inequality and inertia L3 PQ

1. Which region is sometimes referred to as “the Third Pole” due to its massive stores of glacial ice and its role as a water reservoir?

Himalayan–Tibetan Plateau

2. Bangladesh’s extreme climate vulnerability is primarily due to:

its location in a low-lying mega-delta combined with ____ and intensified monsoons

sea level rise

Which of the following best explains the concept of “positive feedback” in the climate system?

Warming triggers processes that amplify additional warming

The decline of Andean glaciers is expected to:

increase ____ in the short term but worsen seasonal water ___ long-term

flooding, shortages

Which region of the world has seen the fastest growth in total emissions since 1990?

China

Which metric best illustrates global carbon inequality?

The richest 10% emit 60× more per capita than the poorest 10%

A key reason disasters have become more damaging in Asia since 2000 is:

rising temperatures increasing hazard intensity

Which of the following best defines adaptation?

Preparing for unavoidable impacts due to thermal inertia and committed warming

Why is the Netherlands less vulnerable to sea-level rise than Bangladesh?

It has invested enormous resources into sophisticated sea-defense systems

Which of the following is an example of a climate impact made worse by “declining reservoirs in the sky”?

River systems experience more extreme seasonal swings

1. Black carbon on glaciers (Andes, Himalaya) - forest fires produce black carbon and soot → trade winds carry ___particles and ___ onto ice, further accelerates ___warming 

   1. Soot ___ice → absorbs more ___→ accelerates ___→ lowers ___→ more ___

moisture, soot, glacial, darkens, heat, melt, albedo, warming 

Ice-albedo feedback - warming melts ice → exposes ____land/ocean → absorbs ___ heat → more warming

darker, more 

Permafrost ___- thawing releases ____+ CO2 → strengthens greenhouse effect → more warming → more ___

thaw, methane, thaw 

Forest dieback + wildfires - heat → ____ → fires → CO2 release + ___→ less carbon ___→ more warming

drought soot uptake 

Ocean warming reduces CO2 ____→ warm oceans absorb ___ carbon → more CO2 remains in atmosphere → more warming 

absorption, less 

Briefly identify 4 ways the loss of Himalayan glacial mass threatens water security and livelihoods in Pakistan, India, and Bangladesh.

1. Short-term ____spikes - Rapid melt + stronger ___create severe flooding.

flood, monsoons 

Briefly identify 4 ways the loss of Himalayan glacial mass threatens water security and livelihoods in Pakistan, India, and Bangladesh.

Long-term water ____ - Less summer ____ → reduced ___ flows during dry season → drinking/___ crises.

shortages, meltwater, river, irrigation

Briefly identify 4 ways the loss of Himalayan glacial mass threatens water security and livelihoods in Pakistan, India, and Bangladesh.

____ disruption - ___reliability collapses → crop failure increase.

agricultural, irrigation 

Briefly identify 4 ways the loss of Himalayan glacial mass threatens water security and livelihoods in Pakistan, India, and Bangladesh.

Downstream mega-flooding in Bangladesh - Synchronous effects: ___ + ___→ ¼ of country underwater in major flood years.

meltwater, monsoons 

3. Briefly describe 4 reasons why Bangladesh is considered one of the world’s most climate-vulnerable countries.

- extremely ___-lying mega-delta geo - most people live ___ or ___ sea level

low, at, below 

3. Briefly describe 4 reasons why Bangladesh is considered one of the world’s most climate-vulnerable countries.

intensifying monsoons + Himalayan melt - huge upstream ___ increase river ___

floods overflow 

Identify 3 major drivers behind the surge in climate-related disasters since the 1980s.

1. ___ level rise 

2. ___ floods 

3. Increasing ___

sea, outburst, temperatures

5. Identify 3 reasons why climate adaptation capacity is highly unequal between high- and low-income countries.

1. Rich countries more wealth, resources, adaptation capacity 

2. High income countries emit a lot more ___ 

3. Low income countries suffer first and the most

historically

Identify 4 ways declining Andean glaciers are reshaping water, agriculture, and ecosystems in South America.

- Reduced dry-season ___ supply - Andean glaciers act as natural “water ___.” Their decline reduces ___ during the ___ season, causing water ___ for millions

water, towers, meltwater, dry, shortages

Identify 4 ways declining Andean glaciers are reshaping water, agriculture, and ecosystems in South America.

Increased water ___ for ___ - Less glacial ___ reduces ___ reliability, threatening ___ yields (potatoes, quinoa, maize) and making farming more vulnerable to __.

stress, agriculture, runoff, irrigation, crop, droughts

Identify 4 ways declining Andean glaciers are reshaping water, agriculture, and ecosystems in South America.

Disrupted river ecosystems and biodiversity - Lower and more variable streamflow alters freshwater ____, reducing ___populations and damaging ecosystems that depend on consistent ___ meltwater.

habitats, fish, cold 

Identify 4 ways declining Andean glaciers are reshaping water, agriculture, and ecosystems in South America.

Higher risk of natural hazards - Rapid glacial melt can cause glacial lake outburst floods (GLOFs), ____, and soil ___, further destabilizing mountain ecosystems and endangering ___ communities.

landslides, erosion, downstream 

Identify 4 key indicators showing extreme global carbon inequality.

1. Top 10% of global emitters produce ~___% of all emissions - A small, wealthy minority contributes nearly half of global greenhouse gases.

50 

Identify 4 key indicators showing extreme global carbon inequality.

Bottom 50% of the world’s population produces only ~____% of emissions - Half the planet contributes a tiny fraction, despite being the most vulnerable to climate impacts.

12 

Identify 4 key indicators showing extreme global carbon inequality.

High-income countries have dramatically higher ____ emissions - Nations like ___, the U.S., Australia, and Gulf states emit several times more per person than low-income countries.

per capita, Canada

Identify 4 key indicators showing extreme global carbon inequality.

Historic emissions are dominated by early-industrialized nations - The US, ___, and Russia account for the largest share of cumulative CO₂ since the Industrial Revolution, even though today’s fastest-growth emitters (India, many ___ nations) have very ___ historic responsibility.

Europe, African, low

Identify 4 major reasons climate action has been delayed despite scientific consensus.

1. The Denial Industry (misinformation & Manufactured doubt) - Fossil-fuel companies, PR firms, and think tanks deliberately created confusion about climate science (similar to tobacco tactics), exaggerating ___and attacking scientific ___ to slow __.

uncertainty, credibility, regulation 

Identify 4 major reasons climate action has been delayed despite scientific consensus.

1. political & Economic Inertia - Governments, institutions, and ____ systems are deeply tied to fossil fuels.

   1. long-established infrastructures (pipelines, grids, cars) create slow, decades-long ___.

energy, transitions

Identify 4 major reasons climate action has been delayed despite scientific consensus.

Corporate ____ & Fossil-Fuel Interests - Powerful lobbying efforts block climate ___, ___ energy expansion, and protect profits by delaying ___ as long as possible.

lobbying, policies, undermine, action 

Identify 4 major reasons climate action has been delayed despite scientific consensus.

1. International gridlock & Disagreements Over Responsibility - Countries disagree about who should cut emissions and who should pay for ___ and loss-and-damage.

   1. Result: shallow pledges instead of binding commitments at global climate negotiations (UNFCCC/COP).

adaptation

1. Explain how the decline of global glaciers (“reservoirs in the sky”) produces cascading impacts on agriculture, water systems, and national security across different world regions. Provide examples from at least two regions.

Loss of reliable dry-season water supply for farmers

• Glaciers act as “frozen reservoirs,” releasing meltwater during dry seasons.

• Andes: Declining glacial melt reduces irrigation water for Peruvian and Bolivian farmers, threatening crops

• ___: Reduced meltwater affects ___ production across India, Pakistan, and Nepal.

himalayas, agricultural

1. Explain how the decline of global glaciers (“reservoirs in the sky”) produces cascading impacts on agriculture, water systems, and national security across different world regions. Provide examples from at least two regions.

 Reduced river flow and ____ instability

• Many regions depend on glacier-fed rivers for ___.

• Andes: Falling meltwater weakens ____ systems in Ecuador and Peru.

• Himalayas: India’s and Bhutan’s hydropower potential becomes less predictable, creating energy ___.

hydropower, electricity, hydropower, shortages

1. Explain how the decline of global glaciers (“reservoirs in the sky”) produces cascading impacts on agriculture, water systems, and national security across different world regions. Provide examples from at least two regions.

. Increased water insecurity and urban stress

• Major cities rely on glacier ___ for drinking water.

• La Paz, Bolivia already experiences shortages because Andean glaciers that feed the city are disappearing.

• Northern India faces growing pressure on water systems as ____-fed rivers shrink.

runoff, Himalayan

1. Explain how the decline of global glaciers (“reservoirs in the sky”) produces cascading impacts on agriculture, water systems, and national security across different world regions. Provide examples from at least two regions.

Heightened geopolitical and national-security tensions

• Declining river flow increases ____ between countries sharing transboundary rivers.

• India–Pakistan: Reduced Indus River flow may inflame tensions over ___ rights.

• China–South Asia: Decreasing Himalayan meltwater impacts downstream nations, raising security risks.

competition, water

Compare and contrast Bangladesh and the Netherlands in terms of climate hazard exposure AND adaptation capacity. Identify 4 differences.

1. Hazard Exposure: Elevation & Geography - ____: Extremely low-lying delta with high river ___ and storm-___ exposure.

   1. ____: Also low-lying but protected by ___ coastal and river ___.

bangladesh, flooding, surge, netherlands, engineered, defenses

Compare and contrast Bangladesh and the Netherlands in terms of climate hazard exposure AND adaptation capacity. Identify 4 differences.

1. Adaptation Capacity: Wealth & Infrastructure - Bangladesh: Limited ___ resources and weaker ___; relies on foreign aid for adaptation.

   1. Netherlands: Very wealthy; spends ____ on advanced ____ systems and long-term engineering solutions.

financial, infrastructure, billions, sea-dfence

Compare and contrast Bangladesh and the Netherlands in terms of climate hazard exposure AND adaptation capacity. Identify 4 differences.

1. Population Vulnerability - Bangladesh: Highly ___ rural and urban populations with limited mobility and high ___, increasing vulnerability.

   1. Netherlands: Smaller, wealthier population with strong social safety nets and emergency response systems.

dense, poverty

3. Using the concept of global inequality, explain why the poorest countries face the first and worst climate impacts despite contributing the least to global emissions. Provide 4 key explanations.

1. Geographic exposure to climate hazards - Many low-income countries are located in climate-sensitive regions—____, ___, ____zones—where extreme heat, ___, or sea-level rise hit hardest (Sub-Saharan ___, South ___, ___).

tropics, mega-deltas, arid, storms, Africa, Asia, SIDS 

3. Using the concept of global inequality, explain why the poorest countries face the first and worst climate impacts despite contributing the least to global emissions. Provide 4 key explanations.

1. Low adaptive capacity due to limited resources - Poor countries lack robust healthcare, infrastructure, ____-warning systems, and financial reserves.

   1. This makes the same hazard far more damaging than in wealthy countries.

early 

3. Using the concept of global inequality, explain why the poorest countries face the first and worst climate impacts despite contributing the least to global emissions. Provide 4 key explanations.

1. Historical inequality in emissions - Wealthy nations caused most ____ emissions, while poorer nations contributed almost none

   1. Yet these same countries now suffer impacts driven by centuries of emissions they did not produce.

historic

3. Using the concept of global inequality, explain why the poorest countries face the first and worst climate impacts despite contributing the least to global emissions. Provide 4 key explanations.

1. Dependence on climate-sensitive livelihoods - Many low-income populations rely on ___-fed agriculture, fisheries, and subsistence farming.

   1. Climate shocks—drought, floods, ___failure—directly threaten survival and economic stability.

rain, crop