Sustainability Lecture 3

Question 1

What is climate change?

Answer 1

Climate change refers to the identifiable change that persists for an extended period, typically decades

Question 2

Another definition of climate change (IPCC 2007)

Answer 2

Climate change refers to any changes in climate over time whether due to natural variability of human activity

Question 3

What are some observed changes in climate system? (IPCC 2013)

Answer 3

*Increases in sea surface temp
*Increase in temp
*Increases in sea level
*Decreases in snow and ice coverage

Question 4

What are the causes if climate change? (2 sections)

Answer 4

Natural
*Volcanic activity
*Earthquakes

Human Activities
*Burning fossil fuels
*Deforestation
*Urbanisation
*Population Growth
*Transportation

Question 5

What are the impacts of climate change? (11 mc things)

Answer 5

*Increased sea levels
*Increased temperature
*Increased hurricanes and find related events
*Increased flooding
*Coastal erosion
*Increased heat waves
*Loss of coastal infrastructure
*Deterioration of coral reefs
*Decreased agricultural activities
*Decreased in fisheries productivity
*Increased drought

Question 6

Who are most vulnerable to climate change? (3 things)

Answer 6

*Small islands
*Countries with low lying coastal areas
*Countries vulnerable to natural disasters

Question 7

What combination of factors make a country vulnerable (3 factors)

Answer 7

*High vulnerability
*Low adaptive capacity (the ability to adapt/change in response to climate change)
*Low resilience

Question 8

What are some mitigation measures? (climate change)

Answer 8

*Reducing carbon emissions
*Avoid wastage
*Adopt ‘green energy