Climate Change & Carbon Footprint Flashcards

Which federal agency produces the primary sea level rise projections and interactive planning tools used by coastal planners in the United States?

Answer: NOAA

NOAA produces the Interagency Sea Level Rise Technical Report and the Sea Level Rise Viewer, which are the standard references for sea level rise projections used in U.S. coastal planning.

Which approach uses natural systems such as bioswales, green roofs, and urban tree canopies to manage stormwater and reduce the urban heat island effect?

Answer: Green infrastructure

Green infrastructure uses vegetation, soils, and natural processes to manage stormwater and moderate temperatures, providing co-benefits including urban heat island mitigation and carbon sequestration.

According to the IPCC, climate vulnerability is determined by which three components?

Answer: Exposure, sensitivity, and adaptive capacity

The IPCC defines climate vulnerability as a function of exposure (the degree of climate stress), sensitivity (how much a system is affected), and adaptive capacity (ability to adjust and respond to change).

What does 'net zero emissions' mean for a city or organization in the context of climate planning?

Answer: A balance between GHG emissions produced and GHG removed from the atmosphere

Net zero means that the total amount of GHG released into the atmosphere equals the total amount removed, achieving no net addition to atmospheric GHG concentrations.

Updated Council on Environmental Quality (CEQ) NEPA regulations require federal agencies to analyze which climate-related consideration for proposed actions?

Answer: Greenhouse gas emissions from the action and how climate change may affect the action

CEQ's updated NEPA regulations and guidance explicitly require federal agencies to analyze both the GHG emissions a proposed action would generate and how projected climate change conditions may affect the action and its impacts.

What is the primary purpose of a GHG mitigation monitoring and reporting program (MMRP) included in an Environmental Impact Report (EIR)?

Answer: To verify that GHG reduction measures are implemented and achieving projected emission reductions

A GHG mitigation monitoring and reporting program ensures accountability by tracking whether emission reduction measures identified in the EIR are actually implemented and are delivering the projected reductions.

How does the environmental justice framework apply to climate change planning?

Answer: It recognizes that low-income and minority communities face disproportionate climate burdens and should equitably share climate benefits

Climate environmental justice holds that communities of color and low-income populations are disproportionately exposed to climate impacts while contributing least to emissions, and that climate solutions must address these inequities.