IB Geography Climate Change

What is albedo?

the reflectivity of a surface

What is the solar constant?

How much solar energy is received per square meter of area every second at Earth's distance from the Sun

What is carbon intensity

The amount of Co2 emitted per unit of GDP

What are anthropogenic impacts?

Human impacts eg. man-producing oil spills, run off, bleaching, increased amount of algae

What is the anthropogenic carbon factor?

The current amount of Co2 released annually by a country.

What is the anthropogenic carbon stock?

The total size of Co2 emissions since industrialisation

What is climate change

Any long term trend or movement in climate, detected by a sustained shift in the average value for any climatic event

What are greenhouse gases

Atmospheric gases that absorb infrared radiation and cause world temperatures to be warmer than they otherwise would be

What are some types of evidence for climate change

• Fossils and geological records

• Landscape evidence (eg. drowned valleys and fjords)

• Tree rings

• Agricultural records

What is a positive feedback loop

They accelerate and amplify any changes that have already started to occur

What is a negative feedback loop

When a system adjusts itself to lessen/cancel out the effects of the original change

What is a positive feedback loop about climate change

Global temperatures rise → increased oceanic temperatures → dissolved CO2 released by warmer oceans → more CO2 in the atmosphere

What is a negative feedback loop about climate change

Increased use of fossil fuels → increased atmospheric CO2 → global temperatures rise → more plant growth → increased uptake of CO2 → reduces atmospheric CO2

What are some reasons for variation in solar radiation output

• Volcanic eruptions cause short periods of cooling due to ash and dust particles being ejected into the atmosphere

• Sunspots are dark circles where magnetic storms occur, increasing solar output

• Milankovitch cycles- variations in the earths orbit around the sun which alter insolation

What is a positive feedback loop concerning albedo

Ice melts → albedo decreases → more exposed sea absorbs more insolation → oceans warm up → melt more ice and decrease albedo further

What is a negative feedback loop concerning albedo

Ice melts → albedo decreases → more exposed sea absorbs more insolation → oceans warm up → more evaporation → Increased cloud cover with high albedo → less light reaches sea → less ice melts

What is permafrost

Ground that remains at or below zero degrees for at least 2 consecutive years. Thickness varies.

What is per capita carbon footprint

The amount of carbon dioxide emissions an average person in a country is responsible for as they go about their daily life

What is cryosphere

The portions of the earths surface where water is in its solid form

How has the cryosphere been affected by climate change

• Ice caps are melting rapidly

• Alpine glaciers are showing glacial retreat .

• Permafrost is thawing in same places, which releases carbon dioxide and methane

• Ice sheets in Antarctica are losing more mass than gaining, if both the Greenland and Antarctica ice sheets melted, the sea level would increase dramatically

What is a carbon flux

The movement of carbon between carbon stores

What is a eustatic change

A worldwide change in average sea level resulting from a warming or cooling climate affecting the volume/depth of water in the oceans.

How does sea level rise due to climate change

• Melting of land based glaciers and ice caps

• Thermal expansion of oceans

What is an extreme weather event

An occurrence such as drought or a storm which happens unusually severe or long lasting, with an extreme magnitude

How will climate change affect animal migration and habitats

• Many species will have to migrate north permanently to avoid high temperatures

• Canada geese may not have to fly so far south from the arctic to reach a warmer place in winter

• Global warming will increase incidence of forest fires

What are the impacts of climate change on agriculture

• Desertification and the extension of arid conditions

• Soil erosion by water- climate change is thought to create a more vigorous water cycle, therefore more rainfall and more intensive rainfall

• Productive land can be lost due to sea level rise

How can health hazard incidence be increased by climate change

• Vector-borne such as Maleria and water borne diseases such as Cholera could increase with climate change

How does climate change affect certain vulnerable populations

• Island and coastal regions are the most vulnerable to climate change, and areas which are already at risk of drought and water insecure

• Well educated citizens in HIC’s may know more about the issues, and feel more prepared to mitigate them

• Young people are more heavily affected as it is their future

What is the difference between mitigation and adaptation

Mitigation is actions intended to prevent climate change. Adaptation is actions designed to protect people from the harmful effects of climate change

What is the COP21 Paris climate agreement

Aims to avoid a temperature increase of 2 degrees

What are the strengths of the COP21 Paris climate agreement

• A large amount of countries signed

• Gives environmental hope that the dangerous levels can be avoided

• Will aim to not sacrifice any country’s economy

• It allows all countries to hold each other accountable for emissions

• Poorer low lying countries will get justice

What are the weaknesses of the COP21 Paris climate agreement

• The aim is very ambitious, and massive greenhouse gas emissions are needed to reach the target, which may have economic repercussions

• If an economic or political disaster occurs, then climate may fall down the list of priorities

What is carbon offset and trading

Climate mitigation. Gives each country a capped carbon share, excess can be traded or sold.

What is carbon offsetting

Compensating for emissions by saving carbon dioxide elsewhere. Eg. planting a tree after a flight