Topic 1: Reliance on Fossil Fuels Flashcards
What does IPCC mean ?
The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change
When was the IPCC established ?
The IPCC was jointly established in 1988 by the World Meteorological Organisation and the United Nations Environment programme.
Why was the IPCC set up ?
To assess scientific information related to climate change, to evaluate the environmental and socio-economic consequences of climate change and to form a realistic response.
What role does the IPCC assessments play ?
They play a major role in assisting governments to adopt and implement policies in response to climate change
What does UNFCCC mean ?
United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change
How many assessment reports has the IPCC published and which dates ?
4 reports have been published
1990,1995,2001,2007
What are the 4 sections to the 2007 report?
Working Group 1 : The Physical Science Basis
Working Group 2 : Impacts, Adaption and Vulnerability
Working Group 3 : Mitigation of Climate Change
and a Synthesis Report summary
Explain Working Group 1
Looks at the current scientific knowledge of the causes of climate change and changes in climate. It tries to link changes in climate to scientific reasoning and to make projections of future changes in climate
What are the Conclusions of Working Group 1
Levels of CO2, methane and nitrous oxide increased markedly
Primary source of the increase in these levels is due to fossil fuel use, human activity and primarily agriculture
on a worldwide scale there are fewer cold days/nights and frost events . whereas hot days/nights and heat waves are more common
Increased hurricane activity
Explain Working Group 2
Looks at the impact of changes in climate and states that “EVIDENCE FROM ALL CONTINENTS AND MOST OCEANS SHOW THAT MANY SYSTEMS ARE BEING AFFECTED BY REGIONAL CLIMATE CHANGE”
What are the conclusions of Working Group 2
Larger Glacial lakes appearing in large numbers
Increase in rock avalanche in mountain regions
Significant changes in some ecosystems found in polar regions
Events happening in spring e.g. unfolding of leaves are happening earlier than previously recorded
Explain Working Group 3
Looks at ways in which greenhouse gas emissions such as Carbon Dioxide could be reduced
What is Working Group 3 working towards?
Energy supply with a move towards renewable sources and other more “Eco Friendly “ Alternatives
Transport with more fuel efficient vehicles, different forms of fuel and transport systems.
Industry using more efficient heat and lighting systems and alternative energy sources.
More “Eco Friendly” strategies for crop forest and grazing land management
Waste strategies being developed which recover energy previously lost in incineration, recycling and waste management
Explain the Synthesis Report
Attempts to bring together all of the points and information contained in the three working groups to provide a summary for the worlds policy makers.
What is Carbon Trading ?
A concept which has developed from the kyoto protocol agreed by some countries at the climate change summit in 1997 in an attempt too curb emissions of carbon dioxide. Agreements are assigned maximum carbon emission levels.
if a country exists more carbon than assigned it will be penalised with less carbon credits the following year.
HOWEVER a country which emits lower than its limit can trade units of “Emissions” to other countries who need it.
