Geography- Climate Change Paper 1

Whats the definition of climate change

A long term change in the earth’s climate, especially a change due to an increase in the average atmospheric temperature

What’s the quaternary period

The period of geological time front 2.6 million years ago, to the present

What is the long term evidence of climate change

Ice cores

Temperature records

How many years can an ice core reconstruct

400,000 years

What’s the recent evidence for climate change

Shrinking ice caps/ gladiers

Rising sea levels

Seasonal changes

What are the natural causes for climate change

Orbital theory

Volcanic eruptions

Solar variations

What is orbital change

Changes in the pathway of the earth around the sun

What is an elliptical orbit

When an object moves around another object in an oval shaped path

How often does the earth change from a an oval to elliptical orbit

Evrry 100,000 years

How long does it take for the earth to orbit the sun

365 days, 1 year

How often does procession happen

Every 26,000 years

What is the volcanic eruption theory

Ash and gas from the volcano absorbs the sun’s radiation, so it is cooler beneath the Ash and gas cloud

What’s a sunspot

A patch on the sun that appears dark, which is much hotter than surrounding areas

What are greenhouse gases

Carbon dioxide, methane, nitrous oxide

What are the sources of carbon dioxide

Industry

Transport

Burning fossil fuels

What are the sources of methane

Agriculture

Rice farming

Waste

What is the enhanced greenhouse effect

How humans add to the greenhouse effects

What are the main human causes of climate change

Burning fossil fuels, deforestation, agriculture

What is deforestation

Deforestation is the permanent destruction of forests to clear land for alternative uses

What are the main causes of deforestation

Cattle ranching, timber, building settlements

What is agriculture

The cultivation of land for growing crops and raising livestock

How does agriculture contribute to climate change

C02 releases , linked to deforestation

Methane released from cattle waste

Nitrous oxide released from fertiliser application

What are the environmental effects of climate change

Melting sea ice

Loss of habitats

Droughts

What are the human effects of climate change

Extreme weather

Crop yields

Flooding

What is mitigation

Action taken to reduce the long term risk of climate change

What are the mitigation strategies

Alternative energy

Afforestation

Carbon capture and storage

International agreements

What is renewable energy

A natural resource of energy that does not run out

Whatnis afforestation

The deliberate planting of trees

What is alternative energy production

Reducing greenhouse gas emissions by using renewable energy, like solar and wind

What are international agreements

Legal agreements by World leaders to reduce their carbon footprint

What is carbon capture and storage

Uses technology to capture the C02 that would normally go back into the atmosphere. Once captured the C02 is compressed, piped then injected deep underground

What was the Kyoto Protocol

An international agreement setting targets for industrialised countries to cut their greenhouse gas emissions

What was the Paris Agreement

2009 pledged to reduce emissions with financial support for developing countries to help them cope with climate change

What was the Copenhagen accord

A landmark environmental accord that was adopted by nearly every nation in 2015, to address climate change and its negative impacts

What is adaptation

Actions taken to adjust to natural events such as climate change, to reduce potential damage, limit the impacts, take advantage of opportunities, or cope with consequences

What changes can be made to agricultural systems

Drip irrigation

Shade trees

Drought resistant crop

How can rising sea levels be managed

Flood barriers

Sea defences

Houses on stilts

How can water supplies be managed

Collecting rainwater

Water meters

Recycling grey water

How are rising sea levels being managed in the Maldives

A 3m sea wall has been constructed around the capital Male

Sandbags used in some areas

Building houses on stilts

Restoration of coastal mangroves