SL - global climate Flashcards
what causes the earth to go into inter-glacial and glacial periods
- Earths rotation, the Milankovitch cycle
○ Eccentricity - describes the path of the earth around the sun, changes form being circular to elliptical.
○ Obliquity - describes the axis of the earth.
○ Precession - describes the wobble of the earth
what are sunspots
When the sun has more sunspots the ocean temperatures get warmer. Sunspots are solar energy being fires out toward the sun
how do volcanoes change the global temp
Big volcanic eruptions can make the earths climate colder. The sunlight it reflected off the ash and gas
natural greenhouse effect
Earths atmosphere either absorbs, reflects, or traps.
what gases contribute to climate change
- CFCs - deodorant cans and fridge freezers
- Methane - cattle farming
- Carbon dioxide
- Nitrous oxide
All of these makes the atmosphere thicker and more heat is trapped
what is solar radiation
emission of electromagnetic rays from the sun
insolation
incoming solar radiation
Radiation
emission of electromagnetic rays
convection
transfer by gas
conduction
transfer by contact
albedo
how much reflection the earths surface has
short wave vs long wave
Short wave radiation - energy from the sun that heats the earth, impacted by clouds and angle of the sun
Long wave radiation - energy emitted from the earth into the atmosphere, the energy that gets reflected from the earths surface into space or trapped in the atmosphere - no clouds =loss of sun energy
positive feedback loops
occurs in nature when the product of a reaction leads to an increase in that reaction
negative feedback loops
a normal biological response in which the effects of a reaction slow or stop that reaction
example of global dimming
mount pinatubo philippines
solutions to melting ice
- Renewable energy
- Recycle
- Decrease carbon footprints
- Glacier covering tarpaulins to slow ice melt
- Artificial snow acts as a protective shield
impacts of melting ice
Risks to food supply and business continuity
* Decreased trade
* Increased precipitation
* Acid rain
Sea level rise -> flooding -> agricultural land loss -> job loss -> migration
* Affecting water supplies, transportation, travel and recreation
wildfires
examples of changes in sea ice
greenland ice sheets,
social - no food security, loss of indigenous land
envir- animal loss and viruses, polar bear loss
economic - big cities getting flooded, displacement
examples of changes in glacial ice
swiss alpes - provides water for 1.5 million
relies on tourism
warming faster than the world
where is carbon stored
continental crust and upper mantle
ocean
soil
permafrost
atmosphere
why is the permafrost a tipping point
lots of carbon in there and its melting, release would increase climate change
what is thermal expansion
expansion of water due to the heat of the earth
why are women more vulnerable
role as primary care givers make them more vulnerable as they will be the ones to walk more
sanitary products
why are poor people more vulnerable
no education
no early warning systems
destroy crops
why are ppl w less education more vulnerable
- Areas are able to recover faster
- More solutions will be discovered
- Climate change education has shown to be a more effective way to reduce emissions
Spread of awareness and created more understanding
Factors effecting Perception of risk
- Extent of factual knowledge/data
- Level of personal threat - like aliments and illnesses
- Time frame - if there is time to evacuate
- Openness of government - anti climate change
- Control - adaptations
what are adaptations
Green infrastructure
Health programmes
Insulate buildings
Upgrades of buildings
Training programmes and education
what are mitigations
Green infrastructure
Energy Conservation and efficiency
Carbon sinks
Capture and use of landfill digester gas
what is geo engineering
Ways to alter the sun light the earth absorbs- solar radiation management
Take carbon out of the atmosphere
what is carbon offsetting
Compensating for carbon dioxide emissions arising from industrial or other human activity, programs to make equivalent of CO2 in the atmosphere
In order to become carbon neutral, company needs to buy carbon units to offset the carbon they’re already using
what is a carbon unit
Is a permit to emit one ton of CO2 - equal to the emissions of a one way flight from olso to Bangkok for one person
what is carbon pricing
Restrictions on companies can lead to legislation if rules aren’t followed
what is biocapacity
capacity of ecosystems to regenerate what people demand. When the areas ecological footprint exceeds its biocapacity, an ecological deficit occurs.
what is ecological debtor
countries whole ecological footprint is higher than their biocapacity
what is ecological creditor
countries whose ecological footprint is lower than their biocapacity
what is global hectare
the measure of biocapacity and ecological footprint.
situational poverty
is caused by a sudden crisis or loss and is often temporary. Causes might include environmental disasters, divorce, or severe health problems
absolute poverty
involves lack of basic needs such as shelter, clean water and food. People on absolute poverty will probably focus on day to day survival
relative poverty
where peoples incomes fall significantly below the average for the place in which they live. They may have access to basic needs and more but will be poorer than other people and families in the same place
what is economic water scarcity
when the population does not have the necessary monetary means to utilize an adequate source of water (LICs like Chad)
