Sas topic 10 ch 12

ecocide

destruction of the environment 1. environmental damage 2.climate change 3.hostile neighbors 4.loss of friendly trade partners 5.poor treatment of environmental problems

deforestation of Haiti has NOT contributed to:

earthquakes

CFCs and HCFCs were NOT:

natural substances

the UNCLOS, montrea, and kyoto protocols did not differ in the:

need for international action

people rank climate change as a higher priority than:

none of the above

China

- 1/4 of GHG emissions derive from manufacturing goods for Annex I states -emissions per person lower than the global average -historical contribution to atmospheric GHG is 1/3 that of the US or EU -emits more GHG than any other soverign states

attitudes about risk in the US reflect:

- a positive, can do attitude -the upward and downward mobility of American society -a frontier spirit -a focus on taking advantage of current opportunities, rather than on negative potentialities

evidence that people in the US are not adverse to long-term risk includes:

- relatively low net savings in terms of percent of disposable income -until recently, the lack of universal health care -the relatively high prevalence of obesity

the kyoto protocol

-aggregated all GHG emissions into one value that depends on concentration and warming potential -encouraged developed countries to sponsor mitigation projects in developing ones

many technologies that decrease GHG emissions:

-are already cost effective -will be adopted as government regulations change -will become economically viable as fossil fuel prices increase -are being developed

Civilizations like New Guinea highlands and Japan have been sustainable through:

-better population control -appropriate treatment of environmental problems -friendly trading partners

civilizations like New guinea highlands and japan have been sustainable through:

-better population control -appropriate treatment of environmental problems -friendly trading partners

the human population is:

-changing in growth rate because changes in birth rate -likely to reach a maximum during this century -declining in several developed countries

the montreal protocol has:

-decreased UV radiation striking the Earth's surface -decreased the emissions of CFCs

Belief that climate change derives from human activities:

-decreases with age -varies with region of the US -increases with education -increases among women vs men -increases among climatogists who are actively conducting research vs the populace at large

the UN convention of the law of the sea has been successful in:

-defining various coastal zones -establishing the rights of coastal sovereign states

the diversity of "expert" opinions about climate change:

-derives from the diversity of economic interests in various regulatory policies -confuses the general public about the appropriate regulatory policies

the human psyche is not well suited to the problem of climate change because this problem:

-does not have straightforward remedies -extends over several generations -seems vague and abstract -may require large sacrifices to obtain only small improvements

kyoto protocol

-drafted in 1997 in kyoto -entered into force in 2005 after ratification by 55 sovereign states, including those accounting for > 55% of CO2 emissions -as of 2012, 191 states have ratified -US signed treaty, but has not ratified it -all parties should mitigate and adapt to climate change

climate change may not seem undesireable to those:

-having summer homes in the mountains -living in cold climates -employed in the fossil fuel industries

some major points of contention about climate change are:

-how responsible are human activities for climate changes? -what consequences do climate changes hold for humanity? -how worthwhile is mitigation of GHG emissions? -to what degree is Earth's climate changing?

education levels are:

-increasing for women -increasing in developing countries -related to wealth

encouraging trends about climate change include:

-increasing public awareness about climate change -advertisements that tout "green" products or services -the popularity of fuel efficient vehicles

the UNCLOS, montreal, and kyoto protocols differed in the:

-interests of developing and developed sovereign states -number of sovereign states involved in the original drafting of the treaty -degree of support from different US presidents -long-term obligations of developing and developed sovereign states -involvement of multinational corporations

cost/benefit analysis of the montreal protocol show that:

-its benefits included items unrelated to human health -its benefits were several times its costs -its benefits included a decrease in the cases of skin cancer

where sovereign states have failed to address climate change:

-non-governmental organizations have garnered public support for "green" initiatives -local and regional governments can enact policies that decrease their GHG emissions

The United nations framework convention on climate change:

-outlined procedural matters -has been ratified by nearly every sovereign state -was based on the finding of the IPCC's first assessment report

enforcement of the montreal protocol

-parties required to report annually on production and consumption of ozone-depleting substances -if out f compliance party may receive assistance for collection and reporting data, technical assistance, financial assistance

of developed sovereign states:

-people in the US express the least concern about climate change -people in japan express the most concern about climate change

The montreal protocol established a fund:

-that helps factories to convert from existing production of CFCs -from contributions given by industrialized sovereign states -that trains personnel

part of the perception that climate change is scientifically controversial derives from:

-the dependence of climate predictions on complex computer models that of that offer possible outcomes -the subtle differences in temperature that vary from place to place, year to year -media coverage that finds controversy more interesting than consensus

most people when surveyed about climate change:

-think that humans may be involved -express a fair amount of concern about the problem -believe that it is occurring

climate change to date have been subtle

-warming over past century=0.6 C varies from place to place, year to year -predictions depend on complex computer models offer a range of possible outcomes -virtual reality and lack of certainty is not convincing -controversy more interesting than consensus

montreal and kyoto protocols

1. chlorofluorocarbons and hydrochlorofluorocarbons deplete ozone layer and act as GHG 2. most successful international agreement is Montreal Protocol on ozone depleting chemicals 3. Kyoto Protocol did not achieve most if its goals

Optimism about Earth's future

1. evidence supports that Earth's climate is changing from human GHG emissions 2. skeptics have many opportunities to expound their views giving a false impression 3. world's population should soon stabilize because of rapidly declining birth rate 4. existing technologies can significantly diminish GHG emissions

objectional provisions of the kyoto protocol

1. lack of regulations for emissions from developing states: developing states now responsible a significant portion of GHG emissions 2. cap and trade system for emissions: alternatives would achieve higher benefits at lower costs 3. choice of 1990 as baseline year: bad year for the US

collapse

1. land degradation 2. periods of unfavorable climate 3. attacks by hostile neighbors 4. loss of trading partners rich and famous unable to withstand sudden surge of starving masses

History of treaties

1. law of sea addressed long-standing issues 2. montreal protocol addressed issue of recent origin science on CFCs and ozone depletion 3. kyoto protocol addressed issue of more recent origin science on GHGs and climate change in 1980s

public opinions about climate change

1. most people express concern about climate change, but concern is waning 2. human nature is not suited from addressing climate change because attuned to imminent well-defined problems with clear solutions 3. national origin, education, gender, race, income, age, and religion influences opinions

comparison of 3 treaties

1. treaties differ in history, scope/complexity, national interests, fairness and enforcement 2. kyoto protocol deals with climate change, a topic huge in scope and highly complex; serves interests of no major powers 3. local governments and NGOs are addressing climate change mitigation

the kyoto protocol does NOT specify for annex I participants:

the price for purchasing emission credits from other participants

a key difference between ozone depletion and climate change is that most everyone understands:

the threat of skin cancer

Evangelical Protestant in the US:

vary strongly with race in their beliefs about the seriousness of climate change

catholics in the US

vary strongly with race in their beliefs about the seriousness of climate change

the IPCC and Al Gore:

were awarded the nobel peace prize

__ programs are more successful than those to promote___

food safety, healthy diet

ecocide or collapse of civilizations does NOT derive from:

friendly neighbors

the kyoto protocol has:

has only limited success in curtailing the rise in GHG emissions

NGOs (non-governmental organizations)

legally constituted, nonprofit organizations: 40,000 international, 3% focus on environmental issues social policy on climate change presents challeneges -worst effects not experienced by most responsible -those most vulnerable almost powerless -causes and effects complex and contested -government mechanisms weak, under-resourced and fall under many bureaucracies under such circumstances, NGOs have advantages: -independence, operate across borders, narrow focus of support base and moral convictions

because of the complexity of the issue of climate change, most of the public depends on:

listening to "experts"

policies about climate change will NOT

require unanimous agreement

policies about climate change will NOT:

require unanimous agreement