Managing Climate Change Flashcards

All 9 cards in this deck

How does alternative energy production help mitigate climate change?

Replacing fossil fuels with renewables such as wind, solar and hydro produces electricity with almost no carbon dioxide emissions.

What is carbon capture and storage (CCS) as a mitigation strategy?

Carbon dioxide from power stations and industry is trapped before it reaches the atmosphere and piped into stores such as old oil and gas fields deep underground.

How does planting trees help mitigate climate change?

Growing trees absorb carbon dioxide during photosynthesis, acting as a carbon sink (afforestation).

Name an international agreement on climate change and what it aims to do.

The Paris Agreement (2015) — countries set their own targets to cut emissions and keep global warming well below 2°C, aiming for 1.5°C.

How can changing agricultural systems help people adapt to climate change?

Growing drought-resistant or new crop varieties, changing planting dates, and using irrigation or shade so farming can continue in altered conditions.

How can water supply be managed as an adaptation to climate change?

Reduce demand with metering and efficient appliances, and increase supply with reservoirs, water transfer schemes, rainwater harvesting or desalination.

How can the risk from rising sea levels be reduced as an adaptation to climate change?

Build or raise sea walls and flood barriers, restore mangroves and salt marsh, and avoid building on, or relocate from, low-lying coasts.

True or false? Building higher sea walls to cope with rising sea levels is an example of mitigation.

False. It is adaptation — it responds to the effects rather than reducing the causes of climate change.

True or false? Mitigation needs international cooperation to work, while adaptation can be done locally.

True. Emissions affect the whole atmosphere, so cuts need global agreements, but adaptation schemes protect particular places.