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As the climate gets warmer we will see more floods.

Consequences of Climate Change

Climate change is already affecting people and places worldwide. This GCSE Geography quiz looks at its consequences, from rising seas to stronger storms and heatwaves.

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Fascinating Fact:

Higher sea levels can lead to the loss of low-lying land, damage to coastal habitats, and the displacement of people living in vulnerable areas.

In GCSE Geography, pupils study the consequences of climate change to understand how rising temperatures affect weather patterns, ecosystems and human activity. Topics include sea level rise, more frequent extreme events, threats to food and water supplies, and the risk of forced migration as some places become harder to live in safely.

Key Terms

Climate change: A long-term shift in average weather patterns, mainly caused today by human activities that increase greenhouse gas concentrations in the atmosphere.
Sea level rise: The gradual increase in the average level of the world’s oceans due to melting ice and the expansion of warmer seawater.
Climate refugee: A person who is forced to move from their home area because climate-related impacts, such as flooding or drought, make living there unsafe or unsustainable.

Frequently Asked Questions (Click to see answers)

What are the main consequences of climate change?

The main consequences of climate change include more frequent heatwaves, stronger storms, changing rainfall, sea level rise, threats to wildlife habitats and increased risks to people’s health, homes and food supplies.

How does climate change affect people living near the coast?

People living near the coast may face more flooding, faster cliff and beach erosion, saltwater entering freshwater supplies and damage to homes, businesses and transport routes during storms.

What can be done to reduce the consequences of climate change?

The consequences can be reduced by cutting greenhouse gas emissions, switching to renewable energy, improving energy efficiency and adapting places, for example by improving flood defences and protecting natural coastal barriers.

Try These Related Quizzes

1 .

Roughly how many people's lives are threatened by flooding due to rising sea levels?

80,000,000

8,000,000

800,000

80,000

Low lying coastal areas and islands are at great risk. Many of the smaller atolls and islands will vanish if sea levels rise by more than half a metre

2 .

How is climate change likely to affect human migration patterns?

Populations will move away from cities as the flood risk increases

Populations will move away from the poles towards the warmer equator

People will move to low-lying coastal areas

Populations will move away from drought-stricken areas

People living in MEDCs (More Economically Developed Countries) will be more able to adapt to the changing weather than those in LEDCs (Less Economically Developed Countries). Many of the areas at most risk of drought and water stress are LEDCs and so the population may be forced to move to survive

3 .

The North Atlantic Current brings warm water north to the UK. An increase in melting polar ice may push this current further south preventing that warmer water reaching us. What are the likely consequences of this change for the UK?

Much colder conditions and a decrease in the amount of rainfall

Much warmer conditions and more rain

Drier conditions leading to desertification and warmer summers

Little measurable impact on the weather as the current has little direct effect

The shifting of the North Atlantic Current further south is often hypothesised as a possible reason for the next ice age. Countries on the same latitude as the UK and not affected by the current (Canada for example) have permafrost and much harsher winters

4 .

17 million people in Bangladesh will be negatively impacted by climate change. What is the main risk that climate change poses to Bangladesh?

Desertification

Drought

Flooding

Increased ice

As a low-lying country, Bangladesh is at risk from rising sea levels and flooding

5 .

How might global climate change impact the UK tourism-based economy in the short to medium term?

Continual flooding will force people to holiday elsewhere. It is likely that all parts of the tourism trade will be forced to close

Warmer conditions may encourage more people to stay at home, although skiing resorts in Scotland are unlikely to have snow for the winter season

Wetter conditions will reduce the chances for people to enjoy the countryside, although urban tourism will still be popular

Flooding in the south will encourage more people to move north, leading to a change in the tourist economy to the northern section of the UK

As temperatures increase it is likely that Britain will see warmer summers and become more attractive to tourists. In the longer term the movement of the North Atlantic Current may reverse this trend

6 .

How will climate change reduce the amount of fresh water available for drinking?

Increased flooding and rising sea levels will contaminate fresh water supplies

More water will be locked up as ice

Decreased rainfall will reduce the amount of fresh water

Increased evaporation will reduce the amount of water

The increased flooding and sea level rises, as well as desertification, will lead to water stress in more areas

7 .

When referring to sea level rise we normally discuss melting ice. What other effect of global warming may lead to sea level rise and coastal flooding?

Increased rainfall

More pumping of water from flood events on land

Thermal expansion of the oceans as they warm up

Increase in river size

The thermal expansion of the water might not sound like a lot, but a large temeperature increase will cause a significant sea level rise

8 .

Which of the following is not a reason why climate change would impact major UK cities in particular when compared to more rural areas?

Warmer weather will increase pollution levels

Most UK cities are built around a port and vulnerable to rising sea levels

Longer growing seasons and changing conditions may lead to a change in farming practices

More extreme weather conditions will lead to river flooding. UK cities are often built up to the very edges of the river banks

Flood barriers, such as the Thames Barrier, will prevent some flooding but many cities and towns are built on land that was previously marshland. Even a small rise in water levels will lead to flood events. Increased temperature may lead to increased pollution and diseases in population centres

9 .

In 2008 Global CO₂ levels reached 380ppm. If they reach 550ppm how much is it predicted that average global temperatures would rise in degrees Celsius?

2^o

10^o

6^o

14^o

Whilst a rise of 6 degrees doesn't sound like a lot, it's the difference between a warm day in England and a warm day in southern Spain. Species would go extinct as they struggled to adapt to the new climatic conditions, droughts and storms. Low-lying areas would be flooded as well which would have an impact on the economy

10 .

What is the general trend in the change of seasons in the UK?

Growing seasons are getting longer, whilst winters are becoming wetter and with more extreme weather events

Winters are becoming warmer whilst summers are becoming colder

The seasons are becoming more regular. Overall everything is becoming warmer and drier

Storms are becoming an infrequent event due to the climate getting warmer

Whilst summers and the growing season are getting longer, more frequent flooding and storm events are damaging crops and reducing the agricultural capacity

You can find more about this topic by visiting BBC Bitesize - Climate change

Author: Ruth M