Mitigation and adaptation strategies

Question 1

Name five mitigation strategies

Answer 1

Carbon taxation 
Energy efficiency 
Afforest and reforestation 
Renewable switching 
Carbon capture storage

Question 2

Name four adaptation strategies

Answer 2

Water conservation and management
Resilient agricultural systems
Land use planning and flood risk management
Solar radiation management

Question 3

What are the benefits of water conservation and management?

Answer 3

• Recycle sewage water for agriculture

- Less ground water abstraction

Question 4

What are the benefits of resilient agricultural systems?

Answer 4

• Drought tolerant species reduce risk of disease

- Low tech measures e.g. USA no ploughing approach increases soil health and CO2 sequestration

Question 5

What are the benefits of land use planning and flood risk management?

Answer 5

• Doesn’t always require substantial change e.g. permeable surfaces
• Afforestation upstream reduces downstream flooding

Question 6

What are the benefits of solar radiation management?

Answer 6

• Reflect solar rays to aid climate change
• Orbiting satellites not sunshield
• Cooling effect in months

Question 7

What are the weaknesses of water conservation and management? e.g. grey water

Answer 7

• Can’t supply demand

- Requires government promotion

Question 8

What are the weaknesses of resilient agricultural systems?

Answer 8

• Expensive so not always available to subsistence farmers
• High energy cost from indoor intensive farming
• Increases food insecurity and pressure for quick fixes

Question 9

What are the weaknesses of land-use planning and flood risk management?

Answer 9

• Land owners can demand compensation
• Resettling often unfeasible
• Hard engineering and maintenance

Question 10

What are the weaknesses of solar radiation management?

Answer 10

• Not tried or tested
• Would not affect gases or acidification
• Unknown consequences

Question 11

What are the benefits of carbon taxing?

Answer 11

• Incentive to adapt more eco-friendly practises

- Revenue raised used as subsidies for public transport

Question 12

What are the benefits of energy efficiency? Give an example

Answer 12

Incentive to firms

German policies to reduce consumption by 25% and loans to renovate old properties

Question 13

What are the benefits of afforestation and reforestation?

Answer 13

Habitats and sequestration

Prevent soil erosion

Question 14

Give an example of renewable switching?

Answer 14

Sweden - 1975 oil provided 75% of energy

Now - 20%

Question 15

Give an example of carbon capture switching

Answer 15

Boundary Dam 2014 aims to cut 90% of emissions (1 tonne a year)