Uks Environmental Challenges Flashcards
Describe factors that affect the uk weather
Latitude - higher latitudes are colder. With the UK between 50 and 59 degrees north, it receives cooler temperatures than countries in lower latitudes.
Continentality
- in winter, the sea insulates the islands as it cools more slowly than the land and this helps to keep the UK warmer than most other countries of the same latitude. Coastal areas are warmer than inland areas in winter, because the sea retains heat and warms up the land. But in summer, areas nearer to the sea are cooler because the sea takes longer to heat up and so cools the land down.
Altitude - higher areas of the UK are cooler, and also receive more precipitation.
Prevailing winds - prevailing winds in the UK blow from the south west, across the Atlantic Ocean. This brings warm, moist air which helps to produce mild and wet winters. The west side of the UK gets more rainfall (mainly frontal and relief rain) than the east, which is in the rain shadow of the higher land on the west coast.
Air masses - although the prevailing wind is from the south west, there are four directions from which air travels to the UK. Each wind direction brings different climate conditions.
Ocean currents - the North Atlantic Drift (or Gulf Stream) ocean current flows northwards across the Atlantic Ocean, bringing warm water from the Gulf of Mexico. This results in milder winter temperatures in the west of the UK.
Air pressure - the UK lies in a zone of low pressure. Low-pressure systems containing lots of rainfall form over the Atlantic Ocean and approach the UK from the west. Therefore, the west side of the UK is wetter than the east. High-pressure systems (anticyclones) bringing drier weather also form over the Atlantic Ocean, and approach the UK from the west. This combination produces a mix of wet and dry conditions for the UK.
Extreme weather tropical maritime strong winds 2024
In February 2014 the UK was battered by a succession of winter storms from Atlantic Ocean driven on shore by Westley winds. This was the stormiest period of weather in the UK for 20 years strong winds and huge waves made conditions dangerous particularly in the south and west, this caused flooding and damage to infrastructure.
Extreme weather tropical maritime flooding 2014
In winter 2014 which was the wettest January since records began in 1910 ,about 350 mm of rain fell in January and February which is around 100 mm above average, Somerset levels was badly affected 600 properties were flooded several villages cut off, 14,000 hectares of agriculture land were underwater for several weeks. The cost of this flood was 10 million.
Extreme weather, tropical continental heat wave 2003
The tropical continental air mass can and introduce a very warm and dry weather to western Europe and UK in 2003 much of Europe suffered the most extreme heat wave in 500 years over 20,000 people died ,the UK and several other countries recorded highest ever temperature, wildfires broke out, rivers ran dry, reservoirs went very low.
Extreme weather, Arctic Maritime heavy snow
The Arctic Maritime air mass can bring heavy snow and extremely cold conditions particularly to Scotland and north England the period from mid December 2009 to mid January 2010 brought very low temperatures and heavy snow fall too much of UK. It was most severe period of winter weather since 1981 to 82.
Nighttime temperatures fell below -10° in Scotland
10 to 20 cm of snow across parts of England and Wales 30 cm in Scotland
Airport disrupted trains cancelled
Ice brought down powerlines which disrupted the electricity supplies to 25,000 homes
Several people died
Farm animals affected particularly sheep in mountainous areas
Where is Somerset levels
Somerset levels are located in south west England they cover an area of 650 km in the northern and Central part of the country, it is a unique flat land landscape between the quantock and mendip hills it is so low that much land is below the sea level with the maximum altitude being 8 m.
Physical causes of 2014 Somerset flood case study
Prolonged rain, hurricane force wind speeds , and tidal surges caused widespread flooding.
The storms were caused by powerful Jet stream driving low pressure systems and their storms across the Atlantic Ocean , a jet stream is a narrow band of very strong wind currents that circle the globe several kilometres above the Earth,
12 major storms hit the UK from mid December 2013 to mid February 2014 .
Somerset flood case study human causes?
The river had not been dragged properly for 20 years, the process of dredging used to happen every 5 years at a cost of 4 million, the river parrot in particular was blocked and in desperate need of dredging.
Campaigners believe that if the rivers had been dragged then the river would be deeper and wider this would have created more capacity to carry flood water.
Farmers warned the government that dredging was needed.
As well as building had developed on the floodplain.
There were nearly 50 defences across Somerset in need of repair including embankments, pumping, floodgates and coastal defences.
Somerset flood social impacts
600 homes affected.
Villages where completely cut off
Longer journey times as roads were inaccessible.
Somerset floods economic impacts
Huge financial cost to Somerset economy was between 82 million and 147 million.
Many livestock had to be evacuated and sold
Local businesses lost trade.
Somerset floods environmental impacts
6,900 hectares of agricultural land was underwater for over a month
Natural England reported that the flood had seemed to have little impact on wildlife
Short term responses to Somerset flood
The environmental agency installed 62 pumps working 24 hours a day to remove 1,500,000 tonnes of water, giant pumps were also brought from the Netherlands to bolster the affected. Royal Marines were deployed to help residents of villages which were cut off by floodwater. Local people were warned about heavy rains so were advised to protect homes using sandbags and to move valuables upstairs.
Long term responses to Somerset flood
A range of options for the future management of the Somerset levels has been explored in march 2014 a twenty year flood action plan was written.
More dredging
Building higher embankments
Raising of certain roads
Installation of permanent pumps
Building of a coastal flood protection barrage to hold back high tides
These approaches are all hard engineering which are expensive. A more sustainable solution could be changing back to natural wetlands from agriculture land.
Impact of farming on ecosystems and the environment
In order to house machinery and produce food On a large scale farms have increased in size this has led to destruction of hedgerows which affect the small mammals which live there and the food webs they are apart off.
Farming is now a year round process with consumers wanting out of season produce,as a result fields are not given time to recover. The traditional farming practice of ‘fallowing’ allowed fields to recover nutrients .
The increase in use of chemical fertilisers and pesticides not only cost farmers but also cause problems for local water supplies if eutrophication occurs were chemicals wash into waters.
Commercial fishing affects on environment and ecosystem
Commercial fishing techniques have led to overfishing of popular species such as cod. Too many young fish are caught, and they are not enough left in the sea to breathe to replace those who have been taken, although cod is popular it takes four years to get to breeding age and many are taken before this stage.
Commercial fishing also causes accidental death of other unplanned species such as dolphins which are snagged by deep Trawlers
The average fish catch has been declining for 10 years tuna and cod are particularly threatened this means fishing boats have to travel further as stocks migrate as a result more diesel fuel causing water pollution.
Wind farm affects on ecosystems and environment
Most onshore wind farms are found in areas of open countryside on high ground. This is because this is where wind is strongest some people find wind turbines ugly and that they affect landscape, some turbines create slot of noise, wind turbines need to be manufactured and transported offshore or onshore therefore greenhouse gases are emitted in this processs. Onshore wind farms distrust migration patterns of birds .
Fracking in uk
The uk ban on fracking has ended and in 2015 the government formally offered up licences to allow company’s to frack natural shale.
Fracking fluid remains in the ground and could contaminate water and soil with bromide, diesel,methane lead or hydrochloric acid. In. 2012 over 1 million litres of toxic water waste from fracking had to be treated.
Fracking could cause micro-quakes however the uk does not have major risks.
Impact of providing water on ecosystem and the environment
Flooding of landscapes to create repose can lead to the loss of settlements and farming lands. Sediment can accumulate against dams and reservoirs. This can result in chemical imbalance leading to either except plant growth or limited growth. It destroys the natural processes that work in the river Valley. Reservoir require energy during the construction from concrete and can disrupt local ecology and affect life-cycle
Describe the uks renewable energy sources
Hydroelectric- both large and small scale dams spin turbines to generate electricity this provides 1.4% of uk energy
Wave - involves water forcing air into a chamber to drive a turbine. High costs and environmental costs so limited
Geothermal water heated underground generates steam to drive turbines, small projects in uk
Biomass energy produced from organic matter produces 5% of uk electricity
Solar
Wind- in 2014 accounted for 10% of uk energy.
UK non renewable energy sources
Oil and natural gas
Nuclear- the uks 15 reactors generate approximately 20% of energy.
Describe uks current energy mix
The energy mix changes all the time but is primarily composed of
Natural gas 32%
Wind 29%
Nuclear 14%
Biomass 5%
Coal 1%
Imports 10%
Hydro 1%
Explain the role of national and international organisations in changing the UK’s energy mix
In 1974 the international organisation of petroleum exporting countries quadrupled the price of oil
In 1975 the government recognise the power of OPEC so wanted the UK to be self-sufficient as possible .
In early 1990s the EU Gas burn directive repealed once to repealed the gas industry was able to grow rapidly.
In recent years international organisations such as EU and UN have responded to challenges of climate change by setting limits on carbon emissions.
How has the UK’s energy demand change since 1950s?
Energy consumption in the UK has steadily risen since the 1950s. this reflected growth in the UK‘s population and in increasing demand in home usage. As well as growing demand from industry and transport. In 1970 to 2000 energy consumption increased by about 15% since 1990 is increased by one percent per year.
Explain the four national strategies for sustainable energy solutions
1 Increase contributions of renewable sources, the government renewable energy strategy identified target of 15% of the UK’s energy to come from renewable sources by 2020
2. Encourage energy saving and conservations, grants have been available for loft and installations and all homes need to have an energy sufficiency survey before being sold or rented
3. Develop nuclear energy while not strictly renewable it uses very small amounts of raw material and some of this can be reprocessed for renewable energy also has low carbon emissions. Nuclear represents a long-term alternative that’s reasonably sustainable however radioactive waste needs to be disposed of safely.
4. develop carbon captures and storage. This involves capturing carbon so it’s not emitted in the air, technology is now available to catch carbon from power stations and store underground within rocks.
Mini case study: local solution to the UK energy demand
Anaerobic digestion
In 2011 the system was installed at dry Holme farm near Siloth, the digester uses farm slurry and silage made from locally grown grass and maize to generate enough electricity to power 4000 homes. the cost was about 4 million.
In addition the waste can be used as fertiliser for crops for every ton of slurry and sage 0.8 tons of digestate is produced.
Heathly hill
Is a small community of 27 homes in West Sussex, since 2007 the community has benefited from the district heating system to supply hot water to each house through pipes, the system uses a central low maintenance wood chip boiler to generate the heat. The cost of the project was £400,000
