Lecture iii - Anthropogenic causes of climate change Flashcards
Describe natural greenhouse effect
- naturally occurring ghg eg CO2, CH4, nitrous oxides help keep earth warm (maintain avg 15 C)
- w/o natural ghg, avg temp wld b freezing -18 C
Why is present day climate becoming a concern?
-earth is in stage of rapid warming
- rate of increase of surface temp bcome more rapid/ has accelerated, rising on average
- called global warming/contemporary CC
Human-induced global warming of … deg C has…
1.1°C
spurred changes to earth’s climate, unprecedented in recent human history
Name characteristics of global warming
- characteristics changing include temp, precipitat n, snow cover & extreme weather events
- droughts bcome more severe (intense) & frequent in some areas
- rivers melt earlier in spring
- ice sheets (Greenland & Antartic) melt earlier in spring
=> extreme flooding events (high magnitude, higher frequency)
Explain enhanced greenhouse effect
- ghg effect oni a problem when there r excessive ghg in troposphere, enhancing ghg effect, raising mean annual temp of world
- Since 1750s which saw start of IR, man’s intense activities hv accelerated increase of ghg act as thermal blanket re-radiating heat back into earth’s atmos
- CO2 is principal ghg, provides main warming/ ‘radiative forcing effect’
- CO2 & other ghg once emitted, can stay in atmos for long time; even if emissions stop today, warming will continue (thermal inertia)
- bringing anthropogenic carbon emissions to zero WON’T reduce global avg temp NOW - effect oni can b felt years later (in long term)
Define anthropocene
idea that humans hv create its own ‘epoch’ beginning when human activities started to hv a significant global impact on earth’s geology & ecosystems
How has atmospheric CO2 concentration changed from pre-industrial times?
pre-industrial: 270ppm (b4 1750s)
by 1950s, rose to 310ppm
2022 - abt 418ppm
What can be said about the rapid increase in CO2 levels in the last few centuries?
- argued that human activities since IR ard 1750 hv increased atmospheric trace gases eg CO2
- human-induced CO2 emissions enhanced edi existing gh effect, causing global warming & fundamental change in climate
=> enhanced gh effect
What are two main ways in which anthropogenic activities have contributed to global warming
- Increase in emissions of ghg (CO2, CH4, etc.) arising fr human activity
a. Industrial
(burn fossil fuel in intense manufacture gds, transport, etc.)
b. Agricultural
( change in landuse eg livestock rearing)
c. Domestic
(indiscriminate waste disposal, use transport, natural gas piping, etc.) - Reduct n of carbon sink
a. large scale, accelerated deforesta n
b. warming, acidifi n of oceans
Explain how industrial activities increase greenhouse gas emissions
- produce gds, raw materials we use everyday (intense manufacturing activities)
- emit large qtys of ghg eg CO2, nitrous oxides, etc.
- emissions can be either direct or indirect
Explain how agricultural activities increase greenhouse gas emissions
- reduce forests (carbon sinks) that absorb CO2 -> more CO2 thus trapped in atmos, re-emit longwave rad n back to earth, warming it
- use of fertilisers, tilling, increase nitrous oxides in atmos
- livestock rearing eg cattle ranching produce methane when they belch as part of their digest n
Explain how domestic activities increase emission of greenhouse gases
- eg transport, cook, dispose/recycle waste, refrigerat n, electricity consumpt n
- transport n: cars trucks, ships, trains, planes
- CO2 emission fr combust n of petroleum-based products
- likely increase as we bcome more dvloped (w associated increased affluence) & demand for more energy
- Growing pop n Pa = growing global demand for more gds, svcs to b produced
- Increased affluence = higher PP
=> can demand, pay for more gds, svcs - Dietary preferences/ lifestyle
-> prefer meat-based foods
Explain reduction of carbon sinks by deforestation
(release of stored carbon)
- deforestat n is generally categorised as long-term/permanent removal of forest cover & convers n to other land uses (non-forested land)
- if not properly managed, can cause permanent destruct n & eventual disappearance of once renewable resource
- Large scale deforestat n increased rapidly in last 50 yr
eg Amazon rainforest (holds 20% of all CO2 in atmos), Congo Basin Rainforest
BUT, rapidly being cleared for agriculture & urban dvlopmt
=> release carbon stored in trees back into atmos
- farming activities may oso increase release of CO2 & CH4 by animals
What are main anthropogenic causes of tropical deforestation
- Logging (for timber & urban expan n)
- Livestock ranching eg cattle ranching
- Agricultural expan n eg palm oil
- Firewood/fuelwood collect n (for subsistence farmers)
- Urban dvlopmt (to accommodate growing global pop n )
- Mining for resources
(all these human activities are the reason rainforests r disappearing)
Elaborate on primary losses in tropical rainforests
- 3 countries account for ~ 48% of primary rainforests loss in 2018
- Amazon forest in Brazil (1.3ha lost)
cleared for cattle ranching and timber logging - Africa’s congo rainforest loss due to
- conversion to agricultural lands, timber exports, increased pop n demand for firewood - Indonesia rainforests (300Kha lost)
- cut down to make way for palm oil plantat n (palm oil used in shampoos, cleaning pdt, detergents, lotions, lipsticks, etc.)