11 Changing climate, changing environments

11 Changing climate, changing environments

11.1 What is happening to our climate?

A What is weather? What is climate?

1 Weather refers to the condition of the atmosphere over a short period of time,
while climate is the average weather condition over many years.

2 Complete the table below to show the key elements of weather, as well as their units.
Element Unit Element Unit
a Temperature ℃/℉ e Air pressure hPa
b Precipitation mm f Relative humidity %
c Wind speed m/s g Sunshine hour
d Wind direction N/E/S/W

B How has the climate of Hong Kong changed in recent decades?

3 Put a ‘✓’ in the correct columns to show how the climate of Hong Kong has changed in recent
decades.
Climatic Change
element
Increase Decrease
a Temperature and
number of hot nights ✓

b Visibility
✓

c Cloud cover, rainfall,

days of heavy rain and ✓
thunderstorms

d Wind speed
✓

© Oxford University Press (China) Ltd 2012 1

Junior Secondary Exploring Geography
Lesson worksheets

11.2 How is the global climate changing?

A What is the climatic pattern of the world?

1 In general, global temperature increases with decreasing latitude. This means that
temperatures in the low -latitude regions (e.g. within the tropics) are higher than those
in the high -latitude regions (e.g. at the poles).

2 Precipitation is unevenly distributed throughout the world, with:

a inland areas are usually drier than coastal areas; and
b areas around the Equator have a higher amount than areas near the poles.

B Is the global climate changing?

3 Complete the following table to show the changes in global climate in recent decades.
Changes
Temperature ‧ Global average temperature ( increases / decreases )
‧ Frost 結霜 days decrease

Precipitation ‧ Rainfall intensity 強度 increases

‧ Rainfall frequency 頻率 and duration 時長 decrease
‧ Total amount of global precipitation: No big change
‧ Precipitation falls as rain ( more / less ) often
‧ Precipitation becomes ( more / less ) extreme
‧ Some places have become wetter while others have become
drier

2 © Oxford University Press (China) Ltd 2012

 11 Changing climate, changing environments

4 a Fill in the blanks with correct figures.

Over the past century, the annual mean temperature of Hong Kong has increased
1.5 ℃, while the global average temperature has risen by 0.74 ℃.
b Compare the rate of temperature change between Hong Kong and the world. What can you
conclude?
Although the average temperatures of both Hong Kong and the world have increased,
Hong Kong gets hotter at a faster rate than the world as a whole. / the increasing rate of
Hong Kong’s temperature is twice as the world’s temperature.

11.2 What is causing our climate to change?

A What is the greenhouse effect?

1 The diagram below shows the work of a natural process of the earth. Complete the diagram with
suitable words.

○
4 Greenhouse gases, water vapour
Atmosphere
and dust in the atmosphere trap the heat

○
3 Heat is released from
○
5 Some heat ( can /
○
1 The ( short / long ) waves the earth’s surface as
cannot ) pass through
of sun rays ( can / cannot ) ( short / long ) waves
the atmosphere
pass through the atmosphere
2 The earth’s
○ ○
6 The atmosphere and

surface heats up the earth’s surface get

( warmer / cooler )

2 What do we call this process?

Greenhouse effect

© Oxford University Press (China) Ltd 2012 3

Junior Secondary Exploring Geography
Lesson worksheets

B What has led to the increase in the amount of the greenhouse gases?

3 Too much greenhouse gas in the atmosphere will ( retain / lose ) a lot of heat. The earth will
become very ( hot / cold ). This phenomenon is called global warming .

4 How does the clearing of vegetation increase the amount of carbon dioxide in the air?
People may clear vegetation by fire. The burning of vegetation releases carbon dioxide.
Besides, clearing vegetation means that there are fewer trees left to absorb carbon dioxide. All
these increase the amount of carbon dioxide in the air.

5 a The table below shows some examples of greenhouse gases. Write the full names of the
gases in the left column.
b What are the major human sources of these gases. Complete the right column of the table.
Greenhouse gas Human source

i Methane ‧ Growing rice and rearing cattle

‧ Animal waste
CH4
‧ Landfills

ii Carbon dioxide ‧ Burning fossil fuels such as coal ,

oil and natural gas
CO2
‧ Deforestation

iii Nitrous oxide ‧ Chemical

fertilizers
N2O

iv Chlorofluorocarbons ‧ Refrigerators

CFCs ‧ Air conditioners

‧ Aerosols

v Ozone ‧ Air pollution

O3

4 © Oxford University Press (China) Ltd 2012

 11 Changing climate, changing environments

11.3 What are the effects of climate change?

A What are the possible benefits of climate change?

1 Complete the table below to show the possible benefits brought about by climate change.
Area Possible benefit
Cold/Temperate ‧ Shorter/Warmer winters ➔
area
– Use ( more / less ) energy for heating
– Fewer people die from cold weather
‧ Longer growing season ➔ Grow more food

Arctic region Melting of polar ice ➔

‧ Easier to exploit energy resources under the thinner ice, e.g.
oil and gas
‧ Shorter shipping routes among countries in the Arctic Circle

(Credit: © Erik Christensen | Wikimedia Commons)

© Oxford University Press (China) Ltd 2012 5

Junior Secondary Exploring Geography
Lesson worksheets

B What are the harmful effects of climate change?

2 Complete the tables to show the harmful effects caused by climate change.
a Melting ice at the Poles Melting of polar ice  Seawater expands

Sea levels rise

Flooding of coastal areas (e.g. the CBD of Hong Kong, the Mai Po
Nature Reserve) and
island countries like Tuvalu

(Credit: © Linda Bair | Dreamstime)

b More climatic hazards

More evaporation in ( wet / dry ) areas

i More rainfall and flooding ii Stronger typhoons and blizzards

iii Lower relative humidity in ( wet / dry ) areas iv High temperatures will cause heat waves
➔ More periods of droughts v More wildfires

Soil erosion and desertification

c Spread of disease Spread of tropical diseases to

temperate areas, e.g. malaria and
dengue fever
d Extinction of species ‧ As temperature and rainfall patterns change, the habitat
of plants and animals will change too
‧ Some species may not be able to adapt to these changes and die.
For example, coral in Sai Kung may face this threat
e Disruption of crop
yields and the food
‧ Rising sea levels
supply
➔ Flooding of the fields
(Credit: © US Army Corps of ➔ Farmland will become salty
Engineers)
‧ Crop failure caused by stronger
climatic hazards
‧ Crop failure caused by more active
pests , e.g. locust

6 © Oxford University Press (China) Ltd 2012

 11 Changing climate, changing environments

11.4

A What are the causes of the changing climate in Hong Kong?

Urban development in Hong Kong

a Clearing of trees c Dense and tall buildings Lead to

Cutting trees for urban development They block wind flow ➔

➔ Less vegetation to absorb Lower wind speed
carbon dioxide 
➔ ( Higher / Lower ) temperature Prevent cooling ➔
( Higher / Lower )
temperature

b Concrete buildings d Busy urban activities

These buildings absorb and retain Large demand for power ➔

heat effectively ➔ Burning more fossil fuels ➔
( Higher / Lower ) temperature Produce a lot of:
‧ man -made heat, ( Higher /
‧ greenhouse gases Lower )
‧ dust temperature

( Higher / Lower ) visibility


Urban development in the Zhujiang Delta Region (ZDR)

‧ A large urban area is developed next to Hong Kong ➔

Increase the effect of urban area on climate change
in Hong Kong, e.g. higher temperature and weaker
winds

‧ Pollutants from the ZDR in ( summer / winter )

➔ ( Higher / Lower ) visibility

© Oxford University Press (China) Ltd 2012 7

 Junior Secondary Exploring Geography
Lesson worksheets

Heat island 熱島 effect in Hong Kong

Temperatures in the urban areas are ( lower / higher ) than those in the
surrounding rural areas
Lead to

Warmer wet surfaces

Higher temperatures over wet surfaces

( favour / do not favour ) the formation
of clouds

( Denser / Sparser ) cloud cover

( More / Less ) rainfall

8 © Oxford University Press (China) Ltd 2012

 11 Changing climate, changing environments

11.5 What can we do about it?

A How can we ease climate change?

1 Below are some possible ways to manage the problem of climate change.
Approach Measure
Slow down the emitting ‧ Save energy in order to burn less fossil fuels
of greenhouse gases into
the air ‧ Use renewable energy resources, e.g. solar and
wind power
‧ Keep air clean
‧ Stop making products that contain
chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs)
‧ Practise waste separation and recycle
➔ Reduce the emission of methane from landfill
sites
➔ Less energy and trees are needed for making new
products
Remove excess ‧ Cut ( more / fewer ) trees
greenhouse gases from
the air ‧ Plant ( more / fewer ) trees
‧ Allow plant plankton to grow better by keeping
oceans clean

B What has been done to deal with climate change?

1 At the international level

2 Below are the details of some agreements about climate change. Name the agreements.
a Limit greenhouse gas emissions for MDCs but Kyoto Protocol
not LDCs
b Most MDCs and LDCs agreed for the first Copenhagen Accord
time to cut greenhouse gas emissions
c Set up a green fund to help poor countries Durban Platform

© Oxford University Press (China) Ltd 2012 9

Junior Secondary Exploring Geography
Lesson worksheets

3 What are the disputes between MDCs and LDCs over the problem of responsibility for climate
change? Write TWO arguments, in complete sentences, put forward by MDCs and LDCs
respectively.
a MDCs
Cutting emission incurs extra costs. This will slow down economy. / The total emissions from
LDCs are high, particularly China and India. / The emissions from LDCs are increasing, while
those from many MDCs are decreasing. (any TWO)
b LDCs
LDCs have no money and technologies to deal with the problem. / The per capita emissions
from LDCs are low. / Most major emitters are MDCs. / Most greenhouse gases accumulated in
the air were caused by MDCs in the past. (any TWO)

2 At the national level

4 What has China done to tackle the problem of climate change? Write ONE measure in each of
the following boxes.
Slow down the emitting of Remove excess greenhouse gases
greenhouse gases into the air from the air
For example, provide lower tax rates to For example, large-scale afforestation in
high-tech and green industries which are northern China
less polluting

3 At the individual level

5 Write ONE thing that you can do to help ease climate change.
For example, turn off lights which are not in use

10 © Oxford University Press (China) Ltd 2012