Unit 6 Notes Flashcards
Why has absorption of longwave radiation increased?
The concentration of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere has increased.
How much have global average temperatures increased by since 1880?
Over 1 degree.
What are the sources of anthropogenic greenhouse gases?
Carbon Dioxide, Methane, Nitrous Oxide.
Which gas is responsible for 85% of Anthropogenic global warming?
Carbon Dioxide.
What % of methane emissions come from human activities?
60%.
What % of Nitrous oxide comes from human activities?
40%.
How much more potent is Nitrous oxide than C02?
290x.
Which latitudes have experiences the greatest level of warming of climate?
Above 60 degrees N - Polar/Tundra environments.
Why have Arctic areas experienced faster temperature increase?
The albedo effect - As ice starts to melt due to increased temperatures, more radiation is absorbed, due to less light coloured surfaces. Tundra - Permafrost thawing.
Which product has caused 5% of all man made climate change?
Cement.
How much Carbon dioxide is produced for every kg of beef produced?
60kg.
Which other products are also harmful for the world?
Rice, Peas.
Which biome is the most susceptible from global warming?
Tundra - Permafrost thaws, releases C02 previously stored in soil. It makes tundra a source not a sink of greenhouse gas emissions. The soil converts carbon into carbon dioxide.
What has happened to the extent of sea cover between 1981 and 2010?
The amount of sea ice has reduced from 7 million sq. km in 1981 to 3.8 million in 2020 - A fall of over 46%.
What is the impact of climate change on tundra species?
The polar bear was officially listed as threatened in 2008, as they require sea ice to hunt for seals. The lack of sea ice drives the bears to shore before they have built.
What % of the tundra biome is estimated to disappear by 2100?
77%, as Pine forests will shift northwards by up to 500km.
What are the impacts of the Pine forest moving northwards?
We lose many habitats, with a collapse of ecosystems, replaced by boreal forest. Animals could pass on diseases.
What is happening to Caribou rates in NW Canada?
They’re declining in all areas of Canada, increasing only in Porcupine. They no longer exist in Nunavut. Most have over a 90% decrease.
What are the main climate tipping points in the Arctic?
Ocean current changes, Ice Albedo feedback mechanism, Methane release.
How are Ocean current changes a tipping point?
Cold, salty water is produced in the North Atlantic, as the North Atlantic drift flows northwards. When ice sheets melt, they release freshwater into the Atlantic. This makes ocean less salty and less dense, slowing ocean circulation.
How is the Ice Albedo feedback mechanism a tipping point?
Once melted, sea ice is replaced by darker ocean, which has a lower albedo, absorbs insolation, warming the ocean more quickly.
How is Methane release a tipping point?
A significant increase in the concentration of Methane will rapidly increase global atmospheric temperatures.
How does methane affect permafrost?
Permafrost contains vast amounts of frozen organic material. Permafrost thawing means frozen organic matter begins to decay.
What are Methane hydrates?
Stored organic deposits within the sub-sea permafrost on the Arctic continental shelf.
What are the negative economic impacts of climate change in the Arctic?
Tens of trillions worth of damage, temperature rise could lead to melting of Greenland ice sheet. Changes to agriculture could cause food insecurity.
What are the positive economic impacts of warming in the Arctic?
Tourism, trade, shipping, longer growing seasons.
What is the importance of the Amazon rainforest in the carbon cycle?
It’s one of the Earth’s largest reservoirs of carbon dioxide, helping regulate global climate through sequestration and storage carbon dioxide in biomass and soil.
How is the Amazon rainforest important in the water cycle?
Rainforests are the source of 1/5 of all freshwater on the planet. The Amazon basin plays a function in regulating the global and regional climate. Water condensation, evaporation, transpiration are key drivers of GAC.
Why is the Amazon rainforest becoming drier?
Less evapotranspiration, as there are less trees to produce water vapour, as less water is pumped into the atmosphere. Leads to a decrease in rainfall, leading to temperature rise, and increased drought.
What happened during the Amazon rainforest die back in 2010?
Record drought in 2010, satellite imagery by Brazilian law enforcement, enforcement reduced deforestation. State of emergency called, reduced growth of water-stressed trees.
What happened to the Amazon in 2019?
Brazil - More than 72,000 forest fires so far in 2019 - more than 112 in the Amazon, an 84% increase from 2018. Bolsonaro blamed NGO’s. Impacts biodiversity, and was on course to rise by 20-30% in 2019.
What is the potential economic cost of a tipping point being reached in the Amazon?
$256.6 Billion.
What would happen if runaway climate change occurs?
The American Midwest would become a desert. Vanishing ice, speeding up climate change further. Increased landslides. More people die in ‘normal’ summers, less water available.
How do different strategies need to be applied to tackle climate change effectively?
Internationally, Nationally, individually.
Why is it difficult to achieve a global agreement on controlling greenhouse gas emissions?
Some regions have more than others, some wealthier nations have outsourced their emissions to other nations.
Which strategies have been suggested at an international level?
Kyoto Protocol, 1997. UN Paris agreement 2015. COP 26 2021.
What were the key characteristics of the Kyoto protocol?
Cut global emissions by 55% by 2012, compared to 1990. Industrialised nations reduce emissions by at least 5.2%.
What were the successes of the Kyoto Protocol?
It was the first major global agreement in which binding time bound targets were set to reduce greenhouse gases.
What were the failings of the Kyoto Protocol?
In 2001, Clinton was replaced with Bush, who refused to ratify the agreement, so the USA refused to adhere to reduction of targets. India and China didn’t set targets for C02 reductions.
What were the successes of the Paris agreement?
Signed by 195 countries, the agreement became legally binding for over 50 countries, sets a goal of 1.5 degrees compared to pre-industrial levels.
What were the failings of the Paris agreement?
Trump left, Biden rejoined, Trump left again. Some countries have chosen to continue mitigating, and some aren’t.
Why is it hard for the UK to reach its’ climate targets?
The UK is outsourcing carbon emissions overseas, we don’t currently include finance, aviation or imports.
What were the successes of COP26?
Kept 1.5 degree target from Paris. Agreed to reduce the use of coal for the first time. Increased money to help poorer nations cope with the effects of climate change. US and China agreed to reduce methane emissions.
What were the failures of COP26?
Global warming is still set to be higher than the Paris agreement in 2015. Didn’t go far enough on coal. India rejected phasing out of coal. No firm dates were set to phase out subsidies.
Why has COP28 been criticised?
The host country is a fossil fuel state. The president of the summit is an oil executive. Executives said there’s no science to suggest we need to phase out fossil fuels, and used climate denial tropes.
How effective are COP meetings at addressing climate change?
They’ve grown since the first meeting, temperature rise projections had fallen by 1 degree initially, but grown since, despite the agreements being signed.
Which strategies can be used nationally to combat climate change?
Transport strategies, Energy strategies, Land use policies.
What has the UK done to reduce greenhouse gas emissions?
ULEZ, New cars sold will have to be hydrogen or electric by 2035. Investing in new walking and cycling routes, hydrogen and electric buses.
What have other countries done to reduce greenhouse gas emissions?
Copenhagen - All buses converted from Diesel to Zero emission by 2025. World’s first carbon neutral city. Norway - 60% of all car sales were electric.
What % of all UK energy currently comes from renewable and nuclear sources?
20%.
What is the UK’s target for energy by 2035?
100% renewable energy.
How has wind energy increased in the UK?
Onshore - Increased from 1000 to 32000 GWH. Offshore - Increased from 0 to 32000 GWH.
What is an example of a wind energy scheme in the UK?
Dogger Bank.
How will land use policies such as Peatlands help to manage climate change?
Restoring peatlands means there are Carbon sinks which can collect carbon which would otherwise have been released into the atmosphere.
Which actions by individuals can help tackle climate change?
Reducing carbon footprint, carbon offset, joining a pressure group.
What can individuals do at home to reduce their carbon footprint?
Reduce food waste, Only buy what we need, eat less red meat.
What can individuals do in terms of transport to reduce their carbon footprint?
Use public transport, work more, cycle more.
What can individuals do when shopping to reduce their carbon footprint?
Don’t buy more than you need to reduce food waste. Less fast fashion, more second hand clothes.
How does carbon offsetting work?
Funding climate projects such as Afforestation to offset the equivalent of what you emit. Offsetting could be a way for the wealthy to delay climate action.
How can joining a pressure group make a difference?
Signing petitions, giving donations to help the Amazon, Promote environmental issues to become Greenpeace volunteers.
