Climate change quiz answers

Question 1 How much warmer or cooler would the average global surface temperature be now without the greenhouse effect? a)  The average global surface temperature would be about 30°C cooler without the greenhouse effect. back

Question 2  What is the most abundant greenhouse gas in the atmosphere? The most abundant greenhouse gas in the atmosphere is water vapour. Its atmospheric concentration is determined by temperature, land use and the effects of aerosol particles. Water in the earth system cycles rapidly between vapour in the atmosphere, clouds, rain and liquid in, say, river and lakes. So water has a short lifetime in the atmosphere, and its large-scale concentration is only indirectly affected by human activity. Carbon dioxide (CO2) is the most important anthropogenic greenhouse gas. Once emitted is stays in the atmosphere for a long time. About one third of the atmosphere's CO2 has come from human activities, mainly burning fossil fuels (oil, coal and gas), but also from deforestation. back

Question 3 What are the three largest global sources of human-induced greenhouse gases emissions, in order of size, largest first? The answer is a) energy supply - 25.9%, industry - 19.4%, forestry - 17.4% (agriculture - 13.5%, transport - 13.1%,  residential and commercial buildings - 7.9%, waste and wastewater, - 2.8%.  [Source 2004 data analysed by Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change Synthesis Report 2007, Figure SPM.3] back

Question 4 The UK made a commitment under the Kyoto Protocol to reduce its greenhouse gas below the levels they were at in 1990 (or in 1995 for a few cases) by 2008-2012. How much is the UK's Kyoto Protocol reduction of greenhouse gases? The answer is b. The UK's Kyoto Protocol commitment to reduce greenhouse gases is by 12.5% and, we have already achieved it!  Well done UK!  However, the UK also set itself a more challenging target in 1997 to reduce emissions of one particular greenhouse gas, carbon dioxide, by 20% below its 1990 level by 2010.  It's looking unlikely that the UK will achieve this, and in fact emissions of carbon dioxide increased between 2005 and 2006, mainly due to increases in power generation from coal rather than gas (source Defra report to Parliament July 2007).  In 2008, the UK's Climate Change Bill is expected to set new long-term greenhouse gas emissions targets of at least 60% by 2050. back

Question 5 The UK Climate Impacts Programme (UKCIP), based in Oxford UK, provides scenarios that show how our climate might change and co-ordinates research on dealing with our future climate. Is UKCIP focused on climate change 'adaptation' or 'mitigation'? Adaptation and mitigation are two important pieces of climate change terminology.  Mitigation activities reduce greenhouse gas emissions in order to reduce future climate change.  However, some climate change is inevitable because of the emissions that have already been made.  Therefore, adaptation activities will take place to deal with this inevitable human-induced change. UKCIP is a climate change adaptation organisation.  Organisations in the UK focusing on climate change mitigation include the Energy Saving Trust. back

Question 6 How many benefits of forests to humans can you list? (I have more than 10.) Forests provide many benefits to humans.  Considering in particular the benefits they provide to reducing atmospheric carbon dioxide concentrations they are (i) a store of carbon, or carbon sink, through wood growth (ii) in addition woodland soils hold more carbon than other vegetation (Broadmeadow and Ray, Forest Commission Information Note June 2005).  Considering now the benefits forests offer to those areas adapting to drought or flooding induced by anthropogenic climate change (iii) they invigorate the water cycle through evaporation from forests, preventing drought and desertification in some areas (iv) prevention of soil erosion.  Other benefits include (v) fire wood (vi) building materials (vii) food eg brazil nuts (viii) create atmospheric oxygen (ix) a habitat for plants that could be medical treatments or cures of the future (x) recreation (xi) aesthetics (xii) the home of forest peoples.  Taking an ecological view, forests provide habitats for many plant, animal and fungal species. back

Question 7 Approximately what proportion of the UK's energy is produced from renewable sources? Figures from 2005 suggest it's about 1% in the UK.  In 2007, European leaders endorsed a plan for the proportion across the whole region, to rise to 20% and in January 2008 the European Commission suggested a target of 15% for the UK. back

Question 8 How could climate change affect a small business installing air conditioning units in the UK? Demand for air-conditioning units is expected to increase as it is very likely that the UK will experience hotter summers and more heat waves (UK Climate Impacts Programme 2002).  However, running conventional air conditioning units uses electricity and therefore causes carbon dioxide emissions, so government and ecologically-aware consumers are seeking low carbon alternatives to conventional air conditioning.  The small air-con business may benefit from increased demand in the short term, but in the longer term need to diversify into low energy alternatives to help their customers cool their homes and offices. back

Question 9 How many ecologists does it take to change a light bulb? All of them.  Ecologists demand an integrated approach, and they don't just want to change the bulb, they want to change the way energy is generated and the way it's converted into lighting. back

Question 10 How many climate change scientists does it take to change a light bulb? The precise number is uncertain, but there is a 20% chance that it will take 50% more scientists today than it did on average between the 1961 and 1990!! Climate change scientists don't mean to be this unhelpful in the answers they give, but they are struggling with how to communicate complicated scientific research in a clear, relevant and accurate way. back