Climate change

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Mind Map on Climate change, created by lloydcole on 06/05/2014.
lloydcole
Mind Map by lloydcole, updated more than 1 year ago
lloydcole
Created by lloydcole over 10 years ago
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Resource summary

Climate change
  1. Global temperatures have consistantly fluctuated from cooler phases and glacial periods to warmer periods where these glaciers have retreated
    1. In recent years the warming stage has been accelerated: termed global warming
    2. Feedback mechanisms
      1. Negative feedback: Restoration by nature back to its previous state eg Deforestation: given time trees will grow back
        1. Positive feedback: things are not restored to back to a previous state and things begin to get worse
          1. Examples
            1. Melting permafrost: peat deposits decompose anaerobically at a quicker rate. This releases methane in large quantities and speeds up global warming
              1. Changing albedo: snow/ice holds a high albedo. As this melts dark soils and oceans reveled which have lower reflective ability and therefore absorb more heat
                1. Rainforests: less rainfall occurs in equatorial regions and so vegetation begins to dry. This increases the risk of burning and subsequent emission of gases.
                  1. "Switching off" of the Gulf Stream that keeps Europe warm
                2. Evidence for climate change over the past 20,000 years (proxy (secondary) sources)
                  1. Tree ring dating: tree rings increase as they get older. The patterns of their growth are used to produce timescales which provide information on previous climates.
                    1. Ice core analysis: Different levels of CO2 are trapped in the ice dependent on the climatic temerature
                      1. Sea level change
                        1. Shift in vegetation belts: location of certain types of vegetation is dependant on the current climate
                        2. Causes of global warming
                          1. Increased production of CO2 and other greenhouse gases (primarily human induced). Caused by the burning of fossil fuels, land clearing and agriculture which traps heat radiation and increases the greenhouse effect, causing the Earth's temerature to increase.
                            1. Fossil fuels have been burnt more readily within industry and transport
                              1. Leads to:
                                1. Increase in sea level temerature due thermal expansion
                                  1. Glacial retreats
                                    1. Increased extreme weather events
                                      1. Increased acidity of oceans
                                        1. Reduction in crop yields due to the burning of land and inhospitable temperatures, resulting in greater food shortages and disease.
                                      2. Additional CO2 within our atmosphere comes mainly from the burning of fossil fuels, according to IPCC. This is due ti the isotopic signature of CO2 that has been produced since the Industrial Revoultion
                                      3. Response to global warming
                                        1. International responses: coutries need to co-operate if we are to succeed in reducing the effects of global warming
                                          1. Kyoto Agreement and protocol (1997): Limits placed on reduction in greenhouse gas emissions, many countries have pledged to reduce CO2 emissions by 20%, however many countries are not on course to reach these targets due to a rise of the energy sector
                                            1. Carbon credits: a scheme that allows amounts of CO2 usage according to their need and have been implemented to reduce global warming. Credits can be exchanged businesses, or bought and sold.
                                              1. Agenda 21: a voluntary action plan implemented by the UN to improve sustainable development. First introduced at the Rio summit in 1992.
                                              2. Small scale, local responses:
                                                1. Congestion charges ie London
                                                  1. Catalytic converters
                                                    1. Increased availability of public transport
                                                      1. Clean air act of London 1956: Raised height of chimneys, smoke free zones, and a shift to natural gas and electricity instead of the burning of coal within industry
                                                        1. Double glazing and insolation
                                                        2. Number plate regulations
                                                          1. Deforestation reduction policies
                                                            1. Renewable energy investment
                                                              1. Awareness and education eg recycling
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