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54 Cards in this Set
- Front
- Back
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1) Describe how recent temperature trends in the stratosphere differ from those in the troposphere, and explain why this is strong evidence that an enhanced greenhouse effect is responsible for the majority of recent climate change.
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The highest concentration of greenhouse gases is located at the boundary between the troposphere and the stratosphere. if our stratosphere is cooling down that's an indicator that our troposphere is heating up due to increased GHGs trapped by the ozone layer and our stratosphere is cooling down due to less heat being released into it
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2 indicators of climate change in the atmosphere
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-it is virtually certain that the troposphere has warmed since the 20th century
-since 1950, it's very likely that the number of cold days/nights has decreased, while the number of hot days/nights has increased |
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2 indicators of climate change in the ocean
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-it's virtually cetain that the upper ocean (0-700 m) warmed from 1971-2010 and it likely warmed between 1870s-1971
-it's likely ocean warmed b/w 700m-2000m from 1957-2009 |
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2 indicators of climate change in the cryosphere
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-very high confidence that the extent of n. hemisphere snow cover has decreased since mid 20th century
-high confidence that permafrost temperatures have increased in most regions since 1980s |
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qualitative confidence vs quantitative confidence
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-qualitative based on amount of agreement b/w scientists and amount of evidence (type, amount, quality, consistency)
-quantitative based on probabilities calculated using statistical models/observations |
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Describe the general spatial trend of global air temperature anomalies (in other words, the difference between that year’s temperature and the long-term mean) between the late 19th century and the early 21st century? In
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there is a natural variability within interannual and decadal global mean surface temperatures, thus short term climate trends are highly contingent on start and end dates and may not fully reflect longer term patterns. For example, the rate of warming in the past 15 years is less than the amount calculated since 1951.
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in roughly what decade did this trend most notably shift? Where have these anomalies most recently been the greatest?
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in the last 3 decades, the earth's surface has been successively warmer than any preceding decade since 1850. 1983-2012 was likely the warmest 30 year period in the NORTHERN HEMISPHERE of the last 1400 years.
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According to the IPCC, what role have the world’s oceans played in storing excess heat over the past 40 years? How uncertain are scientists about this information?
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more than 60% of the world's net energy increase in the climate system is stored in the upper ocean (0-700m) during the well documented last 40 year period from 1971-2010 (high confidence)
-virtually certain that around 30% is stored in the ocean below 700 m |
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The filmmakers who produced The Great Global Warming Swindle presented several pieces of evidence that they argued proves that climate change is either not occurring or is, at the very least, not being caused by human activities. Identify two of these lines of evidence, as well as reasons why each of these was later shown to be incorrect.
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-global warming is natural because medieval warming period happened...FALSE because that was only in Europe and not an indication of a global climate pattern
-CO2 is only 0.05% of the atmosphere so it doesn't matter...FALSE because humans are causing imbalance and increasing amount of carbon kept in atmosphere, CO2 most potent GHG based on absorption spectrum |
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n class, we read portions Mahan et al. (2010) that focused on a concept called the cultural cognition of scientific consensus. What do the authors mean by this and how do they
suggest it relates to the likelihood we will accept the scientific consensus on climate change? |
-tendency of individuals to form risk perceptions that agree with their values
-public doesn't necessarily believe science to be false but disagree with what scientists mean -mahan conducted a study to test psychological mechanism that disposes people to selectively credit or dismiss evidence of risk in patterns that fit values they share with others |
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The climate models that have thus far been developed simulate some climate variables better than others. At this point in time, which variable is generally simulated most accurately?
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change in global average temperature is one of the variables simulated most accurately, although there are discrepancies on many small scale details
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Explain why the emissions scenarios created by the IPCC and used by scientists to model potential future climate cannot be considered true predictions or forecasts.
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scientists can't perdict which scenario is most likely because the future is a function of HUMAN CHOICES. Climate scenarios involve many societal and policy decisions and feed backs constrained by thermodynamics and biogeochemistry
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The IPCC has recently updated its emissions scenarios from a “four storyline” approach to a
“representative concentration pathways (RCPs)” approach. How are these two approaches fundamentally different in the way they address the factors that might drive future climate change? |
4 storyline approach- considers scenarios of socio-economic policies and behaviors adopted throughout the world. Not effective becasue whole world won't have same vision.
RCPs- considers qualitative amounts of physical factors such as emissions, air pollution and use of agricultural area. not a specific solution, but rather gives certain numbers that depict healthy emissions levels. no longer global vision but we could end up with these sorts of emissions in x amount of years. |
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vulnerability
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how much one is going to be impacted by change, a function of the character and magnitude of climate change
-ones vulnerability depends on one's adaptive capacity and sensitivity |
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adaptation
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the adjustment in human and natural systems in response to actual or expected climatic stimuli, which moderates outcomes or exploits beneficial opportunities
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adaptive capacity
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the ability of a system to adapt to climate change
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sensitivity
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how much will changes impact you, will small changes cause big effects or are you less sensitive to these changes
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In class, we discussed at some length the potential climate change vulnerabilities and possible adaptation strategies of a farming family living in rural Andean Ecuador. List three of the vulnerabilities we identified, a possible adaptation option for this vulnerability, and at least one significant obstacle the family faces in pursuing that adaptation option.
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Pulmina family is vulnerable to changes in:
Water/precipitation -adaptation: grow crops that can withstand climate change -obstacle: where are they going to get these crops? even if they are available how do they afford them? adaptation: migrate somewhere else -obstacle: strong ties with their land, why should they have to leave their cultural homeland? again, what if they can't afford it? disease -adaptation: healthcare -obstacle: access, many of them live in remote locations; again, expensive |
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1. Identify the world’s three delta regions considered to be at extreme risk, 2. explain why people are drawn to live in these areas, and 3. describe at least two ways in which climate change is expected to impact these deltas.
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1. Nile, Egypt
Ganges, India/bangladesh Mekong, SE Asia 2. because water means access to large fish populations (protein), fertile soils, access to water, large cities, eas(ier) transporation 3. coastal erosion, agriculture destroyed and salt intrusion into freshwater resources |
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Climate change is expected to differentially impact water resources around the world. Which regions are expected to experience the most severe water stress over the next century?
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semi arid/arid regions and low income countries are most prone
-precipitation/streamflow are concentrated over a few months -year-to-year variations are high semi-arid regions such as Australia, Sahel, west US, have been suffering from more intense droughts Parts of Africa, the Mediterranean region, the Near East, South Asia, northern China, Australia, USA, Mexico, NE Brazil, and western coast of South America, Sahel |
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Cereals such as wheat, maize and rice represent the most important food sources for most of the world’s people. How is climate change expected to impact the cereal yield and how do these impacts vary from one part of the world to another?
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For cereal crops in mid-latitudes yields are expected to rise with small increases in temperatures (2-3 degrees) but decrease for larger temperature rises
for most tropical/subtropical regions yields are expected to decrease surplus of food in developed countries expected to increase while undeveloped countries struggle to cope |
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The IPCC has cataloged anticipated impacts of climate change on four sectors of society (agriculture, water resources, health, and industry) due to increased incidence of extreme weather and climate events. Identify two types of extreme phenomena that are expected to increase, and describe how these phenomena will impact each of these sectors.
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Rising sea levels
agriculture: crops destroyed water resources: salinization of irrigation water health: less clean water causes disease industry: buildings and houses ruined by flood droughts agriculture: less yields and land degradation human health: less livestock and plants to eat, malnutrition water resources: more stress on distribution industry: increased risk of wildfire can cause damage to buildings/ agricultural and food industry will face economic losses |
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What are some of the factors that make the poor so much more vulnerable to climate change?
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Poorer countries lack the infrastructure and adaptive capacity to adequately adapt to climate change
can't deal with -small agricultural yields (higher prices) -to migrate if land is affected by flood/drought |
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In the following graph, the upper lines describe changes in the amount of CO2 in ocean surface water since 1990, while the lower lines describe changing pH values of ocean surface water over the same period of time. Explain what process this graph is illustrating and the reason why these two phenomena trend in opposite directions.
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blue represents carbon at the ocean's surface while the green represents the pH levels of the ocean, the graph is depicting the acidification of the ocean: as carbon levels rise, pH lowers indicating greater acidity
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Describe how species’ ranges will shift in response to atmospheric warming in the coming
centuries. |
species will move north or south depending on current hemisphere
-fish will follow phytoplankton populations -birds migratory patterns will change -invasive species are more likely to pop up...larvae that had previously been wiped out by cold winters will be able to live through to the spring |
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Explain why the extreme rapidity with which the earth’s climate is changing is especially
problematic for forest ecosystems. |
forests are immobile, their rate of adaptation must match climate change in order to be successful.
trees will be subject to unlivable conditions...disease will prevail, forest fires more likely, pests more prevalent, acid rain |
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Define ecosystem services and provide at least two examples evident here in Ohio.
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services provided by natural systems that are necessary for human survival.
-food supply provided my plants/animals -bees pollinate food, make agriculture possible |
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Climate change and other human activities are causing what some have called the “Sixth
Extinction”. How has the extinction rate (extinctions per thousand species per millennium) changed over the long term average extinction rate, and how is this expected to change in the future? |
extinction rates used to be 1 per ever mammal species, now extinction rates are over a thousand times higher than the fossil record. the projected extinction rate is thought to be ten times what it is now.
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Terrestrial ecosystems are presently one of the world’s most important carbon sinks, but some projections suggest that, by the end of the 21st Century, terrestrial ecosystems might actually become a net carbon source. Explain why this might be the case.
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As more trees die, there are less trees available to absorb carbon and there is greater carbon being deposited into the earth because dying trees are also a source of carbon.
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Explain the concept of resilience and discuss how it relates to ecosystems and climate change.
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resilience is the ability for an ecosystem to absorb disturbances while retaining the same basic structure and ways of functioning of self-organization. ecosystems can change as long as they can return to previous state of functioning.
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***There are four primary factors that together influence the amount of CO2 humans emit to the atmosphere. Identify these four factors and describe their respective contributions to CO2
emissions between 2000 and 2010.********* |
Population- Increased CO2
Income per capita- Increased CO2 the most Carbon intensity- Increased CO2 slightly Energy intensity- Lowered CO2 NOT COMPLETE ANSWER |
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What exactly is geoengineering and how does it differ from climate change mitigation?
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mitigation works within the existing human structure to handle climate change while geoengineering intends to influence the global climate system in an attempt to moderate the effects of global warming. Geoengineering is done either by carbon dioxide removal or solar radiation management
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Geoengineering proposals typically suggest one of two approaches to reducing the impact of climate change. Explain the fundamental differences of these two approaches, and provide two examples of specific proposals for each
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moderating solar radiation- releasing aerosols, space mirrors, cloud seeding
carbon dioxide removal- carbon capture and storage, ocean fertilization |
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Carbon capture and storage (sometimes called “clean coal”) is often touted as one of the most feasible geoengineering strategies. Explain how this process works and describe two of the primary limitations to its immediate deployment as a solution to climate change.
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-liquifying the coal precombustion to remove some of the carbon, reducing 65% of carbon emissions when combusted
-compressed and transported to injection site (such as empty oil field, saline aquifers, deep into the ocean) -technology exists but it’s very expensive -limitations: one facitlity in mississippi is costing over 3 billion for construction alone....not realistic to build 1000s of these facilities; not all areas are geologically appropriate |
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Cloud whitening, solar shields and stratospheric aerosols have been proposed as potential geoengineering solutions to climate change. What are the primary limitations associated with these proposals?
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technology not quite available, unknown consequences on the world's climate, and difficult to dictate policy since a country that releases things into the air can effect other countries, so who should be held responsible?
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how did boyd rank geoengineering options based on efficacy?
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1. Ocean fertilization
2. (tied) Stratospheric aerosols, cloud whitening, 3. geochemical carbon capture 4. Atmospheric carbon capture Oprah SaysCats Get Apples |
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how did boyd rank geoengineering options based on affordability
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1. Cloud whitening
2. Ocean fertilization 3. (tied) stratospheric aerosols and geochemical carbon capture 4. Atmospheric carbon capture Cats Open SuperGood Apples |
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how did boyd rank geoengineering opetions based on safety
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1. Atmospheric carbon capture
2. (tied) cloud whitening and geochemical carbon capture 3. stratospheric aerosols 4. Ocean fertilization Apples CantGet Soft Orelse |
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how did boyd rank geoengineering options based on rapidity
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1. (tied) cloud whitening and stratospheric aerosols
2. atmospheric carbon capture 3. geochemical carbon capture 4. Ocean fertilization CatS Always GO |
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In the near-term, the Columbus area has three primary climate change-related risks. Identify these risks and explain why the city’s poor are disproportionately vulnerable to each of them.
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1. heat mortality (can't afford AC)
2. increased intensity of storms and inability to cope with these storms (flooding, etc) 3. food prices go up, they can't afford it |
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According to the Climate Gap report, communities of color and the poor have higher levels of exposure to climate-change related risks than do other Californians. What factors do they argue cause this to be the case?
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Lack of adaptive capacity to make the changes necessary to survive climate change. Lack the resources to adjust their lifestyles they may not be able to afford to move, install AC, afford more expensive food, etc.
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Briefly explain why climate change is widely considered to be a critical social justice issue.
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Because the poor are ill-equipped to adapt to climate change, a problem mostly caused by carbon emissions put out by developed countries, yet undeveloped countries are going to feel the consequences the strongest, being pushed further and further into poverty. CC will disproportionately affect the already disadvantaged.
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most philosophical approaches to social justice take one of two perspectives. Briefly summarize these two perspectives.
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1. social justice deals with the distribution of advantages and disadvantages to reach equality in society
2. social justice comes down to the redistribution of wealth, there are always those with too much and those with not enough |
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Briefly summarize the Bangladesh climate change adaptation case study discussed in class.
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sea levels rising faster than anywhere else on the planet....forcing people to move to slums...solutions: migration, more seawalls, foreign aid....$$ is an obstacle
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summarize the new york city climate change adaptation case study discussed in class
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ideas for adaptation: coral reef made out of recycled glass, sea ships, planting more trees, land underwater can perhaps be used as wetland
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summarize the bolivia climate change adaptation case study discussed in class
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flooding has destroyed many crops...farmers have reverted to a combination between ancient farming techniques and modern knowledge...built camellones-raised fields that prevent crops from being carried away and whose trenches act as irrigation systems and can be used for fish farming
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adaptation vs mitigation
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adaptation is the adjustment in natural or human systems in response to actual or expected climatic stimuli or their effects, which moderates harm or exploits beneficial opportunities while mitigation is an anthropogenic intervention to reduce the sources or enhance the sinks of greenhouse gases
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What are second generation biofuels and how do they compare with other biofuels such as corn, soybeans and canola?
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first generation biofuels are made of food crops using traditional agricultural methods, so they're water intensive, require pesticides and take up a lot of space
second generation biofuels: not made of food crops nor traditional agricultural methods. These require greater technology but are more sustainable ex: wood waste, landfill waste, algae, etc. |
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what is capacity factor in relation to electric power generation efficiency?
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Capacity factor- the average percentage of the time in a year that a power plant is producing at full rated capacity
Solar= 12-15% of the time Wind= 20-40% of the time Coal thermal plants= 70-80% of the time Nuclear power plants=90% of the time |
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how do the capacity factors of solar and wind power compare with those of other methods of electricity generation?
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Coal and nuclear power run most of our electricity currently. Solar and wind power have different capacity factors because even if their plants may be fully functioning, their fuel may not necessarily be present. Thus, the future of alternative energy will be dependent on developing the technology that is able to store energy captured when sun and wind are present.
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What are some of the pros and cons of hydropower as an alternative energy? List at least two of each.
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Pros: can control flooding, generates a lot of power
cons: displaces people, messes with ecosystems |
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The greatest proportion of global renewable energy presently comes from which source?
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bioenergy (1st and 2nd generation biofuels for example)
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Identify four climate change mitigation strategies other than geoengineering that have already been implemented at small scales
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Design: LEED building standards
Efficiency: CAFE standards for cars..greater fuel efficiency Conservation: sustainable agriculture Societal Change: localism |
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Summarize two philosophical (as opposed to technical) arguments in favor of geoengineering and two philosophical arguments against it.
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For:
1. we have moral obligation to save the world because we caused the problem 2. we have already reached the point of no return, drastic measures are necessary to avoid catastrophic results 3. there's no reason we must either commit entirely to geoengineering or not at all Against: 1. who are we to play god? 2. unexpected consequences on biosphere can be even more catastrophic than current climate change projections 3. perpetuates the idea that humans can continue leading the same lifestyle without any real behavior changes because technology will always prevail |
