Topic 6: The Carbon Cycle and Energy Security
A balanced carbon cycle is important in maintaining planetary health. The carbon cycle operates at a range of spatial scales and timescales, from seconds to millions of years. Physical processes control the movement of carbon between stores on land, the oceans and the atmosphere. Changes to the most important stores of carbon and carbon fluxes are a result of physical and human processes. Reliance on fossil fuels has caused significant changes to carbon stores and contributed to climate change resulting from anthropogenic carbon emissions.
The water and carbon cycles and the role of feedbacks in and between the two cycles, provide a context for developing an understanding of climate change. Anthropogenic climate change poses a serious threat to the health of the planet. There is a range of adaptation and mitigation strategies that could be used, but for them to be successful they require global agreements as well as national actions.
The water and carbon cycles and the role of feedbacks in and between the two cycles, provide a context for developing an understanding of climate change. Anthropogenic climate change poses a serious threat to the health of the planet. There is a range of adaptation and mitigation strategies that could be used, but for them to be successful they require global agreements as well as national actions.
- Enquiry question 1: How does the carbon cycle operate to maintain planetary health?
- Enquiry question 2: What are the consequences for people and the environment of our increasing demand for energy?
- Enquiry question 3: How are the carbon and water cycles linked to the global climate system?
Wider Reading
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Klein, N. (2013)
Highly acclaimed author, well worth reading many of her other books as well. Good for Globalisation, Carbon Cycle and Health, Human Rights and Intervention
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