uk environmental challenges

state the 5 factors that influence climate

• latitude

• altitude

• prevailing wind

• ocean currents

• continentality

describe how continentality affects climate

• LAND

  • sea takes more time to heat up and cool down than land does

  • in summer, land heats up really quickly

    • this causes air temperatures nearby to heat up quickly

  • in winter, the land cools down quickly

    • this causes air temperatures nearby to cool down quickly

• SEA

  • the sea has a much higher thermal capacity

  • temperatures on land close to the sea are moderated by oceans

  • so in summer, this means land here doesn’t heat up as much

  • and in winter, the sea retains its heat for longer, meaning the land doesn’t cool as much

describe how the North Atlantic Drift (ocean current) affects climate in the UK

• North Atlantic Drift is an ocean current that originates in the Gulf of Mexico (as the Gulf Stream)

• ocean currents redistribute energy in the sea

• the North Atlantic Drift is a warm current which raises coastal land temperatures higher than they would otherwise at these latitudes

• the additional energy the NAD brings is ~27,000 times that of UK power stations combined

• the NAD raises UK temperatures by ~5 degrees C on average throughout the year

• the warmer temperatures caused by the NAD causes more evaporation to occur

• this increases evaporation creates more moisture and rainfall

describe the tropical continental air mass

• brings hot, dry weather in summer

• originates from North Africa

describe the polar continental air mass

• brings hot, dry weather in summer

• originates from central Europe

describe the polar maritime air mass

• brings cold, wet weather

• originates from Arctic Sea

describe the tropical maritime air mass

• brings warm, wet weather

• originates from Atlantic Ocean

state the prevailing wind direction in the UK

south-west

state the date of the ‘Beast from the East’ (2018)

• 28th February - 1st March

• 2018

state the weather during the ‘Beast from the East’ (2018)

• freezing temperatures

  • temperature reached -9.7 degrees C in the North

• strong easterly winds

  • wind at Cairngorm Summit was blowing at ~50 Kt, made temperatures feel like -30 degrees C

• persistent heavy snow

  • over 40cm

state 4 key impacts of the ‘Beast from the East’

• thousands of schools across England, Wales and Scotland were closed and many areas suffered power cuts

• severe travel disruption with roads closed, numerous road traffic collisions and cars were stranded overnight on many English and Scottish roads

• rail series were cancelled and air transport was severely disrupted

  • Glasgow airport closed on 28th February, 2018

describe climate change and its impacts in the UK during the ‘Beast of the East’

• gale-force winds of 116mph

  • `caused damage to properties from trees falling on buildings and cards

• wind chill (< -10 degrees C) made life unpleasant and traffic difficult

• heavy snowfall (10-20cm in some places)

• 16 deaths - caused by the cold temperatures and wind chill

  • 75 year old lady was found dead in the street in Leeds due to hypothermia

• set a new record (14GW) for wind power generation in the UK

state what air mass caused the ‘Beast of the East’

polar continental

state the dates of the heatwave in the UK (2022)

• 16th June - 20th July

• 2022

state the weather during the ‘heatwave (2022)

• extremely high temperatures

  • record temperature of 40.3 degrees C in July

• extremely low precipitation

  • average of 5mm rainfall

state 2 impacts of the UK’s heatwave (2022)

• nearly 3000 people died due to heat-related causes, most of whom were 65+ years

• there were nearly 25,000 wildfires across the UK

state what air mass caused the UK heatwave (2022)

tropical continental

explain how the heavy snowfall during the ‘Beast of the East’ was caused

• it was due to the polar continental air mass

• which picked up moisture on its journey over the North Sea

• the polar continental air mass collided with a tropical maritime air mass over the UK (during Storm Emma)

• this provided plenty of moisture for snow fall to occur

explain how the extreme wind speeds during the ‘Beast of the East’ was caused

• extreme winds were caused by a significant pressure gradient in the UK

• causing air to travel at high speeds

• from areas of high pressure to low pressure

state the negative impacts of the mechanisation of farming

• during 20th century, 50% of all hedgerows were lost from the countryside

• 130 species are known to be associated with hedgerows

  • e.g. hedgehog population has seen a 50% decline in the last 25 years

• 2008 - 80% of areas with sensitive habitats exceeded the recommended nitrogen levels

• UK has lost 84% of its fertile topsoil since 1850

  • erosion of fertile topsoil is continuing at a rate of 1-3cm annually

state the 3 key issues with the mechanisation and intensification of farming

• eutrophication

• soil degradation

• hedgerows

describe how excess fertiliser usage in agriculture leads to eutrophication

1. fertiliser spread on the agricultural land by a tractor

2. the fertiliser is washed into local water sources by surface runoff, increasing the nutrient concentration in the water

3. the nutrients catalyse rapid algal blooms on the surface of the water

4. the algae layer will absorb all the sunlight, meaning the aquatic plants in the water can’t photosynthesise

5. this causes all plants in the water to die, leading to the algae dying once all nutrients are used up

6. decomposing microorganisms will begin to break down the dead plants and algae, releasing more nutrients back into the water, continuing the algal bloom cycle

7. the microorganisms will continue to rapidly reproduce as they have a consistent source of nutrients

8. the decomposers break down dead biological matter using energy released from aerobic respiration, causing the water to become anoxic

9. this means all non-bacterial growth in the water source will die

explain how consumers wanting produce out of seasons leads to soil degradation

• consumers wanting produce out of season means that fertiliser has to be artificially-added to the fields to grow out of season crops

• due to the demand, the ground will constantly be being harvested and re-planted

• this causes the soil to lose all its nutrients

explain how use of machinery leads to soil degradation

• constant use of machinery leads to the soil getting compacted and losing its nutrients

• this means fertilisers have be used to grow crops in the ground

• this can lead to eutrophication of local water sources

state how much carbon dioxide 1km of hedgerow can store

• 600-800kg

• for up to 20 years

how many tonnes of fish does the UK land annually

400,000

state the value of the UK’s net fish imports

£2 billion

state the definition of bottom trawling

• Practice of dragging heavily weighed nets

• across the seafloor

• to sweep up fish

state the impacts of bottom trawling in the UK

• fishers land 6% of what they did 120 years ago

• 20 years ago, fishermen used to catch 600-700 fish a day - now its under 20

• fishers had to work 17x harder to get the same catch people did in the 19th century

state the definition of bycatch

animals that aren’t intended to be caught when fishing

state the problems of bycatch

• even when fishermen throw bycatch back into the water, the fish are either dead or dying

• bycatch can upset the predator-prey balance by discriminately picking up juvenile fish

• endangered species can be caught as bycatch

state the definition of a ghost net

• a fishing net that has been

• lost, abandoned or discarded in the ocean

• that now drifts in the water column

• posing hazards to marine life and ecosystems

describe how ghost nets end up in the ocean

• poor weather conditions dislodge gear

• poor access to disposal facilities means discarding broken gear is easier

• high cost of retrieval means some fishermen would rather leave the gear to avoid the expense

• illegal, unreported and unregulated fishing activities might mean its quicker to discard gear to escape police quicker

state how much carbon dioxide is created annually if you eat farmed fish 1-2 times per week

146kg

info on Kielder Water

• dam built on the upper course of the North Tyne River

• stores water for human use

• then pumps water to the Tyne, Derwent, Wear and Tees for use downstream

• 50% of UK’s red squirrel population live here

• 90% of water vole population died due to its construction

when was Kielder Water built

1975

state the negative social impacts of Kielder Water

• local people living in the valley lost their homes

• took almost 2 years to fill up - positive impacts were delayed

negative environmental impacts of reservoirs

• flooding of landscapes can lead to loss of farming land

• Kielder Water flooded an AONB (Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty) and damaged local ecology

• reservoirs are usually built out of concrete, which is one of the largest emitters of carbon globally

• construction of dams interrupts migration of fish upstream

positive environmental impact of reservoirs

• dams can be used to create electricity

• can be a tourist attraction - money generated can be spent on environmental conservation projects

• introduction of reservoirs has managed river flows and reduced flood risk downstream

state how much electricity Kielder Water produces

6MW

state how many tonnes of carbon dioxide Kielder Water saves a year

8,600 tonnes

state how many tourists visit Kielder Water annually

300,000

UK’s energy mix - gas

39%

UK’s energy mix - nuclear

15%

UK’s energy mix - renewables total

• 38%

• (27% comes from wind)

UK’s energy mix - oil/imports

5%

UK’s energy mix - coal

2%

trend in UK energy demand over time

decreasing

advantages of oil

• helps UK’s energy security

• low visual impact - most work done out at sea

• generates jobs for UK workers

• lower transport costs (if drilled in UK)

disadvantages of oil

• non-renewable source of energy

• its combustion produces CO₂

• expensive - much of the UK’s oil has to be imported

• oil spills during shipping are catastrophic for marine life

advantages of coal

• coal is one the most abundant sources of energy

• coal is cheap

• coal is a reliable energy source and not dependent on weather

• transporting coal is easy

disadvantages of coal

• most of the easily accessible coal in the UK has disappeared

• non-renewable

• highest greenhouse gas emissions of any energy source

• high visual impact - aesthetically unappealing

advantages of natural gas

• produces ~50% less CO₂ emissions than coal

• makes UK energy secure, minimises dependency

• low transport costs

• consistent and reliable source

disadvantages of natural gas

• non-renewable

• still produces CO₂

• highly combustible and odourless - difficult to detect a leakage

advantages of nuclear

• no CO₂ emissions once constructed

• plants only occupy a small area

disadvantages of nuclear

• nuclear weapons proliferation

• generates radioactive waste and pollution

• can create accidents and disasters (e.g. 1986 Chernobyl)

describe nuclear energy generation in the UK

• UK has 15 operational nuclear power plants

• nuclear power generation has been declining since peak of 26% in 1997

• all but 1 of the existing plants are scheduled to be retired, 2023-2030

• Hinkley Point C is set to begin generating electricity in 2028

advantages of Hinkley Point C

• will deliver 7% of UK’s electricity - powers over 5 million homes

• produces low-carbon electricity - allows UK to meet net carbon zero 2050 goals

  • avoid 9 million tonnes of CO₂ being produced

• huge project will provide an economic stimulus

  • contributes £100 million annually

  • provides 25,000 jobs

• China - via the CGN group - have committed £18 billion to the cost

what % of all new oil and gas wells are drilled using fracking

60%

disadvantages of fracking

• contamination of drinking water

• fracking fluid is carcinogenic

• releases greenhouse gases

• 3% of gas extracted is lost to the atmosphere

advantages of fracking

generates cheap energy

economic benefits of fracking in the UK

• reduces dependency on foreign imported sources of energy

  • could reduce dependency on imported gas by 2030

• opportunities for investment, job creation, tax revenues

  • Institute of Directions predicted shale gas production could attract £4 billion per annum in investment

  • could support over 70,000 jobs

  • local councils able to keep 100% of business rate from shale-gas developments

environmental risks of fracking in the UK

• noise and visual intrusion on local level

• pollution of local water sources

• methane emissions from boreholes

• risk of seismic activity

• perpetuates a dependency on fossil fuels instead of renewables

• destroys local ecology

Drax Power Station info

• opened in 1970s as a coal power plant

• 2010 - switched to part biomass (2/3) and part coal (1/3)

• UK biggest power plants

  • contributes to 6% of the UK’s electricity supply (4,000 MW)

positives of Drax Power Station

• ENVIRONMENTAL

  • renewable

  • can convert old power stations - no need to build new sites

  • can use wood scraps, saw dust or plant waste

• SOCIAL

  • biomass uses leftover waste which increases space available in landfill

negatives of Drax Power Station

• ENVIRONMENTAL

  • biomass contains carbon and emits CO₂ when burnt

  • sometimes forests are cut down to use as fuel

• SOCIAL

  • biomass can be expensive to source

London Array info

• has 175 turbines

• world’s largest offshore wind farm when built (2013)

• generates 630MW to UK’s electricity supply

• has 60 people working on it

positives of London Array

• ENVIRONMENTAL

  • renewable

  • once built, they don’t emit any CO₂

• SOCIAL

  • generates jobs in maintenance

  • UK is one of the windiest countries so it has huge potential for wind power generation

negatives of London Array

• ENVIRONMENTAL

  • turbines can rotate at high revolutions, disrupting birds’ migration routes or killing them

• SOCIAL

  • wind power is reliant on the vagaries of the wind - when wind isn’t blowing, energy isn’t being produced

  • large visual impact to turbines - can be up to 200m tall

Cleve Hill info

• solar plant whose construction has been approved

• will be the UK’s largest solar farm

• produces 350 MW of electricity

positives of Cleve Hill

• ENVIRONMENTAL

  • renewable

  • once built, won’t produce CO₂

• SOCIAL

  • silent

negatives of Cleve Hill

• ENVIRONMENTAL

  • doesn’t work at night + production is lower on cloudy days

• SOCIAL

  • more expensive technology

  • solar farms use a lot of space

  • NIMBYism over visual impact of larger solar farms

state factors that will affect UK’s energy supply in the future

• conflict in energy supplier countries

• increased energy demand

• technology becoming more energy-efficient (less energy required)

• changes in global energy trading

• climate change (affects type of energy used)

1979

first World Climate Conferences takes place

1988

IPCC (Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change) is set up

1997

• Kyoto Protocol is formally adopted by 37 developed countries

what did the Kyoto Protocol aim to do

• reduce carbon emissions by 5%

• run 1997-2012

state what country’s climate goals are called

Intended Nationally Determined Contributions (INDCs)

state what temperature reduction was agreed on in COP-21

2°C

2019

UK government committed to the UK becoming Net-Carbon Zero by 2050

UK government strategies to meet emission targets - TRANSPORT

• ban the sale of all non-electric or hybrid vehicles by 2035

• provide government grants for people buying electric vehicles of £3500

  • ended April 2022

• £120 million invested in 2022 - 4,000 more British built zero emission buses and start electrifying the rail service

UK government strategies to meet emission targets - HEATING

• gas boilers will be banned from new housing in 2035

• £7500 government grants given to households as part of Boiler Upgrade Scheme (BUS) to replace boilers with heat pumps

UK government strategies to meet emission targets - ELECTRICITY

• increase offshore wind power up to 400 GW

• investment in nuclear projects

  • e.g. £100 million into Sizewell C

UK government strategies to meet emission targets - AGRICULTURE

plant trees at a rate of 20,000 Ha/year

UK government strategies to meet emission targets - WASTE

• eliminate all food waste going to landfill by 2030

• increase recycling rates to 70% by 2050

evaluate UK strategy to lower emissions - banning all sale of non-electric/hybrid vehicles

• 2019 - cars only accounted for 2.5% of the market

• government has committed £1.3 billion for car charging points

evaluate UK strategy to lower emissions - BUS

• 17% of greenhouse gas emissions come from domestic homes

• grants for homeowners secured until 2028

  • £7500 off cost + installation of an air source/ground source heat pump

  • 30% energy savings for homeowners

• BUS has £95 million out of £150 million unspent

  • only 17,360/90,000 vouchers have been issued

• heat pumps are not suitable for all homes

evaluate UK strategy to lower emissions - increase offshore wind

• UK has greatest wind energy potential in Europe

• 2022 - offshore wind industry supported over 31,000 jobs

• 2022 - wind energy contributed 26.8% to UK’s energy mix

• cost of offshore wind has fallen by 50% since 2015

• 2023 - £4.9 billion in industry revenue generated

LOCAL strategies to reduce emissions - bus routes

• 91 students use the Perse Bus System (5.3%)

• 1,898km are saved per day

• decreases carbon emissions and congestion

• however it has a small spatial scale

LOCAL strategies to reduce emissions - ground source heat pumps

• 2 ground source heat pumps

• generates 168,000 kWh annually

  • 10% of Perse’s energy use

• cost £300,000 to implement, £2,000 a year to maintain

• saves the school £27k per year

LOCAL strategies to reduce emissions - solar panels

• 49 solar panels

• generates 12,500 kWh annually

• saves the school £2025 per year

• cost £20,000 to implement

• costs £100 a year to maintain