Transcript Climate and change revision

Climate and change
Describe and suggest reasons for
pattern shown on the graph
(6 marks)
Word to help when describing
graphs
Split the graph in sections and describe each one.
•Rising
•Falling
•Fluctuating
•Rapid
•Steady
•Stable
•Peaks
•Troughs
Reasons for climate change
Natural
Sun spot theory
Eruption theory
Orbitial theory
Human
Increase in greenhouse gases
The Dinosaurs
• 65 million years ago many dinosaurs
suddenly became extinct. Two main
causes:
• A strike by a massive asteroid in Mexico
• A huge volcanic eruption in Deccan, India
lasting up to 1 million years
• Why would this have caused such
devastation?
Ice age megafauna extinction
• The Quaternary megafauna died out 10,000 –
15,000 years ago. There were two main
reasons again:
• Humans and Climate Change.
• As the ice age ended the climate warmed up by
about 6˚C in only 1000 years and many animals
had to move
• As the climate warmed humans also migrated
into these areas and they hunted some of the
megafauna.
When the Vikings arrived
they cut down
Greenland’s trees.
More sea ice stopped
trade with Iceland and
Norway.
By AD 1350, the little Ice
Age had begun. Climate
became colder and
winters longer.
Less food was caught in
the shorter summer.
People ran short of
food, and animals did
not survive the winter.
Viking
Greenland
There may have been
fighting with the local
people (Inuit) as
resources ran short
Cattle and sheep overgrazed the land causing
soil erosion.
Cattle and sheep had
less hay to eat in the
winter.
Climate
Sunlight
Precipitation
Plants
Air
Herbivores
Carnivores
Water
How is this related
to megafauna
extinction?
Soil
Rock
Greenhouse Effect
• Greenhouse gases greatly affect the
temperature of the Earth; without them,
Earth's surface would be on average about
33°C (59°F) colder than at present
• Human life would therefore not be possible
• Name the greenhouse gases
water vapour, carbon dioxide, methane, nitrous oxide,
halocarbons
The Enhanced Greenhouse Effect
Write down where
most of our
greenhouses gases
come from?
This map shows CO2 levels in 2000.
Describe the graph giving specific names to
countries that are big polluters.
Explain the message the cartoon is giving?
UK
Bangladesh
 Rich countries have money and technology that
can help them adapt to the problems caused by
climate change.
 It is one of the richest nations in the world, and
has a population of 60 million.
 It is an island so there are many coastal towns.
 Rising temperatures in the Atlantic Ocean could
lead to more severe storms.
 London has a flood protection barrier, but it will
need to be improved soon.
 Rising sea levels will put low lying coastal areas
at risk.
 Summers might be drier, so there could be
restrictions on hosepipe use.
 The fishing industry might be affected by
melting ice in Greenland.
 People that work at Scottish ski resorts will be
unemployed.
 People buy more air conditioning units to help
them keep cool.
 There might be a growth in tourism in towns like
Oxford.
 The warmer climate will mean that more grapes
can be grown, increasing profits in the wine
industry.
 Large tropical storms raise the water level in
and around the delta. This leaves deposits of sea
salt on the land killing crops
 Bangladesh is a very low lying country: most of
the land is less than one metre above sea
level
 It is one of the poorest countries in the world:
the average income is about one pound per
day.
 It is the world’s seventh most populous nation,
with 150 million people.
 Rising temperatures mean that snow will melt in
highland areas.
 Rising sea levels will put low lying coastal areas
at risk.
 Rising sea temperatures in the Indian Ocean will
mean that there are more tropical storms.
 The capital city Dhaka is near the coast.
 Much of the country is built on the delta of the
River Ganges
 Tropical storms will become stronger: they may
travel further in land
 There will probably be more outbreaks of
diseases like cholera.
 Flooding means that schools are often closed for
much of the year.
 The country needs a well-educated workforce
to lift it out of poverty.
 Houses could be built on stilts so that the flood
water passes underneath.
 Farmers could grow more salt tolerant crops.
Now have a go at writing an
answer
Explain the impacts of climate change on the
UK. (6)
Climate change will affect the UK by…
Now use your cards to write an answer.
Marks & Spencer Plan A
“Plan A is our five-year 100-point ‘eco’ plan. Plan A is about
doing the right thing. It tackles some of the most important
social, environmental and ethical challenges facing our business
and our world”.
Marks and Spencer website
Marks and Spencer launched their Plan A in January 2007. It set
out 100 commitments to achieve in 5 years. The main aims is
to work with customers and suppliers to combat climate
change, reduce waste, use sustainable raw materials, trade
ethically and help our customers to lead healthier lifestyles
Agenda 21
Local action is really important in tackling climate change.
Local Agenda 21 was a result of the 1992 Rio Earth summit. It
calls on governments to encourage local authorities (councils in
the UK) to implement sustainable strategies to improve the
environment and reduce carbon emissions. Without local
strategies, it is hard for individuals to ‘do their bit’.
Kyoto
The Kyoto Protocol is a global agreement setting targets for
reducing gas emissions. 175 countries have signed up. It aims
to ensure that industrialised countries cut their overall
greenhouse gas emissions to 5% below their 1990 levels by 20082012.
Some countries didn’t sign up e.g. USA signed up originally but
withdrew in 2001, Australia only recently signed.
The next climate change conference will be held in
Copenhagen.
Energy companies offering subsidised insulation
The government has recognised that by insulating homes we
can be more energy efficient. Adopting some these ideas can
help. There are many subsidies and grants available to help the
public take up the schemes. The energy saving trust has links
to these schemes: cavity wall insulation, loft insulation,
draught proofing, glazing
Buying locally produced food
Locally produced meat and vegetables may clock up fewer food
miles than imported food.
Plastic Bags
Plastic bags are a problem for a number of reasons. They take
a very long time to decompose and they are using up valuable
resources. This is something we can all change.
ARC – Alternate Refuse Collection
From November 2009. East Herts. Council are beginning
alternate refuse collections. This will mean more recycling and
composting at county level and ultimately less waste going to
landfill sites.
Wind turbines
Wind energy is something that can be harnessed in the UK. We
have a great capacity for wind energy as we are an island. It
will also give us greater energy security as our stores of
traditional energy like gas and oil run out.
Car tax
Many countries use their tax system to raise the costs of
polluting. In the UK, car tax is priced by carbon dioxide
emissions. Many companies have now begun developing more
energy efficient cars
Questions