Climate and change

Year 11 revision

Key terms
Key term

Definition

Climate Change

Long-term changes in temperature and precipitation

Deforestation

The chopping down and removal of trees to clear and area of

forest

Ecosystems

A community of plants and animals that interact with each other

and their physical environment

Enhanced
Greenhouse Effect

The increased greenhouse effect resulting from human action

(emission of greenhouse gases) and leading to global warming

Geological Climate
Events

Climate changes that result from major geological events such

as volcanic eruptions

Global Warming

A trend whereby global temperatures rise over time, linked in

modern times with the human production of greenhouse gases

Greenhouse gases

Those gases in the atmosphere that absorb outgoing radiation,

hence increasing the temperature of the atmosphere

Key terms
Key term

Definition

Ice Age

A period in the earths past when the polar ice caps were much
larger than today

Little ice Age

A period of slight global cooling that lasted from around the mid15th Century to the mid-19th Century

Mega fauna

Big animals which mostly weighed over 40kg e.g. Woolly mammoth
and sabre-tooth cat

Natural causes

Processes and forces that are not controlled by humans

Orbital Changes

Changes in the pathway of the Earth around the sun and the tilt on
its axis

Quaternary
Period
Solar Output

The most recent geological period of the Earths history

Stratosphere

Layer of air 10-50km about the Earths surface

The energy emitted from the sun

Key terms
Key term

Definition

Food Chains

Plants and animals are linked together and dependence on each

other for food

Extinction

Species of plant or animal dying out completely, so none survive

Desertification

Gradual change of the land into desert

Weather

short term, day to day changes in the atmosphere.

Climate

the average weather conditions over 30 years.

Interglacials

warm periods between ice ages

Glacials

cold periods or ice ages. Ice sheets approx.400-3000m thick

extended across the northern hemisphere.
A huge body of air with uniform temperature and humidity.

Air mass

Key facts: Climate graphs

Read rainfall scale
from here

You must be familiar with

reading climate graphs
...practise!

Read temperature
scale from here

Plymouth, UK

mm

Name months!

Key facts: The UK climate

Scotland

Wales

England

Key facts: The UK climate

What controls the UK climate?
A lot to do with air masses.
Air masses are huge blocks of air. They can be damp or
dry, warm or cold, depending on where they came from
and over what type of surface they have travelled.
For example, an air mass that has travelled over the
sea will increase its moisture content and be more likely
to produce rainy weather.

Key facts: Past temperatures have always fluctuated

Climate has changed in the past through natural causes on

timescales ranging from hundreds to millions of years.

Key facts: Recording past climate

How do we know climate was different in
the past?
Fossils of animals and plants that no longer
live in the UK.
Landforms left by glaciers
Samples from ice sheets in Antarctica. Ice
sheets are made up of layers of ice, a layer
for each year. Trapped in the ice sheets are
air bubbles. Climatologists study the CO2
levels to reconstruct past climates.
How do we know climate has changed in the
more recent past?
Old photos, paintings
Diaries
Newspapers
Recorded dates of blossom and migration of
birds.

Natural causes of climate change

Theory

Facts

Eruption
theory:

Big volcanic eruptions can change the Earth's climate. Small eruptions have no effect, it has
to be very large and explosive. Volcanic eruptions can produce ash and sulphur dioxide Gas. If
the ash and gas rise high enough they will be spread about the Earth's stratosphere by high
level winds. The blanket of ash and gas that this creates will stop some sunlight reaching the
Earth's surface. Instead, the sunlight is reflected off this blanket back into space. This
cools the planet and lowers the average temperature.

Sunspot
theory:

Sunspots (black areas on the sun) were first recorded over 2000 years ago. Sometimes there
are lots of these and at other times they disappear. Even though these spots are dark, they
tell us that the Sun is more active than usual. Lots of spots mean more solar energy is being
fired out from the Sun towards Earth. Cooler periods, such as the Little Ice Age, and warmer
periods, such as the Medieval Warm Period, may have been caused by changes in sunspot
activity.

Orbit
theory:

Over very long timescales, there have been big changes in climate. Glacial periods were 5-6
degrees colder than today and interglacial periods were 2-3 degrees warmer than today.
Such big changes need a big cause.
Over long periods of time the Earth's orbit changes:
The Earth's orbit is sometimes circular, and sometimes more of an ellipse (oval).
The Earth's axis tilts. Sometimes it is more upright, and sometimes it is more on its side.
The Earth's axis wobbles, like a spinning top about to fall over.
These changes alter the amount of sunlight the Earth receives and they affect where sunlight

Impact of past climate change

Little Ice Age

A period of significant cooling
300 years ago
It had a negative impact on
agriculture (farming), people &
ecosystems.

Impact of the Little Ice Age: On people and the environment

ECONOMIC
+VE

ECONOMIC
-VE

HEALTH

ENVIRONMENT

English fisherman
found herring
normally located
in the waters off
Norway.

Increasing grain
prices and lower
wine production

Cool, wet summers

led to outbreaks
of St. Anthony's
Fire illness

Beech trees, were

replaced first by
oak and then by
pine.

Increase in deepsea fishing helped

to build the
maritime
population

Many farmsteads
were destroyed,
resulting in less
tax

Malaria in several
parts of England

Cold and rain

Farms high on
occurred in the
hillsides were
spring and summer abandoned
of 1315

Cod fishing
greatly
decreased, as the
cod moved
farther south.
Advancing glaciers
closed the gold
mines.

Great Famine
lasted 8 years

In the Alps, valley

glaciers grew in
the colder climate

10-20% of
farmers died
from hunger

FARMING
Wheat and oats
did not ripen so
the harvests
failed

They had to
change their
crops from wheat
to potatoes

Impact of past climate change

.....Focus on agriculture.

Western Europe experienced a general cooling of the

climate between 1150-1460 and a very cold climate
between 1560-1850.

During the coldest times, England's growing season was shortened

by 1-2 months compared to today.

Unlike seeds today, back then the seeds could not survive the
extreme cold or warmth, wetness or dryness.

Price of wheat went up dramatically as it became more difficult to

grow and get hold of.

Climate
changes had a
much greater
impact on
agricultural
output in the
past.

One of the worst famines in the seventeenth century

occurred in France due to the failed harvest of 1693.
Millions of people in France and surrounding countries
were killed.

In Norway, many farms located at higher latitudes were

abandoned for better land in the valleys.

How were ecosystems affected by climate change

in the past?
1. The dinosaur extinction was possibly caused by a massive
asteroid hitting Mexico and a huge volcano in India combining:
dust, ash, gas go up into the stratosphere
which blocks the sun out
which cools the climate
so plants dont grow
so dinosaurs have no food
which has a knock on effect through the food chain.

2. Megafauna extinction big animals like the

woolly mammoth and sabre-toothed tiger.
The climate was warming so they had to find
new areas to live where the climate suited
them. This disrupted food chains. Humans
also hunted them to extinction.

Mega fauna extinction

The ice age
(Pleistocene) period
finished around
10,000 years ago.

The lack of herbivores

meant carnivorous
animals began to die as
they had less prey.

The overall change in

climate caused a big
change in the food chain,
which meant many animals
became extinct.

This caused temperatures

to rise, ice to melt and
glaciers to retreat.

The lack of plants meant

herbivores (vegetarian)
animals began to die.

Other theories suggest

some animals became
extinct because they
were hunted by humans.

The retreating glaciers

meant there was less
water available for the
plants & animals.

The lack of water & rise

in temperature meant
lots of plants died as they
could not adapt.

Climate change and humans

The main
greenhouse gasses

Greenhouse gasses and temperature

Describe the graph
1880:

Global temperature = -0.4oF

Carbon Dioxide = 300ppm
Fluctuating, but general
increase of both global
temperature and CO2
between 1880-1940. Then a
much faster rate of growth
for both factors, until:

2000:

Global temperature = 1oF

Carbon Dioxide = 380ppm

There is a direct link between the amount of carbon

dioxide in the atmosphere and temperature.

How Does the Greenhouse Effect Work?

How Does the Greenhouse Effect Work?

Greenhouse gases

(CO2 from the burning of fossil fuels,

trap heat from

leaving the atmosphere and re-radiate that heat
back down to earth.
deforestation, Methane from paddy fields etc....)

The greater the concentration of greenhouse

gases, the more heat is trapped and the warmer
earth becomes.
We need the NATURAL greenhouse effect it
makes the planet 16 degrees warmer. Without it
the earth would be too cold for us to survive.
The extra greenhouse gases produces by humans
burning fossil fuels power stations,
transport, industry, homes.

Greenhouse gases: Change over time

Since pre-industrial times, atmospheric concentrations
of greenhouse gases have grown significantly:
countries become more industrialised
people become consumers of energy and goods
Become bigger producers of air pollution (through the
burning of fossil fuels)

Most greenhouse gases are produced by

developed countries the EU, USA, Japan.

Greenhouse gases: Change over time

The USA produce the largest amounts of CO 2 each year.
The worlds current level of CO2 is increasing at a rate of
200x faster than at any time in the past million years.
Rates of methane have also doubled since the 1800s due
to the growing worlds population demanding an increasing
amount of cows for meat.
Emerging powers such as China and India are now in line
with older polluters such as USA and Europe due to the
take off of their development.
China is now the worlds largest single polluter.

An atlas of pollution:
C02 emissions:

World C02 emissions:

Highest C02 emissions = North America, Europe, Japan, UAE,

China (predominantly MEDCs and NICs)
Lowest C02 emissions = South America, Africa, Russia
(predominantly LEDCs)

World C02 emissions:

China emits more CO2 than the US and Canada

put together - up by 171% since the year 2000.

India is now the world's third biggest emitter of CO2 - pushing Russia
into fourth place.

The biggest decrease from 2008-2009 is Ukraine - down 28% in

recent years. The biggest increase is the Cook Islands - up 66.7%
since 2000.

But that is only one way to look at the data - and it doesn't take
account how many people live in each country. If you look at per
capita emissions, a different picture emerges where:

Some of the world's smallest countries and islands emit the most
per person - the highest being Gibraltar with 152 tonnes per
person.
The US is still number one in terms of per capita emissions among
the big economies - with 18 tonnes emitted per person.
China, by contrast, emits under six tonnes per person, India only
1.3
For comparison, the whole world emits 4.49 tonnes per person
(average).

World C02 emissions:

Reasons for variations in global emissions
MEDC
Transport more cars per
capita, bigger cars, more air
travel.
Energy supply more electrical
goods needing energy i.e.
Televisions, computers,
hairdryers, games consoles

LEDC

Transport fewer cars, less air

travel, greater use of public
transport.
Energy supply more
traditional fuels used, lower
demand per person, fewer
electrical appliances within
households.
Business and industry greater Business and industry more
number of industries, bigger
primary and secondary
outputs, offices.
industries.
Homes larger homes, central
Homes smaller homes, often
heading/air conditioning, more
traditional building methods
energy intensive construction.
with less environmental impact.

Effects on people

Predicting the future:

have ts
l
l
i
e w impac
g
n
a
e ch gative nment
t
a
Clim ive & ne enviro es.
e
t
i
posi ople, th econom
e
s
on p ountrie
c
and

Case studies!
Develop
ing coun
tries w
affecte
ill
d more
negativ be
than de
ely
veloped
countri
es.

How might a developed country be affected

by climate change?

UK

(MEDC)

How might a developed country be affected

by climate change?
Warmer

Sealevel
rise

More
extreme
weather

Future UK climate

Overall UK summers and winters will be

warmer.
Temperature on average will rise by 4C
by 2080.
In the summer heat waves will be
become more common as temperatures
reach 40C

Rainfall in the summer is

expected to decrease and
as a result we will suffer
from more droughts.

Winters will
bring less snow
and more rain.
We will also
receive more
severe storms.

How might a developing country be affected by

climate change?

A developing country
Low greenhouse gas emissions 2.6 tonnes per person
per year (world average = 6.8)
Produce less than 1% all green house gases.
99% of Egypts people live in 5% land area as so much is desert.
Average rainfall = less than 10mm/yr
The River Nile is an important water supply.

How might a developing country be affected by

climate change?
With Global Warming

Water Wars?

If sea levels rise 50cm, 1/3 of the

city of Alexandria would be under
water.
10% Nile Delta would flood 7
million people would have to leave
their homes farming would be hit
there would be less food
famine.
Less and more unreliable rainfall
water shortages.
Desertification
Heat waves illness and death.
Malaria increase.

86% of the Niles water starts its

journey in Ethiopia.
Uganda, Sudan and Ethiopia are all
building huge dams for Hydro
Electric Power (HEP).
This could have a serious impact
on the amount of water reaching
Egypt This could lead to conflict
and war.
Egypt has a debt of $30 billion. It
may not be able to cope with the
impacts of global warming.

Extras!

Video revision:
1. What are air masses?
2. Antarctic Ice reveals Climate History
3. Dinosaurs Extinction
4. Evidence for global warming - polar ice caps
5. Climate change dangers
6. Global Warming - None Like It Hot!
7. BBC climate experiment
8. Climate Change and the future of weather
9. Egypt struggles with climate change

Past GCSE questions: A

1.

Outline one reason why sea level is expected to rise in the future
(2 marks)

2. Describe two impact of melting ice sheets on the environment

(2 marks)
3. Describe one impact of a short term past climate change on
a) People b) the environment
(4 marks)
4. Explain how natural events can cause climate change. (4 marks)
5. Describe two natural cause of climate change. (4 marks)
6. Explain how human activity is leading to climate change. (4 marks)

Past GCSE questions: B

7. Describe how two human activities can contribute to climate
change. (2 marks)
8. Give two reasons why developing countries often produce less
carbon dioxide than developed countries (2 marks)
9. Explain the possible economic (money) impacts of climate change
on a named country. (4 marks)
10. Describe one way in which climate change might make people
poorer (2 marks)
11. For a named developing country, explain why climate change is
likely to have a large impact on its people. (6 marks)

Past GCSE questions: C

12. For a named developing country, explain how climate change is
likely to have a large impact on its economy. (6 marks)
13. For a named country, suggest one possible impact of higher global
temperatures. (2 marks)
14. State two possible impacts of climate change in the UK (2 marks)
15. Explain how the future climate of the UK is likely to be affected
by global climate change (6 marks)
16. Describe how climate change in the past, such as the Little Ice
Age, affected people and ecosystems. (4marks).
17. Describe how colder periods, such as the Little Ice Age, affected
farming. (2 marks)

Good luck!