1. Introduction Flashcards
(23 cards)
What is the primary natural source of CO2 released into the atmosphere?
Oceans provide the greatest annual amount of CO2 of any natural or anthropogenic source.
The ocean acts as a regulator and store of CO2, influenced by atmospheric CO2 levels.
What creates a positive feedback loop in CO2 emissions from the ocean?
Changes in atmospheric CO2 by human activity.
Increased human CO2 emissions lead to higher ocean CO2 emissions.
List other natural sources of CO2 besides oceans.
- Animal and plant respiration
- Decomposition of organic matter
- Forest fires
- Emissions from volcanic eruptions
- Naturally occurring CO2 deposits in the Earth’s crust
What are anthropogenic CO2 sources?
Sources caused by human activities, including power generation, transportation, industrial sources, chemical production, petroleum production, and agricultural practices.
Many of these sources burn fossil fuels, which release CO2.
Which anthropogenic source contributes the greatest amount of CO2 to the atmosphere?
Electric power generation.
Define mitigation financing.
Investments to reduce global GHG emissions, such as investments in renewables.
Define adaptation financing.
Financing aimed at increasing resilience to climate change, such as water infrastructure and coastal protection.
How are mitigation and adaptation financing interlinked?
More investment in mitigation reduces the need for adaptation financing.
What does green financing involve?
Collecting funds for addressing climate and environmental matters and improving financial risk management related to these activities.
What is sustainable finance?
Finance that considers ESG issues and risk, aiming to increase investments into sustainable activities.
What do climate finance costs refer to?
The total financial investment required to implement a country’s Nationally Determined Contribution (NDC).
What do climate finance needs refer to?
The portion of investment that a country cannot finance with its resources and requires support for.
What are Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs)? Years? Criteria?
Efforts by countries to reduce national emissions and adapt to climate change impacts, submitted every five years as part of the Paris Agreement.
What is the goal of the Paris Agreement?
To hold the Earth’s temperature to well below 2 degrees Celsius above pre-industrial levels, aiming for a limit of 1.5 degrees Celsius.
What will determine the global average temperature at the end of the century?
The amount of GHG emissions over the next several decades.
What requires the two shared socioeconomic pathways (SSP) that stay below 2°C?
Require net zero emissions by mid-to-late century and carbon removal.
What was the rise in global surface temperature as reported in the IPCC update 2023?
1.2°C.
What reduction in GHG emissions is needed by 2040 to contain warming to 1.5°C?
67% reduction from the 2022 level of 55 billion tons of CO2 equivalent (GtCO2eq).
What does the 2°C limit imply for GHG emissions reduction?
A 46% decrease.
What percentage of global emissions did the top six emitters cover in 2023? Which are the six?
68%.
What percentage of historical GHG emissions were produced by just 10 countries?
About 60%.
What percentage of emissions did the 100 least-emitting countries contribute?
Less than 3%.
Which are the IPCC pathways? Are these predictions?
five scenarios: very low emissions (SSP1-1.9), low emissions (SSP1-2.6), mid-level emissions (SSP2-4.5), high emissions (SSP3-7.0), and very high emissions (SSP5-8.5). Roadmap, not predictions
