Global Environmental Issues

These flashcards cover key vocabulary and concepts related to global environmental issues, including definitions for terms that highlight the challenges and actions being taken to address them.

Environmental Degradation

The deterioration of the environment through the depletion of resources such as air, water, and soil.

Anthropogenic Climate Change

Climate change that is caused by human activities, particularly through the release of greenhouse gases.

Kyoto Protocol

An international treaty adopted in 1997 that commits its parties to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.

Paris Agreement

An agreement under the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change, aimed at limiting global warming to below 2 degrees Celsius.

Greenhouse Effect

The warming of Earth's surface due to the trapping of heat by greenhouse gases.

Deforestation

The clearing of trees and forests, typically for agriculture or urban development, leading to biodiversity loss and climate change.

Desertification

The process by which fertile land becomes desert, typically as a result of drought, deforestation, or inappropriate agriculture.

Ocean Acidification

The decrease in pH levels of the oceans due to absorption of carbon dioxide from the atmosphere.

Biodiversity Loss

The decline in the variety and variability of life on Earth, often due to habitat destruction and climate change.

Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)

A set of 17 global goals established by the United Nations to address social, economic, and environmental challenges.