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Geography > Weather & Climate (Gateway 2) > Flashcards

Weather & Climate (Gateway 2) Flashcards

1
Q

What is climate change?

A
  • Global climate change refers to the variation in global climate / climatic patterns (temperature patterns, precipitation patterns or wind patterns) in the long term (occur over at least 30 years)
  • A result of both natural and human causes
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2
Q

What is the difference between global warming and global cooling?

A

Global warming:

  • Increase in average global temperature
  • Due to enhanced greenhouse effect (largely man-made) – increased concentrations of atmospheric greenhouse gases

Global cooling:

  • Decrease in average global temperature
  • Due to natural factors (eg. volcanic eruptions)
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3
Q

Steps to answer temperature graphs’ trend questions?

A

1) Overall trend (increase/decrease/etc. + by __ degrees/farenheit)
2) Supporting evidence (zoom into intervals)
3) Anomaly(s) (depending on how many marks question has)

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4
Q

What is the greenhouse effect?

A
  • Natural process by which greenhouse gases (e.g. carbon dioxide, methane, nitrous oxide ozone and halocarbons such as chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs)) and water vapour in the Earth’s atmosphere trap longwave radiation emitted from the earth’s surface –> warming the atmosphere which helps to sustain life on Earth.
  • Note: It is beneficial and essential to Earth! (Good)*
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5
Q

What is the enhanced greenhouse effect?

A
  • Increased concentration of atmospheric greenhouse gases, leading to a rise in global temperatures.
     Generally due to anthropogenic factors (i.e.
    factors caused by human activities) that release
    an increased amount of greenhouse gases, most
    notably carbon dioxide (CO2).
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6
Q

Compare and contrast the greenhouse effect and natural greenhouse effect.

A

Similarity:
- Both greenhouse effect and enhanced greenhouse effect involve atmospheric greenhouse gases such as carbon dioxide that trap heat in the atmosphere, leading to global warming.

Differences:
- Greenhouse effect enables life of earth as it creates a warm enough biosphere whereas an enhanced greenhouse effect amplifies the effects of warming by trapping more heat in the atmosphere due to the increase in the amount of greenhouse gases.

  • Greenhouse effect is a natural process while an enhanced greenhouse effect is brought about human activities through the increase of greenhouse gas emissions worldwide due to greater demand for fuel, energy and food.
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7
Q

What are the natural causes of climate change? (LRQ!!)

Explain.

A
  1. Variations in solar output
    - Sun emits varying amounts of solar radiation
    - Due to changes in its magnetic activity which lasts about 11 years.
    - Areas surrounding the sunspots radiate more energy to make up for the cooler sunspot areas.
    - Intense solar activity –> more sunspots –> increased solar radiation –> increased global temperature
  2. Volcanic eruptions
    - Global cooling: Gradual reduction in the amount of sunlight reaching the earth’s surface –> temporarily cools the earth for months or years.
     Dust particles from eruptions form condensation
    nuclei –> create more cloud cover –> reflect away
    incoming solar radiation back into space
     Sulfur dioxide reacts with water to form sulfur-based
    particles –> reflect solar energy back into space
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8
Q

What are the anthropogenic causes of climate change/enhanced greenhouse effect? (LRQ!!)

A
  1. Deforestation
  2. Changing land use
     Agriculture
     Industries
     Urbanisation
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9
Q

What is deforestation?

How does deforestation contribute to climate change?

A
  • Forest loss due to the removal or clearance of trees in forested areas.
  • For:
     Resources - Timber and wood needed for paper,
    building materials
     Land (mining, grazing, agriculture, buildings and
    infrastructure)
  • Result in increased levels of carbon dioxide through:
     Fewer trees to absorb carbon dioxide through
    photosynthesis (Carbon sequestration) –>
    destruction of a vital carbon sink
     Carbon oxidation: Carbon in soil (decay of organic
    matter like leaves, animals) reacts with oxygen to
    produce carbon dioxide –> aided by higher
    temperatures (which increases rate of reaction)
    when soil is exposed to sunlight
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10
Q

How does the changing of land use contribute to climate change?

A
  • Fossil fuels (e.g. petroleum, coal and natural gas) which are formed from decomposition of dead organic matter over millions of years:
     Contains high carbon content –> releases huge
    amount of carbon dioxide when burnt
     Highest contributor of greenhouse gases Powers 80% of the world’s energy (industries,
    transportation, domestic & commercial activities)
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11
Q

What is agriculture?

How does agriculture contribute to climate change?

A
  • Practice of cultivating land, producing crops and raising livestock (3rd highest contributor of
    greenhouse gases)
  • Through the release of greenhouse gases (contributes to enhanced greenhouse effect):
     Use of machinery - Releases CO2
     Use of inorganic fertilisers - Releases nitrous
    oxides
     Decomposition of dead material/cattle rearing
    (when they belch) - Release of methane
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12
Q

What are industries?

How do industries contribute to climate change?

A
  • Production of goods and services within a country.
  • Major contributor of carbon dioxide through the burning of fossil fuels to create energy needed to run factory processes and produce goods.
  • Carbon dioxide is a greenhouse gas that traps heat and contributes to enhanced greenhouse effect
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13
Q

What is urbanisation?

How does urbanisation contribute to climate change?

A
  • Process by which an increasing number of people live in urban areas.
  • Various human activities are concentrated or are necessary in urban places –> energy needed for household activities, industrial activities and transport –> contributes to greenhouse gas emissions in the atmosphere
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14
Q

What are the impacts of climate change? (LRQ!!)

Hint: -ve & +ve

A
  • ve:
  • Sea level rise
  • More frequent extreme weather events
  • Spread of infectious insect-borne diseases
  • Lengthening of growing season in certain regions

+ve:
- Lengthening of growing season in certain regions

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15
Q

P: What is does the rise in sea level mean?

Ex: How is the rise in sea level a negative impact of climate change?

A
  • Increase in the mean height of the sea’s surface between high and low tide relative to land.
- Higher temperatures causes:
     Glaciers to melt, adding water to the sea
     Water in seas and oceans to expand
- Hence:
     Threatening low-lying areas
     Loss of land
     Loss of property
     Displacement of people
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16
Q

P: What are frequent extreme weather events?

Ex: How are frequent extreme weather events a negative impact of climate change?

A
  • Severe and rare weather phenomena that results in significant economic losses and the loss of lives
     Increased occurrence over the last few decades
     Related to higher land and sea surface temps –>
    greater water vapour and latent heat in a warmer
    atmosphere –> powerful driving force for extreme
    weather events like tropical cyclones, droughts
    and heat waves
  • Tropical cyclones: flood coastal areas –> economic & human losses + displacement
  • Heat waves: harms vital organs as bodies cannot cool down sufficiently –> Young children and elderly are especially vulnerable –> loss of lives
  • Droughts (affects countries that depend on agriculture, mainly LDCs) –> crop failure, water & food shortages –> malnutrition and starvation among humans and animals –> human & economic losses
17
Q

P: Why is there the spread of infectious insect-borne diseases?

Ex: How is the spread of infectious insect-borne diseases a negative impact of climate change?

A
  • Positive correlation between infectious insect-borne diseases and climate change:
     Increased rainfall and temperatures –> favourable
    breeding conditions for mosquitoes –> spread of
    malaria and dengue fever
     As temperate countries get warmer, mosquitoes
    are able to breed further up north of the Equator
  • Illness –> sudden high fever, severe joint and muscle pain, fatigue, nausea, vomiting and other symptoms –> lower economic productivity & medical cost
  • May worsen into dengue hemorrhagic fever which causes massive bleeding, shock, and death.
  • Elderly and young are most vulnerable
  • May result in birth defects
18
Q

P: Why is there the lengthening of the growing season in certain regions?

Ex: How is the lengthening of the growing season in certain regions a negative impact of climate change?

Ex: How is the lengthening of the growing season in certain regions a positive impact of climate change?

^Explanations tbc (ask during consult)

A
  • Higher temperatures –> longer periods during which crops can be grown, for some regions
  • Growth period varies from crop to crop
  • ve:
  • Decrease in types of crops that can be grown in Yunan (apples and cherries production) as cooler conditions are needed
  • Decrease in yield for certain crops in Canada (wheat)
  • Decrease in crop quality in Italy (grapes are sweeter & wines more alcoholic –> more alcoholic wine deemed as cheap)

+ve:

  • Increase in types of crops that can be grown in UK
  • Increase in yield for certain crops in Canada (fruit, soybeans, potatoes and wheat)
  • Germany now warmer for vineyards
19
Q

What is an international response to climate change?

A

1 Kyoto Protocol

  • An international agreement to reduce levels of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere.
     Linked to the United National Framework
    Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC)
     Drawn up on 11/12/1997, came into effect
    16/02/2005
  • Different countries have different targets to
    achieve and progress of carbon emissions will be
    tracked and reported for review.
     Greater responsibility placed on 37 Developed
    Countries (DCs) and European countries
     From 2008 to 2012, these countries were obliged
    to reduce combined greenhouse gas emissions
    by at least 5% below 1990 levels.
     The DCs also had to help Less Developed
    Countries (LDCs) to reduce greenhouse gases by
    providing funds
20
Q

What are the successes and failures of the Kyoto Protocol?

A

Successes:

  • Many countries met or exceeded targets set by Kyoto Protocol as there was constant monitoring and reporting by countries for self and peer assessment. (e.g. Finland, Greece, Ireland_
  • Encouraged sustainable development under the Clean Development Mechanism (CDM)

Failures:

  • Not all countries were able to meet their goals and not all countries have the same emission targets. (e.g. Denmark, Austria & Spain did not achieve their targets)
  • Not compulsory to help support other countries
  • Many countries did not sign the Kyoto Protocol and continued to contribute to global emissions. (e.g. a large portion of the increase in global emissions came from China, India and the United States of America)
21
Q

What is a national response to climate change?

A

1) Singapore Green Plan 2012
- Reduce greenhouse gas emissions by using natural gas as an energy source

2) Green Mark Scheme
- Constructing ‘green’ (energy-efficient) buildings

3) Plant-A-Tree Programme
- Planting more trees and plants

22
Q

Example for variations in solar output?

A

A study by the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (2008)
- A peak in the number of sunspots in 2000, which coincided with high solar activity and increased global temperatures during the same year.

23
Q

Example for volcanic eruptions?

A

Eruption on Mt Pinatubo in the Phillipines (1991)

  • Released 17 million tonnes of SO2 into atmosphere
  • Lowered temps in northern hemisphere by 0.6 ℃
24
Q

Example for deforestation?

A

Australia (from 2005 to 2010)

- Lost more than 2, 500, 000 hectares of forest

25
Q

Example for agriculture?

A 
European Union (2012)
- Agriculture accounted for 10% of EU's greenhouse gas emissions
26
Q

Example for industries?

A

A study by the United States Environmental Protection Agency (2018)
- Industries in the US produced 22% of the total greenhouse gas emissions there in that year

27
Q

Example for urbanisation?

A

A report by the United Nations Human Settlement Program (2011)
- The world’s cities are responsible for up to 70% of greenhouse gas emissions, allthough they occupy just 2% of the global land area

28
Q

Example for sea level rise?

A

Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC)
- Says that 33% of coastal land and wetland habitats are likely to be lost in the next hundred years if sea levels continue to rise at the current rates

29
Q

Example for more frequent extreme weather events?

A

Europe (2003)

- Heat wave killed more than 70,000 people

30
Q

Example for spread of infectious insect-bourne diseases?

A

Nepal (2004)

- Dengue fever (confined to the tropics) reported in this cool climate country for the first time

31
Q

Example for lengthening of growing seasons? (example can be used for -ve & +ve impacts)

A

An article by Global Post (2011)
- Earlier springs and warmer autumns since 2001 in Italy made grapes sweeter, leading to wines being over 1% more alcoholic

Geography (1 decks)

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