60s.

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95
Q

What does ENGO stand for?

A

Environmental Non-Governmental Organisation.

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96
Q

Shells plans to dispose of an oil platform at sea.

A

Greenpeace led a successful boycott against this, this method of naming and shaming is used often and works well.

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97
Q

What action did Friends of the Earth take against Shell?

A

They took the company to court for the damage they caused to the environment.

98
Q

Kleenex and Greenpeace link.

A

The company was originally targeted by greenpeace for deforestation of old trees but now they are in a long-term partnership.

99
Q

Companies Greenpeace have targetted are?

A

VW for emissions, Burger king by leaking HQ number and Lego for contract with Shell.

100
Q

What is the biggest greenhouse gas emiting sector?

A

Energy.

101
Q

What is the likely temperture rise if no climate policies are put in place?

A

4.1-4.8 degrees.

102
Q

What is the likely temperature rise if we only use current climate policies?

A

3.1-3.7 degrees.

103
Q

What are resources?

A

Land, labour, fuel and raw materials.

Fairly finite. Limited by geography, not accessible to everyone.

104
Q

Sarcity of resources makes them what?

A

More valuable.

105
Q

What is exchange value?

A

When something is worth more to a seller than it cost to make it.

106
Q

Planned economy is?

A

When a government decides how resources are distributed.

107
Q

How do consumers shape the economy?

A

Through their choices, they are cogs in the machine.

108
Q

GDP is what?

A

Gross Domestic Product - Measures the development of a country. The value of all goods and services over a period of time.

109
Q

What is mainstream economics?

A

Nature or environment is part of the economy.

110
Q

Ecological economics is?

A

The economy as a sub-system of the environment.

111
Q

Does GDP and CO2 emissions follow the same tread?

A

Almost always.

112
Q

How do GHGs impose an externality?

A

Damage done by them is not paid by those who emit GHGs, therefore the market does not factor in these costs into their pricing.

113
Q

Costs of climate change include what?

A

Impacts, mitigation and adaptation all cost.

114
Q

The first IPCC report suggested that what would be effected by climate change?

A

Socio-economic effects.

115
Q

If CO2 were to double from pre-industrial levels, how would GDP be effected in devloping and developed countries?

A

1-1.5% of GDP for developed countries on damage.
2-9% of GDP for developing countries.
1.5-2% of world GDP.

116
Q

Why is it hard to put a price on climate change?

A

It is hard to combine different models, social costs and economic concepts.

117
Q

Why can pricing climate change be seen as offensive?

A

Pricing up the damage and cost often put poorer countries as worth less per life lost.

118
Q

Who is Nicholas Stern?

A

Chair of two climate change groups. Wrote the Stern Review on the economics of climate change.

119
Q

Total thought to be lost due to climate change according to Stern?

A

5-20% of world GDP or more.

120
Q

How much GDP will be lost a year according to stern due to climate change?

A

> 5% of global GDP.

121
Q

How does Stern suggest we save money on climate change in the fututre?

A

By investing now.

122
Q

How much does Stern suggest should be spent to keep CO2 at a safe level?

A

2% GDP.

123
Q

Will climate change policies damage economic growth?

A

Not 100%, low-carbon energy products with bring new markets.

124
Q

What are 3 main policies for reducing emissions?

A

Carbon pricing, technology polices and removal of barriers to behavioral change.

125
Q

Which 3 places historically have emitted the most CO2?

A

USA, EU and Asia

126
Q

What is the Copenhagen Accord?

A

2009, not legally binding but lots of commitments, parties submit reports, created the green climate fund which is money for developing countries to mitigate and adapt.

127
Q

Is mitigation or adaptation prefered by developing countries?

A

Adaption.

128
Q

Is mitigation or adaptation prefered by developed countries?

A

Mitigation.

129
Q

Adaptation examples are?

A

Relocation, emergency planning, hardening of buildings and infrastructure.

130
Q

Mitigation examples are?

A

Energy conservation, renewable energy, sustainable transport and capture of landfill gas.

131
Q

Where does mitigation and adaptation lap over?

A

Seal buildings, green infrastructure, smart growth and water conservation.

132
Q

Does the Paris agreement agree with supporting developing countries financially? (in regards to climate change)

A

Yes.

133
Q

Green climate fund launched in what year?

A

2014.

134
Q

The action gap?

A

Lots of pledges and promises, little action.

135
Q

At the New York UN summit, how much money was hoped to be spent on clean energy for LEDCs?

A

$1 Trillion.

136
Q

How much does the Universal Ecological Fund say the USA is spending on climate change induced weather events a year?

A

$240 billion.

137
Q

Do peoples choices have carbon consequences?

A

Yes.

138
Q

What does SCC stand for?

A

Social Cost of Carbon.

139
Q

What do IAMs do? Integrated assessment models.

A

Project future socio-economic scenarios, predict biophysical responses, estimate costs and benefits and discounting for how much this will be worth in today’s money.
Involve estimates and assumptions, they are not linear.

140
Q

What are the three main models used by the IPCC?

A

PAGE (1195), DICE (1991) and FUND (2001). All give a good starting point for pricing carbon.

141
Q

What are the two main mechanisms for pricing GHGs?

A

Cap and trade.

Carbon taxation.

142
Q

What does UNFCCC stand for?

A

United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change.

143
Q

What is the Kyoto Protocol?

A

An international treaty. Annex 1 parties that are legally bound met a 5% reduction target. China and the USA drove the continued rise.

144
Q

How are there differentiated responsibilities for making a change?

A

Some countries emmited more GHGs, are wealthier and have better capacity to make the reductions.

145
Q

Kyoto protocol criticisms

A

Allowed countries to develop carbon markets, weak, minor impacts,limited financial support, opposition.

146
Q

The Paris agreement replaced the Kyoto protocol, what is this?

A

A clear goal not to let global temperature rise above 2 degrees, countries determine their own targets, legally binds participants to track progress.
Aim for a global market for carbon pricing.

147
Q

How many carbon markets are there? How does the price of carbon vary?

A

There are 46 national carbon pricing schemes. the price varies from $1-$127.

148
Q

What is decoupling growth?

A

An objective of breaking the link between environmental harm and economic growth of GDP.

149
Q

Why has regulation not been used?

A

It is expensive to monitor and enforce. Lots of unknowns.

150
Q

What does ETS stand for?

A

Emissions Trading System.

151
Q

What was the first large scale tradable quota system in the world?

A

The EU emissions trading system. A trading system. 28 countries. Covers CO2, N2o and PFCs (Perflurocarbons)

152
Q

EU ETS phase 1

A

Phase 1: 2005-2007, 43% of EUs emissions, only cover CO2, the allowances were free, government awarded permits.

153
Q

Pigouvian tax is what?

A

A tax to correct the costs not included in the price of a good, externalities.

154
Q

An emissions tax can be upstream or downstream, what does this mean?

A

Either at the production/extraction or downstream to the consumer. Rising the cost of something to discourage it.

155
Q

What is personal carbon allowances?

A

PCA is a per capita idea, everyone can only use so much carbon, people less likely to spend on CO2 intensive products.

156
Q

There are differential preceptions of climate change, what does this mean?

A

The concern for climate change is different in different regions. What the concern is about also varies.

157
Q

Do countries that are wealthy and rely on fossil fuels the most concerned?

A

No, their concern for climate change tends to be lower.

158
Q

What is the information deficit hypothesis?

A

Gap between scientific community understanding of climate change and public – simply requires more communication.

159
Q

Peoples concern about climate change was growing till the 2000s, then what grew with it?

A

Scepticism. There was then a decline in the perceived seriousness of the matter.

160
Q

Is the precieved risk of climate change and political polarisation linked?

A

Yes. American Democrats have more climate change concern than Republicans.

161
Q

How is climate change different to previous environmental challenges?

A

The complexity kills policy making, unsure origins and causes and impacts.

162
Q

The effects of climategate caused what % of respondants to say they were less convinced of the risks of climate change?

A

11%

163
Q

What issues were there in 2009/2010 that damaged peoples perceptions of climate change?

A

Temperature anomaly, not new climate treaty in Copenhagen summit, financial crash.

164
Q

How did the snow and rain in 2010 have more effect than climategate at changing preception of climate change?

A

Because personal experience has more of an effect.

165
Q

Surveys are useful but weaknesses are?

A

They lack detail and meaning, better to speak to people.

166
Q

Is climate change also a humanitarian and social justice issue?

A

Yes.

167
Q

What is a false balance?

A

Many countries had two people with opposing views presenting their case, this allows false representation of science.

168
Q

Climate change is seen as invisible and distant to most, this makes it hard to what?

A

Care about, and campaign about.

169
Q

Two UK government campaigns are?

A

Helping the Earth begins at home - launched 1991. Explains how families can use energy more wisely, multimedia aimed at children, low success rate and lack of appeal.
Act on CO2 - launched 2007. Aims to make climate change more clear and have consistanty from the government and media, also aimed at businesses, had nursery ryhme adverts banned for overstating risks, no clear aim.

170
Q

How does the media represent climate change?

A

Language and images are important. Science can be translated and shape peoples understanding.

Newspapers use fear to sell papers, this can inspire feelings of paralysis.

Influencers, trusted names greatly effect peoples opinions.

171
Q

How does science fiction represent climate change?

A

Examples, the day after tomorrow and cowspiracy, the dramatic context conveys the scientific message. More science AND fiction. The day after tomorrow changed peoples concerns about climate change, same with documentary ‘age of stuoid’

172
Q

Climate visuals are for communicating climate change, what are they?

A

Being honest about the impacts and risks without provoking fear, honest about adaptation and mitigation, emotional responses, consistent language.

173
Q

What is adaptation?

A

Living with climate change by altering practices.

174
Q

What is mitigation?

A

Trying to prevent or limit additional climate change by altering practices.

175
Q

Bjorn Lomborg wrote what book making what point?

A

The skeptical Environmentalist book, says money can be better spent on developing poorer parts of the world.

176
Q

IPCCs 6 reasons for adapting to climate change are?

A 
It can not be avoided, 
less costly than last minute fixes, 
it may be more rapid than we expect, 
immediate benefits from extreme events, 
it can bring opportunities as well as threats.
177
Q

Issues with working out carbon footprint are?

A

Do they mean carbon or carbon dioxide,
there’s often confusion,
where does the change of responsibility start, upstream at production?
How is CO2 measured, and what about other GHGs.

178
Q

What is carbon dioxide?

A

A chemical compound composed of two oxygen covalently bonded to a single carbon atom. A trace gas comprising of 0.04% of the atmosphere.

179
Q

What is CO2e?

A

CO2 equivalent.

180
Q

Early criticisms of carbon footprinting are?

A

Many companies hid their carbon footprints and its relevance was questioned.

181
Q

What is the carbon trust?

A

A not for profit company providing support to businesses boost their returns by cutting carbon emissions and saving energy.

182
Q

Other kinds of footprinting are?

A

Water, land and social foot printing.

183
Q

What is carbon offsetting?

A

Compensating for GHG emissions, investing in projects elsewhere that are absorbing or preventing the release of CO2. Can be undertaken by individuals, companies or governments.

184
Q

Drawbacks of carbon offsetting are?

A

It is complex.
Lack of regulation,
would the project have happened regardless.
Lack of consistency in calculating carbon emissions, and how much should be payed.
Uncertainties in how long the offsetting takes to work, may take 100 for trees to remove the carbon, the trees will eventually decay.
Also distracts from transition to using less carbon.

185
Q

Two main types of carbon offsetting are?

A

Official - Mandatory market, the largest, generate credits for carbon caps.
Unofficial - voluntary market, smaller, companies and individuals seek to offset their carbon emissions.

186
Q

Future forests, now rebranded as the carbon neutral company is what?

A

It had lots of celebrity endorsements, e.g, rolling stones wanted people to pay to offset their UK tour. More than 2000 fans payed to offset carbon and not one additional tree was planted, the money was used to refurbish a path in the forest.

187
Q

Examples of some offsetting methods are?

A

Forest planting, investing in renewable energy, capturing methane release from landfills.

188
Q

Offsetting scheme examples are?

A

ClimateCore, Carbon Footprint, Carbon Positive.

189
Q

At present, global anthropogenic emissions are what for C and for CO2?

A

7 Gt/yr C

26 Gt/yr CO2

190
Q

Food miles have increased by what % in the last 20 years?

A

50%

191
Q

Transatlantic flight = what % of the average persons CO2 for the whole year?

A

Almost 50%

192
Q

Does breathing negatively effect CO2 levels?

A

The carbon came from plants that we ate, which absorbed this from the atmosphere.

193
Q

In 2007 what was the average amount of CO2 produced by the average UK resident a year?

A

9.4 tons of CO2.

194
Q

The Paris agreement whats to stop a temperture rise of more than what?

A

2 degrees above pre-industrial temperatures.

195
Q

What is the limit of CO2 ppmv thought to be?

A

450 ppmv, we are currently at 410.53 ppmv

196
Q

George Monbiot suggests what % emissions cut is needed by 2030 to avoid serious consequences?

A

60%, Wealthy nations will need to cut 90%.

197
Q

The UK government aims to cut emissions to what by 2050 advised by who?

A

80% advised by Independent Committee on Climate Change. Now saying net 0 GHGs by then.

198
Q

What is the stablization triangle?

A

The difference between the two climate scenarios where we either act now or do nothing, the triangle this creates on a graph, split into wedges.

199
Q

How many options are there for stabalization wedges, and how many are needed?

A

15 wedge options, 7 needed. There is a blank wedge for new ideas.

200
Q

What are the five main groupings for stabalization

A

Energy efficiency & conservation, power generation, carbon capture and storage, alternative energy sources and agriculture & forestry.

201
Q

In 2017 what % of energy consumtion was on fossil fuels?

A

79.7%

202
Q

Other reasons for reducing dependence on fossil fuels are?

A

Peak oil has been reach, but demand grows.

Energy security is low as it has to be imported.

203
Q

The idea of stabalization has an optimistic tone, opposed to what tone is often used?

A

Negative/doomsday.

204
Q

What are some geoengineering/techofixes?

A

Fe ocean fertilization and massive mirrors to reflect sunlight in space.

205
Q

Why have investments in clean enegy and low carbon technologies taken a hit?

A

Due to the economic downturn.

206
Q

What is lower carbon, coal or shale gas?

A

Shale gas.

207
Q

Australian politics on climate change?

A

One of the highest per capita GHG emitters, likely to be one of the worst effected by climate change, labour leader replaced for proposed climate change policies.
They deny politically that GHG emissions have anything to do with bush fires.

208
Q

What are socolow wedges?

A

The same or similar to stabilization wedges, 8 of them needed 15 options.

209
Q

Carbon mitigation initiative options are?

A

Improving power efficiency, switching fuel, scale up bio-fuels, natural sinks (plant or preserve trees the size on USA) or use conservation tillage on all cropland.

210
Q

Why is agriculture a huge challenge?

A

2-3 billion more people by 2050, demand for meat and dairy grow.
To change this, is to change an economic system.

211
Q

What % of the habitable earth is used for agriculture? How is this split from humans to animals?

A

50% is agriculture, 23% of this is to feed humans directly. 77% of this is used for livestock.

212
Q

If everyone had the diet of an average American how much would be needed for agriculture?

A

138% of the earths habitable land.

213
Q

If everyone had the diet of an average Indian how much would be needed for agriculture?

A

22% of the earths habitable land.

214
Q

Solutions to food security are?

A

Increase land used (would mean cutting down forests), improve productivity (negative costs and environmental issues), changing diets, develop new sources of calories, vertical farming.

215
Q

Agriculture, forestry and land use accounted for what % of GHG emissions in 2014.

A

24%.

216
Q

How can GHGs be managed from agriculture?

A

Different land management, less food waste, sequestration and nutrient management.

217
Q

What is sequestration?

A

Soil health and afforestation. Soils store twice the amount of carbon than the atmosphere does. Looking after these soils can mitigate climate change.

218
Q

Climate change damages food production in what way?

A

Shorter growing seasons, extreme weather effecting maize, soy, wheat and rice most.

219
Q

Climate resilient agriculture is good because?

A

Improves food security, adaptability, increases productivity.

220
Q

Going vegan reduces GHGs by what %, and how does it reduce landuse?

A

43% GHG reduction, 70% less land use.

221
Q

In 2016 what % of the worlds population lived in urban areas? What is it estimated to be in 2050?

A

54.5% in 2016, 66% 2050.

222
Q

What is a mega city?

A

10 million people or more.

223
Q

What % of the worlds resources are consumed by cities?

A

70%.

224
Q

How are cities vulnerable to climate change?

A

Many near water, drainage systems can’t cope with increased rainfall, electricity infrastructure vulnerable, bridges and railroads at risk, water and food security.

225
Q

How can cities solve climate issues?

A

They are highly adaptable, planned well, good engineering, dense living makes it more efficient, a hub for the rest of the country.

226
Q

What is Masdar?

A

A planned city, started in 2006, aims to be worlds first zero carbon city, first occupied in 2010, powered by solar energy, electric vehicles and high density.

227
Q

Structural factors that effect people choices are?

A

If there’s not railway somewhere you’ll have to fly, or you don’t have money to be green.

228
Q

Socio-cultural factors that effect peoples choices are?

A

customs, beliefs, behaviors learn from society.

229
Q

Biological factors that effect peoples choices are?

A

The brain is a filter and prioritizes immediate needs.

230
Q

What % is food and drink in the average persons carbon footprint in the UK?

A

25%.

231
Q

Value-action gap is?

A

People are learning action should be taken but things like fast fashion grow by 5% a year.

232
Q

How did recycling rates improve?

A

Introduction of landfill tax forced local councils to make structural changes.

233
Q

Dual-system theory is?

A

Kahneman 2001 - Fast think which is unconscious and slow thinking which is conscious. Behavior is a combination of the two often. They come from different parts of the brain.

234
Q

How does the dual-system theory apply to climate change?

A

People when asked about their thoughts on taking action use their slow brain, but when actually taking actions throughout the day it is fast thinking.

235
Q

What are the two major models used to try and change peoples behaviors?

A

Models that try to change cognition’s (such as belief and attitudes)
Models that change the context/environment where the person acts and make decisions.

236
Q

What is choice architecture?

A

Physical and social environments where decision making is frame. A nudge. It is aimed at changing peoples behaviors and not educating.

237
Q

Examples of choice architecture are?

A

Reducing choices, reduce and target information, order of presentation of choice (like vegetarian first), change the default, change the way something is measured e.g. comparing you to your neighbor.
Used in advertising, branding something as popular to boost sales, up-selling.

238
Q

What is the behavioural insights team?

A

Set up in 2010, a nudge team in the government.

239
Q

EU ETS phase 2 is?

A

Phase 2: 2008-2012, centralized allocations, 60% of allocations auctions, less allowances, aviation brought into it.

240
Q

EU ETS phase 3 is?

A

Phase 3: 2013-2020, EU wide cap on emissions to be reduced by 1.74% each year, more auctioning, fines introduced.

241
Q

EU ETS is now doing what? When will phase 4 be?

A

Now: Australia’s system linked to it, 20% reduction in emissions expected.
Phase 4 will be 2021-2028.
Good because it bring certainty on emissions, but the prices fluctuate, potential for too much allocation, the cap is not hard to change.

Climate change (1 decks)

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