Energy Security and Climate Change Impacts

Energy security

The ability to secure affordable, reliable and sufficient energy supplies for the needs of a particular country

Energy choices

Depend on factors made by society such as availability of supply, technological developments, politics, economics, cultural attitudes, sustainability, and environmental considerations

Renewable energy sources

Sustainable sources that include solar, wind, geothermal, water, wood, and biofuel

Non-renewable energy sources

Not sustainable sources that include gas, oil, coal, and nuclear

Peak oil

The point where oil production reaches its maximum and is expected to start declining

Weather

Conditions in the atmosphere over a short period, varying from place to place and predictable up to 5 days out

Climate

How the atmosphere behaves over a long period, showing average weather patterns and long-term trends

Greenhouse gases

Include water vapor, CO2, methane, nitrous oxide, and CFCs; trap heat energy in the troposphere, crucial for sustaining life on earth

Greenhouse effect

Process where greenhouse gases in the atmosphere absorb and re-emit long wave radiation, warming the earth

Shortwave solar radiation

Passes through the atmosphere and is reflected as long wave radiation, absorbed and re-emitted by greenhouse molecules, warming the earth's surface and lower atmosphere

Greenhouse gases: Water

Most abundant natural greenhouse gas, contributing to heating of ocean surface and lower atmosphere

Greenhouse gases: Methane (CH4)

More effective absorber of long wave radiation than CO2, with sources including coal mines, natural gas, and microbial decomposition in landfills, agriculture, wetlands

Greenhouse gases: Nitrous Oxide (N2O)

Agricultural and industrial source of greenhouse gas from anaerobic denitrification processes and high temperature combustion of fossil fuels

Greenhouse gases: CFC's and halocarbons

Long-lived gases that contribute to warming and ozone depletion, with sources including foam, cleaners, aerosol sprays, and refrigeration coolants

Greenhouse gases: Carbon Dioxide (CO2)

Naturally present greenhouse gas with increased levels due to burning of fossil fuels, affecting plant growth and deforestation

Evidence of Earth's temperature increase

Includes average global temperature rise, sea level rise, melting ice caps, glacial retreat, and increasing extreme high temperature events

Effects of global warming

Include increased mean global temperature, frequency of extreme weather events, rise in sea level, and uncertainty in climate response to enhanced greenhouse gases

Causes for Earth temperature increase

Attributed to human activities such as burning fossil fuels and deforestation, coinciding with the industrial revolution

Causes for climate change

Reported by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change to be dominantly influenced by human activities, with 97% of climate scientists in agreement

Climate change controversy

Debate surrounding natural and human-induced factors affecting climate change, including greenhouse gases, volcanic activity, sunspot activity, and earth's oscillations

Global Warming Impacts

Effects of climate change vary by region, with coastal areas prone to sea rises, glacial areas to flooding/melting, and some regions benefitting from increased rainfall.

MEDCs vs. LEDCs

More economically developed countries have better resources to handle climate change impacts compared to less economically developed countries, which may face challenges like food scarcity due to biome shifting.

Complexity of Global Warming Predictions

Global warming involves intricate interactions among the atmosphere, land, and oceans, with feedback mechanisms, long-term processes, and global dimming adding to the complexity.

Mitigation

Actions taken to reduce or stabilize greenhouse gas emissions and address the root causes of climate change.

Adaptation

Measures aimed at reducing vulnerability to the effects of climate change and addressing the impacts of changing climate conditions.

Carbon Sinks

Natural environments like forests and oceans that absorb and store carbon dioxide from the atmosphere, crucial for reducing greenhouse gas levels.

Biomass as Fuel Source

Renewable organic material from plants and animals that can be burned directly for heat or converted into liquid and gas fuels.

Ocean Fertilization

Process of enhancing biological production in oceans by adding nutrients to increase phytoplankton productivity, aiding in carbon dioxide absorption.

Carbon Tax vs. Trade

Carbon tax sets a price on emitting carbon, while carbon trade establishes a fixed amount of emissions with emitters determining permit prices.

IPCC

Intergovernmental body providing scientific information on human-induced climate change, headquartered in Switzerland with 195 member states.

Montreal Protocol

International treaty aimed at protecting the ozone layer by phasing out substances like CFCs, ratified by 197 nations and the EU.

Rio Earth Summit

Gathering of countries in 1992 focusing on sustainable development and environmental issues, aiming to guide international cooperation and policy.

UNFCCC

International treaty to combat human impacts on climate, signed by 154 states at the Rio Earth Summit, serving as a basis for other climate protocols.

Kyoto Protocol

1997 treaty committing industrialized countries to limit greenhouse gas emissions, stemming from the UNFCCC but criticized for limited success and withdrawals.

Paris Agreement

Legally binding treaty aiming to limit global warming, focusing on NDCs and long-term strategies to reduce emissions and combat climate change.

COP26

2021 UNFCCC conference in Glasgow resulting in the Glasgow Climate Pact, emphasizing coal phase-down and increased finance for developing countries.

COP15

2022 conference with a biodiversity focus in Canada, addressing overexploitation, pollution, and sustainable agricultural practices to protect nature.

Indigenous Peoples' Rights Plan

A plan that safeguards the rights of indigenous peoples and recognises their contributions as stewards of nature.

Finance for Biodiversity

Financial support and alignment of financial flows with nature to drive finances toward sustainable investments and away from environmentally harmful ones.

COP27

Conference of the Parties held in Egypt in 2022, aiming to turn previous agreements into action and establishing a fund for responding to climate-related loss and damage.

COP28

Conference of the Parties held in Dubai in 2023, with 35,000 participants, concluding the first global stocktake of efforts to meet the Paris agreement and making decisions to accelerate action by 2030.

Positive Feedback Loop of Sea Level Rise

Rising sea levels due to human-caused global warming over the past two thousand years, with factors such as melting ice, reduced albedo, accelerated ice sheet melting, and expansion of water molecules due to ocean heating.

Fossil Fuels

Non-renewable energy sources formed over millions of years, including coal, oil, natural gas, and nuclear energy with low CO2 emissions during operation.

Renewable Energy

Sustainable energy sources like solar, wind, hydropower, biomass, and geothermal, limited by geography but constant in availability.

Energy Sustainability

Meeting energy needs without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs.

Energy Security

Ensuring energy availability, accessibility, affordability, and sustainability, impacted by factors like politics and natural disasters.

Energy Efficiency

Using less energy to perform the same task, enhancing energy security and improving buildings and transport.

Energy Intensity

Energy consumption per unit of GDP, with carbon intensity being CO2 emissions per unit of energy produced.

Weather vs. Climate

Weather refers to the day-to-day state of the atmosphere, while climate represents average weather conditions over 30 years or more.

Global Climate Models (GCM)

Computer simulations used to project climate scenarios and study climate change impacts.

Shortwave Radiation

Energy from the sun, mostly as light and UV rays, that easily passes through the atmosphere and warms the Earth's surface.

Longwave Radiation

Heat energy emitted by the Earth into the atmosphere in the form of infrared rays, trapped by greenhouse gases to keep the Earth warm.

Natural vs. Human-Induced Greenhouse Gas Levels

Comparison between natural greenhouse gas levels sourced from volcanic eruptions, respiration, and ocean-atmosphere exchange, and current human-induced levels primarily from burning fossil fuels and industrial activities.