Anthropogenic Causes of Climate Change

evidence of climate change in recent times?

NASA projections, temperature for polar regions

how can growing affluence in populations contribute to climate change?

affluence -> greater need for cement (buildings, roads, construction)

how does agriculture contribute to climate change

agricultural processes produce CO2, CH4 and nitrous oxide (N2O)

? uses more fresh water than all other forms of land use

agriculture

how does agriculture impact the hydrological cycle?

agriculture -> diversion of water for irrigation=changes in the rate of infiltration run off and evapotranspiration as a result of land clearing

open cut mining releases?

carbon dioxide and methane into the atmosphere

how does deforestation contribute to climate change?

deforestation -> reduces biosphere's capacity to remove CO2 from the atmosphere -> increase greenhouse effect

evidence of climate change through geological time?

ice cores, static mites and tites, tree rings

how does smelting contribute to climate change?

smelting requires high temperatures + large amounts of coal for electricity = big CO2 emissions

how does deforestation impact the hydrological cycle?

1. forest soils are moist -> without tree cover, they will dry out -> less evaporation 2. trees transpire moisture into the atmosphere -> continue the hydrological cycle by returning moisture back into the air

how can mining activities affect the hydrological cycle?

1. pollute water streams and groundwater 2. alter natural drainage systems 3. use large amounts of water during the processing of ore = hotter temperatures because less water to absorb heat

how does cement manufacture contribute to global warming?

1. the chemical reaction that produces cement releases large amounts of CO2 as a byproduct 2. energy required to manufacture cement also releases CO2 into the atmosphere

between what years did anthropogenic greenhouse gas increase by 70%?

1970 and 2004

methane is ?x more effective than CO2 at trapping heat. It has increased ? in the last ? years. it is produced by?

21x threefold 200 cattle + sheep farming and rice fields

what % of fossil fuels come from burning fossil fuels?

60%