11. Human interventions in the carbon cycle to mitigate and influence carbon transfers

Question 1

Define climate emergency.

Answer 1

A phrase that signals that life on earth is immediately threatened because of the enhanced greenhouse effect.

Question 2

Define carbon nuetral.

Answer 2

An activity or company which offsets the same amount of carbon or greenhouse gases that they emit. This is often viewed as greenwashing.

Question 3

Define net zero.

Answer 3

Refers to the reduction of all greenhouse gas emissions to as much as humanly possible and offsetting only the essential emissions that remain.

Question 4

How do improved Aviation practices benefit the carbon cycle?

Answer 4

• Virgin Atlantic’s Flight 100 was the first commercial transatlantic flight to use 100% sustainable aviation fuel
• EasyJet has launched a new pathway to net zero by 2050, for example adopting fuel efficient routes.

Question 5

How does urban design benefit the carbon cycle? *

Answer 5

• City in Nature Singapore: NParks aims to increase the area of nature parks by 200 hectares by 2030, ensuring every household is within a 10-minute walk of a park

Question 6

How does Sustainable Transport benefit the carbon cycle?

Answer 6

• Medellin escalator and cable car transport system
• London ULEZ congestion charging
• Worksop Car-sharing

Question 7

How does Carbon Capture and (human) carbon sequestration benefit the carbon cycle?

Answer 7

It could cut global emissions by up to 19% with the potential to remove 99% of CO2 from industry.

Question 8

How does Changing Rural land use benefit the carbon cycle?

Answer 8

• Protection: the preservation of current forests
• Reforestinng: Increasing tree density in degrading forests increases biomass density and carbon storage density
• Planting trees to create new forest cover
  All 3 strategies increase carbon storage

Question 9

Give 3 examples of global responses to mitigate atmospheric carbon emissions.

Answer 9

1. Kyoto Protocol (1997) - set targets for developed countries to reduce greenhouse gas emissions (China was declared a developing country so exempt from reducing emissions)
2. The Paris agreement (2015) - aims to limit global temperature rises to 1.5 degrees celsius
3. COP26 UK - Reduce methane emissions emissions by 30% by 2030

Question 9

Give 2 examples of UK government national strategies to mitigate atmospheric carbon emissions.

Answer 9

1. Ban the sale of new petrol and diesel cars by 2035 (originally set for 2026)
2. Net zero aviation by 2050

Question 10

Give 2 examples of Icelandic government national strategies achieved to mitigate atmospheric carbon emissions.

Answer 10

1. 515% reduction in emissions from land use by 2030
2. 66% reduction in ESR emissions (emissions from domestic transport (excluding aviation), buildings, agriculture, small industry, and waste)

Question 11

Give 3 examples of local responses in HICs to mitigate atmospheric carbon emissions.

Answer 11

1. Councils install electric vehicle chargers in local areas
2. Building energy efficient infrastructure (e.g Climate Innovation District Leeds)
3. Support local farmers by not purchasing from supermarkets

Question 13

Give 2 examples of local responses in LICs to mitigate atmospheric carbon emissions.

Answer 13

1. 120,000 ceramic stoves per year are made in Sri Lanka
2. Wonderbags can be used to save fuel - food is heated on a stove then placed in a bag to keep cooking or keep it warm