Climate Change (Cambridge (CIE) IGCSE Environmental Management): Flashcards

Heating limestone to make lime during cement manufacture releases carbon dioxide.

Deforestation reduces CO₂ uptake by photosynthesis and releases the CO₂ stored in the wood.

False.

The electricity that charges them often comes from power stations that release CO₂.

Energy production, which burns fossil fuels to generate electricity and heat, is the largest contributor to greenhouse gas emissions.

Wetland drainage releases methane.

Human activities affect water vapour levels indirectly, through deforestation, land-use changes and burning fossil fuels.

The enhanced greenhouse effect is the strengthening of the greenhouse effect when greenhouse gas levels are higher than usual in the atmosphere.

Extra greenhouse gases mean less heat energy escapes into space, so more heat stays trapped near the surface.

False.

Human activities cause the enhanced greenhouse effect by releasing excessive greenhouse gases; only the natural greenhouse effect occurs naturally.

Human activity has increased carbon dioxide levels in the atmosphere by more than 100 ppm.

Global average temperatures have risen by over 1 °C since pre-industrial times.

Climate change is a long-term change in average temperatures and weather patterns that define local, regional and global climates, usually over 30 years.

False.

Global warming is only the rise in Earth's average surface temperature, which in turn changes climates.

Excess greenhouse gases cause environmental, social and economic problems.

False.

Warming is not uniform: land warms more than oceans, and the Arctic warms more than other regions.

Climate change brings more frequent and intense heatwaves and fewer cold extremes.

Thermal expansion is the increase in the volume of seawater as it warms, which raises sea level.

As sea levels rise, seawater ingress into underground water supplies reduces the availability of fresh water.

Ocean acidification is the process by which oceans become more acidic because of increased CO₂ concentrations in the atmosphere.

Corals and shellfish struggle to form and maintain their shells and skeletons, so their populations can decrease.

Low-lying coastal areas and islands face the highest flood risk from rising sea levels.

Polar and tundra biomes cannot shift any further north or south as the climate warms.

False.

Fragmentation separates and isolates species, which limits their ability to adapt and reduces resilience.

Coral bleaching, caused by higher sea temperatures, reduces the variety of species in coral reefs.

As seasonal cycles change, many plant species now produce flowers earlier in the year.

Shifts in species distribution can let invasive species take over, reducing the food available to existing species.

Warming can force mountain species to move to higher altitudes, which cuts them off from other populations.

Some fish species are moving north and south to find cooler water.

Sea level rise forces people to migrate when they lose their homes and livelihoods to coastal erosion and flooding, as in southern Bangladesh.

In tourist areas, melting snow and ice can force the closure of ski resorts.

False.

The link is complex, so a single event is hard to link directly, although extreme weather events have increased since the 1980s.

Heatwaves bring stagnant air, which lets air pollution build up and worsens respiratory illnesses such as asthma.

Longer droughts create dry conditions, which increase the risk of wildfires.

With too little rain, crops fail; with too much rain, crops rot in the fields.

False.

The areas suitable for each crop will shift, so farmers may have to change crops; for example, wheat growing may move from the USA to Canada.

Disease carriers such as mosquitoes and ticks will survive and breed in the warmer conditions.

Reduced water availability makes irrigation limited or impossible.

Food shortages can lead to higher prices, malnutrition and famine.

A carbon footprint is the total amount of greenhouse gases emitted by a person, organisation or product, usually measured in tonnes of carbon dioxide equivalent (CO₂e).

Mitigation is tackling the root cause of climate change by reducing greenhouse gas emissions to prevent future warming.

False.

Sea walls are adaptation, which adjusts to the effects of climate change; they do not cut greenhouse gas emissions.

The Kyoto Protocol exempted developing countries, including China and India.

The Kyoto Protocol was the first legally binding international treaty to set emissions targets.

The Paris Agreement aims to limit global warming to 2 °C, and preferably 1.5 °C, above pre-industrial levels.

Nationally Determined Contributions are the climate action plans that each country submits, setting out its commitments under the Paris Agreement.

False.

Current NDCs are not sufficient; projections show about 2.6-2.7 °C of warming by 2100.

The Marrakech Agreement provided funding to help developing countries adapt to the effects of climate change.

Climate modelling recreates past climates, which helps scientists predict future temperature changes.

False.

Extreme weather events are hard to predict, and climate models are not always accurate.

Carbon sequestration at power plants captures carbon dioxide and pipes it to underground storage sites.

Leaks could pollute groundwater and harm people and animals, and there are reports of small earthquakes after pumping.

Some countries already have the resources and reserves to generate energy from fossil fuels cheaply.

Many countries lack the funding or infrastructure for nuclear and renewable energy.

False.

A carbon tax only targets carbon dioxide, not other greenhouse gases such as methane.

Governments worry about the tax's impact on the poor and on businesses.

Trees remove CO₂ through photosynthesis and store the carbon in trees and soil.

Farmers can cut methane emissions by farming fewer animals.

Reduced ploughing and planting cover crops improve soil quality and reduce CO₂ emissions.

Transport policies include extensive public transport, electric hybrid cars, biofuels, higher road tax and car-sharing schemes.

A smaller population reduces total demand for resources and energy, which lowers overall greenhouse gas emissions.

Individuals can insulate walls and roofs, fit double or triple glazing, buy energy-efficient appliances, avoid standby, turn the thermostat down and install solar panels.

False.

A plant-based diet and seasonal, locally produced food can reduce greenhouse gas emissions.

Most individuals are unaware of their environmental impact and only act if changes are easily accessible and affordable.

Adaptation is changing behaviour, practices and infrastructure so that people can cope with the impacts of climate change.

False.

Adaptation deals with the effects of climate change; cutting emissions is mitigation.

Farmers can change the crops they grow or the livestock they raise to suit the new climatic conditions.

Developing drought-resistant crops helps farming adapt to drier conditions.

Floating gardens are platforms of crops that rise with the level of the water, so flooding does not destroy them.

Increased irrigation requires careful management of water supplies.

A lack of money and a lack of access to water limit agricultural adaptation, so farmers in some LICs need external assistance with costs.

False.

Some changes are low-cost, such as giving livestock shelter from heat.

Flood defence strategies include flood shelters, houses on stilts, seawalls and storm surge barriers.

Flood defences mean people do not have to move, livelihoods can continue and financial losses are minimised.

Flood defences can disturb coastal habitats, and some cost a lot to build and maintain.

Land use zoning is legislation that bans building on floodplains or too near vulnerable coastlines.

Planners build hospitals and schools away from at-risk zones so that they can remain open during extreme events.

False.

It is not always possible to control urban growth, and some people are prepared to live with the risk.

Helpful changes include cooling systems, upgraded heat insulation and reflective roofing.

Urban forest planting cools the surrounding area and provides wildlife habitat.

Most settlements in LICs are self-built, and residents lack access to modern building supplies.