Deck 9: Climate

Question 1

Why are we worried about greenhouse gases?

Answer 1

The greenhouse effect:
The greenhouse effect is called such because of the similarity to glass greenhouses. The method of different gases like
,
,
, Chlorofluorocarbon, ozone, water vapor etc. absorb IR radiations and make the entire organization; earth atmosphere; warmer comes under greenhouse effect.
The main gases of greenhouses are
,
,
Chlorofluorocarbon, ozone etc.
We are worried or concerned about greenhouse gases (
,
,
Chlorofluorocarbon, ozone etc.) because they are believed to be the chief or important cause of global warming, chief to disastrous cost for the world: rising sea levels, demolition of animal habitats, unfavorable or poor conditions for growing crops in many of the world's present breadbaskets.
The greenhouses gases like
,
,
, Chlorofluorocarbon, ozone, water vapor etc., which are being collected in our atmosphere, absorb IR radiation discharged from the surface of the earth. Since they absorb, they warm up and radiate energy, in point of increasing the temperature on the earth.
As these gases accumulate in our atmosphere, they make the atmosphere more opaque for the radiation to escape back into the space. Thus, greenhouse gases reduce the flow of energy to the space and make the atmosphere of the earth warmer.
If the concentration of these gases is less, then the radiation would escape back into the space and the earth would not get warmer day by day.

Question 2

Apply the principles you have learned in this chapter to discuss these questions with other students.
Why do you think controlling greenhouse gases is such a difficult problem? List some of the technological, economic, political, emotional, and other factors involved. Whose responsibility is it to reduce our impacts on climate?

Answer 2

The democratic procedure is reliant on compromise and popularity. Olden time has frequently verified that popularity is not the top sign of suitability. The truth, demands that the scientist look for accurate outlooks of phenomena, rather than support popular outlooks. A small amount of the scientists most respected at present were popular in their lifetimes, since of their tendency to accurate misreading, however we declare these counter-culture persons to be the top of civil servants.
Scientists have always been beset by the problem of funding, whether open or secret. When study brings an undesired result support tends to dry up, forcing the scientist to search for funding away or work at a different career. The community is not served when this happens.

Question 3

In this chapter, what are some strategies we have to reduce climate change?

Answer 3

We have to control climate change by following some main strategies, which are shown below:
1. To reduce Global warming, since it is the main reason behind melting of glaciers and icy mountains.
2. To reduce emission of heat absorbing gases like
Chlorofluorocarbon. These gases collected in our atmosphere, makes the environment opaque for the radiation to escape back into the space.
3. To reduce pollution, since pollution causes the above mentioned gases to accumulate in the atmosphere.

Question 4

What is the thermohaline ocean conveyor and what is happening to it?

Question 5

Apply the principles you have learned in this chapter to discuss these questions with other students.
Air pollution often originates in one state or country but causes health and crop damage in other areas. For example, mercury from Midwestern power plants is harming plants, water, and health in eastern states. How should states, or countries, negotiate the costs of controlling these pollutants?

Question 6

Describe the El Nino/Southern Oscillation.

Question 7

What gas, action, and country make the largest contribution to global warming?

Question 8

What has been the greatest air pollution control success in the United States since 1970?

Question 9

Apply the principles you have learned in this chapter to discuss these questions with other students.
El Niño is a natural climate process, but some scientists suspect it is changing because of global warming. What sort of evidence would you look for to decide if El Niño has gotten stronger recently?

Question 10

Define primary air pollutant, secondary air pollutant, photochemical oxidant, point source , and fugitive emissions.

Question 11

What is a greenhouse gas? What are three main anthropogenic gases?

Question 12

What is destroying stratospheric ozone, and where does this happen?

Question 13

What are the "stabilization wedges" suggested by Pacala and Socolow at Princeton University (see table 9.2 )? How many wedges do we need to accomplish to flatten our CO ₂ emissions?

Question 14

What is the "new source review"?

Question 15

Apply the principles you have learned in this chapter to discuss these questions with other students.
One of the problems with the Kyoto Protocol and with the Clean Air Act is that economists and scientists define problems differently and have contrasting priorities. How would an economist and an ecologist explain disputes over the Kyoto Protocol differently?

Question 16

Explain the pink and blue bands in the maps at top right. What does the black line show?

Question 17

What is the greenhouse effect , and how does it work?

Question 18

Apply the principles you have learned in this chapter to discuss these questions with other students.
Economists and scientists often have difficulty reaching common terms for defining and solving issues such as the Clean Air Act renewal. How might their conflicting definitions be reshaped to make the discussion more successful?

Question 19

Examine the New Orleans and Miami maps. Identify some strategies to protect these cities against rising sea levels and storm frequencies.