Foundations of Climate Change

These flashcards cover key concepts and essential information related to climate change, its impacts, and mitigation strategies as outlined in the lecture notes.

What is the difference between weather and climate?

Weather refers to the exact state of the atmosphere at a specific time and place, while climate refers to the long-term patterns or statistics of weather over extended periods, typically 30 years or more.

What does climate change refer to?

Climate change describes the long-term differences in the statistics of weather measured over multi-decadal periods.

How much has the global average temperature increased since the late 19th century?

The Earth has warmed by approximately 1.33°C since the late 19th century.

What are the primary greenhouse gases mentioned in the lecture?

The primary greenhouse gases include carbon dioxide (CO2), methane (CH4), and nitrous oxide (N2O).

What is the greenhouse effect?

The greenhouse effect is the process by which certain gases in the atmosphere absorb infrared radiation, reducing the amount of energy the Earth radiates back into space, thereby warming the planet.

What is the term used for the potential maximum increase in temperature corresponding to a given increase in greenhouse gas concentration?

Global warming potential (GWP) measures how much heat a greenhouse gas traps in the atmosphere relative to CO2 over a specific time frame.

What is one example of a climate change impact on natural systems mentioned in the lecture?

Mangroves provide coastal defense from erosion and storm surges, which will be affected by climate change.

What have climate models predicted about future precipitation patterns?

They predict that the wet regions will get wetter and dry regions will become drier, with more intense precipitation events likely to occur.

What major trend has been observed regarding sea level rise because of climate change?

Sea level is rising primarily due to melting grounded ice and thermal expansion of water as it warms.

What is the purpose of the Paris Agreement?

The Paris Agreement aims to hold the increase in global average temperatures to well below 2°C above pre-industrial levels.

What are the three main categories of responses to climate change outlined in the lecture?

The responses to climate change can be categorized into adaptation, mitigation, and geoengineering.

What role do aerosols play in climate change according to the lecture?

Aerosols can reflect incoming solar radiation back into space, having a net cooling effect on the climate, but they are also pollutants that can harm human health.

What is the significance of the Keeling Curve?

The Keeling Curve illustrates the long-term increase of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere, initiated with direct measurements in 1957.

How do climate models utilize Shared Socioeconomic Pathways (SSPs)?

SSPs are used to develop scenarios that project future climate changes based on different levels of economic growth and greenhouse gas emissions.

What is a tipping point in the context of climate change?

A tipping point refers to a threshold where a small change can lead to significant and often irreversible impacts on the climate system.

What are two examples of positive feedback mechanisms in climate change?

Water vapor feedback and the albedo effect, where warming leads to more water vapor, which then further amplifies warming and loss of ice that decreases reflectivity.