APES Unit 9 Global change

Weather

Short term changes in temperature and precipitation over a given area over a period of hours or days

Climate

Determined by the weather conditions of the earth of a particular area averaged over at least three decades

Greenhouse effect

warming that results when solar radiation is trapped by the atmosphere

The three major gasses

CO2, CH4, N2O

Milankovitch cycles

periodic changes in Earth's rotation and orbit around the sun

Natural Factors that play a key role in climate change

The three largest admitters of fossil fuel related CO2

China, the United States, and India

Carbon footprint

the total carbon dioxide emissions produced by an individual, a country, a city, or any other entity over a given period

Per capita, carbon footprint

the average footprint per person in a population

Three of the most serious environmental problems that humanity faces

Air pollution, climate change, and ocean certification

Climate change tipping point

Point at which an environmental problem reaches a threshold level where scientists fear it could cause irreversible climate disruption.

Albedo

Ability of a surface to reflect light

High reflectivity

Ice and snow

Medium reflectivity

Soil and dirt

Low reflectivity

Ocean water

Sea Ice

frozen ocean water that nelts each summer and refreeze each winter

Perma frost

permanently frozen layer of soil whih contains huge amounts of methane and carbon dioxide

Mitigation

slowing down climate change by avoiding its most harmful effects

Prevenging climate change

cut fossil fuel/ coal use, improve energy efficiency, and shift to renewabale energy

cleaning up climate change

Bioanchor, CCS, and planting trees

Carbon capture and storage

Process of removing carbon dioxide gas from coal-burning power and industrial plants and storing it somewhere (usually underground or under the seabed) so that it is not released into the atmosphere, essentially forever.

Disadvantages of CCS

Costly and not very effective

Geoengineering

Manipulation of earths climate system to counteract the effects of climate change caused by greenhouse gas emissions.

Phytoplankton removes atmospheric CO2?

True

Cap and trade

A system where a government sets a limit on emissions and allows companies to buy and sell permits to emit CO₂, creating a financial incentive to reduce emissions.

Carbon footprint

the total amount of greenhouse gases emitted directly or indirectly by an individual, organization, event, or product, usually measured in CO₂ equivalents.

Ocean acidification

decreasing pH of ocean waters due to absorption of excess atmospheric CO2 from the burning of fossil fuels, which especially harms organisms with calcium carbonate shells or skeletons.

Greenhouse gas

Gases such as carbon dioxide, methane, nitrous oxide, water vapor, and ozone in the atmosphere that trap heat

Bioanchor

Burning biomass, like wood and low oxygen environments to make charcoal like material, which can be used as rich organic fertilizer

Positie feedback

amplifies change

Negative feedback

counteracts change, stabilizing the system

Carbon Capture and storage (CCS)

The process of capturing waste CO2, transporting it to a storage site, and depositing it where it will not enter the atmosphere, normally underground.

Kyoto Protocol

Controlling global warming by setting greenhouse gas emissions targets for developed countries. It marked the first major global effort to combat climate change through international law.

Paris Agreement

aims to limit global warming to well below 2°C above pre-industrial levels—and preferably to 1.5°C—through voluntary emissions reduction pledges by all participating countries.

Carbon neutral

a balance between emitting carbon and absorbing carbon from the atmosphere. This can be done by reducing emissions and offsetting the remainder through actions like tree planting or investing in renewable energy. Also known as "net-zero emissions."

Is methane or CO2 more potent?

methane

Is CO2 or methane more persistent?

Co2