Unit 1: The Challenge of Global Hazards in the Future

Question 1

How has increased global warming caused water shortages and reduced food security?

Answer 1

1) GW changes precipitation and temperature patterns
- leads to drier conditions - leading to water shortages and decreased ability to grow food.
- Poorer areas are affected this way, eg sub-saharan Africa
- poorer areas have less money to find technological solutions such as dams or importing food
- Dehydration and famine can occur in areas where global warming has affected vulnerable environments with vulnerable populations.

Question 2

With a named example explain how impacts of climate change can lead to conflict.

Answer 2

• Egypt - nile river for water supply
• 2 main tributaries flow into the nile from Sudan and Ethiopia
• Egypt built ASWAN HIGH DAM to make a large water store.
• Droughts then occurred in 1980s leading to famine in ethiopia and sudan, but egypt had enough water due the lake
• If global warming increases shortages of water in Sudan and Ethiopia and they also increase their water use then Egypts supply may be reduced.
• Egypt is prepared to use force to protect its access to the Nile’s waters

Question 3

Explain the downward cycle in terms of global warming

Answer 3

Global warming - causes - Water and food shortages - causes - famine - causes conflict over resources - causes difficulty in managing hazards like global warming - worsens - global warming

Question 4

What strategies have been proposed and are currently being used to cope with the impacts of climate change?

Answer 4

1) Increasing energy efficiency - making the energy we produce do more
2) Energy conservation - using less energy
3) Decreasing carbon emissions - directly slowing the rate of GW
4) Increasing alternative energy use - using renewable energy resources that produce less greenhouse gases.
5) Re-afforestation - planting trees to increase the natural CO2 sinks so more CO2 is not sitting in the atmosphere.