CC 1.2

• What are the categories of evidence of warming since late 19th century (6) - Increases in temperature - Shrinking valley glaciers and ice sheets - Rising sea levels - Decreasing snow cover and ice - Increasing atmospheric water vapour - Extreme event frequency
• When did climate records begin, and since then what has been the trend in warming - Began in 1880, since then we have seen temps increase by 0.9 degrees celcius
• Provide evidence for increases in global temperature in terms of evidence of warming (4) - 2023 was the warmest year for mean global land and sea temperatures - 2016 was 40th consecutive year of increasing global temperatures - Arctic has warmed 3 times quicker than planet as a whole - 54.4 degrees measured in Death Valley in July 2021
• Describe shrinking valley glaciers and ice sheets in terms of evidence of warming (5) - Predicted valley galciers in the alps may shrink upwards of 80% by 2100 - Between 1961 and 2005 the thickness of small glaciers decreased by 12 metres average - Polar melting contributes to 1mm sea level rise a year - Greenland and antarctica are effected - Antarctica losing mass at average rate of 150 billion tonnes a year, 270 billion in Greenland
• Describe the effects of warming on Antarctica (3) - Oceans warm as a result in changes in circumpolar current melting ice sheets in coastal areas - Climate change has caused westerly winds to weaken, hence warm waters can creep onto antarctica as these winds normally keep warm ocean water away - Increased upwelling of warm circumpolcar deep water, melts the base of ice shelves
• Describe rising sea levels in terms of evidence of warming (3) - In 1900 rise was 1mm, now it is 3mm a year - Sea levels in last interglacial were 10 metres higher than today, suggestign period of warmth causes significant loss of land ice - Projected sea levels may rise by 0.8m in best case scenario
• What causes the sea level to rise (2) - Thermal expansion of sea water as it warms - Added water from melting land ice
• Describe the effect of decreasing snow and ice cover in terms of evidence of warming (2) - Spring snow cover has declined by 2% per decade since 1966, with a 0.95 albedo there is an increase in absorption of solar radiation - normally sea ice cover 20 million kilometres in winter shrinking to 6 million in summer, in september 2012 the area of sea ice shrank to new 3.63 million minumum
• Describe the effect of increased atmospheric water vapour (2) - Scientist suggest water vapour is potent enough to double climate warming caused by co2 levels - Traps huge amount of energy radiated from earths surface creating a natural greenhouse effect
• Provide evidence for the increase in extreme events in terms of evidence of warming (3) - Between 2011 and 2013 US experienced 32 weather events costing a billion USD in damage - Heatwaves become more frequent - Flooding becomes more violent as glaciers melt contributing to torrential rain
• What are the two reasons why china has increasing emissions - Industrialisation leading to urbanisation - Coal emissions
• Why has industrialisation leading to urbanisation resulted in increasing emissions (3) - Economic development was made possible by coal energy consumption, emissions rose 2.5 times between 2000 and 2014 as a result - Boosts cement production, with chinese industrial cities twice the size of new york being constructed (Xionang) - Transport emissions increase
• What percent of co2 emissions comes from cities around the world 75%
• Describe the rapid urbanisation as a result of industrialisation as a reason for increasing emissions - Urban population went from 700 million in 2011 to 914 million in 2021 - 20 million people a year
• Describe Chinas use of coal emissions as a reason for increasing emissions (3) - China is responsible for 46% of global coal production - Accounts for 45% of all coal based electricity generated around the world increasing from 37% in 2010 - China ranks third in the world in terms of coal reserves with 30 years worth or reserves at the current rate of usage
• Describe the make up chinas coal reserves in terms of the reasons for increeasing emissions - 62 billion tonnes of anthracite, 52 billion tonnes of lignite quality coal
• Why did the trend change in chinas carbon emissions (3) - President Xiaoping changed chinese economy to an 'open door' policy in December 1978, this encouraged growth and expanded chinese access to western technology - Four economic zones created in southern china to insentivise foreign companies to invest - 2001 China joined world trade organisation, ensuring economy continued to flourish
• What has got to happen to global coal usage to keep warming below a degree, and describe its relevance to china - Global coal usage must fall by 80% - Meanwhile china is constructed 40Gw worth of coal powerstations and planning to build 50Gw more
• What has caused the enhanced greenhouse effect (2) - Since 1800's volume of earhts greenhouse gases have increased dramatically (co2 from 280ppm in 1800 to 417ppm today) - This has created an enhanced greenhouse effect as a result of burning fossil guels and land use changes
• What is the enhanced greenhouse effect As the climate has warmed, the greenhouse effect has been amplified, hence increases absorption of long wave radiation, and therefore melts permafrost releasing further co2
• What are the main greenhouse gases and their percentages (3) - Water vapour (60%) - Carbon Dioxide (20%) - Methane (10%
• Describe the change in the greenhouse effect over time in terms of co2 - CO2 emissions now account for 75% of all anthropogenic GHG emissions with nearly half of the increase occuring since 1960
• Describe the change in the greenhouse effect over time in terms of methane (2) - Measurements began in 1984 with 1735ppb, levels increased to 1890ppb in 2009 - Despite slower rate of increase than co2 it represents 15% of all emissions today with a 25 times more potent warming potential than co2
• What are the three reasons why anthropogenic emissions have increased 1. Demand increased as a result of indutrialisation 2. Population growth 3. Land use change
• Describe the change in usage of energy for industrialisation and technological advances in terms of why anthropogenic emissions have increased (2) - In 1960 europe emitted the most, peaking in 1990 with 7 gigatons, in 1995 Asia produced the most (16Gt in 2011) in order to support its industrilisation process - From 2010 then was a decoupling between economic growth and co2 emissions, with 20 countries increasing growth while reducing emissions
• Provide evidence to prove the change in usage of energy in terms of why anthropogenic emissions have increased (2) - Top emittor of co2 in 1950 was US with 620mt, top emittor in 2021 was china with 11680mt - China burned 4 billion tonnes of coal in 2023, 55% of world total
• Describe why china may feel like their emissions aren't comparable to those of the US in terms of why anthropogenic emissions have increased - China's co2 per capita is 7 tonnes, the US is 15 per capita
• What are the three reason why anthropogenic emissions have increased as a result of huge demand for energy due to industrialisation and technological advances - Fossil fuels still supply 87% of worlds energy - Cement production - Air traffic
• Describe why the fact that fossil fuels still supply 87% of the worlds energy has resulted in increased anthropogenic emissions as a result of huge demand for energy due to industrialisation (2) - China and india are largely powered by coal, which is the dirtiest fossil fuel emitting twice as much co2 as natural gas - There is a large demand for fossil fuels supplied from china and indias industrilisation in the 60's
• Describe why cement production has resulted in increased anthropogenic emissions as a result of huge demand for energy due to industrialisation (2) - Every 1000kg of cement produced provides 900kg of co2, accounting for 5% of total emissions - Process of making cement breaks limestone rocks, which releases co2 into atmosphere
• Describe how air traffic has resulted in increased anthropogenic emissions as a result of huge demand for energy due to industrialisation (2) - Emits Nitrous oxides, a greenhouse gas created by fuel combustion - A growing industry with 20,000 planes serving 3 billion people annually, accounting for 11% of all transport emissions
• Describe how land use change has resulted in increased anthropogenic emissions as a result of huge demand for energy due to industrialisation - Deforestation, area the size of italy lost each year - rice production accounts for 12% of methane emissions
• What and when did coal production in the UK peak - 1916 with 137 million tonnes
• Why was coal used in britain (2) - Easy to access and provided 3 times more energy than wood - Sparked industrial revolution in 1800s and coal emissions increased 16 fold in that century
• Describe the changing trends in UK coal usage (3) - Dominated UK main energy source for much of the 20th century peaking in 1916 (during war) - Until 1970 reliance on coal and expanding economy led to annually increasing emissions (with some anomalies like 1921 miners strike) - when GDP rose so did emissions - UK shifted from coal to natural gas, with emissions falling by 1/3 since 1971
• What are the three developments in energy in the UK (3) - Natural Gas - Nuclear usage - Renewables
• Describe the UKs usage of natural gas in terms of developments in energy in the UK (2) - 47% of gas comes from domestic production, 31% comes from pipelines like the nord stream transporting 55 billion cubic metres of natural gas a year - It is quite cheap and availiability is high and burns cleaner than coal, better for residents health
• Describe the Nuclear usage in terms of developments in energy in the UK (3) - Development of nuclear power began in 70s and peaked in 1997 - Today britain generates 26% of its power from nuclear sources - However in 2024 there will be 3 power stations operational and only two in 2030 due to high costs of construction and maitenance
• Describe the usage of renewables in terms of developments in energy in the UK - Britain installed capacity for wind and solar energy in the 90s, now potentially generating 35 Gw a year with the potential to provide 75% of our energy
• Two reasons why the UK emissions have decreased (2) - Improved energy efficiency in homes, offices and factories - International obligations