question

IPCC

answer

Intergovernmental Panel on CC Established 1998 by WMO and UNEP Runs under auspices of UN 195 member countries Purpose is to be policy neutral and policy relevant but NEVER POLICY PRESCRIPTIVE WG1 = physical science basis WG2 = adaptation WG3 = mitigation Most recent publication = AR5 - publications every 5 years

question

UNFCCC

answer

International legal agreement on GHGs 1992 Rio Earth summit - entered into force 1994. 189 parties - now 197. Goal: protecting climate system for now and future - achieve GHG stabilization

question

COP

answer

Conference of the parties.

question

Arctic Council

answer

Established in 1996 by the Ottawa Declaration - 8 Arctic States and their indigenous groups + observer groups and observer international organizations and NGOs collaborate on common issues in the North such as sustainable development and environmental protection.

question

Mitigation

answer

An anthropogenic intervention to reduce the sources or enhance the sinks of GHGs Actionable at various scales: lifestyle, industry, infrastructure, ecosystem management, economic incentives

question

Adaptation

answer

Adjustment in natural or human systems to a new or changing environment - ecological, social, economic systems in response to current or expected cc - manage risks as well as opportunities

question

Atmospheric lag effect

answer

CO2 concentration, temperature, and sea level continue to rise long after emissions are reduced

question

Coping range

answer

= to a systems current adaptive capacity not static - adaptation can increase a coping range Different for each system/region/community/nation

question

Adaptive capacity

answer

The potential or ability of a system, region, or community to adapt to the effects or impacts of climate change - relative to cc vulnerability Anticipatory vs reactive

question

CO2 equivalent

answer

Global warming potential (GWP) and persistance time in the atmosphere compared to CO2 100 year GWP compared to CO2: CO2 = 1 Methane = 25 NO2 = 298

question

Ecosystem services

answer

Regulating, provisioning, cultural and supporting services that come from ecosystem resources

question

The percentage of solar radiation received from the Earth is:

answer

49%

question

Albedo

answer

The Earth's capacity to reflect solar radiation

question

Shipping has increased by at least this much in Arctic Canada since 2005

answer

75%

question

RCP

answer

Representative Concentration Pathway used in the new AR5 scenarios by the IPCC

question

What is the difference between weather and climate?

answer

Weather is the short term (hours, days, weeks) atmospheric conditions (precipitation, temperature, wind, humidity, aire pressure etc.) for a particular location while climate is an average trend calculated over 30 years for a specific location.

question

How is mitigation different from adaptation?

answer

Mitigation addresses the anthropogenic causes of climate change (GHG emissions), adaptation addresses its impacts (before and after).

question

What is the role of the IPCC at COP?

answer

Inform (clear scientific view) on current state of knowledge regarding cc + potential socio-economic and environmental impacts and identify options for adaptation + mitigation

question

Major negotiating groups at COP

answer

AOSIS, EU, Umbrella Group, JUSSCANNZ, G-77/China, Environmental integrity Group, BASIC Within G77/China = OPEC, African Group, Group of Latin America + Caribbean, AOSIS,

question

Regional groups at COP

answer

Asia, Africa, Central + Eastern Europe, Latin America + Caribbean States (GRULAC), Western Europe and Others (WEOG)

question

COP divisions of parties

answer

Annexe 1 (41 OECD countries from 1992 + 12 new ones) - non - legally binding reduce GHGs Annexe 2 (only original OECD countries - richest of the developed countries) Reduce + support others Non - Annexe 1 (all other countries, including LDC) commitments tbd

question

UNFCCC 4 principles

answer

- common but differentiated responsibilities - precautionary principle - principle of cost - effectiveness - principle of sustainable development

question

UNFCCC goals

answer

- protect the climate system for present + future generations - achieve stabilization of GHG emissions at a level that would prevent dangerous anthropogenic interference with the climate system

question

UNFCCC solutions to protect climate system

answer

- More energy efficiency - Protection of GHG sinks and reservoirs - Limitation + reduction of transport and waste-management GHGs - Policy change + implementation of market- based instruments to support GHG limits + reductions

question

UNFCCC institutional framework

answer

UN general assembly governs UNEP, WMO and UNFCCC. IPCC is governed by UNEP + WMO and informs UNFCCC

question

9 planetary boundaries

answer

Nitrogen + phosphorous cycles, climate change, biodiversity loss, , ocean acidification, chemical pollution, stratospheric ozone depletion, atmospheric aerosol loading, global freshwater use, change in land use

question

Planetary boundaries that we have already transgressed

answer

Nitrogen cycle, climate change, biodiversity loss

question

Climate Normal

answer

Set of 30 year average climate for a particular location relative to a particular baseline (ex. 19961-1990 climate normal).

question

What is the difference between the natural greenhouse effect and the enhanced greenhouse effect?

answer

The natural greenhouse effect keeps the Earth at a liveable temperature (30 degrees C warmer than it would otherwise be) by insulating the atmosphere such that enough of the sun's radiation is absorbed. The enhanced greenhouse effect is causing the Earth to warm dangerously due to anthropogenic GHG emissions.

question

What is hindcasting?

answer

Using data about past climate to create mathematical models that predict future climate trends (understanding the past to understand the future)

question

Why has climate change become more of a social science than a natural science?

answer

Because humans are part of their environment so we must consider anthropogenic sources of CC as well as solutions that humans can implement through policies in order to best predict cc and adapt to it. Use GCMs as well as analogs. Impacts will be felt via social systems.

question

List some key limitations of cc models

answer

- some are based solely on natural science (GCMs) while others take into account human contribution + solutions (analogs) - mathematical predictions decrease in certainty the further into the future they go - There are so many possible scenarios that it's hard to know which one to use + options vary depending on what is being discussed - Some climate models are easier to understand (better presented) than others. Science must be presented so that policy makers as well as the public can understand.

question

4 causes of natural climate variability

answer

- Eccentricity of Earth - Ocean currents (gulf stream, El Nino) - Sea ice extent + albedo - Tectonic plates (tsunamis, volcanoes)

question

4 causes of anthropogenic climate variability

answer

- GHG emissions - Deforestation (less carbon sinks + more desertification) - Coastline erosion (amplifies rising sea level) - Building materials (concrete absorbes heat and creates heat islands)

question

Why are baselines important when calculating emission targets?

answer

We use baselines to compare current climate or climate goals to what the climate used to be like. We usually use the 1961-1990 baseline because if we use a more recent one, warming since then will appear more gradual and less significant.

question

4 main GHGs

answer

Water (60%), CO2 (26%), Ozone (8%), Methane + Nitrous oxide (6%)

question

Planetary boundary

answer

Non-negotiable planetary pre-conditions that humanity needs to respect in order to avoid the risk of catastrophic environmental changes at continental to global scales

question

What is the main factor that would define the move from the holocene to the anthropocene?

answer

Holocene = stable environment Anthropocene = era in which climate is so influenced by humans that long-term effects are unknown

question

Common but differentiated responsibilities

answer

Responds to the fundamental issue of fairness (or lack thereof) in terms of addressing the cc problem

question

Precautionary principle

answer

activities that threaten serious or irreversible damage can be restricted or even prohibited BEFORE there is absolute certainty about their effects

question

Principle of cost - effectiveness

answer

all policies and measures that deal with cc should be cost - effective (minimize cost of mitigating cc) in response to concern by industrialized countries

question

Principle of sustainable development

answer

Article 4 : "parties have a right to, and should, promote sustainable development" in response to justified concerns by poorer developed countries regarding expense of implementing UNFCCC objectives

question

COP institutional framework

answer

COP includes UNFCCC secretariat, SBI, SBSTA + IPCC

question

All party commitments

answer

- prepare + regularly update national adaptation + mitigation strategies - participate in climate research + education - provide regular national communications to the convention on their emissions + strategies

question

COP 21 highlights

answer

Common agreement (197 parties) on mitigation + adaptation - Paris Agreement. Global temp rise well below 2 deg C - goal = 1.5 above pre-industrial times.

question

SPACC

answer

Special program for Adaptation to CC - funds projects such as Bequia Desalination plant

question

What are some ways of measuring past climate?

answer

Tree rings, Rock paintings, geomorphology, geologic record, ice cores, pollen grains, corals

question

What was the most stable period in Earth's history?

answer

the Holocene

question

What are some ways of measuring current climate?

answer

Weather balloons, weather stations, observing systems, aircraft, rockets

question

SRES

answer

Special report on emissions scenarios - used by IPCC before RCPs. SRES includes direct socio-economic factors, RCP only gases + land use but one is not necessarily better than another

question

Roughly what percentage of Canada lies in the North?

answer

75%

question

What percentage of Canada is part of the ARCTIC?

answer

40%

question

Shipping has increased by this much in the Arctic in the last 5 years

answer

400%

question

Economic incentives

answer

Positive: subsidies, payment for ecosystem services Negative: taxes, carbon pricing (fees/charges), levy's

question

Carbon tax

answer

A price is set per t of CO2 or CO2 e- and countries have to pay per ton that they emit - pay who? What is that money then used for ?

question

Emissions trading - joint implementation, CDM,

answer

Countries have an emissions cap and they can pay other countries for a share of theirs - allowances = permits to pollute

question

Carbon offsets

answer

The ability to exchange money for a guarantee that your emissions have been offset by another's actions ex planting trees that will absorb the same amount of CO2 you just emitted

question

Carbon footprint

answer

CO2 emissions/person. Sustainable footprint = 3,200kg per person per year

question

Kyoto protocol

answer

Adopte 1997 - came into force 2005 191 member countries Under UNFCCC Defines legally binding targets for reducing GHG emissions by -national strategies or -Emissions trading -Clean development mechanism -Joint implementation

question

Mitigation wedge

answer

An activity that reduces emissions starting at 0 in 2007 and increases linearly until it accounts for 1BtC/year of reduced carbon emissions by 2057. A solution to the CO2 problem should provide at least 1 wedge.

question

CDM

answer

Clean development mechanism Under Kyoto protocol Implement emission reduction program in a developing country to earn CER credits that count toward Kyoto protocol

question

Joint implementation (JI)

answer

Under kyoto protocol - earn ERU (emission reduction units from a project and use them or sell them on the open market - flexible + cost efficient way of meeting kyoto targets while host party gains foreign investment and technology transfer

question

Last chance tourism

answer

Tourism driven by climate change - want to visit before it's too late

question

Determinants of adaptive capacity

answer

Economic resources, technology, information and skills, technology, infrastructure, institutions, equity - developing countries have lower adaptive capacity and higher reliance on climatic resources

Final prep – Flashcards

Unlock all answers in this set

Haven't found what you were looking for?

Search for samples, answers to your questions and flashcards