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neurologyYou need to know

• Weather is the day-to-day state of the atmosphere at a particular place and time, including temperature, precipitation, and wind.
• Climate is the average weather conditions of a place over a long period, typically 30 years or more.
• The main difference between weather and climate is timescale: weather is short-term, climate is long-term.
• Temperature and CO₂ graphs can be used to identify trends and patterns related to climate change.
• Ice cores, glacier melting, and sea level rise are three types of evidence that show climate change is happening.
• Volcanic activity and solar activity are two natural processes that can cause climate change.
• Volcanic eruptions can cool the Earth by releasing ash and sulphur dioxide, which reflect sunlight.
• Changes in solar activity, such as sunspot cycles, can alter the amount of solar energy reaching Earth, affecting global temperatures.
• In the natural greenhouse effect, incoming short-wave radiation warms Earth's surface, Earth emits long-wave radiation, and greenhouse gases absorb and re-radiate some of this energy, keeping the planet warm enough for life.
• Human activities that increase greenhouse gas emissions include burning fossil fuels, deforestation, and agriculture.
• The enhanced greenhouse effect is the process by which human activities increase the concentration of greenhouse gases, intensifying global warming.
• The transport, energy, and agriculture sectors are major contributors to global greenhouse gas emissions.
• Environmental impacts of climate change include rising sea levels, melting glaciers, and ecosystem loss.
• Social and economic impacts of climate change include loss of homes, food insecurity, and job disruption.
• Certain communities or regions, such as low-income, low-lying, or developing areas, are more vulnerable to climate change due to factors like geography, wealth, and infrastructure.
• Mitigation refers to actions taken to reduce or prevent the emission of greenhouse gases.
• Climate change mitigation strategies include renewable energy and reforestation.
• Adaptation refers to actions taken to adjust to actual or expected climate change and its effects.
• Adaptation strategies include physical defences like the Thames Barrier and sea walls in the Maldives.
• Climate justice is the concept that addresses the ethical dimensions of climate change, recognising that its impacts are not distributed equally.
• Different regions, such as small developing areas and the UK, experience and are affected by climate change in different ways.
• Global agreements, such as the Paris Agreement, aim to coordinate international efforts to address climate change.

• Interpret temperature and CO₂ graphs to describe trends and patterns in climate data.
• Assess the strength of different evidence and explain why scientists conclude that recent warming is unequivocal and primarily human-caused.
• Evaluate which natural cause is most influential today and compare this to the influence of human causes.
• Explain the enhanced greenhouse effect, showing how human activity intensifies global warming.
• Explain the role of key sectors, such as transport, energy, and agriculture, in contributing to global emissions.
• Describe three environmental impacts of climate change and explain these using case study examples, such as the Arctic.
• Justify whether climate change is the biggest environmental threat, using evidence.
• Analyse a case study to explain how and why people and places are affected by climate change.
• Evaluate the effectiveness of a global agreement, such as the Paris Agreement, in addressing climate change.