Topic 7: Climate change and energy production Flashcards
Outline how a positive feedback loop can impact an ecosystem.
defforestation = forest fires
global warming = albedo effect
permafrost melting = methane
positive feedback loops (destabilizing) amplify changes in an ecosystem;
feedback refers to the return of part of the output from a system as input so as to affect succeeding outputs;
this drives the system towards a tipping point where a new equilibrium is adopted;
this new equilibrium may be an alternative stable state / involve collapse of original system;
eg increased global temperatures are melting permafrost, leading to the release of methane;
…which is a greenhouse gas and leads to further increases in global temperatures;
To what extent have international agreements been successful in solving atmospheric air pollution and climate change?.
Montreal protocol; UN agreement after ozone hole was discovered in antartctica, more than 100 countries if not the whole world sighned to phase out the consumption and production of CFCs ;
was successful because CFCs were phased out, more that 100 countires signed, ozone hole in straposphere in antarctica is healing
Kyoto protocol where 160 countires signed to reduce greenhouse gas emissions
was not so successful as we can see it even up to date
understanding concepts and terminology of international agreements (Montreal Protocol, Kyoto Protocol/Paris Agreement/UNCED/UNFCCC, Convention on LRTRAP, UNEP, UNECE, Agenda 21) in different environmental issues; climate change; air pollution; acid deposition; ozone depletion; solid domestic waste; resource depletion; population growth; energy choices;
breadth in addressing and linking a wide range of international agreements with various solutions(laws/regulations/strategies/actions/projects) to issues of different forms of atmospheric pollution and climate change
examples of international agreements; solutions to the problems requiring international agreements;
balanced analysis discussing successful and less successful international agreements showing understanding of the factors involved in the amount of success;
a conclusion that is consistent with, and supported by, analysis and examples given eg currently the Montreal Protocol is thought to be the most successful international piece of legislation tackling an environmental problem. The problem of ozone depletion was not challenged in the political sphere and there were solutions that industry could implement. It did not require any change to the way that people lived their lives. Climate change legislation, on the other hand has been politically controversial and despite all countries initially signing up to the Paris Accord in 2015, it is still struggling to be implemented as it requires system-wide changes to the way countries organise themselves;
To what extent does the development of different societies impact their choice of mitigation and adaptation strategies for climate change?
[9]c.
MEDCS VS LEDCS
TECHNOCENTRIC VS ECOCENTRIC
Mitigation; reduce ghg
changing cow diets
renewble energy
reducing combustion of fossil fuels
afforestation
adaptation; manage effects of climate change
water reservoirs
harvesting rain water
gmo drought resistant plants
education
legislation
understanding concepts and terminology of development (may not just be economic); mitigation and adaptation strategies; climate change; NAPA, UNFCCC and IPCC; EIAs
breadth in addressing and linking climate change; demographic transition model; geographical factors such as location/biome; socio-economic and political factors may be related to EVS;
examples of mitigation and adaptation strategies in at least two contrasting countries;
balanced analysis discussing range of factors influencing a society’s choices;
a conclusion that is consistent with, and supported by, analysis and examples given eg the combination of political system and economic development will be the primary determinant of the choice of mitigation and adaptation strategies, with countries such as USA preferring to invest in adaptation strategies involving hard infrastructure while less economically developed countries will heavily support the implementation of IPCC climate goals (mitigation) and education of the population to mitigate problems
Discuss the role of feedback mechanisms in maintaining the stability and promoting the restoration of plant communities threatened by human impacts.
negative feedback back to equilibrium and further away from tipping point
afforestation = reduced heat
global warming = more cloud reflection
earlier succession = more growth
positve feedback away from equlibrium and closwer to tipping point
defforestation = wild fires
global warming = less albedo
permafrost = trapped methane release
positive feedback promoting population growth, succession (i.e. earlier successional stages modifying environment to allow more and more colonization of later stages)
afforestation = reduced heat
global warming = more cloud reflection
CO2 absorbed – forests act as a carbon sink, removing CO2 from the atmosphere, so temperature rise decreases.
global warming = more heat = increased rate of evapouration = more cloud formation that reflect heat and produce rain
understanding concepts and terminology of negative and positive feedback, steady state and dynamic equilibria, tipping points, resilience, sustainability, colonization, pioneer communities, succession, biodiversity, variety of nutrient and energy pathways, human threats e.g. climate change, eutrophication, deforestation, land degradation, marine pollution, toxic pollution of lakes;
breadth in addressing and linking negative feedback with stability, steady state, resilience in natural systems mitigating adverse impacts; and positive feedback with dynamic equilibria, growth, succession in restoration as well as amplifying/exacerbating human disturbance and destabilization of systems, etc.;
examples of organisms, feeding and non-feeding relationships, abiotic & biotic interactions generating negative feedback loops in natural systems and positive feedback promoting population growth, succession (i.e. earlier successional stages modifying environment to allow more and more colonization of later stages), and human impacts leading to positive feedback through e.g. agriculture, unsustainable exploitation, overharvesting, eutrophication, global warming, etc.;
balanced analysis of the extent to which feedback mechanisms maintain stability and promote restoration in face of human impact with counter examples of positive feedback leading to greater destabilization, or to a new equilibrium (past a tipping point), etc.;
a conclusion that is consistent with, and supported by, analysis and examples given e.g. “generally, negative feedback is significant in maintaining stability, while positive feedback promotes restoration of plant communities. However, human impacts frequently drive systems beyond their tipping point, and then positive feedback drives the system even further from its naturally stable equilibrium”;
Explain how deforestation in the taiga may impact the world’s oceans.
increased rate of evapouration
rise in sea levels
heated up oceans killing aquatic life
loss of habitats
no top soil = running away of nutrients in soil erosion = eutrophication
increased co2 = **ocean ocean acidification **
removing vegetation increases CO2 levels in atmosphere which promotes global warming / deforestation increases melting of permafrost which releases CO2 and CH4 which promotes global warming;
increased CO2 levels lead to ocean acidification (reduction in ocean pH) / carbon stores within oceans increase;
ocean acidification causes the bleaching of corals/corrosion of shells/loss of marine species/diversity;
global warming/higher temperatures cause thermal expansion which raises sea levels;
global warming/higher temperatures cause the melting of glaciers which raises sea levels;
higher sea water temperature causes bleaching of corals/loss of breeding grounds for marine organisms/loss of marine species;
deforestation leads to an increase in surface runoff which raises sea levels;
increase in freshwater input results in a reduction in seawater salinity;
reduction in forest cover so more soil erosion (by rain), leading to sediment input to the ocean / roots no longer hold soil in place which results in soil erosion, leading to sediment input into the ocean;
warmer waters can lead to a reduction in oxygen levels within the oceans;
lower oxygen levels within the oceans can reduce biodiversity;
Discuss the role of humans in the destabilization of ecological systems.
destabilisation is the distrurbance of the balance of an ecosystem thus positive feedback towards the tipping point
GWEIC + POSITIVE FEEDBACK
MENTION THE POSITIVE FEEDBACK
DEFFORESTATION = WILD FIRES
GLOBAL WARMING = ALBEDO EFFECT
PERMAFROST = METHANE
LOSS OF HABITATS = MELTING OF ICE CAPS AND GLACIERS
defforestation
water pollution
combustion of fossil fuels
eutrophication
intensive irrigation
understanding concepts and terminology of steady state and dynamic equilibria, stability, resilience, tipping-points, diversity, storage size, productivity, negative/positive feedback, complexity, community interdependence/interaction, human impacts of overexploitation/unsustainable harvesting, pollution, habitat degradation/destruction, unsustainable development, etc
breadth in addressing and linking factors that provide stability/resilience eg storage size, diversity, productivity, complexity, etc with human activities that either weaken/reduce them eg overfishing, intensive agriculture, C emissions/global warming, water/atmospheric pollution, deforestation, urbanisation, mining/resource extraction, etc or activities that strengthen/protect them eg legislation setting pollution limits/standards/fishing quotas, sustainable development schemes, alternative/renewable energies, conservation efforts/reserves, etc
examples of specific negative impacts on stability of ecological systems e.g. overfishing reduces the storage size of targeted fish populations reducing their stability, C emissions lead to climate change that reduces primary productivity of systems, eutrophication will interfere with negative feedback loops in freshwater systems, atmospheric pollutants may eliminate sensitive species of lichen reducing diversity, etc and positive impacts on stability e.g. in-situ conservation protects complexity of relationships in system, agricultural techniques conserving soils maintain high productivity, etc
balanced analysis of the extent to which human activities promote or prevent destabilisation of ecological systems with acknowledgement of relevant counter-arguments/alternative viewpoints.
a conclusion that is consistent with, and supported by, analysis and examples given eg “The role of humans in destabilising ecological systems is very diverse, and with the current size and growth of population, the magnitude of that role is becoming immense, calling for urgent and wide-scale efforts to adopt a proactive role in re-stabilising those systems.” NB This is only an example of a possible conclusion. Candidates’ conclusions do not have to agree. Their value should be assessed simply according to the criteria given in the markband descriptors.
To what extent do anthropocentric value systems dominate the international efforts to address climate change?
anthropocentric values are particularly critical in achieving a more concerted effort internationally in that
Kyoto protocol
- technological solutions are often limited to MEDCs
- ecocentric solutions tend to be very localised because they recognize the unique and specific ecological challenges of their specific area at the local scale but not a global scale.
- Climate change is primarily driven by human activities, such as burning fossil fuels, deforestation, and industrial processes
- Most climate change mitiagation and adaptation actions are driven by anthropocentric concerns eg the well-being and survival of human populations but not ecosystem concerns.
understanding concepts and terminology of anthropocentric/technocentric/ecocentric values, sustainability, climate change, global warming, C emission, international NGOs/GOs, international agreements/protocols, mitigation, adaptation, MEDCs v LEDCs etc
breadth in addressing and linking international strategies addressing climate change relevant EVS eg anthropocentric with environmental regulations, carbon tax, international agreements/protocols eg technocentric with carbon storage, alternative energies, vaccination programmes, desalinisation, flood defences, eg ecocentric with afforestation, energy reduction, reduced consumerism, more sustainable/localised agricultural systems etc
examples of international strategies eg Kyoto protocol, Paris Agreement, UN Convention on Climate Change, carbon trading, REDD (Reduced Emissions from Deforestation & Degradation), and range of strategies employed internationally eg desalinisation in areas of water scarcity, flood defences in coastal regions, shifting cultivation to more appropriate latitudes, Greenpeace global aim for 100% renewable energy etc
balanced analysis of the extent to which international efforts are dominated by anthropocentric values, acknowledging relevant counter-arguments/alternative viewpoints
a conclusion that is consistent with, and supported by, analysis and examples given eg “All value systems have a valuable contribution in addressing climate change, but anthropocentric values are particularly critical in achieving a more concerted effort internationally in that technological solutions are often limited to MEDCs and ecocentric solutions tend to be very localised.” NB This is only an example of a possible conclusion. Candidates’ conclusions do not have to agree.
Explain the potential impact of ocean acidification on environmental systems and societies.
Loss of aquatic life
less fish = more unemployment for fishers
less food supply
ocean acidification is caused by increased CO2 levels in atmosphere leading to more CO2 absorbed into ocean;
the CO2 reacts with the water forming an acid (carbonic acid)/decreasing the pH/changing pH from about 8.2 to 8.1;
macro-algae/seagrasses may benefit from higher CO2 conditions in the ocean;
some organisms are adapted to a narrow pH range/very sensitive to pH changes;
low pH/reduces ability of shelled organisms to maintain their shells/reduces reproductive ability in fish/shellfish;
producers eg phytoplankton/corals in ocean environments can be particularly sensitive to low pH;
corals are more prone to bleaching/less able to recover from damage in acidified water;
reduction in producers reduces the resilience of an ecosystem/impacts entire food webs/is a potential tipping point for marine systems/reduces biodiversity;
collapse of a natural ecosystem may lead to collapse of fisheries/collapse of aquaculture (eg oysters)/overfishing of diminishing fish populations;
loss of fisheries can lead to limited food supply for indigenous communities/need to import food;
decline in fishing/aquaculture would result in reduced employment/socio-economic hardship;
coral reefs support economically valuable ecotourism that may be lost/decline;
loss of corals will bring an aesthetic loss/infringe biorights of organisms;
Environmental value systems may lead to different approaches to addressing the issue of global warming. Discuss which environmental value system(s) you consider to be most appropriate in the management of global warming.
water scarcity n ghg solutions
change cow diets
afforestation
combustion of fossil fuels
renewable resources
EDUCATION
LEGISLATION
increasing water reservoirs
harvesting rain water
gmo drought resistant crops
Ecocentric approaches:
promote education about global warming as a way to change human behaviour causing the problem;
promote energy efficient strategies in order to reduce production of greenhouse gases (GHG);
promote greater use of public transport / reduced flights / car sharing in order to reduce GHG production;
promote changes in diet to reduce meat consumption and thus reduce meat industry’s contribution to GHGs;
small communities, self-sufficiency / reduction of food miles, reduced consumerism - so less production GHG;
Anthropocentric approaches:
financial incentives to change behaviour such as tax credits for using renewable energy/increasing household energy efficiency;
market based solutions such as carbon trading will incentivise companies to reduce carbon emissions;
legislation in the form of taxation on high carbon emissions;
legislation by government to reduce carbon emissions / e.g. international negotiated treaties/government targets/regional targets for carbon emissions;
community based initiatives such as meat free Mondays to reduce meat consumption and therefore community carbon footprint;
Technocentric approaches:
promote adaptation to new conditions that result from global warming;
increase research and development for new fuels/renewable/nuclear energy / carbon capture technology;
invest in geoengineering solutions to reduce effect of greenhouse gases;
promote development of new technologies to reduce carbon emissions such as more fuel efficient cars/electric cars/hybrid cars.
Award [4 max] if only one EVS is discussed.
Distinguish between the causes of recent global warming and those of ozone depletion.
Gases and human activities involved
Gases involved:
ghg eg methane , co2, tropospheric ozone
ods eg cfcs, hcfcs, hfcs, halons
Human activities responsible:
deforestaion, cows, combustion of fossil fuels
refridgeration
spray cans
Mechanism;
for GW involves GHGs trapping more infra-red/heat (whereas) OD involves chemical breakdown of ozone molecules;
for GW involves increase in mean global temperature (whereas) OD involves more UV passing through atmosphere;
Distribution:
GW occurs globally (whereas) OD is concentrated around the poles;
OD is caused largely by MEDC activities (whereas) LEDCs make significant contribution to GW through deforestation/rice culture.
[4 max]
Explain two factors which lead to a loss of marine (ocean) biodiversity.
Global warming
ocean acidification
water pollution
GWEICO
Factor (F): global warming;
Explanation (E): leads to higher ocean temperatures to which many marine species are sensitive;
Explanation (E): some species cannot adapt/evolve/migrate quickly enough / compete successfully, leading to loss in biodiversity/extinction;
Explanation (E): changing temperatures may reduce productivity by phytoplankton leading to loss of diversity throughout the food chains;
Explanation (E): higher temperatures may lead to coral death/bleaching affecting whole food webs/ecosystem;
Factor (F): ocean acidification;
Explanation (E): leads to coral bleaching (especially at higher ocean temperatures);
Explanation (E): most marine organisms have a very narrow band of tolerance for pH (shells won’t develop) leading to possible extinction and loss of biodiversity;
Factor (F): pollution from plastic;
Explanation (E): tiny pieces of plastic ingested by organisms may carry associated persistent organic pollutants(POPs)/toxins that can be absorbed and passed along food chains;
Explanation (E): marine organisms become entangled in plastic and unable to feed/suffocate;
Explanation (E): marine organism/scavenging birds ingest plastic causing suffocation/starvation;
Factor (F): pollution from oil spills;
Explanation (E): oil spills will take long time to degrade, having a long term negative impact on ecosystems and biodiversity;
Explanation (E): oil leading to animals losing their protection to cope with cold/waterlogging/drowning;
Factor (F): overfishing/unsustainable fishing methods/hunting of keystone species;
Explanation (E): some fishing methods (e.g. bottom trawling, electrocution/poison/explosives) are indiscriminate and take all organisms leading to the loss of all organisms from an area;
Explanation (E): some fishing methods destroy the habitats (e.g. scallop dredgers or bottom trawlers) leading to local loss of diversity;
Explanation (E): if fish populations are harvested at rates greater than replacement then loss of numbers will lead to possible (functional) extinction;
Explanation (E): nets and fishing lines can entangle seabirds (especially Cormorants) and marine mammals (e.g. fur seals in Sub-Antarctic);
Explanation (E): Hunting top carnivores e.g. shark can disturb food webs leading to loss of diversity.
To what extent is pollution impacting human food production systems?
AQUATIC AND TERRESTRIAL
WATER POLLUTION AND SOIL POLLUTION
BLEW + GWEICO + BRE
understanding concepts and terminology of aquatic and terrestrial food production; aquaculture, capture fisheries, aquatic sp. harvesting; provision of food to a growing population; aquatic pollution sources; wide range of parameters lowering water quality; soil content; soil degradation; soil fertility; sustainability of TPSs influenced by industrialization, fossil fuel use, mechanization, fertilizers, pesticides; acid deposition; tropospheric ozone; ozone depletion; eutrophication; dead zones; climate change (Note: Relevant examples will be of pollution affecting food production NOT the other way round);
breadth in addressing and linking a range of pollutants/polluting activities (fertilizer use/emissions from combustion of fossil fuels/mining/waste disposal etc) and their impacts on food production systems (aquaculture/terrestrial farming systems) and methods of limiting these impacts (alternative sources /regulations/clean-up procedures);
examples of food production systems; farming practices (aquatic and terrestrial); impacts of pollutants/polluting activities; and methods of limiting impacts;
balanced analysis of the extent to which a range of pollution events are impacting, or being restored/prevented from impacting, a range of different food production systems;
a conclusion that is consistent with, and supported by, analysis and examples given eg ‘Terrestrial FPSs are affected by a wider range of pollutants and polluting activities, thus aquatic FPSs show a greater potential for sustainable production feeding the fast-growing global population’.
To what extent does sustainability play a role in making decisions about energy and climate change policies at national and international levels?
Renewable Energy Targets: Many countries have established renewable energy targets as part of their climate change policies to promote the adoption of clean and sustainable energy sources. For example, countries like Germany,
KYOTO PROTOCOL; AGREEMENTS
ENVIRONMENTAL LEGISLATION EG CARBON TAX
understanding concepts and terminology of climate change;sustainability; fossil fuels & renewable energies; factors affecting energy choice; (energy security, availability, scientific and technological developments; cultural attitudes; political, economic and environmental factors); adaptation; mitigation; international negotiations; energy efficiency & conservation; etc;
breadth in addressing and linking the role/significance of sustainability (eg renewable vs non-renewable) in a range of different national and international decision-making bodies, with a range of different value systems and states of economic development for addressing energy choice and response to climate change;
examples could include a range of country-specific energy choices and climate change policies and plans;
balanced analysis of extent to which energy choice and adaptation/mitigation strategies for climate change are, or are not, influenced or by concept of sustainability;
a conclusion that is consistent with, and supported by, analysis and examples given eg ‘Sustainability should be the driving factor in constructing energy and climate change policy and many countries demonstrate this, however some countries choose to prioritize other factors, such as short-term energy security and economic gain’.
NEGAtive feedback define and examples
negative feedback back to equilibrium and further away from tipping point
afforestation = reduced heat
global warming = more cloud reflection
earlier succession = more growth
positve feedback away from equlibrium and closwer to tipping point
defforestation = wild fires
global warming = less albedo
permafrost = trapped methane release
positive feedback define and examples
positive feedback away from equilibrium and closer to tipping point
defforestation = wild fires
global warming = less albedo
permafrost = trapped methane release
