Who won the Nobel Peace Prize jointly with the IPCC

Geography final worksheet

Question 1

Who won the Nobel Peace Prize jointly with the IPCC in 2007?

Albert Arnold Gore Jr.

Arnold Schwarzenegger

Bill Nye

Barack Obama

Michael Bloomberg

Question 2

Please name the largest anthropogenic carbon source (______) as well as the largest anthropogenic carbon sink (_______).

fossil fuels and cement factory; atmosphere

deforestation; vegetation

fossil fuels and cement factory; ocean

deforestation; atmosphere

Question 3

Climate Projections: Each representative concentration pathway (RCP) defines a specific emissions trajectory and subsequent radiative forcing. Please answer the following two questions.

1) Choose all “Business as Usual” RCP pathways (RCP8,5, RCP6.0, RCP4.5, RCP2.6).

2) What are the consequences of continued “Business as Usual” pathways? Please use the following figure as a guide, and please elaborate the consequences in detail using examples.

Question 4

The following figure illustrates the expected change in global distribution of precipitation. Based on this figure, 1) please pick 2 general areas that have a greater potential for drought with increasing temperature (e.g., continent, region, etc).  By reviewing the characteristics of such areas, 2) please explain why those areas are high risk locations. Question 5

What is the Global Climate Coalition:

A group that was sponsored by Chevron, Chrysler, Exxon, Ford, General Motors, Mobil, Shell, and Texaco, spent some $13 million on an anti-Kyoto Protocol Advertising campaign.

A group that is led and organized by young activists.

A national nonprofit organization founded by scientists and students at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology.

The United Nations body for assessing the science related to climate change.

Question 6

Following figure shows natural variations in temperature (blue line) and atmospheric carbon dioxide concentration (red line) for the past 450,000 years. What cycle are we looking at, and how do you discribe the pattern?

Solar insolation cycle; slow warming and rapid cooling

Vegetation change cycle; abrupt warming and slow cooling

Ice sheet feedback cycle; erratic warming and erratic cooling

Glacial Interglacial cycle; abrupt warming and slow cooling

All of the answers are correct.

Question 7

Please choose 4 lines of evidence that show that the increase in atmospheric CO2 since the pre-industrial revolution is caused by anthropogenic influence. Please choose all answers that apply.

Increasing atmospheric CO2 (Keeling Curve).

Increasing atmospheric CO2 at unprecedented rates/concentration than recorded in ice cores.

The CO2 emission pattern is consistent with the geographic distribution of industrial sources.

Only burning of fossil fuels (old carbon) can produce the isotopic shifts in d14C and d13C we have measured in the atmosphere.

Keeling curve shows seasonal decrease in CO2.

Higher CO2 concentration at 800,000 years ago than today.

Decreasing global mean temperature trend for the last 55 million years.

Question 8

Imagine you are in a conversation with an executive of the energy company. You hear statements such as 'climate change is all created in a computer.', 'the climate has always been changing in earth's history. why should I worry?'. Please provide response to these statements using your knowledge about climate change, scientific facts and observations. Please elaborate with as much clarity as possible.

Question 9

What does IPCC stand for? What is the mission of the IPCC? Please choose all answers that apply.

Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change.

In 1988, IPCC was established to provide the world with a clear scientific view on the current state of knowledge in climate change and its potential environmental and socio-economic impacts.

It reviews and assesses the most recent scientific, technical, and socio-economic information produced worldwide. It does not conduct any research nor does it monitor climate related data or parameters.

Thousands of scientists from all over the world contribute to the work of the IPCC on a voluntary basis.

All of the above.

Question 10

After viewing NOVA Power Surge documentary, please define 1) what is a “Wedge” . In your opinion, 2) what are the three most important wedges we need to focus to improve efforts to stabilize the level of greenhouse gass emissions? Describe in your own words and list up to three areas where improvement is necessary to meet the UNFCCC goal. Please prioritize them and be as specific as possible

Question 11

Concerning the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), 1) choose one of the most historically significant meetings in your opinion , and 2) explain in your own words why this particular meeting was important  and 3) what happened before/during/after the meeting Question 12

Which President submitted the Framework Convention to the United States Senate that eventually lead to formation of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC)?

Question 13

If the December average temperature for the UMass, Amherst, campus is lower than the previous year, does this mean global warming is slowing? Please 1) provide your answer (yes/no/maybe) and 2) explain your reason(s). Please be specific with your reasoning. If necessary, please use lines of evidence and/or examples to support your argument.

Question 14

Who produced the first instrumental atmospheric CO2 records in 1958? _____ How would you describe the variability of atmospheric CO2 since then? _____

Charles David Keeling, Consistent increase

Fred Singer, Consistent decrease

Albert Arnold Gore Jr., Consistent with seasonal variation

Arnold Schwarzenegger, erratic - no change

Barack Obama, Consistent increase