Case Studies Flashcards
(58 cards)
1
Q
Which case studies did we study? (6)
A
- River restoration (Isar)
- Impact of climate change on the alpine region
- Impact of depressions - flood event of the Ahr Valley
- Population density in the Netherlands
- External migration from Eritrea to the EU
- Internal migration from Bulgaria to Spain
2
Q
Description of geographic location of the Isar
A
- Flows through Austruía ans S-Germany
- Source in the Karwendel mountain range of the Alps
- Flows through Bad Tölz, Munich and Landshut
- Joins the Danube in Deggendorf
3
Q
What is the Isarplan?
A
Plan that focusses on the 8km of the Isar that flow through Munich
Implemented 2000-2011 to improve flood protection, landscape design and recreational use of the Isar
4
Q
What were the problems with the Isar (Physical) ?
A
- Repeated flooding
- Climate Change changing rain patterns -> Isar must be adapted
- Climate change leads to reduction in snow cover -> more run-off
5
Q
What were the problems with the Isar (human) ?
A
- Isar became straighter and more narow over time, decreasing lag-time and making floods more severe
- Steep, reinforces sides of the river created poor habitats for flaura and fauna
- River was not aesthetically pleasing and limited in the way it could be used for leisure activities
6
Q
How did they improve flood control of the Isar?
A
- Hydraulic regulation: dams, reservoirs
- Enlargement of the river cross-section, enabling the Isar to hold more water
–> widening from 50 m up to 90 m
- Levelling of river banks / elevation of dikes
7
Q
How did they improve access to recreation at the Isar?
A
- Improved access to the waterline (steep concrete embarkments replaced with flat sloping banks and naturaly developing banks
- More attractive landscape around it
8
Q
Evaluation of river restoraition (Isar)
A
. Important step towards sustainable urban planning and environmental protection
- The 35 million euros invested were worth it, because of all the long-term benefits (flood mitigation, restoration of naural habitat, more recreation)
9
Q
Description of Alpine region
A
Stretch about 1200 km across 8 countries
Highest peak: Mt Blank ~4800 m
Biggest river: Rhine ~1233 km long
Karst landscape, created by fold mountains about 65 mio. years ago
10
Q
Existing land uses of the alpine region
A
Farming
Forestry
Water
Tourism
Settlement
11
Q
Causes of Climate Change - PHYSICAL
(Alpine region)
A
- Volvanic activity: Sulphate aerosols increase reflection of solar radiation back into space: cooling of atmosphere (0.4 - 0.5°C)
- Variation in the earth’s orbit (Milankovitch)
- Orbital Eccentricity - change from elliptical (glacials) to circular (interglacials - now)
- Obliquity Variaton - Current tilt ist 23.5°
Reduction in angle to 21° (glacials)
Increase to 24.5° (interglacials)
- Axial precession (earth wobbles around axis)
Unequal distribution of heat and sunlight
If northern hemisphere closer to the sun in summer and further away in winter (now) - Interglacial
12
Q
Causes of climate change - HUMAN
(Alpine region)
A
- Fossil fuels:
- Burning them releases lots of stored CO2 ans SO2 –> global warming
- The more aerosols accumulate beneath the atmospheric layer, the less heat can be sent back to space –> global warming
Huge players: Transportation & electricity industry
- Agriculture:
- Use of fossil fuels to make fertilisers and pesticides
- Livestock farming: production of Methane gas (CH4)
- Rice paddies
- Deforestation
- Cutting down CO2 stores –> about 20% of all greenhouse gasses come from deforestation
- Reduction of area for Photosynthesis –> less CO2 can be transpormed into O2
- transportation:
- Cars, Trucks, Ships, Planes emit greenhousgasses
- Passenger cars: 41 % of emissions
- Trucks: 23 % of emissions
13
Q
Social effects of climate change onto the Alpine region
A
- More frequent natural disasters might force people to relocate
- Affects on agriculture resulting in job loss / crop failure
- Damage of the imfrastructure
14
Q
Economic effects of climate change on the alpine region
A
- Change in tourism when environment changes
- Shift in job market requiring retraining of workforce
- Costly repairs / upgrades to infrastructure
15
Q
Environmental effects of climate change on the alpine region
A
- Creation of microclimates
- Summer droughts
- Impact on wildlife (desynchronization)
- Competition between species
- Species move 100 m up slope every decade to adapt
- Plants and trees found at higher altitudes: climb 30m up slope every decade
16
Q
Political effects of climate change on the alpine region
A
- Challenge of managing ressources
- Having to prepare for natural disasters
- Investing more money into hazadr prevention / mitigation of events / security
17
Q
Responses to climate change in the alpine region
A
- Adaptation: Adjusting climate change and its consequences, reduce potential damage and its impacts
- Mitigation of CLimate Change:
- Alternative energy production
- Carbon cappture (Turn CO2 into a liquid before it is released into the atmosphere and store it in porous rock –> just postpones the problem!!!)
- Plant more trees do store CO2 and enable more Photosynthesis
- Change of agricultural system: altering species they farm, use of technology to harvest
18
Q
Where is the Ahr Valley located?
A
In northern rhineland Palatine(GER)
19
Q
When did the flooding of the Ahr Valley occur?
A
14th of July 2021 in the evening
20
Q
Important context information abouth the Ahr Valley flood
A
Rainfal of 25-40 l/m² per hour, the DWD issues a severe weather warning
–> During the flood disaster it was almost double / triple that amount: 100 - 150 l/m² per hour
21
Q
Social Causes for the Ahr Valley flood
A
Heavily urbanized area with limited flood defence
–> very vulnerable
22
Q
Environmental causes for Ahr Valley flood
A
Depression moving across Europe
Hills near the border of Germany opted for Orograohic rainfall
Climate change increases the capacity of the atmosphere to hold water –> more sever rainfall
Signpost of heavy precipitation earlier in the month (July)
23
Q
Political causes for the Ahr Valley flood
A
- Warnings weren’t urgent enough
- Warnings were not well communicated
- Warnings did not reach intended recipients
- Warning Systems unavailable
24
Q
Social effects of the Ahr valley flood
A
- About 200 people killed
- All 18 bridges across this valey still not functional
- Many people ost their homes –> homeless
- Fear and anxiety of future floods: more than 200 have left this area in the last year
25
Economic effects of the Ahr valley flood
- 30 billion Euros worth of damage
- 500 million Euros invested into aid
26
Political effects of the Ahr valley flood
- Mountains of paperwork
- People are mad at the government for working so slowly and not mitigating
27
Short-term responses to the Ahr valley flood
- Communities come together to help
- Volunteers from > 100 km distance come to help
- Army, Police and Firefighters involved and available
28
Long-term responses to the Ahr valley flood
- Residents must deal with the damage (problem for people without insurance)
- Many can not go back into their houses
- Financial support from government
- People are thankful for what is left --> appreciation
29
Geographic location of the Netherlands
- Rather small country in the nortwest of Europe
- Total area of 41,500 km² (8,064 km² below sealevel)
- Borders North Sea, Germany and Belgium
- Located at the mouth of the Rhine, the Maas and the Sheldt
- Protected by seawalls and dunes (coast) and levees and dikes (rivers) --> from floods
- Very flat country (highest point is Mount Scenery with 887 m) --> located on the Island of Saba in the Caribbean
30
Total population of the Netherlands
17 600 000
31
Population density in the Netherlands
518
32
Life expectancy in the Netherlands
82
33
% Urban population in the Netherlands
74 %
34
Physical reasons for high population density in the Netherlands
- Located near major bodies of water and at fertile mouths of 3 major rivers
--> Ideal for agriculture
- Flat land --> ideal for settlement
- The Dutch have acclaimed 20 % of it's land from the sea --> allows them to accomodate more people
- Coastlines provide access to important transportation routes, trade and economic activity
35
Where can we find lower population density in the Netherlands and why?
Regions like Veliwe in Gelderland or the Wadden Sea are designated as natural reserves --> restricted on urban development = lower pop density
36
Human reasons for high population density in the Netherlands
- Randstadt: Major cities (amsterdam, Rotterdam, The Hague and Utrecht) located near fertile areas and the coast
- Rural growth is more prominent now as people move away from expensive urban areas to towns nearby with much more affordable housing
- Immigrant surplus from 1970s onward (labour migrants) --> About 1/5 of dutch population was made up of immigrants in 21st century
37
Geographic location of Eritrea
Country in Eastern Africa with coastline along the red sea
Borders Sudan, Ethiopoa and Djibouti
38
Common travelroute for migrants from Eritrea
Eritrea --> Sudan --> N-Africa (e.g. Lybia) --> Europe (Italy)
They cross the mediterranean sea in overcrowded, unsafe boats between Libya and Italy
39
Context about Eritrea
Small nation with about 3.6 mio people. Gained independence from Ethiopia in 1993 after 30 years of war. Country faces ongoing political and econoomic challenges (Dictatorship, human right abuses)
--> Many people fled over the past decades
40
Causes of migration from Eritrea to the EU (Social)
Low life expectancy of 47 years
Low school enrolment of only 66 %
5.8 % of people aged 15-49are affected by diseases such as HIV
Bad access to interet
Human rights abuses
High criminality rates
41
Causes of migration from Eritrea to the EU (Economical)
Much higher GDP in Europe (10,000 bn dollars VS 600 bn dollars)
Remittance
42
Causes of migration from Eritrea to the EU (Political)
War / Civil War
Corruption
Discrimination against minorities
Repression & fear induced by government
Dictatorship
43
Effects on Eritrea
(migration from Eritrea to the EU)
Remitance leading to increase in GDP and dependency on external income
Brain Drain --> Eritrealoses skilled and educated workers
Families divided leading to emotional challenges
44
Effects on the EU (migration from Eritrea to the EU)
Most arrive in Italy and Spain and then move to other european countries
Migration into the EU is difficult to aviod and battle --> Frontex is very active at all boders
Migrants make up for labour shortages and other problems created by ageing populations
Problem of housing, cultural difference (discrimination), language barrier and financial support
Population growth
Cultural diversity
45
Responses by the EU
(migration from Eritrea to the EU)
Granting asylum (in 2015, Germany recieved over 450,000 applications - highest)
Frontex monitors borders very strictly
Some EU countries close their borders to neighbouring nations to stop the immigrant flow (Hungary closed borders with croatia)
Rising tensions in the EU due to disproportionate burden faced by Greece, Italy and Hungary
Italy closed its port to migrant rescue ships
46
How do EU policies influence people's descisions to migrate?
(migration from Eritrea to the EU)
Schengen Agreement promotes freedom of movement within the EU --> very attractive for migrants
47
Should migration flows be reduced?
(migration from Eritrea to the EU)
Yes! The EU can not handle taking in every person who decides to move there
To reduce migration, the root causes in source countries must be adressed
48
Geographic location of Romania and Spain
Both located in Europe
Spain in W-Europe on the Iberian Peninsula
Romania in E-Europe
49
Background to migration from Romania to Spain
Both states are EU members
Spain joined EU in 1986
Romania joined EU in 2007
2/3 of romanian migrants went to spain (economic / employment) --> especially after joining EU in 2007
Romanians are in the top 3 foreign-born populations in Spain
50
Social causes of migration from Romania to Spain
Cultural simiarities --> easy to adjust to new culture
Hope for better quality of life
51
Economical causes of migration from Romania to Spain
Search for job opportuities, higher wager
Economic stability in spain
Demand for labour in Spain --> great opportunity for Romanians
52
Environmental causes of migration from Romania to Spain
Job opportunities in agricultural sector
Romania is vulnerable to climate change (Continental climate with extreme weather, droughts, etc.)
53
Political causes of migration from Romania to Spain
Political instability in Romania
ROmania's membership in the EU enables free movement within the EU
54
Effects of migration on Romania
(migration from Romania to Spain)
Labour shortage as most move to Romania for higher wages --> half a million jobs not fulfilled
Dependance on external migration to keep the economy going
Inexperienced workers that don't fulfill required qualities
55
Effects of migration on Spain
(migration from Romania to Spain)
Romanian migrants fill labour shortages
Problems of housing / ressources
Gap in spanish economy due to Remittance
High population growth
Language barriers / cultural differences
Spain had to adapt immigration- and labour policies
56
Responses to migration from Romania to Spain
Spain grants residency and work permits to about 300,000 legal migrants
Romania welcomes migrants from Asia - they enjoy basic rights but inequal opportunities
Romania starts to give 100,000 work permits to keep workers in the country --> most continue their journey to other EU countries
57
How do EU policies influence people's descisions to migrate
Travel within the EU is made very easy --> very attractive to migrants
58
Should migration from Romania to Spain be reduced or even stopped?
YES! Romanias labour trouble will never end if migration is this easy
Insted, condition in ROmania should be improved
