AQA · GCSE · Chemistry
Course version: 8462 · Version from Sept 2018
Students should be able to: describe actions to reduce emissions of carbon…
Full specification wording
The carbon footprint and its reduction: Students should be able to: describe actions to reduce emissions of carbon dioxide and methane give reasons why actions may be limited.
Actions to cut carbon dioxide emissions include generating electricity from renewable sources such as wind, solar and hydro, improving energy efficiency in homes and industry, using public…
Checked against the AQA 8462 specification (opens in a new tab) on .
- Point 3 of 3
- 4 key terms
Study notes
From the checked teaching notes for this specification point.
The idea
Actions to cut carbon dioxide emissions include generating electricity from renewable sources such as wind, solar and hydro, improving energy efficiency in homes and industry, using public transport or electric vehicles, and reducing unnecessary travel. Actions to cut methane include capturing gas from landfill sites and livestock waste, preventing leaks from gas pipelines and coal mines, and reducing food waste so less decomposes. These actions are limited for several reasons: renewable sources may be unreliable or costly to install, governments and individuals may lack money or motivation, some countries rely on fossil fuels for jobs and income, and changing habits or infrastructure takes many years.
For example: A country may want more wind power but lack the grid connections and storage to use it reliably.
What earns the marks
- Describes at least two actions that reduce carbon dioxide emissions, such as renewable electricity or energy efficiency.
- Describes at least two actions that reduce methane emissions, such as capturing landfill gas or reducing food waste.
- Gives a reason why action is limited, such as cost, reliability or lack of infrastructure.
- Gives a social or economic reason, such as jobs depending on fossil fuels or unequal access to technology.
- Explains that changing habits and infrastructure takes time and international agreement.
- Links a limitation to a specific action, for example wind power needing backup when the wind does not blow.
Common mistakes and how to put them right
Listing actions without any limitation.
Put it right: Pair each action with a reason it may not be fully adopted.
Treating all countries as equally able to act.
Put it right: Wealth, technology and energy resources differ between countries.
Confusing a limitation with a disadvantage of the gas.
Put it right: The limitation concerns why the action is hard to carry out, not why the gas is harmful.
Exam tips
- Structure the answer in two parts: actions first, then limitations, so both parts of the statement are covered.
- Use connectives such as however and because to make the limitation clear.
- Refer to a real context, such as a country short of money or a windy site far from cities, to make the reason convincing.
Try the lesson
The start of the The carbon footprint and its reduction: Students should be able to: describe actions to reduce emissions of carbon dioxide and methane give reasons why actions may be limited. lesson, made from checked teaching notes for this specification point.
Have a go first
Which action reduces the amount of carbon dioxide released when electricity is generated?
Listen
Actions to cut carbon dioxide emissions include generating electricity from renewable sources such as wind, solar and hydro, improving energy efficiency in homes and industry, using public transport or electric vehicles, and reducing unnecessary travel. Actions to cut methane include capturing gas from landfill sites and livestock waste, preventing leaks from gas pipelines and coal mines, and reducing food waste so less decomposes. These actions are limited for several reasons: renewable sources may be unreliable or costly to install, governments and individuals may lack money or motivation, some countries rely on fossil fuels for jobs and income, and changing habits or infrastructure takes many years. For example, a country may want more wind power but lack the grid connections and storage to use it reliably. A strong answer earns marks for these points. Describes at least two actions that reduce carbon dioxide emissions, such as renewable electricity or energy efficiency. Describes at least two actions that reduce methane emissions, such as capturing landfill gas or reducing food waste. Gives a reason why action is limited, such as cost, reliability or lack of infrastructure. Gives a social or economic reason, such as jobs depending on fossil fuels or unequal access to technology. A common slip: Listing actions without any limitation. Instead, pair each action with a reason it may not be fully adopted. Exam tip: Structure the answer in two parts: actions first, then limitations, so both parts of the statement are covered.
See it
Key words
Say what each word means before you turn the card.
Mitigation actions
Try answering aloud or in your head before turning the card.
Carbon dioxide and methane reduction
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Barriers to change
Try answering aloud or in your head before turning the card.
Economic, social and technological factors
Try answering aloud or in your head before turning the card.
See every definition
- Mitigation actions
- Actions to reduce emissions of carbon dioxide and methane, such as generating electricity from renewable sources or capturing gas from landfill sites.
- Carbon dioxide and methane reduction
- Cutting emissions by using renewable sources, improving energy efficiency, using public transport or electric vehicles, and capturing landfill gas or reducing food waste.
- Barriers to change
- Reasons why actions may be limited, such as renewable sources being unreliable or costly to install, or governments and individuals lacking money or motivation.
- Economic, social and technological factors
- Reasons affecting the take-up of actions, such as countries relying on fossil fuels for jobs and income, or lacking the grid connections and storage to use wind power reliably.
Label the diagram
Some boxes have lost their names. Pick the right name for each number.
1Box 1
2Box 2
3Box 3
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