Unit 2 - Responding to climate change Flashcards
Vulnerability
the degree to which people are susceptible to, or unable to cope with, the adverse impacts of climate change
Exposure
the degree to which people are exposed to climate change
Sensitivity
the degree to which they could be harmed by exposure to climate change
Adaptive capacity
the degree to which they could mitigate the potential harm by taking action to reduce their exposure to sensitvity
What are some variations on exposure?
depends on where you live
What are some variations in sensitivity?
depends on your financial status
age - young or old populations can be more sensitive to climate change, whereas adults can be less harmed
availability of emergency groups
access to livelihood assets (good health, knowledge etc.)
What are some variations in adaptive capacity?
financial situation
availability of early-warning systems
Case studies
Bangladesh and Ghana
What are some examples of government-led action on climate change?
UN Framework Convention on Climate Change, Kyoto Protocol, Paris Agreement
What are some mitigation strategies to reduce greenhouse gases?
reducing energy consumption
reducing emissions of nitrous oxides and methane from agriculture
geo-engineering
What are some mitigation strategies to remove carbon dioxide?
protecting and enhancing carbon sinks through land management
using biomass as a fuel source
using carbon capture and storage
enhancing carbon dioxide absorption by the oceans
What are some ways to prevent further increases in mean global temperature?
controlling the amount of atmospheric pollution
reducing atmospheric pollution
stopping forest clearance
increasing forest cover
recycling programmes
improving public transport
developing alternative renewable energy sources
setting national limits on carbon emissions
How to reduce energy consumption?
improving/increasing public transport
car-pooling
energy conservation
How to reduce carbon dioxide emissions?
energy efficiency - much can be saved from heating, cooling and ventilating of buildings, electricity use by appliances
reduce the emissions of carbon dioxide per MWh of electricity - renewable sources of energy while reducing fossil fuels use
fuel shift - from direct use of fossil fuels to electricity based on clean primary energy sources
How to reduce emission of oxides of nitrogen and methane from agriculture?
use less chemical fertilisers
less intensive livestock farming
