lecture 24

Flashcards based on the lecture about what the U.S. and the World is doing about climate change.

First World Climate Conference

Recognized climate change as a serious problem in 1979.

James E. Hansen

Director of NASA’s Goddard Institute of Space Studies, testified before the U.S. Senate in 1988 stating the greenhouse effect has been detected and is changing our climate now.

Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC)

Formed in 1988 by the World Meteorological Organization (WMO) and the United Nations Environment Program (UNEP).

United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC)

Signed by 154 nations at the Earth Summit in 1992 in Rio de Janeiro.

Conference of the Parties (COP)

A new entity established in 1995 by the UN Environment Program (UNEP).

Kyoto Protocol

1997 treaty which extends the 1992 UNFCCC that commits nations to reduce GHG emissions.

Paris Agreement

Aims to strengthen the global response to climate change by keeping a global temperature rise this century well below 2°C above pre-industrial levels and to pursue efforts to limit the temperature increase even further to 1.5°C.

Endangerment Finding

The Administrator finds that the current and projected concentrations of the six key well-mixed greenhouse gases — carbon dioxide (CO2), methane (CH4), nitrous oxide (N2O), hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs), perfluorocarbons (PFCs), and sulfur hexafluoride (SF6) — in the atmosphere threaten the public health and welfare of current and future generations.

Cause or Contribute Finding

The Administrator finds that the combined emissions of these well-mixed greenhouse gases from new motor vehicles and new motor vehicle engines contribute to the greenhouse gas pollution which threatens public health and welfare.

Inflation Reduction Act

$369 Billion for climate change.

Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act

$1 Trillion toward climate smart infrastructure