2B.9C

Question 1

In what ways will climate change increase coastal flood risk

Answer 1

Frequency and magnitude of storms, sea level rise
BUT pace and magnitude of this is uncertain

Question 2

What are three climatic changes that will happen

Answer 2

• Warmer oceans = additional heat energy / higher sea surface temperatures (SSTs)
• Lower air pressure = faster winds / higher doming of sea water
• Larger storm waves

Question 3

What are key uncertainties that mean we do not know the pace and magnitude of climatic changes

Answer 3

• Poor global data on average wind speed / wave height
• Poor forecasting )
• Human-related drivers – e.g. land use change / coastal development / pollution
• More and more people in lowland coasts
• BUT: better protection and preparation.

Question 4

What specific climate changes are going on in Kiribati right now?

Answer 4

• Specific causes: SLR and storm surges
• SST temperature changes bleach coral reefs (stress in polyps expels zooxanthellae (algae), leading to loss of food supply and colour)

Question 5

How has Kiribati responded to climate changes that have increased flood risk there

Answer 5

Responses include:
Mitigation (solar panels and local food)
Adaptation (sea walls / rainwater harvesting / buying new land

Question 6

What are the key impacts of listed climatic changes

Answer 6

• Sea-levels are rising (55cm by 2011)
• Deltas are flooding
• More wind/waves = more coastal erosion
• Storm surges
• NOT tropical storms

Question 7

What are other uncertainties regarding climate change

Answer 7

• We don’t exactly know what will happen to temperatures
• We don’t know how societies respond to crisis
• We can’t predict unusual combinations of factors

Question 8

What is the IPCC prediction for sea level rise by 2100

Answer 8

Sea level will rise by 18-59 cm by 2100

Question 9

Why is the pace and magnitude of sea level rise uncertain?

Answer 9

however the pace and extent of sea level within the predicted range is uncertain due to
- population growth,
-economic development,
- natural positive and negative feedback,
-political commitment to restrict GHG emissions
- adaptation

Question 10

What forms of mitigation reduce climate impacts

Answer 10

Reducing GHG emissions to limit level of global warming would mitigate sea level rise and cyclone intensity.

Question 11

Outline medium confidence cliamte change predictions

Answer 11

Wind and waves :
Some evidence of increase wind speeds and large waves
Coastal erosion:
Erosion will generally increase because of the combined effects of changes to weather systems and sea level

Question 12

Outline low confidence climate change predictions

Answer 12

• The frequency is likely to remain unchanged, but there could be more larger storms
• Predicted to increase in strength by 2-11% by 2100. Associated rainfall will increase by 20%.
• Cyclone intensity would increase due to warmer ocean surface temperature and warmed atmosphere holding more moisture.

Question 13

Describe examples of adaptation

Answer 13

• Buliding sea walls
• new artifical islands
• storm surge barriers across the mouth of rivers
• earth embankments
• restoration of mangrove forest

Question 14

Why might Bwabwai crop not be able to be grown due to CC

Answer 14

Salwater intrusion from storms/storm surges that become more frequent and intense