CCP Mitigation & Adaptation Strategies 3 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: Which building design strategy passively reduces cooling energy demand by reflecting sunlight?
- Green roofs with vegetation
- Cool roofs with high solar reflectance (Correct answer)
- Double-pane window installation
- Thermal mass construction
Correct answer: Cool roofs with high solar reflectance
Cool roofs use highly reflective materials to reflect solar radiation, reducing heat absorption and lowering cooling energy needs.
Question 2: What is 'loss and damage' in international climate negotiations?
- Financial penalties imposed on high-emitting countries
- Harm from climate impacts that cannot be avoided through mitigation or adaptation (Correct answer)
- Insurance payouts for extreme weather events
- The economic cost of transitioning to renewable energy
Correct answer: Harm from climate impacts that cannot be avoided through mitigation or adaptation
Loss and damage refers to the residual negative impacts of climate change that occur despite or beyond mitigation and adaptation efforts.
Question 3: Demand-side management (DSM) in the electricity sector primarily aims to:
- Increase total electricity generation capacity
- Shift or reduce consumer electricity use to improve grid efficiency (Correct answer)
- Subsidize renewable energy installations
- Expand transmission infrastructure to rural areas
Correct answer: Shift or reduce consumer electricity use to improve grid efficiency
DSM programs incentivize consumers to reduce or shift electricity demand, lowering peak loads and overall system emissions.
Question 4: Which adaptation strategy involves planting trees in urban areas to reduce the urban heat island effect?
- Albedo modification
- Urban greening and tree canopy expansion (Correct answer)
- Permeable pavement installation
- District cooling systems
Correct answer: Urban greening and tree canopy expansion
Urban tree planting provides shade, evapotranspiration cooling, and reduces the urban heat island effect while offering co-benefits for air quality and mental health.
Question 5: What is the 'mitigation hierarchy' in climate change and environmental management?
- A ranking of countries by their GHG reduction commitments
- A framework prioritizing avoid, minimize, restore, and offset as sequential steps (Correct answer)
- The order in which different sectors should decarbonize
- A classification of renewable energy technologies by cost-effectiveness
Correct answer: A framework prioritizing avoid, minimize, restore, and offset as sequential steps
The mitigation hierarchy prioritizes first avoiding impacts, then minimizing, then restoring, and finally offsetting as a last resort.
Question 6: Which of the following is a key co-benefit of transitioning to renewable energy beyond reducing GHG emissions?
- Increased water consumption for energy generation
- Improved local air quality and reduced public health costs (Correct answer)
- Higher electricity prices for consumers in all regions
- Greater dependence on imported fuel supplies
Correct answer: Improved local air quality and reduced public health costs
Replacing fossil fuels with renewables reduces air pollutants like particulate matter and NOx, yielding major public health benefits and lower healthcare costs.
Question 7: In climate risk assessment, what does 'exposure' refer to?
- The sensitivity of a system to climate stimuli
- The presence of people, ecosystems, or assets in places subject to climate hazards (Correct answer)
- A community's ability to cope with climate impacts
- The probability of a specific climate hazard occurring
Correct answer: The presence of people, ecosystems, or assets in places subject to climate hazards
Exposure refers to the presence and characteristics of people, livelihoods, or assets located in areas affected by climate hazards.
CCP Mitigation & Adaptation Strategies 3
Which building design strategy passively reduces cooling energy demand by reflecting sunlight?