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Geog > Carbon - 3.5 - 3.8 > Flashcards

Carbon - 3.5 - 3.8 Flashcards

1
Q

3.5 overall

A

Human well-being is threatened by the degradation of water and carbon cycles.

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2
Q

Marshall Islands:

A

West Pacific Ocean
Dome with radioactive waste, tomb of nuclear waste
Education on cultural events and more cultural awareness

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3
Q

Global changes to ocean health 1

A

• Increasing temperature - algae (Zooxanthellae) that is vital for coral reef growth migrates/dies out
• Algae provides nutrients and colour for corals so result is coral bleaching (which can lead to decay of reef)
• Reefs provide three lifelines for Marshall Islands…
• Source of food (Fish) as food webs depend on reef health

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4
Q

Global changes to ocean health 2

A

• Coastal protection from wave energy in storms (they act as a buffer to reduce erosion)
• Tourism in the form of scuba diving/snorkelling (to a lesser extent given the Nuclear concern)
• Also consider implications of changing ocean acidification, salinity and changing currents (migration of fish)

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5
Q

Local changes to ocean health

A

• SL Rise and increasing extreme weather events mean Nuclear Dome on Bikini Atoll is vulnerable to break up – will release radioactive waste into oceans.
• A serious problem given the economies reliance on the ocean!
• Sewage, plastic waste and poor regulations for disposal combined with increasing population lead to poor ocean quality and biodiversity loss

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6
Q

How is human well-being affected by the degradation of marine resources ? 1

A

• Depletion of fish stocks – reduces ability of people to fish, particularly if fish species migrate polewards (26km/decade) - with consequences for balanced (protein) diet.
• Local fishermen lose out to both fish depletion and ‘flags for convenience’ shipping (flag-hopping) from wealthier nations
• May also open up Nuclear waste dump and severely affect health of local population

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7
Q

How is human well-being affected by the degradation of marine resources ? 2

A

• Bleaching is the predicted severe threat - could affect 50% of all corals, which increases net coastal erosion
• 100 countries would lose out tourism ($9.6bn), with associate consequences for developing countries
• This also affects coastal infrastructure, particularly in developing countries that can’t afford hard-engineering
• SL Rise and increased storm activity removes livelihoods on the coast
• Has led to mass emigration of Marshall islanders to Arkansas, USA (break up of communities)

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8
Q

Depleting fish stocks

A
  • culture and wellbeing of SIDS heavily reliant on fish as a protein source
  • overfishing developed by nations, causes them to look for other opportunities
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9
Q

3.6 overall

A

We are uncertain about the link between human and natural planetary systems because technology and modelling isn’t that guy yet

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10
Q

Factors built into climate models:

A
  • Natural forcing (adding uncertainty)
    • Milankovitch cycles
    • Sun cycles
    • Long term ocean and atmospheric oscillations
    • El Niño
      Jet Streams
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11
Q

Co2 movements in climate models

A
  • Ocean acidification
    • Carbon uptake from vegetation
    • Fire
    • Albedo
    • Thermohaline
      Biological pumps
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12
Q

Human factors which could affect GhG in climate models

A
  • Population growth
    • Economic growth
    • Land use change
      Energy profiles
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13
Q

Uncertainties about

A

Peatlands and permafrost changes in future

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14
Q

Physical mechanism reasons for why difference between predicted temperature for the two scenarios is so large by 2100

A
  • How much ice will melt is not certain
  • No one knows how much thermal expansion
  • Science of sea level rise not yet fully understood, e.g. operation of carbon sinks
  • Natural causes including volcanic eruptions lead to ash in stratosphere which reduces temperatures despite ongoing rise in enhanced GHG effect
  • Unexpected positive feedback events/ tipping points, e.g. albedo changes at art office
    Mechanisms of ice melting not understood so IPCC ignored it in the scenario policy makers use
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15
Q

Human reasons as to why difference between predicted temperature for the two scenarios is so large by 2100

A
  • Future trends in GHG emissions are hard to forecast
  • Business as usual approach leading to enhanced greenhouse effect/ ongoing rise in emissions, e.g. industrial growth in Asia, or population growth leading to increased or continued uses of fossil fuels
  • Emission reduction strategies preventing temperatures rise, e.g. December 2015 agreement or Kyoto protocol
  • Lack of global agreement/ action on reduction emissions
  • Difficulties in predicting economic growth e.g. of China or anticipating speed of post Kyoto politician developments
  • Time lag from emissions throughout 20th century means any reductions will take centuries to reduce rise in temperature
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16
Q

3.7 overall

A

Due to the uncertainty with climate models, we need adaptation strategies, but do they address all the risks of planetary degradation? In this case we need mitigation strategies - but a global scale agreement is difficult

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17
Q

B) Explain two reasons why the risk of river flooding has increased in recent years (4)

A
  • Higher temps = higher EVAP = storm events more intense, so more rainfall, so more frequent low pressure systems - more rain/ Tropical storms, ground saturated - more surface runoff and flood.
    Deforestarion
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18
Q

C) State one adaptation used to manage river flood risk?

A

River barriers, land use zoning

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19
Q

Define water conservation and management

A

Methods include finding ways to
- reduce water resources used, reduce and rescue groundwater
- recycle what has already been used, (greywater).

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20
Q

Describe water conservation and management

A
  • Could use high tech Conservation strategies like Singapore, but also requires strong government leadership and changes in attitude.
  • In China, water saving irrigation has been introduced in areas of huge demand in a drying climate in order to adapt to water scarcity and food scarcity issues
  • between 2007-2009, the country saved up to 11.8% of its previous water consumption
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21
Q

Costs and risks of water conservation and management

A
  • 60 million people in lower Mekong river basin dependent on agriculture and fisheries, but still no solution to overabstraction due to trans boundary politics
  • Hard to implement in the face of rapid pop. Growth and increased demand
  • Requires stable government to promote policy changes necessary for success
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22
Q

Define resilient agricultural systems

A

Use may include higher tech, drought tolerant species resistant to shifting climate and increase in pests/ diseases. Or could be lower tech promotion of better agri practice - e,g, water storage, selective irrigation

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23
Q

Describe resilient agricultural systems

A
  • Northern China have used strategies of early or Kate planting to match changing climate and using crops designed to withstand higher temps
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24
Q

Costs and risks of resilient agricultural systems

A
  • But more pricey tech, seeds and breeds of resilient plants unlikely to be available to poor subsistence farmers with poor land quality
  • High energy costs from indoor farming - would require energy to make sense
  • Gene modification still debated on and health impacts long term unknown
25
Q

Define land use planning

A

Areas of increased risk such as from coastal or river flooding, can be zoned through urban planning so that people and property are not within them, planning would also include the location and design of infrastructure to ensure its resilience to stronger storms and higher than average water levels. May also involves building restrictions and laws for the most vulnerable and enforcement of run off controls and soakway

26
Q

Costs risks of land use planning

A
  • Surely already too late and unfeasible in coastal megacities where every inch of land space is utilised and in demand - Tokyo
  • Political hot potato
  • Public antipathy
  • Need strong government leadership and enforcement as well as compensation schemes for resettling
27
Q

Define flood risk management

A

Can include traditional methods such as hard engineering for localised flooding or river dredging, or soft engineering or afforestation to reduce downstream risk. High tech solutions may include introduction of a permeable tarmac for road and pavements

28
Q

Describe flood risk management

A

Chittagong

29
Q

Costs risks of flood risk management

A
  • Land owners will demand compensation for relocation or agricultural land lost to afforestation programmes
  • Reduced property values in rezoned areas and break up of communities
  • general pros/ cons of coastal engineering
30
Q

Define solar radiation management

A

Geoengineering presents a potentially quick win practical solution to mitigate against climate change by deliberately intervening with the climate system itself. A number of different projects have been propose, all of which try to increase the amount of solar radiation that is reflected from earth - before it has the chance to reach the surface.

31
Q

Describe solar radiation management

A
  • Spray seawater unto atmosphere which would provide hygroscopic nuclei for condensation to take place - increasing cloud coverage and reflectance of solar energy
  • Add sulphur particles to stratosphere - the aerosols would also increase reflectivity
  • Puts trillions into water thin discs into stationary orbit between earth, sun reducing energy reaching planet
32
Q

Costs risks solar radiation management

A
  • Untried and untested method
  • Potential positive feedback loops not yet fully understood
  • May cause unpredictable weather changes
  • May affect stability of ozone layer, earths heat budget and increase acid rainfall
  • Extremely expensive (5 trillion for discs and could cause political instability if countries dispute the idea
33
Q

3.8 overall

A

Rebalance the carbon cycle through mitigation strategies

34
Q

Local scale mitigation strategies

A
  • carbon tax
  • renewable switching
  • energy efficiency
  • Afforestation
  • carbon capture and storage
35
Q

Carbon taxation

A

requires companies to pay for emit CO2, which has, in theory, reduced emissions. Tax reliefs have been expanded to support fossil fuel and potential fracking. ULEZ expansion has been supported by car scrappage schemes

36
Q

Renewables switching

A

increasingly less intermittent, but energy generation is disincentivized by linking the output to the price of gas. Government levies and household incentives have been removed

37
Q

Energy efficiency

A

government subsidies for boilers, lighting, insulation and Ground Source heat pumps in appropriate buildings

38
Q

Afforestation

A

helps carbon sequestration, with the Big Tree Plant campaign encourages communities to plan 1 million new trees –supporting by Forestry Commission, National Trust etc.

39
Q

Carbon capture + storage

A

the UK has huge potential under the North Sea, but no actual plants yet

40
Q

International scale mitigation strategies

A

• Agreements, e.g. Kyoto Protocol / Paris Agreement
• Systems – e.g. Carbon trading
• Debt Relief - funding of technology changes for developing countries, afforestation as part of debt for nature conservation swaps
• Development of GM crops with drought tolerance to cope with changed weather patterns

41
Q

Argument for mitigation 1-3

A
  1. global temp rise by >2oc threshold, scientists agree initiates positive feedback loops increases degradation risks.
  2. Mitigation could prevent carbon / hydrological cycle degradation (ocean health / forest loss), if implemented on a the global scale.
  3. The short term economic cost < long term economic benefits of maintaining the value of different ecosystems
42
Q

Argument for mitigation 4-5

A
  1. The EU Emission Trading Scheme and the UK Carbon Tax have proved to be successful in stabilising carbon emissions
  2. Mitigation is the only way to achieve global scale, long-term rebalancing of the carbon system
43
Q

Concerns with mitigation 1-3

A
  1. Mitigation does not address any immediate risks to the hydrological cycle / oceans / forests
  2. Few European countries met their Kyoto agreements – and agreements, including Paris 2015 are not binding or enforceable in international law.
  3. Although countries set targets they could be at a disadvantage if key signatories such as the US withdraw – leading to the collapse of the agreement
44
Q

Concerns with mitigation 4-5

A
  1. Mitigation strategies often have expensive ’upfront costs’, with a perception of the current generation having to pay for the excesses of previous ones and pay for the future generations well-being
  2. The use of renewables can be controversial, particularly in environmentally sensitive areas such as National Parks
45
Q

Why is global agreement so hard to achieve 1

A

• Countries may have other priorities (e.g. health / education / infrastructure / economic growth) /population growth
• Many can’t afford investment / renewable alternatives to fossil fuel are expensive/unreliable and not commercially viable
• Ethical / NIMBY issues linked to nuclear / wind
• inconvenience of schemes

46
Q

Why is global agreement so hard to achieve 2

A

• They perceive it as unfair
• Science is still controversial / TNC funding for global warming sceptics
• Countries have large reserves of fossil fuels e.g. China-coal
• Governments under pressure to reduce costs during economic downturn
• Developing countries may argue they make little contribution to GHG emissions

47
Q

Germany policies

A

• Wind farms
• Subsidised renewable power
• Fixed high prices and electricity bills for 20 years

48
Q

Germany impact of policies

A

• Renewables funded to increase from 3.5% (1990) to 30% by 2015.
• Industry hasn’t had to suffer

49
Q

Germany new aim

A

• 40-50% by 2025
• 55-60% by 2-35
• FIT payments replaced by auctions – make investors bid to build new solar / wind
Controversy

50
Q

Germany controversy

A

• Phase out nuclear
• Temporary increase in gas and coal-fired plants
• But: what about cars / trucks / heating? Is it all about electricity?
• How do you get consumers to buy electric cars?

51
Q

Flag hopping

A

When the demand for first increases whilst supplies decreases, fishing gets restricted by regulations. Countries avoid this by flag hopping. When one country uses another’s flag and stocks aren’t recorded correctly

52
Q

Adaptation vs mitigation definitions

A

Adaption = changing out ways of living in such a manner that we are able to cope with the outcomes of global warming
Mitigation = reducing or preventing GHG emissions by devising new tech and adopting low carbon energies.

53
Q

Declining ocean health

A

Decline in ocean health caused by ocean acidification and bleaching is resulting in changes to marine food webs:
- FAO estimates that fishing 500 million people
- In particular, fish and crustacean stocks are both declining.
- Tourism under threat, as seen in Caribbean, where coral reefs now showing signs of degradation, have threatened scuba diving industry.

54
Q

Rising temperatures:

A

Rising temps resulting from GHG emissions are increasing both evaporation rates and amount of water vapour, which impacts:
- Precipitation patterns
- River regimes
- Drainage basin stores
- Cryosphere

55
Q

Forest health:

A

Health of worlds forests as carbon store being challenged by:
- Deforestation
- Poleward shift of climatic belts
- Increasing drought

56
Q

Amazon droughts

A

Amazon pumps 20 billion tonnes of water into the atmosphere each day, has been extreme drought and flood cycles, which, in combination with large scale deforestation has led to the the tropical rainforest:
- Declining as a carbon store
- Sequestering less co2 from the atmosphere, thereby exacerbating the green house effect
- Playing a diminished role in the hydrological cycle

57
Q

Reef is a

A

Source of food for fish
Coastal protection
Tourism

58
Q

Carbon security EVAL - REGRETS

A

R - Renewables/Resources
E - Elections
G - Governance
R - R&D
E - Explanation of the narrative
T - Trade blocs
S - Structural Adjustment

59
Q

Coasts management EVAL

A

E - Environmental impact
L - Legislation
S - Scientific Knowledge
A - All Stakeholders

Geog (52 decks)

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