Human Activity & Climate Change Flashcards

All 7 cards in this deck

Name one human activity that increases atmospheric carbon dioxide and one that increases methane.

Burning fossil fuels increases carbon dioxide; livestock farming (and landfill/rice paddies) increases methane.

What evidence links human activity to climate change?

A correlation between rising fossil fuel consumption, rising atmospheric carbon dioxide concentration and rising global temperature.

True or false? A correlation between carbon dioxide levels and global temperature proves that carbon dioxide causes the temperature rise.

False. Correlation does not prove cause; another factor could be responsible.

Give two uncertainties in the data used to study climate change.

Measurements are taken at only a few locations so may not represent the whole Earth, and historical data are less accurate (estimated from ice cores/tree rings, older instruments).

State two potential effects on the climate of increased carbon dioxide and methane.

Rising global temperature and rising sea levels (from melting ice and thermal expansion); also more extreme weather and changed rainfall patterns.

Give two ways the effects of increased greenhouse gases may be mitigated.

Using renewable energy or alternative fuels instead of fossil fuels, and planting trees or preserving ecosystems to store carbon; also carbon capture and storage.

When evaluating a way of mitigating climate change, what three things should be considered?

Scale (is it big enough to make a difference), risk, and environmental implications.