Podcast
Questions and Answers
What was the wind speed range during Hurricane Katrina?
What was the wind speed range during Hurricane Katrina?
- 80 - 120 km/h
- 250 - 300 km/h
- 100 - 150 km/h
- 130 - 280 km/h (correct)
What percentage of homes were destroyed as a direct impact of Hurricane Katrina?
What percentage of homes were destroyed as a direct impact of Hurricane Katrina?
- 50%
- 100%
- 25%
- 75% (correct)
Which model is used to assess the indirect economic impacts of natural disasters in the short to medium term?
Which model is used to assess the indirect economic impacts of natural disasters in the short to medium term?
- Computable General Equilibrium Models
- Input-Output Models (correct)
- Catastrophe Models
- Integrated Assessment Models
What was the estimated economic impact of Hurricane Katrina over a two year period?
What was the estimated economic impact of Hurricane Katrina over a two year period?
What proportion of evacuees from Hurricane Katrina did not return after more than eight years?
What proportion of evacuees from Hurricane Katrina did not return after more than eight years?
What is one of the primary reasons for conducting impact assessments for higher scenarios?
What is one of the primary reasons for conducting impact assessments for higher scenarios?
What does adaptation primarily aim to achieve in response to climate change?
What does adaptation primarily aim to achieve in response to climate change?
Which statement accurately reflects the current effectiveness of international mitigation efforts?
Which statement accurately reflects the current effectiveness of international mitigation efforts?
What is a key challenge associated with modeling higher climate scenarios?
What is a key challenge associated with modeling higher climate scenarios?
Which policy question is addressed under mitigation efforts?
Which policy question is addressed under mitigation efforts?
What is a primary focus of finer geographical scale assessments in climate studies?
What is a primary focus of finer geographical scale assessments in climate studies?
Which working group of the IPCC is primarily concerned with climate adaptation?
Which working group of the IPCC is primarily concerned with climate adaptation?
What is the main goal of the Paris Agreement established in 2016?
What is the main goal of the Paris Agreement established in 2016?
In climate impact assessments, scenarios are used to:
In climate impact assessments, scenarios are used to:
What type of methods is typically included in a mixed method approach for assessing local climate risks?
What type of methods is typically included in a mixed method approach for assessing local climate risks?
What role do impacts models play in climate assessments?
What role do impacts models play in climate assessments?
Which of the following best describes the primary function of climate models?
Which of the following best describes the primary function of climate models?
Why are econometric techniques utilized in climate impact assessments?
Why are econometric techniques utilized in climate impact assessments?
What is the primary goal of the ISIMIP project?
What is the primary goal of the ISIMIP project?
Which of the following is NOT a source of uncertainty in climate impact assessments?
Which of the following is NOT a source of uncertainty in climate impact assessments?
What is a scenario in the context of climate impact assessments?
What is a scenario in the context of climate impact assessments?
What do the representative concentration pathways (RCPs) indicate?
What do the representative concentration pathways (RCPs) indicate?
Which Shared Socioeconomic Pathway (SSP) describes low challenges for adaptation and mitigation?
Which Shared Socioeconomic Pathway (SSP) describes low challenges for adaptation and mitigation?
How has the CO2 concentration changed from pre-industrial times to today?
How has the CO2 concentration changed from pre-industrial times to today?
What is one of the outcomes of cross-sectoral interactions in the ISIMIP project?
What is one of the outcomes of cross-sectoral interactions in the ISIMIP project?
Why is uncertainty considered to increase along the impact modeling chain?
Why is uncertainty considered to increase along the impact modeling chain?
What has increased the probability of heatwaves in the northern hemisphere during the summer?
What has increased the probability of heatwaves in the northern hemisphere during the summer?
Why is there low confidence in attributing extreme rainfall events to human activity?
Why is there low confidence in attributing extreme rainfall events to human activity?
How has the frequency of heatwaves similar to the European heatwave of 2003 changed due to global warming?
How has the frequency of heatwaves similar to the European heatwave of 2003 changed due to global warming?
What role does the jetstream play in extreme weather events?
What role does the jetstream play in extreme weather events?
What has contributed to the increase in daily rainfall records globally?
What has contributed to the increase in daily rainfall records globally?
How have drier regions been affected since 1950?
How have drier regions been affected since 1950?
Which of the following statements about event attribution is true?
Which of the following statements about event attribution is true?
What characteristic of precipitation makes it necessary to have a denser observational network?
What characteristic of precipitation makes it necessary to have a denser observational network?
Flashcards are hidden until you start studying
Study Notes
Introduction to Climate Impact Assessments
- Impact assessments are vital for preparing for and mitigating the effects of climate change
- Climate change impacts are highly uncertain, especially for higher emission scenarios
- The Paris Agreement goals are unlikely to be met
- Adaptation strategies aim to reduce the consequences of climate change through automatic or planned responses
- Mitigation strategies aim to prevent climate change by reducing greenhouse gas emissions
- Both adaptation and mitigation policies face significant challenges
- International efforts for mitigation are insufficient to significantly reduce climate risk
Hurricane Katrina: A Case Study
- Hurricane Katrina had devastating immediate and long-term consequences
- Direct impacts included widespread property damage, infrastructure damage, and loss of life
- Indirect impacts included temporary and permanent migration, disrupted trade flows, economic losses, and employment shifts
Methods for Assessing Climate Change Impacts
- Direct impacts of natural disasters are analyzed using Catastrophe Models
- Indirect economic impacts are studied using Input-Output Models and Computable General Equilibrium models
- Aggregated economic impacts from climate change are assessed using Integrated Assessment Models
Bottom-up Approaches
- Collect data on present and historical climate risks at a finer geographical scale
- Emphasize physical and social processes
- Useful for data-scarce regions, guiding climate policy, and calibrating models
- Employ econometric techniques to analyze relationships between climate variables, impacts, and adaptation
Scenarios as a Tool for Exploring Future Uncertainties
- Climate impact assessments explore the severity of future climate impacts and inform climate policy
- IPCC Assessment Reports synthesize current climate change literature
- Climate models simulate the global climate system's response to increasing greenhouse gases
- Impact models simulate the physical and socioeconomic effects of climate change
ISIMIP (Inter-sectoral Impact Model Intercomparison Project)
- Compares over 120 impact models, from local to global scales
- Aims to synthesize impacts, quantify uncertainties, improve models, and understand cross-sectoral interactions
Uncertainties in Climate Impact Assessments
- Input data uncertainties arise from data scarcity, measurement errors, and representativeness of measurement sites
- Process understanding and modeling uncertainties stem from climate change dynamics, gaps in knowledge, and parameter estimation
- Future uncertainties include societal change, value shifts, and policy stringency
Scenarios as a Tool to Explore Future Uncertainty
- Scenarios are plausible descriptions of possible future states of the world
- They do not predict the future, but rather help us understand uncertainties and make robust decisions
Representative Concentration Pathways (RCPs)
- Describe the intensity of anthropogenic radiative forcing
- Used as input into climate models
- Show CO2 concentration and temperature increases relative to pre-industrial levels
Shared Socioeconomic Pathways (SSPs)
- Describe plausible trends in societal and natural system evolution
- Explore how socioeconomic developments influence adaptation and mitigation challenges
Climate Change and Extreme Weather Events
- Recent years have seen record high temperatures (heatwaves) and extreme rainfall events
- Global warming is increasing the frequency and intensity of heatwaves and extreme rainfall
- Human influence on increased precipitation is uncertain, due to limitations in climate models
Jetstream and Extreme Weather Events
- The jet stream plays a crucial role in extreme weather events
- Variations in the jet stream can contribute to localized flooding or droughts
- Uncertainty remains about how AGW alters atmospheric dynamics and impacts regional climate
Event Attribution
- Aims to determine the role of climate change in individual extreme events
- The 2003 European heatwave is considered a wake-up call for climate scientists
- Studies show a tenfold increase in the frequency of similar heatwaves due to AGW
Studying That Suits You
Use AI to generate personalized quizzes and flashcards to suit your learning preferences.
