Climate Change

Question 1

What does anthropogenic mean?

Answer 1

Originating from or related to human activity

Question 2

What is climate?

Answer 2

Long-term average of the weather at a particular location

Question 3

What is weather?

Answer 3

Day-to-day state of the atmosphere

Question 4

What is climate change?

Answer 4

Changes to the average weather conditions of a particular location

Question 5

What is global warming?

Answer 5

The century-scale increase in the average temperature across the entire planet

Question 6

What is the pattern or mean global temperature?

Answer 6

It is rising fast

Question 7

What do small variations in global mean temperature across years reflect?

Answer 7

Internal variability in Earth’s global surface temperature

Question 8

How much has the global mean temperature risen since the 80s?

Answer 8

> 1°C

Question 9

How long does it typically take the planet to warm 5°C?

Answer 9

5000 years

Question 10

What is the predicted rate of warming for the next century?

Answer 10

20 times faster than normal

Question 11

What is global warming tied to?

Answer 11

Human-induced gas emissions (CO2)

Question 12

What is the aim of COP of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change?

Answer 12

Stimulate policy agreements to halt climate change

Question 13

What is the aim of the COP of the UN Convention on Biological Diversity?

Answer 13

Stimulate policy agreements to halt biodiversity loss and protect nature

Question 14

What are the most important natural greenhouse gases?

Answer 14

Water vapor
Carbon dioxide
Methane
Ozone
Nitrous oxide
Chlorofluorocarbons

Question 15

What is the natural greenhouse effect?

Answer 15

Reflection of heat emitted by our planet back to the Earth
Slows down heat loss
Maintains life on our planet

Question 16

What are the most important greenhouse gases emitted by human activity?

Answer 16

Carbon dioxide
Methane
Nitrous oxide
Chlorofluorocarbons

Question 17

What is the human-enhanced greenhouse effect?

Answer 17

Gases released by human activities enhance the natural greenhouse effect
Increased reflection of heat emitted by our planet back to the Earth
Drive positive radiative forcing
Increasing global temperatures and threatens life on our planet

Question 18

What are the global warming potentials of anthropogenic greenhouse gases?

Answer 18

CO2 = used as a reference
Methane = 21 CO2
Nitrous oxide = 310 CO2
Chlorofluorocarbons = 1000-10000 CO2

Question 19

How do scientists study atmospheric CO2 concentrations?

Answer 19

Ice core analysis
On the ground CO2 measurements based on infrared or chemical gas sensors
Space-based CO2 measurements based on satellites based on measuring changes in infrared reflection

Question 20

What is ice core analysis?

Answer 20

The study of CO2 concentrations in bubbles trapped in deep ice cores
Small ice core segments dated
Gas in small ice core segments crushed, released gas analyzed by laser absorption spectroscopy or by gas chromatography

Question 21

How do humans influence the carbon cycle?

Answer 21

Atmospheric CO2 over the past 100 years shows a rapid increase starting in the 1800s
Past interruptions of global economic activity and fossil fuel burning caused deviations from CO2 increase

Question 22

What is the representative concentration pathway?

Answer 22

Scenarios of greenhouse gas trajectories used to model future climates
Named after different ranges of radiative forcing values

Question 23

What causes the acidification of the ocean?

Answer 23

High CO2 levels in the water

Question 24

What are the predicted risks to ecosystems in Alberta?

Answer 24

Increased pests and fires in boreal forests
Thawing of permafrost
Species extinctions, especially on the prairie and other flat landscapes
Increased drought
Displacement and destructions from extreme weather events

Question 25

What will happen if the rate of greenhouse gas emissions continues to increase?

Answer 25

Further increase in global warming
Major disruptions to ecosystems
Risks for food security and human livelihoods
Social upheaval