Mitigation & Adaptation Strategies
What is the difference between 'mitigation' and 'adaptation' in the context of climate change?
Mitigation involves reducing or preventing the causes of climate change (e.g., reducing greenhouse gas emissions), while adaptation involves making changes to cope with the effects of climate change.
What is one of the most significant impacts of rising global temperatures on polar regions?
Melting ice sheets and glaciers, contributing to rising sea levels.
Which greenhouse gas is the most abundant in the Earth's atmosphere, and is largely responsible for the natural greenhouse effect?
Water vapor.
Which scientific consensus report, published by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), is most commonly cited for understanding the impacts of climate change?
The IPCC Assessment Reports.
What renewable energy sources are commonly promoted as mitigation strategies to reduce carbon emissions?
Solar energy, wind energy, hydroelectric power, and geothermal energy.
How is climate change affecting biodiversity and ecosystems around the world?
Climate change causes shifts in ecosystems, including species displacement, coral bleaching, and the disruption of food chains due to temperature and habitat changes.
What is the role of carbon dioxide (CO₂) in climate change, and why is it considered the most significant anthropogenic greenhouse gas?
CO₂ traps heat in the atmosphere, and human activities, especially burning fossil fuels, have significantly increased its concentration, enhancing the greenhouse effect.
What is the main driver of current global warming according to climate scientists?
Human activity, particularly the burning of fossil fuels, which increases greenhouse gas concentrations in the atmosphere.
What is carbon capture and storage (CCS), and how does it help mitigate climate change?
CCS is a technology that captures carbon dioxide emissions from sources like power plants and stores it underground to prevent it from entering the atmosphere.
What is the 'climate refugee' phenomenon, and how is it related to rising sea levels?
Climate refugees are people forced to leave their homes due to environmental changes like rising sea levels, which submerge land and cause salinization of freshwater sources.
Which human activities contribute to the largest increases in methane (CH₄) concentrations in the atmosphere?
Livestock farming, rice cultivation, and the extraction of fossil fuels like natural gas.
What phenomenon explains the gradual increase in global average temperatures due to the trapping of heat by greenhouse gases?
The greenhouse effect.
What is the purpose of the Paris Agreement, and how does it aim to combat climate change?
The Paris Agreement aims to limit global warming to well below 2°C, with efforts to limit it to 1.5°C, by setting national emission reduction targets and promoting international cooperation.
How do heatwaves, exacerbated by climate change, impact human health and agriculture?
Heatwaves can lead to heatstroke, dehydration, and increased mortality, while also damaging crops, reducing yields, and stressing water resources.
What is the Global Warming Potential (GWP), and how is it used to compare the effects of different greenhouse gases?
GWP is a measure of how much heat a greenhouse gas traps in the atmosphere over a specific time period, typically 100 years, compared to CO₂
What is the difference between weather and climate?
Weather refers to short-term atmospheric conditions, while climate refers to long-term patterns and trends of temperature, precipitation, and other atmospheric variables in a specific region.
How can 'climate-smart agriculture' contribute to both mitigation and adaptation strategies?
Climate-smart agriculture involves practices that increase food security, reduce greenhouse gas emissions, and help farmers adapt to climate change, such as crop diversification, water management, and conservation tillage.
What economic impact does climate change have on coastal cities, particularly those in low-lying areas?
Rising sea levels and stronger storms increase the risk of flooding, damaging infrastructure, property, and vital industries like tourism and fishing, leading to substantial economic losses.
Why is nitrous oxide (N₂O) considered a potent greenhouse gas despite being less abundant than CO₂?
N₂O has a much higher GWP than CO₂ and remains in the atmosphere for a long time, contributing significantly to global warming.
How does the Milankovitch Cycle influence Earth's climate over long periods?
It refers to periodic changes in Earth's orbit and axial tilt that affect the planet’s climate patterns over tens of thousands to hundreds of thousands of years.