Global Climate Change - Part 3 Climate Change Impacts

Flashcards about climate change impacts based on lecture notes.

What are the potential societal consequences of climate change?

Greater competition for resources, threats to food supplies, risks to health, international conflict.

What regions are particularly vulnerable to climate change?

Coastal and low-lying regions due to flooding and sea-level rise.

How might climate change affect air pollution?

It could increase pollution by accelerating ozone production and promoting air stagnation.

What are the major threats posed by climate change in North America?

Sea-level rise, extreme weather events, and wildfires.

How does climate change affect natural ecosystems?

It tests their resilience, potentially leading to ecosystem destruction and biodiversity loss.

What is a particularly vulnerable ecosystem mentioned in the notes?

Coral reefs due to their limited scope for adaptation.

Define sustainability in the context of climate change.

Applying principles to create a harmonious coexistence of human civilization with the natural environment.

What percentage of the world's population lives in coastal and low-lying regions?

Nearly 10%.

What could rising sea levels submerge in Southern Florida?

Areas if sea levels rise 4-8m (13.1-26.2 ft).

What is the role of alligators in wetland ecosystems?

Predators that help keep prey levels in check.

List some benefits that ecosystems provide to humanity.

Food, fiber, climate and water regulation, and recreational opportunities.

Why are coral reefs important?

They provide food, act as a defense against cyclones and tsunamis, and generate tourism income.

What does NOAA estimate about the condition of coral reefs?

20% are damaged beyond recovery, and 50% are in critical condition.

What are the causes of coral decline?

Natural stressors and human activities like overfishing, pollution, and careless behavior.

What are Marine Protected Areas (MPAs)?

Areas that restrict human activity for conservation purposes.

What can't MPAs protect coral from?

Global warming and the acidification effects of CO2.

What is the consequence of increased CO2 dissolving into ocean water?

It transforms into carbonic acid, making the water less conducive to coral growth.

What is a key factor in preventing the demise of coral reefs?

Reducing or eliminating CO2 emissions.

What is a major threat to species diversity?

Human intervention that is comparable to forces that led to mass extinctions in the past.

How does climate change affect cloud forests?

Warming temperatures cause clouds to condense at higher elevations, leading to drier conditions.

How does earlier sea-ice breakup impact polar bears?

It forces them to remain on land, fasting and surviving on fat reserves.

How are temperature changes affecting plant and animal species?

Many species' habitat ranges are shrinking, potentially leading to ecosystem collapse and extinctions.

How does the rate of climate change compare to the migration capacities of plants and animals?

The rate of climate change exceeds the natural migration capacities of most plants and animals under higher emission scenarios.

What is the predicted impact of global temperature rise on plant and animal extinction risk?

20-30% increased risk at 2.0°C rise, 40-70% at risk with a 4.0°C rise above pre-industrial levels.

What are some expected impacts of climate change on freshwater supplies?

Diminished supplies, increased drought in some regions, and more frequent intense precipitation events and flooding in others.

What combination of factors exacerbate water pollution?

Warmer water, more intense rainfall, and longer periods of low river levels.

What is a significant threat to freshwater supplies that 15% of the world relies on?

The melting of glaciers and ice caps.

What negative effect does warming have on Ozone production?

Warming accelerates ozone production & promotes air stagnation, leading to increased tropospheric ozone levels.

How does climate change affect human security through resources?

Increased competition for diminishing natural resources may lead to unrest and unstable regimes.

What are some potential conflicts arising from climate change?

Competition for fresh water and new international implications due to the opening of the Northwest Passage.

What factor increases competition for habitable land?

Expanded patterns of drought and sea level rise.

What causes increase levels of conflict, both between and within, nations?

As nations exceed their capacity to adapt to climate change, violence and destabilization

How does Climate Change undermines food supplies?

Food production is expected to increase with modest warming (1-2°C) but with more warming (>3°C) negative impacts for crops in all major agricultural regions.

How do shifting climate patterns affect regions that are already affected food demands?

Many tropical/subtropical regions (India, sub-Saharan Africa, tropical Africa) will likely experience a combination of warmer temperature and less precipitation à less food production, especially of key crops like major cereals

How can disease spead because ofclimate change?

Disease can spread as climate changes—insects and rodents that carry disease range more widely as climate barriers are lifted.

How did climate change show it could be deadly in the IPCC report?

Increased mortality from heat, especially among the young, elderly, infirm, and those in remote regions (virtually certain)

How are the Health Impacts from climate change unequally distributed?

Related health impacts will not be uniformly distributed across the world’s population. Poor nations will be more susceptible

How have wildfires become more common in recent decades?

Likely to increase in response to increased drought, decreased winter snow pack, earlier melt, and increased fuel load from forests killed or weakened by pests such as the Pine Bark Beetle that have expanded their ranges due to warming winters

What climate events have been felt in Europe?

Record heat wave of 2003, melting of long-standing mountain glaciers, shifting precipitation patterns, and observable changes in ecosystems.

How fast is the Arctic warming?

The Arctic is warming at twice the rate of the globe; landmasses in Arctic are warming at 5x

Has the summertimme sea-ice decreased over the last 50 years?

Arctic Ocean’s summertime sea-ice minimum has decreased at 9-14% per decade à exposes darker ocean, resulting in more warming

What is permafrost?

Below the Arctic’s upper layer of soil is permafrost à permanently frozen soil

What happens when permafrost melts?

Methane, trapped in permafrost for millennia, is now being released into the atmosphere, increasing warming.