Global Climate Change: Moving Forward

Flashcards covering key vocabulary terms and concepts related to global climate change and environmental science.

Ocean Acidification

The reduction of pH in ocean waters caused by absorption of CO2 from the atmosphere.

pH Level

A measure of acidity or alkalinity, where lower pH indicates higher acidity.

Global Temperature Change

An increase in Earth’s average temperature over decades, influenced by human activities.

The Paris Agreement

An international treaty aimed at limiting global warming to well below 2°C above pre-industrial levels.

Climate Resilience

The ability to adapt to and recover from climate impacts and disruptions.

Greenhouse Gas Emissions

Gases that trap heat in the atmosphere, contributing to global warming.

Fossil Fuel Divestment

The strategy of withdrawing investments from fossil fuel companies to combat climate change.

Billion-Dollar Weather Disasters

Extreme weather events that cause economic losses exceeding one billion dollars.

Mitigation Strategies

Actions aimed at reducing or preventing the emission of greenhouse gases.

Carbon Capture and Storage (CCS)

A technology that captures CO2 emissions and stores them underground to prevent climate change.

Renewable Energy

Energy generated from natural resources that are replenished, such as solar and wind.

Waste Management

The process of collecting, transporting, processing, recycling, and disposing of waste materials.

Reforestation

The process of planting trees in deforested areas to restore ecosystems.

Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC)

A body of experts that assesses scientific information related to climate change.

Adaptation

The adjustments in natural or human systems in response to actual or expected climate stimuli.

Decarbonization

The process of reducing carbon dioxide emissions associated with all sectors of the economy.

Fuel Efficiency

The measure of how far a vehicle can travel on a given amount of fuel.

Alkalinity Addition

A climate engineering technique used to counteract ocean acidification.

Cloud Seeding

A method to artificially induce precipitation by dispersing substances into the atmosphere.

Afforestation

The process of planting trees in areas that have not been forested for a long time.

Carbon Dioxide Removal (CDR)

Techniques aimed at removing CO2 from the atmosphere to combat climate change.

Global Peaking

The point at which global greenhouse gas emissions reach their maximum before declining.

Heat Recovery

The process of capturing waste heat from industrial processes for reuse.

Sustainable Energy

Energy that meets the needs of the present without compromising future generations.

Soil Carbon Storage

Methods used in agriculture and forestry to increase carbon stored in soil.

Methane Management

Strategies employed to reduce methane emissions from agriculture and waste.

Energy Supply Transition

The shift from fossil fuels to renewable energy sources in electricity production.

National Action Plan

A government strategy that outlines how to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.

Human Ingenuity

Creative problem-solving capacity to develop innovations for environmental challenges.

Techno-optimism

The belief that technology will provide solutions to environmental problems.

Critical Thinking

The objective analysis and evaluation of an issue to form a judgment.

Stakeholders Engagement

The involvement of various groups affected by climate policies in the decision-making process.

Ecosystem Services

The benefits provided by ecosystems to humans, including clean water and pollination.

Biodiversity Protection

Efforts aimed at preserving the variety of species within ecological systems.

Environmental Justice

The fair treatment and meaningful involvement of all people in environmental policies.

Public Awareness Campaigns

Efforts to educate and inform the public about environmental issues.

Climate Engineering

Deliberate manipulation of the Earth's climate system to counteract climate change.

Global Cooperation

Collaborative actions taken by countries to address worldwide issues like climate change.

Long-term Sustainability

Practices that ensure resources are preserved for future generations.

Empirical Evidence

Information acquired by observation or experimentation that is used as a basis for understanding.

Policy Implementation

The process of putting a decision or plan into effect in a structured and orderly manner.

Evidenced-based Decision Making

Making choices based on data and research findings.