the Environment Flashcards
What is global warming?
The rise in the average surface temperature of the earth
Give 3 examples of the impact of global climate change
1) Increase temperatures
2) Changes in rainfall
3) Changes in nature - Strawberries grow at November
4) Sea-level rise
5) Melting glaciers
6) Shrinking ice-sheets
What are some of the impacts on the developing world of climate change?
1) Prone to extremes of flood and drought
2) Large share of their economy held in climate sensitive sectors, such as farming
3) Short supply of food, water and energy
4) Shortages may worsen as populations grow and weather patterns change
5) Bangladesh will disappear under the sea by 2100
6) Increase risk of hunger
What are the expected health impacts of climate change?
1) Increase in heat waves, floods, storms, wildfires and droughts could harm peoples’ health, especially young, elderly and poor populations
2) Reduce of cold-related diseases
3) Patterns of disease may vary e.g. Malaria
4) Healthier lifestyles
What is Agenda 21?
A comprehensive plan of action to be taken globally, nationally and locally by organisations in every area in which human being impact on the environment
Name the two meetings where progress has been made/ monitored following on from Agenda 21?
1) Kyoto, Japan 1998
2) Doha Qatar 2012
On a national scale what can be done to protect the environment i.e what could a country do?
1) Persuasion e.g. Encourage people to use shopping bags rather than plastic bags
2) Taxation
e.g. Cars that produce more emissions pay more road tax
Business are taxed on their energy consumption
Extra tax is paid by businesses if they send waste to landfill sites
3) Invest in alternative sources of energy e.g. Wind energy
On a local scale what can be done to protect the environment?
- Town council offers recycle bins around the town and have effective waste disposal policy. • Promote more recycling
- Keep beaches clean, Blue Flag scheme
What could a business do to protect the environment?
Act responsibility
e.g. Nissan supported local initiative and contributed to sustainability and reduced carbon dioxide emission
On an individual scale what can be done to protect the environment?
1) Don’t buy over-packed goods
2) Take your old clothes to charity shop
3) Try to buy environmentally friendly products
What is ‘sustainable development’?
Improving life today without having a negative impact on the environment in the future
Advantages of wind energy in the UK
1) Clean, abundant and free
2) Enough wind to generate 1/3 of the world’s electricity
3) Used in remote places to power homes that are too far away from the national grid
Disadvantages of wind energy in the UK
1) Can only be used to generate electricity when wind is blowing strongly enough
2) Good winds turbines sites are quite remote, far from cities where the energy is most needed
3) Windfarms ruin the landscape
4) Onshore windfarm is difficult to get planning approval
5) Threaten birds
What is meant by ‘sustainability’ ?
Everything that we need for our survival and well-being depends. We need to take care of that environment for today and for future generations
