What is causing climate change, what are its effects, and how can it be managed?
The physical and human causes of climate change, the local and global effects of a changing climate, and the management strategies used to reduce it and adapt to it.
An SQA National 5 Geography answer on climate change, covering the physical and human causes, the local and global effects of a warming climate, and the strategies used to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and adapt to change.
Reviewed by: AI editorial process; not yet individually human-reviewed
Have a quick question? Jump to the Q&A page
Jump to a section
What this dot point is asking
The SQA wants you to explain the physical and human causes of climate change, describe its local and global effects, and describe and comment on the strategies used to reduce it (mitigation) and to cope with it (adaptation).
The greenhouse effect
Causes of climate change
The course separates physical (natural) and human causes.
Effects of climate change
The effects are felt locally and globally:
- Melting ice and rising seas - glaciers and ice sheets melt, sea levels rise, and low-lying land and islands flood.
- Extreme weather - more frequent and severe droughts, floods, heatwaves and storms.
- Wildlife and farming - habitats are lost, species move or die out, and harvests fail in some regions while others change.
- People - water and food shortages, climate refugees, and the spread of diseases such as malaria into new areas.
Managing climate change
There are two approaches:
- Reducing the causes (mitigation) - switch to renewable energy (wind, solar, hydro); improve energy efficiency and public transport; plant trees; international agreements such as the Paris Agreement set emission-cutting targets; carbon taxes discourage pollution.
- Adapting to the effects - build sea walls and flood defences; grow drought-resistant crops; improve water storage; and plan for floods and heat.
Examples in context
Example 1. Low-lying countries. Bangladesh and Pacific islands such as Tuvalu face flooding of farmland and homes as sea levels rise, showing the human cost of climate change.
Example 2. The Paris Agreement. Nearly every country agreed targets to limit global warming, an example of international management, though enforcement and meeting targets remain difficult.
Try this
Q1. Name the main greenhouse gas released by burning fossil fuels. [1 mark]
- Cue. Carbon dioxide.
Q2. State one way of adapting to (coping with) the effects of climate change. [1 mark]
- Cue. Building sea defences (or growing drought-resistant crops, flood planning).
Exam-style practice questions
Practice questions written in the style of SQA exam questions on this dot point, with worked answer explainers. The year tag is the paper they imitate, not the source.
SQA N5 style4 marksExplain the human causes of climate change.Show worked answer →
A 4-mark Explain answer wants developed reasons, so give several human activities and link each to the greenhouse effect.
Burning fossil fuels (coal, oil and gas) in power stations, factories and vehicles releases carbon dioxide, the main greenhouse gas, which traps heat in the atmosphere.
Deforestation, especially of rainforest, means fewer trees to absorb carbon dioxide, so more stays in the air, and burning the cleared trees adds even more.
Farming releases methane, a strong greenhouse gas, from cattle and rice paddies, adding to the warming.
Increasing numbers of vehicles and aircraft burn more fuel, raising emissions further. Markers reward each human cause (fossil fuels, deforestation, farming methane, transport) explained as adding greenhouse gases that trap heat.
SQA N5 style5 marksDescribe strategies used to reduce the causes of climate change, and comment on how effective they are.Show worked answer →
A 5-mark answer wants strategies described and judged, so give several and comment on how well each works.
Switching to renewable energy (wind, solar, hydro) cuts the carbon dioxide from burning fossil fuels. This is effective long term but is expensive to set up and depends on the weather.
International agreements such as the Paris Agreement set targets to cut emissions. They raise global action, but they are hard to enforce and some countries do not meet their targets.
Improving energy efficiency and public transport, and planting trees, all cut or absorb emissions. These help but only make a real difference if many people and countries take part.
Carbon taxes and congestion charges discourage pollution. They can work but may be unpopular. Markers reward each strategy described and a clear comment on its effectiveness, not just a list.
Related dot points
- The causes, features and impacts of earthquakes, volcanoes and tropical storms, and the methods used to predict, plan for and reduce the effects of these environmental hazards.
An SQA National 5 Geography answer on environmental hazards, covering the causes, features and impacts of earthquakes, volcanoes and tropical storms, and the prediction, planning, protection and aid used to reduce their effects.
- The patterns and inequalities of world trade between developed and developing countries, the role of globalisation and multinational companies, and strategies such as fair trade and trade agreements used to reduce the inequalities.
An SQA National 5 Geography answer on trade and globalisation, covering the patterns and inequalities of world trade between developed and developing countries, the role of globalisation and multinational companies, and strategies such as fair trade used to reduce the inequalities.
- The causes of the growth of mass tourism, its positive and negative effects on the environment and people, and the strategies - including eco-tourism and sustainable tourism - used to manage it.
An SQA National 5 Geography answer on tourism, covering the causes of the growth of mass tourism, its positive and negative effects on the environment and people, and management strategies such as eco-tourism and sustainable tourism.
- The distribution, causes, effects and management of diseases of the developing world such as malaria, cholera and kwashiorkor and diseases of the developed world such as heart disease and cancer, including the role of primary health care.
An SQA National 5 Geography answer on health, covering the distribution, causes, effects and management of diseases of the developing world such as malaria and cholera and of the developed world such as heart disease and cancer, including primary health care.
Sources & how we know this
- National 5 Geography Course Specification (C833 75) — SQA (2025)
- National 5 Geography - Course overview and resources — SQA (2025)