Revision

Question 1

Discovery of greenhouse gas

Answer 1

John Tyndall in the 1800s. Made a machine which measured how much different gasses could absorb radiant heat.

Question 2

Contributions to GHG emissions

Answer 2

Fossil fuels and industry, then land use change and forestry, then non-co2
The growth rate is slowing

Question 3

How much radiative forcing do different gasses drive

Answer 3

Methane 25% (0.4c)
Nitrous oxide 5% (0.1C)
CO2 69% (1.1*C)

Question 4

Other greenhouse gasses

Answer 4

Sulphur hexafluoride (SF6)

PFC-14 (CF4)

HFC-152a(CH3CHF2)

Question 5

Global warming potential (GWP)

Answer 5

Ratio of time-integrated forcing from instantaneous release of 1KG of gas to that of 1KG CO2

How much energy the missions of 1ton of a gas will absorb over a given period relative to emissions of 1 ton of CO2

Allows comparisons of warming impacts of different gasses

Question 6

Methane atmospheric lifetime

Answer 6

12 years.
Very dynamic- reacts with other things

Question 7

GWP*

Answer 7

GWP100 treats short lived methane like long lived CO2. Indicates warming until methane reaches 0 rather than when emission rate is below sink.

GWP* links temperature impacts of short lived climate pollutants a pulse emission of CO2

One cow producing 100kg of co2 (Tons)
GWP20: 8.4 GWP100:2.8 GWP*:0.7

Question 9

Temperature extreme, precipitation risk and drought

Answer 9

Confident that almost everywhere will see increased temperature extremes: unsure where limited data or hard tk reach

Less certainty with precipitation: harder to model changes in patterns. Areas of projected increase have low confidence

Similar to precipitation.

Question 10

Global fire risk

Answer 10

Increases with drought.
Fire seasons have increased by 25%

Question 11

IPCC

Answer 11

Inter governmental panel on climate change- international authority.
Organised COP, releases assessments and methodologies (synthesised from research)
Organises commitments to climate change

Question 12

Paris agreement

Answer 12

COP21
International legally binding agreement to:
Limit global warming to below 2c, preferably 1.5c
5 years cycle of increasingly ambitious national climate action (ratchet mechanism)
By 2020 submit plans for climate action known as nationally determined contributions (NDC’s) e.g. uk will reduce economy wide GHG emissions by 68% by 2030 compared to 1990 or Guatemala reducing 1500ha of mangroves by 2025

Question 13

Adaptation definition

Answer 13

Adjustments in ecological, social or economic systems in response to actual or expected climatic stimuli and their effects

Question 14

UKs national adaptation programme

Answer 14

Risks associated with 2 scenarios: 2 and 4
Gear exhaustion, colder winters, water stress in agriculture, help internationally: food chains

Question 15

Mitigation definition

Answer 15

Human intervention to reduce sources or enhance sinks of greenhouse gases

Question 16

How can we limit global warming

Answer 16

Net zero anthropogenic CO2 emissions

Question 17

How much warming does 1000 giga tons of CO2 produce

Answer 17

Best IPCC estimate is 0.45*C

Question 18

Carbon budget

Answer 18

How much carbon we an release and not exceed X amount of warning

1.5*C is 500Gt

2*C is 1.150Gt

Total anthropogenic emissions were 40.7Gt in 2022

Question 19

Growth of global emissions

Answer 19

Slowly declining- reached +0.5% per year over 2013-2022

Question 20

Current carbon budget

Answer 20

We are currently at 1.1*c

Current targets and pledges will see around 2.6*c

Current policies will see around 2.9*C

Question 21

Who contributes to climate warming

Answer 21

Poorest 50%- 7%
Middle 40%- 41%
Richest 10%- 37%
Richest 1%- 15%

The top 11% contribute 52%
They need to be targeted the most

Question 22

Climate change equity

Answer 22

Issues of equality, justice and fair ESS arise with respect to mitigation and adaptation.

Many areas of climate change policy-making involve value judgements and ethical considerations

Question 23

Co-benefits of climate change mitigation

Answer 23

It intersects with other society goals creating the possibility of co-benefits or adverse side effects

Question 24

Planetary boundaries

Answer 24

A safe operating space for humanity- how to use natural resources without reducing future generations ability to do so too

We are exceeding:
Novel entities (pollutants)
Biogeochemical flows (P and N)
Freshwater change
Land system change
Biosphere integrity (functional and genetic)
Climate change

Question 25

Which sector contributes most to climate change

Answer 25

Electricity and heat production

Question 26

What contributes most to climate change

Answer 26

Electricity and heat production agriculture and other land use industry Transport Buildings Other

Question 27

Climate policy key events

Answer 27

1988 IPCC established. Testified to Us senate that climate change has started. 1990 IPCC produced first assessment report- human activities are increasing greenhouse gasses and need global treaty. 1992 UN framework for climate change set up. Starts COP. Rio earth summer was first. 1994 more people join COP now 196 countries 1995 Angela Merkel presides COp 1 1997 Kyoto protocol. First global treaty- countries must limit and reduce the emissions to individual targets. More responsibility on developed countries 2013- 5th IPCC assessment report. Human influence on climate is clear and emissions are highest in history. Climate changes impact human and natural systems 2015- the Paris agreement 2023- cop 21 (Dubai) global stock take released (progress assesment). Some progress made from 3.7-4.8 warning to 2.4-2.6. 1.7 if all pledges met.

Question 28

Kyoto protocol mechanisms

Answer 28

1997 Kyoto protocol. First global treaty- countries must limit and reduce the emissions to individual targets. More responsibility on developed countries Market mechanisms- Emissions trading: allows countries to sell excess emissions to those over target Clean development mechanism: allows countries with emission reduction to implement emission reduction projects in developing countries (sustainable development) Joint implantation- allow countries to earn emission reduction units from emission reduction/removal projects in other countries.

Question 29

Kyoto protocol monitoring

Answer 29

Registry systems to track and record transactions Reporting done in annual emissions inventories Compliance confirms parties meet commitments

Question 30

Paris agreement

Answer 30

Signed in 2015 Signed by 196 parties. Goal to limit warming to below 2*C, preferably below 1.5*C 5 year cycle of increasingly ambitious national action- (ratchet mechanism) By 2020 submit plans for climate action as nationally determined contributions (NDC’s)

Question 31

UK’s NDC

Answer 31

Reduce economy wide GHG emissions by 68% by 2030

Question 32

Thomas Malthus

Answer 32

Populations will exponentially grow- food production will be exceeded by need Malthusian catastrophe is the point when population outgrows food and mass famine Our food production methods are improving and population is predicted to stabilise at 10 billion

Question 33

Three pillars of sustainability

Answer 33

Social Economic Environment

Question 34

Sustainable development definition

Answer 34

Development which meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs

Question 35

Five capitals approach to sustainable development

Answer 35

Putting monetary benefits to the environment Manufactured- material goods Financial- ownership and trade Human- health and wellbeing Social- institutions to support human capital Natural- any stock/flow of energy and material which produces goods and ecosystem services (environment)- supports everything else

Question 36

Ecosystem services

Answer 36

The direct and indirect contributions ecosystems (natural capital) provide for human wellbeing Supporting- necessary for other services. Biomass and O2 production, water and nutrient cycling provisioning- material benefits. Food, raw minerals, medicines regulating- moderate natural phenomena. Air quality, carbon sequestration and storage, moderating extreme weather, wastewater treatment, soil fertility maintenance, pollination cultural

Question 37

Millennium ecosystem assessment

Answer 37

Assed human impacts on environment- published in 2005 Highlighted dependency on healthy environment from humans. Degradation of ecosystem services is key barrier in achieving millennium development goals (8 targets aimed to be achieved by 2015)

Question 38

UN sustainable development goals

Answer 38

Replaced 2015 goals. Current guide No poverty, zero hunger, quality education, gender equality, affordable and clean energy, clean water and sanitation, decent work and economic growth, responsible consumption and production, life below water and on land, peace, justice and strong institutions

Question 39

Eight scenario impact categories

Answer 39

C1- limit warming to 1.5 with no/little overshoot C2- return to 1.5 after overshoot C3- limit to 2 C4- limit to 2 C5- limit to 2.5 C6- limit to 3 C7- limit to 4 C8- exceed 4 C123 are likely

Question 40

Illustrative mitigation pathways

Answer 40

Denote impacts of different choices on development of society. Included two reference pathways: Current policies implanted (CurPol) Implement NDCs (Modact) Different scenarios; High reliance on renewables (very good!) Energy demand reductions (very good!) Carbon dioxide removal in energy and industry sectors to reach net emissions Mitigation in sustainable development (Best!) Less rapid and gradual strengthening of near-term mitigation actions

Question 41

Global methane pledge

Answer 41

Cop26 Commitment for most contributing countries to reduce global methane emissions by at least 30% by 2030

Question 42

Climate finance

Answer 42

Money being used at local, national or trans-national scales In private, public and alternative funding sources to support mitigation and adaptation In 2021 it was $850 billion BUT fossil fuel subsidies were $5900 billion

Question 43

Types of climate finance

Answer 43

Green bonds- debt issued by public or private institution to fund climate tackling Debt Swaps- sale of foreign currency debt by creditor to and investor which can swap the debt with debtor for development of mitigation projects Guarantees- commitments where guarantor promises to fulfill obligations undertaken by borrower to lender Concessional loans- loans for mig/adaptation that differed from traditional loans in longer repayment periods and lower interest Grants/donations- funding which needs no repayment

Question 44

Sources of climate finance

Answer 44

Green climate fund- established by UNFCCC in 2010 to support developing countries Special climate change fund- administered by Global Environemnt Facility Provides four finance services including adaptation, tech transfer, energy/transport/industry/agriculture/forestry/waste water management, economic diversification for countries dependent on fossil fuels UN-REDD+ programme Est.2008. Programme to reduce forest loss and degradation. Pay countries for emission reductions

Question 45

Carbon credits

Answer 45

Carbon credits represent quantities of greenhouse gas that have been kept out of air/removed. Voulenteer carbon markets describe credits which are purchased voluntarily (rather than to comply) Voluntary carbon credits provide direct private financing to climate action projects They must represent additionally (represent things which would have not otherwise happened) Ensure it is not overestimated and removal is permanent. No double reporting or association with societal or environmental harms Projects were vastly overestimated (90% did not repesent real change)

Question 46

Steps to good carbon credit

Answer 46

Pre-reality study Project viability Planning Project development and implementation (validation and accreditation!!) Ongoing project operation (third party verification and credit issued here)

Question 47

Net zero definition

Answer 47

A state in which greenhouse gasses going into atmosphere are balanced by removal of gasses Address scope 1, 2 and 3 emissions

Question 48

Carbon neutral

Answer 48

Ignores other gasses

Question 49

Decarbonisation

Answer 49

Mitigation, Cessstion or reduction of carbon in atmosphere

Question 50

Uk climate change act 2008

Answer 50

First in the world! Legally binding goals to reduce greenhouse gasses by at least 80% by 2050 compared to 1990. Updated in 2019 with Paris agreement to 100% below

Question 51

Mission zero

Answer 51

A review published in Jan 2023 reviewing evidence to conclude net-zero is a change for growth 129 reccomendstions for how to create green economy but main gist is; Back buisness and local action, deliver energy efficient homes and increase transparency and enhancement with people

Question 52

Features of net zero transition

Answer 52

Universal/comprehendive- all sectors will be transformed and most are highly dependent. Supply chains transformed. Significant- economic transformation is substantial- needs to be $3.5 trillion by 2050 Front loaded- earlier means lower long term costs Uneven- certain sectors will have to transform the most Risk exposure- physical climate rinks are uncertain and disorderly transitions may present new challenges eg. Insufficient energy. Opportunity- new technologies new opportunities for individuals and buisness