Test 1 guide

Question 1

While fires set by ranchers have been the most notorious source of fires in the Amazon over the last decade, what other climate-related problem is driving the current wave of fire outbreaks throughout the region?

Answer 1

Massive decrease in rainfall

Question 2

What public health problem do the fires in the Amazon create for many cities in Brazil?

Answer 2

Smoke inhalation

Question 3

Researches are increasingly worried that the waves of fires and the ‘slowing down’ of the Amazon ecosystem is a reflection of a weakening of its “R____________”, the ability of an ecosystem to recover from damaging events.

Answer 3

Resilient

Question 4

Much of Bangladesh is low-lying, close to sea level, making it a “D_______” nation especially prone to flooding problems.

Answer 4

Delta

Question 5

What post-disaster problem is Bangladesh suffering from, and is common for poor countries after widespread destructive events?

Answer 5

Government find hard to reach people and provide aid.

Question 6

Rumours spread online blaming what other country for the flooding, leading to protests and strong denials?

Answer 6

India.

Question 7

T/F. The Gulf of Mexico is now the hottest it’s been in the modern record.

Answer 7

True

Question 8

T/F. Scientists say that the warming waters in the Gulf of Mexico are directly and only caused by climate change.

Answer 8

False

Question 9

What is the ‘double punch of extreme ocean heat in the Gulf’?
I.
II.

Answer 9

I. More intense hurricane
II. Coral reef die, no barrel for the waves.

Question 10

T/F. While Australia’s recent winter heat wave is an abnormal burst of unseasonal weather, scientists also say that the heat will not be sustained, but will decline fairly quickly.

Answer 10

False.

Question 11

T/F. Scientists expect 2024 to be Australia’s hottest winter on record, surpassing the record set all the way back in …2023.

Answer 11

True.

Question 12

T/F. Record temperatures have also been recently recorded across Europe, emphasizing these warming trends as global tendencies.

Answer 12

True.

Question 13

How is Australia planning to move the solar energy it creates all the way to Singapore.

Answer 13

1/3

Question 14

T/F. This one project is expected to be the largest solar project in the world and to supply Singapore with up to 15% of its energy needs by the early 2030s.

Answer 14

True.

Question 15

Provide two motivations for Australia to agree to this project?
I.
II.

Answer 15

I. Provide job, huge market, economic growth
II. Natural sources (coal)

Question 16

While Australia has given approval and Singapore is expected to soon, what third country is also needed to sign off on the project, and say why?

Answer 16

Indonesia, because the undersea cable must pass through Indonesia.

Question 17

T/F. China is the second largest builder of coal-fired power stations in the world, behind India.

Answer 17

False.

Question 18

What percentage of China’s electricity comes from coal?

Answer 18

60%

Question 19

Why does China say that it needs to continue using coal, despite its rampant build out of alternative energy sources like solar and wind?

Answer 19

Solar and wind are not reliable enough.

Question 20

What does I.P.C.C stand for? And when was it founded/

Answer 20

Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, founded by 1988.

Question 21

T/F. China leads the world in solar and wind power installations.

Answer 21

True.

Question 22

T/F. The IPCC does not conduct its own scientific studies but instead relies on thousands of volunteer researchers and reviewers to compile its reports and recommendations.

Answer 22

True.

Question 23

While the IPCC tends to shy away from making strongly stated prescriptions to governments, it does try to produce reports that are clearly “p________- r__________.”

Answer 23

Policy relevant

Question 24

T/F. The predictions of the IPCCs first report in 1890 were way off in their estimations of the pace of global warming, due the absence of the complex computer models that were created in the years following.

Answer 24

True.

Question 25

The IPCC reports are often timed with big climate change conferences, such as the Second Assessment in 1995 timed with what event? And the Fifth Assessment in 2014 timed with what event?

Answer 25

Second Assessment = Kyoto Protocols
Fifth Assessment = Paris Accords

Question 26

In a favoured phrasing, the IPCC report states that since the last report in 2014 heatwaves, droughts, wildfires and other extreme events have all increased in intensity and frequency “f______ b________ n_________ v_________.”

Answer 26

Far beyond natural variability

Question 27

What percentage of the world’s population faces water insecurity for at least one month per year?

Answer 27

50%

Question 28

Briefly, explain the problem many migratory animals are facing due to climate change.

Answer 28

Plant seasons misaligned with migratory timing.

Question 29

The stated aim of the Paris Agreement is to keep global temperature rise “well below” _____ degrees Celsius and to ‘pursue efforts’ to limit it to _____ degrees Celsius.

Answer 29

2, 1.5

Question 30

According to the IPCC, a ‘business as usual’ approach would result in a world warmed by what degree by mid-century and what degree by 2100?

Answer 30

2.4 degree Celsius, 4.4 degree Celsius.

Question 31

Which of the following does the lecture list as consequences for humans if the world warms 2 degree Celsius instead of 1.5 degrees? (Mark all that apply)

People facing water supply risk is 50% higher
65 million more people exposed to severe heat events every five years
Substantial increases in global property levels
Significant in annual deaths from climate change related illnesses.

Answer 31

People facing water supply risk is 50% higher
65 million more people exposed to severe heat events every five years
Substantial increases in global property levels
Significant in annual deaths from climate change related illnesses.

Question 32

Which of the following does the lecture list as consequences for animals, plant, and ecosystems if the world warms 2 degrees Celsius instead of 1.5 degrees? (Mark all that apply)

World’s coral reefs would be nearly all dead due to ocean warming and acidification
Twice as many plant species and three times as many insects would lose half their habitat
Arctic ice would disappear completely once every ten summers (vs. Every 100 at 1.5)
Release of millions of tons of carbon due to the forest loss and thawing of permafrost

Answer 32

World’s coral reefs would be nearly all dead due to ocean warming and acidification
Twice as many plant species and three times as many insects would lose half their habitat
Arctic ice would disappear completely once every ten summers (vs. Every 100 at 1.5)
Release of millions of tons of carbon due to the forest loss and thawing of permafrost

Question 33

T/F. In a minimal sign of progress, the annual rate of GHG emissions growth declined from 2010 to 2019.

Answer 33

True.

Question 34

What does NDC stand for? And, are the currently enough to limit global warming to 1.5 degrees Celsius.

Answer 34

Nationally Determined Contributions, not enough.

Question 35

The IPCC report finds that instead of urgently making the ‘transformational’ changes that are necessary, countries instead have largely pursued f______________, i ______________, and s_______- s________ changes focused on current on near term impacts.

Answer 35

Fragmented, incremental, small, scale

Question 36

The IPCC points out that between ______% and ______% of the methane Corning from drilling operations and pipelines could be eliminated with installation of already available, low-cost technology that monitors and contains leaks.

Answer 36

50, 80

Question 37

What does the IPCC have more optimism that countries’ power sectors can decarbonize quicker than other sectors.

Answer 37

Large and centralized company, long history and mature technology, very few number of firm.

Question 38

What sector is the IPCC report particularly pessimistic about reducing carbon emissions and what are the two reasons that explain this pessimism.

Answer 38

Transportation sector. No variable alternative energy, population growth demand is getting increasingly higher with time.

Question 39

In highly vulnerable nations, mortality from droughts, storms, and floods from 2010 to 2020 was ______ times greater than in countries with very low vulnerability.

Answer 39

15

Question 40

What type of country is considered the ‘canary in the climate coal mine’?

Answer 40

Small island country

Question 41

What percentage of people in sub-Saharan Africa live in informal settlements?

15% 25% 45% 60%

Answer 41

60%

Question 42

What large movement of people does the IPCC expect droughts across the Amazon to cause?

Answer 42

Significant slum migration and displacement of people, cause severe water shortages and loss of agricultural productivity.

Question 43

Africa is already and will be among the hardest hit regions of the world, despite African countries contributing less than ____% of cumulative global emissions, and likely to suffer over _____% of excess deaths from climate-related diseases, such as heat-exposure.

Answer 43

3, 50

Question 44

To keep warming or within 1.5 degrees C will likely require cutting emissions of all greenhouse gases by roughly _____% by the 2030s and net-zero by the ________s (what decade?).

Answer 44

50, 2050

Question 45

The goal (from question 1) would require a reduction of coal use by ______% and oil by ______% and natural gas by ______% by 2050.

Answer 45

95, 60, 45

Question 46

Briefly, define ‘net-zero’.

Answer 46

The bound between carbon emissions and carbon takes out of the atmosphere.

Question 47

In terms of the world’s C__________ B__________, the world can emit ______ gigatonnes (Gt) more carbon dioxide. The world’s currently annual emission is roughly ________ gigatonnes.

Answer 47

Carbon Budget, 36.5, 460

Question 48

T/F. Future carbon emissions from existing and planned fossil fuel infrastructures could reach over 850 Gt.

Answer 48

True.

Question 49

A serious approach to climate change would require the R________ of existing fossil fuel infrastructures and the C________ of all planned new projects.

Answer 49

Retire, Cancel

Question 50

S____________ A___________ refers to unburied or unused fossil fuel resources, whose value (if 2 degree C is the limit) would reach _______ trillion dollars.

Answer 50

Stranded Assets, 1-4

Question 51

T/F. Annual growth in the public and private financing for climate change mitigation and adaption has slowed in recent years.

Answer 51

False.

Question 52

T/F. The IPCC has found that financing for fossil fuels still outstrips funding for climate action.

Answer 52

True.

Question 53

Match the region with the needed climate funding increases to keep world to 2 degree C limit.

Africa Five-fold increase
Middle East Seven-fold increase
Southeast Asia Twelve-fold increase

Answer 53

Africa = seven-fold increase, Middle East = twelve-fold increase, Southeast Asia = five-fold increase

Question 54

Contributing to their lacking of funding for spending on climate projects, many poor developing countries have what other significant international payments they must take, which reduces their spending power?

Answer 54

International debt pay which borrow from international bank and private institutions.

Question 55

T/F. The needed funding for climate solutions in agriculture and forestry are actually less than current subsidies for agriculture and forestry, an indication of outdated spending practices.

Answer 55

True.

Question 56

T/F. The IPCC report argues that on technological and cost considerations alone, the mitigation of emissions to limit warming to 1.5 degrees C is feasible.

Answer 56

True.

Question 57

According to the IPCC, investments in what two technologies (their development and deployment)are the least expensive and most effective action we can currently take?

Answer 57

Solar and wind energy technology.

Question 58

T/F. The cost of both solar and wind energy increased slightly between 2010 and 2019, due to increasing technological complexity.

Answer 58

False.

Question 59

According to the IPCC, what sector is the most important to decarbonize as fast as possible?

Answer 59

The electricity/ power sector.

Question 60

T/F. Wind and solar currently make up less than 10% of installed electricity.

Answer 60

True.

Question 61

T/F. While explicit subsidies for fossil fuels and clean energy are now near equal, ‘real’ subsidies (including hidden costs) for fossil Sueys far outweighs spending on climate technology, at roughly 6 trillion to 500 billion.

Answer 61

True.

Question 62

Why did a new solar farm in northern Vermont get denied?

Answer 62

The grid limit.

Question 63

President Biden wants to reduced emissions in the U.S. by _______% by 2030.

10% 25% 50% 75%

Answer 63

50

Question 64

T/F. For the U.S. to achieve Biden’s goals, the country will have to massively increase its electricity usage, by anywhere from 40-100%?

Answer 64

True.

Question 65

T/F. The U.S. has a spatial mismatch between where much of its wind and solar is likely to be generated in future decades and where most of its population lives.

Answer 65

True.

Question 66

T/F. One of the key advantages of renewable energy systems is that while new infrastructure will have to be built for them, those infrastructures can be much smaller than traditional energy infrastructures.

Answer 66

False.

Question 67

T/F. According to the IPCC, the limiting of temperature rise to 1.5 degrees C will be impossible without some form of carbon removal.

Answer 67

True.

Question 68

(A) What does BECCS stand for? And (b) list two of the problems discussed in lecture with it discussed in lecture.

Answer 68

Bio energy carbon capture storage. Expensive, unproven and food insecure issue.

Question 69

A_____________ is a carbon capture practice that is cost-effective, easily available, and delivers a wide range of benefits.

Answer 69

Afforestation.

Question 70

The amount of carbon capture that will be required to keep temperature rises low mostly depends on what?

Answer 70

How many emissions that we produce from now.

Question 71

Household in the top 10% of wealth are responsible for roughly ______% of global GHG emissions; while household in the bottom 50% account for less than _______% of global GHG emissions.

Answer 71

36-45, 13-15.

Question 72

The targeting of lifestyle and behavior changes is an aspect of d________- s______ mitigation options and will require transformation in the “C________ a___________” of our consumption patterns.

Answer 72

Demand-side, Choice architecture.

Question 73

The IPCC find that effective lifestyle mitigation efforts could reduce GHG emissions by as much as ____% by 2050.

20% 40% 50% 70%

Answer 73

70%

Question 74

In order to cut down on methane in the atmosphere, the IPCC suggests targeting “f_________ emissions”, the methane that escapes during extraction and transportation of natural gas or from abandoned oil wells.

Answer 74

Fugitive.

Question 75

What is the number one goal in the IPCC’s recommendations for transitions towards a global low-carbon economy.

Answer 75

Swift to renewable energy.

Question 76

T/F. Similar to power generation, the IPCC believes that we have all the technology necessary to decarbonize industry, it’s now mostly a matter of effective deployment.

Answer 76

False.

Question 77

In terms of the IPCC’s goals for green buildings, while there have been an increasing number of zero-carbon buildings constructed around the world, what are the two primary goals that still need considerable focus and investment.

I.
II.

Answer 77

I. Renovate older building to green
II. Need to have a standard for all the buildings to be green

Question 78

T/F. Without a change in use patterns, CO2 emissions from the transport sector are set to increase by up to 50% by 2050.

Answer 78

True.

Question 79

What are three key policies for cities to pursue reductions in their transport sector emissions levels?

I.
II.
III.

Answer 79

I. Higher density
II. Electrified transportation
III. Provide alternative (bicycle)

Question 80

List two of the reasons discussed in lecture for why it is a problem that much of the potential for carbon emission reductions from environmental protection, restoration, and sustainable management exists in developing countries.

I.
II.

Answer 80

I. Don’t have any funding.
II. Don’t have any scientific expertise.

Question 81

According to the IPCC, successful long-term climate adaption will require not just the building of sustainable economies, but also a focus on e________ and j________.

Answer 81

Equity, justice.

Question 82

In the IPCC’s most optimistic scenario, what cut is achieved by 2050 and what peaks at 2050?

Answer 82

Cut: carbon emissions net zero.
Peak: temperature increase 1.5 degree C.

Question 83

T/F. According to the IPCC’s first two scenarios, the world will be both richer and more equal by the end of the 21st century.

Answer 83

True.

Question 84

Which scenario do most researchers believe in the oath that is consistent with the Paris Agreement’s climate pledges? In this scenario, how much would global temperature rise by 2100?

Answer 84

Scenario 3, 2.7 degree C.

Question 85

The IPCC’s fourth scenarios, in which global temperature rises to 3.6 degrees C by 2100, is defined by the collapse of what?

Answer 85

Collapse of international companies.

Question 86

Provide a succinct definition of “tipping point” as relates to climate change.

Answer 86

Threshold passed, faster destruction, irreversible changes.

Question 87

T/F. The two most recent IPCC reports represent a significant shift in their assessment of tipping points from the early years of the IPCC reports.

Answer 87

True.

Question 88

T/F. Passing one tipping point is likely to trigger other tipping points, in a process researchers refer to as ‘cascades’.

Answer 88

True.

Question 89

Researchers worry that the melting of the Greenland ice sheet may be slowing down what natural system key to determining Europe’s climate?

Answer 89

AMOC.

Question 90

Ocean heat waves cause mass coral bleaching; and if global average temperature rises by 2 degrees C,a stunning ______% of tropical corals are projected to be lost.

Answer 90

99

Question 91

T/F. A group of researches has recently argued that four of the five tipping biggest climate system tipping points move from being possible to likely if the world warms by 1.5 degrees C.

Answer 91

True.

Question 92

During the first wave of deforestation of the Brazilian Amazon rainforest, Brazil’s military dictatorship in the 1970s built what project?

Answer 92

Trans-Amazonian Highway.

Question 93

Over time, the area that was cleared for economic development, in particular for pasture by cattle ranchers, was called the A_____ of D_____________.

Answer 93

Arc of Deforestation.

Question 94

What crop boomed in the 1990s and drove higher rates of deforestation? And how was it connected to cattle ranching?

Answer 94

Soy, much of it grown be used as food for cattle.

Question 95

Briefly, what is IBAMA?

Answer 95

A police agency track and fine people for deforestation.

Question 96

T/F. The Ruralistas are a guerrilla environmental group infamous for bobbing sites related to agribusiness and advocating for better environmental laws.

Answer 96

False.

Question 97

Which of the following cited as a cause of the recent resurgence in deforestation in the Amazon? (Mark all that apply)

Weakened Forest Code
Ruralista political power growing
Slashed IBAMA budget
Wave of fires set by agriculture interests

Answer 97

Weakened Forest Code
Ruralista political power growing
Slashed IBAMA budget
Wave of fires set by agriculture interests

Question 98

T/F. So far, over the last 50 years, 17% of the Amazon has been destroyed; scientific are increasingly worried that if that number reached 20-25%, the forest could suffer a ‘collapse’.

Answer 98

True.

Question 99

What has become clear about the Thwaites Glacier over the last couple decades?

Answer 99

Ice melting.

Question 100

What difference between East and West Antarctica explains their different rates of ice melt?

Answer 100

East is above sea level on higher ground, west is below sea level on lower ground.

Question 101

What is the most troubling consequences of the Thwaites glacier’s ’grounding line’ moving backwards?

Answer 101

Accelerate glaciers into the sea.

Question 102

What is the bigger catastrophe that the collapse of the Thwaites glacier could cause?

Answer 102

The rest of ice sheet melt, sea level rise.

Question 103

What are the two main sources of rising sea water levels? And which one now contributes more than the other?

I.
II.

Answer 103

I. Ice sheet melting
II. Thermal expansion

Ice sheet melting contributes more than thermal expansion.

Question 104

Some of the uncertainty over ice sheet melting is whether the process will be one of “a___________” in which the process continues and picks up pace and may lead to rapid collapse, or one of “p_______” in which the process of melting is interrupted by slowdowns and takes much longer.

Answer 104

Acceleration, pulses.

Question 105

Which of the following does the lecture list as probable impacts of sea level rise due to climate change?

Large scale damage and destroy a wide variety of infrastructures - roads, bridges, subways, energy systems, and sewage
Significant losses in the tourism and recreation sectors of many countries
Saltwater contamination of freshwater sources and agriculture areas
Massive dislocations and migrations of peoples to other regions and countries

Answer 105

Large scale damage and destroy a wide variety of infrastructures - roads, bridges, subways, energy systems, and sewage
Significant losses in the tourism and recreation sectors of many countries
Saltwater contamination of freshwater sources and agriculture areas
Massive dislocations and migrations of peoples to other regions and countries

Question 106

Globally, _______ out of the world’s 10 largest cities are near a coast.

Answer 106

8

Question 107

The World Economic Forum estimates that ________ million people will be vulnerable to a rise of sea level by 0.5 meters by 2050.

Answer 107

800.

Question 108

In addition to the obvious loss of land due to sea level rise, what two other worries do island nations and dependencies worry about related to sea level rise?

I.
II.

Answer 108

I. Water sources
II. Tourism

Question 109

According to the Vox video, what percentage of global man-made greenhouse gas emissions are carbon dioxide? And how much is methane?

Answer 109

76%, 16%.

Question 110

T/F. While not the current largest emitter, the U.S., historically, has emitted more carbon dioxide than any other country or region.

Answer 110

True.

Question 111

In the U.S., most oil is converted for use in what sector.

Answer 111

Transportation.

Question 112

In the U.S., what are the two biggest fossil fuel sources for electricity?

Answer 112

Natural gas & coal.

Question 113

If the U.S. wants to “D_____________”, it must stop getting its electricity from fossil fuel sources and shift to renewable sources like solar, wind, and geothermal.

Answer 113

Decarbonize.

Question 114

Shifting to renewable sources of energy for American’s electricity would eliminate ______% of its carbon emissions.

Answer 114

20.

Question 115

What is the ‘elegant solution’ that Saul Griffith suggest for the U.S. economy to enhance the effect of shifting its electricity grid to renewable energies?

Answer 115

Shift everything possible to electricity.

Question 116

What are the things the lecture lists as likely to be really hard to operate or manufacture without fossil fuels, at least for a while?

Answer 116

Aviation, steel and concrete.

Question 117

In the video, the graph that breaks down the carbon emissions in the U.S. by sector has what percentages for the following?

Transportation _____%
Electricity _____%
Industrial _____%
Residential _____%
Commercial _____%

Answer 117

Transportation 28%
Electricity 28%
Industrial 21%
Residential 14%
Commercial 12%

Question 118

T/F. Saul Griffith’s model of possible transitions show that slower methods of transition (such as free market, low carbon taxes, low market subsidies, and high carbon taxes), while not the best or fastest option, are still enough to keep the world from going over 2 degree Celsius warming.

Answer 118

False.

Question 119

A new field of climate science that studies how global warming creates conditions that increase the chances of severe weather is called “e__________ e_________ a___________.”

Answer 119

Extreme even attribution.

Question 120

Which of the following factors did the lecture list as contributing to rising intensities of hurricanes? (Mark all that apply)

Warmer ocean temperatures from increased energy absorption create conditions for hurricane development
Warm air holds less water Vapor than cold air
Less cold, subsurface ocean water that normally acts as natural breaking mechanism
More intense vertical wind shear intensifies hurricane winds
Destructive of coral reefs that normally act as break on storms surges along coasts

Answer 120

Warmer ocean temperatures from increased energy absorption create conditions for hurricane development

Less cold, subsurface ocean water that normally acts as natural breaking mechanism

Destructive of coral reefs that normally act as break on storms surges along coasts

Question 121

T/F. Researchers expect intense tropical cyclones to become more frequent globally, but for there to be significant regional variation and for there to be possibly less tropical cyclones overall.

Answer 121

True.

Question 122

What other climate change problem intensifies the damage caused by hurricanes against coastlines?

Answer 122

Higher sea level.

Question 123

T/F. One ‘benefit’ of climate change is a weakening of atmosphere currents, which makes storms ‘sluggish’ and thus less destructive.

Answer 123

False.

Question 124

T/F. Hurricanes are the most costly form of weather disaster in the U.S.

Answer 124

True.

Question 125

Briefly explain why vulnerable communities have most to fear from polluting industries during bad storms.

Answer 125

Class and racial bias in where people live.

Question 126

T/F. While there is growing evidence of extreme precipitation events caused by climate change happening in Africa and South America, there is also a lack of data that means current scientific analysis of the connection lacks high ‘confidence’.

Answer 126

True.

Question 127

What are the three basic kinds of floods?

I.
II.
III.

Answer 127

I. Fluvial flood
II. Coastal flood
III. Flash flood

Question 128

What are the two key ways climate change puts the water cycle in overdrive?

I.
II.

Answer 128

I. Higher water vapour
II. More water evaporating into the atmosphere

Question 129

Extreme floods can be trigged by which of the following?

Intense precipitation
Longer duration of storms
Close repetition of precipitation events
Decreased atmospheric water vapour

Answer 129

Intense precipitation

Longer duration of storms

Close repetition of precipitation events

Question 130

One key source of more precipitation in the U.S. is the intensification of a______________ r_______, air currents that carry moisture the tropics to the West Coast of the U.S..

Answer 130

Atmosphere rivers.

Question 131

T/F. When it comes to river floods, current evidence suggests that climate change is increasing the frequency and intensity of extreme flood events, but decreasing moderate floods and keeping overall number of floods close to consistent.

Answer 131

True.

Question 132

An additional troubling reason flash floods are likely to get ‘flashier’ (in addition to shorter timing, higher magnitude) is that they will, in a cascade of climate disasters, increasingly follow what other extreme weather event?

Answer 132

Forest fire.

Question 133

Currently floods cause more than _______ billion in damages globally on average every year.

Answer 133

40.

Question 134

T/F. Since so much of the U.S. farmland is in the interior of the country, the ‘breadbasket’ of the U.S. is likely to be spared significant destruction from climate-change related flooding.

Answer 134

False.

Question 135

Besides death, name two other ways flooding causes health problems.

I.
II.

Answer 135

I. Mental health
II. Bacteria infection

Question 136

Give three causes of more droughts due to climate change.

I.
II.
III.

Answer 136

I. Higher and higher temperature
II. More heatwave
III. Decrease snowpack

Question 137

What is the rare ‘weather double whammy’ (that is, what are the two interrelated problems intensifying each other?)? (B) And what kind of events do they increase the changes of?

(A)
(B) M_________________

Answer 137

(A) Prolong heatwave and prolong drought
(B) Megadroughts

Question 138

Increase drought conditions are also conditions conducive to what other natural disaster which particularly affects dry forests?

Answer 138

Wildfire.

Question 139

T/F. As a general rule about the probable effects of climate change on drought and shifts in precipitation, water areas of the world are likely to get wetter and already dry areas even drier.

Answer 139

True.

Question 140

(a) What region of the U.S. is especially hard hit by droughts and predicted to be even more so in the future? (b) And what region id Africa is currently being hard hit by its worst drought in forty years?

a.
b.

Answer 140

a. Southeast region
b. Eastern Africa

Question 141

The effects of drought on ecosystems and people are sometimes referred to as H_______________ S____________.

Answer 141

Hydrological stress.

Question 142

What are two of the ways that droughts affect public health?

I.
II.

Answer 142

I. Food insecurity
II. Diseases

Question 143

What is the primary way that droughts can affect transportation system?

Answer 143

Ships hard to been through along river.

Question 144

What is the primary way that droughts affect energy systems?

Answer 144

Through hydroelectric dams.

Question 145

Which of the following were listed in lecture as key causes of increased fires due to climate change?

Rising temperatures dry soils and make vegetation more flammable
Smaller and earlier melting winter snowpacks lead to drier conditions acting as kindling for fires
Insect outbreak weaken trees and make them more vulnerable to fire
Shifting rain patterns moving away from fire prone regions

Answer 145

Rising temperatures dry soils and make vegetation more flammable

Smaller and earlier melting winter snowpacks lead to drier conditions acting as kindling for fires

Insect outbreak weaken trees and make them more vulnerable to fire

Shifting rain patterns moving away from fire prone regions

Question 146

List three of the negative impacts of fires discussed in lecture.

I.
II.
III.

Answer 146

I. Public health
II. Destructive to animal life
III. Loss of carbon sink

Question 147

How many animals were killed or displaced during Australia’s fires in 2029 and 2020?

Answer 147

Over a billion.

Question 148

T/F. Due to fires and development, parts of the Amazon rain forest are now emitting more carbon than they absorb.

Answer 148

True.

Question 149

The fires in the Arctic peatlands are called “z________” fires since they burn underground durable the winter and reappear in the summer.

Answer 149

Zombie.

Question 150

What ‘shift’ is the big worry climate scientists have about the arctic peatlands as global weather warms?

Answer 150

Shift from carbon sink to carbon source.

Question 151

List three ways covered in lecture that climate change negatively impacts agricultural production.

I.
II.
III.

Answer 151

I. Rainfall shifting
II. Massive heatwave
III. Sea level rise

Question 152

What two factors are expected to cause a 50% increase in the food needs to feed Earth’s people between 2020 and 2050?

I.
II.

Answer 152

I. Growing population
II. Resource intense food

Question 153

T/F. Decreases in consumable food calories are already occurring in roughly half of the world’s food insecure countries.

Answer 153

True.

Question 154

What two features of Africa’s agricultural production make it especially vulnerable to climate change’s effects on food production?

I.
II.

Answer 154

I. Lot of small plots
II. Rain fed agriculture

Question 155

The biggest fear many analysts now concerns the predominance of a few basic crops in the global diet, their geographical concentration of production, and the growing possibility of simultaneous M___________ B___________ F___________.

Answer 155

Multiple breadbasket failure.

Question 156

What two countries are expected to benefit most from cropland shifts and experience large increase in their agricultural production in the coming decades?

I.
II.

Answer 156

I. Russian north
II. North Canadian

Question 157

What two main factors contribute to the uncertainties involved in projecting future agricultural impacts of climate change?

I.
II.

Answer 157

I. Farmer behaviour
II. Soil quality/ new technology

Question 158

Smog and soot, the two basic forms of air pollution, both mostly come from the burning of what?

Answer 158

Fossil fuels

Question 159

The WMO warns that the increase in the frequency, intensity, and duration of heatwaves will are air quality worse, imposing a “C_________ P__________” particularly on poor urban dwellers.

Answer 159

Climate penalty.

Question 160

What natural disaster is especially bad for air quality, even hundreds of miles from its site?

Answer 160

Wildfire.

Question 161

With estimates rising, how many people does air pollution kill each year, according to recent research?

Answer 161

10 million people.

Question 162

According to recent estimates, how many people does air pollution kill in China each year?

Answer 162

1 million

Question 163

What percentage of global air pollution-related deaths occur in developing countries?

Answer 163

95%

Question 164

What common seasonal ailment is expected to become much worse for people due to the impacts of climate change?

Answer 164

Allergies.

Question 165

A World Bank report estimates that the health costs associated with air pollution costs of the world roughly _____% of global GDP.

Answer 165

6.1%

Question 166

T/F. Pollution causes about six million premature births and nearly three million underweight babies each year.

Answer 166

True.

Question 167

T/F. Their amount of skin, stage of organ development, and need for more air and hydration all make children much more susceptible to toxins in their air, water, and food.

Answer 167

True.

Question 168

What is the different between direct and indirect economics costs of a country’s disease burden?

Direct:
Indirect:

Answer 168

Direct: Medical cost
Indirect: Labor productivity cost

Question 169

T/F. According to the IPCC, each incremental increase in global temperatures will lead to more deaths from infectious diseases and other causes.

Answer 169

True.

Question 170

Disease-carrying mosquitos already kill about how many people per year?

Answer 170

1 million.

Question 171

List three of the diseases carried by mosquitos whose geographic range and deadly impact will likely increase in the coming decades due to climate change.

I.
II.
III.

Answer 171

I. Yellow fever
II. Dengue fever
III. Zika fever

Question 172

How to wildfires increase disease problems?

Answer 172

Drive contact between wild animal and human.

Question 173

How do droughts make the disease problem worse?

Answer 173

Food insecurity.

Question 174

In what two primary ways does flooding make the disease problem worse?

I.
II.

Answer 174

I. Diarrhoea
II. Cholera

Question 175

What is the term for diseases affecting humans that originate in animals?

Answer 175

Zoonotic.

Question 176

Briefly explain how deforestation is causing more disease problems in human populations.

Answer 176

Drive contact between wild animal and human.

Question 177

What two problems related to climate change are raising the risks of diarrheal disease mortality and morbidity, especially among young children in urban areas of sub-Saharan Africa.

I.
II.

Answer 177

I. Heat
II. Flooded

Question 178

Since 1500, due to the impacts of humans on the earth, the world has been experiencing very e___________ e__________ r______, and is currently 100 to 1000 times higher than the b_____________ e_____________ r_______.

Answer 178

Elevated extinction rate, background extinction rate.

Question 179

Which of the following were listed in lecture as among the key benefits of biodiversity?

Helps improve, regenerate soils
Provides protection against inland and coastal floods and storms
More biodiverse marine systems produce larger fish catches
Wild pollination plays pivotal role in many agricultural systems
Plants are key sources of medicinal innovations
Biodiverse forests act as strong carbon sinks

Answer 179

Helps improve, regenerate soils
Provides protection against inland and coastal floods and storms
More biodiverse marine systems produce larger fish catches
Wild pollination plays pivotal role in many agricultural systems
Plants are key sources of medicinal innovations
Biodiverse forests act as strong carbon sinks

Question 180

Recent studies suggest that on current path and due to climate change _____% of species face extinction by 2070; if global temperatures rise by 2.9 degrees, that percentage rises to _____%.

Answer 180

33%, 95%.

Question 181

To escape what impacts of climate change, significant percentages of animal populations are showing movements in what three directions?

I.
II.
III.

Answer 181

I. Moving up mountain
II. Ocean life going to lower depth
III. Smaller living area

Question 182

If the world warms another degree Celsius, coral reefs (among the most biodiverse ecosystems on the planet) face losses as high as ____%.

Answer 182

99%

Question 183

What are three key threats to tree due to climate change?

I.
II.
III.

Answer 183

I. Diseases and pests
II. More heatwave
III. Droughts

Question 184

T/F. Agriculture is a major driver of biodiversity loss.

Answer 184

True.

Question 185

The agricultural sectors in what two regions of the world are likely to suffer the most from a collapse of ecosystem services?

I.
II.

Answer 185

I. South Asia
II. Sub-Saharan Africa

Question 186

T/F. The World Bank argues that protecting global biodiversity is not merely an environmental issue, but an economic one, including significant declines in global GDP by 2030 if biodiversity loss continues.

Answer 186

True.

Question 187

While many countries continue to put exploitation of natural resources ahead of conservation, the UN argues that global annual spending need to increase _________ by 2030 (from around 120 billion) if adequate protections for land areas are to be achieved.

2x 3x 4x 5x

Answer 187

3x

Question 188

What international institutions hosted the 1972 Conference on the Human Environment?

Answer 188

United Nations

Question 189

T/F. The 1972 Conference agreed to mostly broadly-stated environmental policy goals but lacked any concrete or detailed policy commitments or recommendations.

Answer 189

True.

Question 190

What two principles are ‘balanced’ in the Principle 21.

I.
II.

Answer 190

I. Right to exploit natural resources
II. Do not harm other state’s environment

Question 191

What does UNEP stand for?

Answer 191

United Nation Environmental Programme

Question 192

Briefly explain the controversy and decision about where to locate UNEP headquarters.

Answer 192

Developed country: Geneva
Developing country: Nairobi

Question 193

(a) What does MEA stand for? (b) And what is UNEP’s relationship to many MEA’s?

Answer 193

Multilateral Environmental Agreement. Administrative services.

Question 194

What does ODS stand for?

Answer 194

Ozone depleting substances.

Question 195

T/F. Due to pressure from rich countries, the principle of ‘common but differentiated responsibilities’ is not a part of the Montreal Protocols, which many observers credit as being a key reason for its success.

Answer 195

False.

Question 196

What features of the Montreal Protocol does the lecture list as significant achievements?

First international treaty to address a global environmental regulatory challenge
First agreement to have experts from key fields such as economics, chemicals, and the environment reported directly to the committee without edit or censorship
First agreement to recognize and allow for national differences in responsibility and financial capacity to respond
First treaty with a Board that included democratic composition, that is, equal representation between countries from both the developed and developing regions of the world
First agreement to successfully institute a cap and trade program on carbon emissions

Answer 196

First international treaty to address a global environmental regulatory challenge

First agreement to have experts from key fields such as economics, chemicals, and the environment reported directly to the committee without edit or censorship

First agreement to recognize and allow for national differences in responsibility and financial capacity to respond

First treaty with a Board that included democratic composition, that is, equal representation between countries from both the developed and developing regions of the world

Question 197

(a) Briefly, explain why HFC production suddenly boomed after passage of the Montreal Protocols? (b) Explain their impact on the ozone layer. (c) And what key problem do they cause?

(a)
(b)
(c)

Answer 197

(a) Chemical substitute for CFC
(b) No impact
(c) Greenhouse gases

Question 198

How did the Kigali Amendment divide up the world’s countries, and what key difference does it make between them?

Answer 198

Different rates of reduction between developed and developing countries.

Question 199

T/F. The passing of the Kigali Amendment by the U.S. Senate was the first international climate change treaty it had approved in 30 years.

Answer 199

True.

Question 200

What group in the U.S. played a pivotal role in the passing of the Kigali Amendment, and why did they support the agreement?

Answer 200

U.S. business class. They will have trade restrictions.

Question 201

Despite the incredible success of the Montreal Protocols (99.7% decline in CFCs by 2018), recently some researchers have begun to gather evidence of what problem? Which makes them suspect what other issue has emerged? And what makes all of this such a mystery of an issue to solve?

Answer 201

Uptick in ODS. Some countries or companies use this chemical without reporting. And don’t have a good science to keep track.

Question 202

T/F. The UNFCC is an international treaty signed in 1992 to create an international forum to help combat ‘dangerous human interference with the climate system’.

Answer 202

True.

Question 203

T/F. In this early climate agreement, mitigation was listed as a key goal but not adaption.

Answer 203

False.

Question 204

What (i) regular set of meetings and what (ii) regular climate report have come out of the creation of the UNFCC?

Answer 204

(i) The cop
(ii) IPCC report

Question 205

What are two criticisms made of the UNFCC?

(I)
(II)

Answer 205

(I) Inefficient environmental policy
(II) Insufficient decision making

Question 206

T/F. At the core of the Kyoto Protocol is a carbon emission trading scheme through which countries that produce more emissions than they been allowed ‘trade’ for carbon credits with countries that have produced less, usually by helping such countries create ‘carbon sinks’.

Answer 206

True.

Question 207

T/F. Despite significant support for the proposal, technology transfers from rich to poor countries were not included in the final version of the Kyoto Protocol, which was a significant mistake said critics then and now.

Answer 207

False.

Question 208

T/F. The U.S. Senate, whose support would have been needed for ratification of the treaty, scuttled any attempt by the U.S. to join the Kyoto Protocol known in a 95 to 0 vote resolving no participation by the U.S. in any agreement that did not demand reductions by developing countries.

Answer 208

True.

Question 209

Which of the following are among the most significant criticisms of the Kyoto Protocol?

Included too many countries in the initial negotiations, and should have focused on ambitious agreements among top emitters first
Divided the world between developed and developing, which created antagonism between the two groups
Significant skepticism about the authenticity of the accounting of carbon offset programs
Lacked any meaningful sanctions or penalties for noncompliance

Answer 209

Included too many countries in the initial negotiations, and should have focused on ambitious agreements among top emitters first

Divided the world between developed and developing, which created antagonism between the two groups

Significant skepticism about the authenticity of the accounting of carbon offset programs

Lacked any meaningful sanctions or penalties for noncompliance

Question 210

T/F. Significant amounts of the reductions ‘achieved’ by the Kyoto Protocols were actually caused by the collapse of former Soviet economies and the 2008 financial crash.

Answer 210

True.

Question 211

What does WTO stand for and what does it do?

Answer 211

World Trade Organisation: manage world’s free trade system

Question 212

Within the WTO agreement, countries are allowed to have environmental regulations of trade so long as they satisfy what two conditions?

(I)
(II)

Answer 212

(I) Non-discriminatory bans
(II) backed by science

Question 213

What was at the center of the key environmental/ trade case at the WTO between the U.S. and India, Malaysia, Pakistan, and Thailand. (I.e. , what was U.S. policy and what did other countries claim about this rule?)

Answer 213

Ban of shrimp without turtle save nets.

Question 214

List two of the ways or issues that are on the WTO’s agenda and provide a possibility for it to become a more important influence on climate and environmental problems.

(I)
(II)

Answer 214

(I) reporting on environmental issues
(II) reporting on supply chain