ENST2500 TEST

5 key themes of geography

location, place, region, movement, nature-environment interaction

Location

Location = where. Relative vs. Absolute Location (closeness to impact areas)

Place

What is where or there: characteristics. how will climate change affect the places in which we live…

Regions

geographical tools: boundaries and stating criteria

Social Interaction/Mobility

human nature relationships within places. + Climate migration

Scale

concept of various scales of analysis (local, regional, global): they are linked and have effect on eachother

Global Warming

long-term warming of the planet as a result of atmospheric changes caused by greenhouse gases

Climate Change

broader range of changes that are happening to the planet: sea levels, shrinking glaciers, accelerating ice melt…

Weather

SHORT-TERM atmospheric conditions.

Climate

weather of a specfic region over a long-period of time, usually 30+ years
Tropical, Dry, Temperate, Continental, Polar

MYTH: climate change is natural

since the last ice age, climate has been relatively stable; not faltering. earth’s temp heating up at fastest rate in at least 2,000 years

Problems when solving climate change

global problem, local problem, long-term problem, time disconnect: economic costs, cumulative costs, different values and time horizons, lack of trust in gov, political will, human psych, complex system

Wicked Problems

complex and messy, multiple causes, cant be entirely solved

Tame Problems

causes are known, processes are known, time for management

critical problems

short term, decisive action needed, no time for analysis

Earth System Spheres

Geo (interior and surface made of rocks), Hydro, Atmo (envelope of gas), Cryo (ice), Bio (living supportive)

Environment

space or field where networks of relationships occur

Nature

essence of being, unaltered by humans

Culture-Nature Relationship

contrast; enlightenment placed humans above nature. civilizing scale

Ecocentricism

nature-centered, deep ecoloy (nature more value than humans)

Anthropocentricism

human-centered, intrinsic value posession

Natural Tipping Points

concept that CC can drive elements of earth’s environment past a threshold; abrupt shifts with dangerous consequences

Social Tipping Points

major societal stresses that cause shift to a new dynamic

Anthropocene

encompasses: population growth, increased energy use, greenhouse gas emissions, technological advancements, cultural interconnection, digital revolution. either colombian exchange (1492), industrial rev (late 18th)

System Interaction Examples

1) the food–energy–water nexus and associated carbon–energy–
water cycles that underpin this nexus;
• (2) interactions between the cryosphere and oceans accounting
for rising sea level convolved with subsiding and/or eroding
coastlines and deltas; and
• (3) freshwater, nutrient, and sediment exchanges between land
seas and their mediation by atmospheric, hydrologic, and geologic
processes; among numerous others

Shared Socio-economic pathways SSPs

how societall choices will affect emissions and how agreements can be met. im not too confident

Carbon Cycle

natural, continous movement of carbon between earth’s atmosphere, oceans, and living organisms

Carbon Sinks

carbon storage areas

Carbon Budget

maximum amount of cumulative CO2 emissions allowed to limit gllobal warming

Technosphere

encompasses system of all tech manufacutred by humans. included in anthroposphere

Crawford Lake- ONTARIO

global marker site to define start of anthropocene epoch: meomictic lake (warm and cold dont mix), sediment layers

Kinetic Energy-motion

power mills, animals ploughing, human muscle power (slaves)

Thermal Energy

plant based fuels for heating, pet, semi-carbonized coal,