Climate Change: Adaptation, Mitigation, and Policy

This set covers definitions and concepts related to climate response strategies, geoengineering types, history, and major environmental policies.

Adaptation

A change in response to climate change to reduce its impact, such as building higher seawalls, elevating buildings, implementing the Ike Dike, or using drought-resistant crops.

Mitigation

Efforts to avoid climate change in the first place by addressing the root cause, including solar power, wind power, biomass, hydroelectricity, nuclear energy, and energy efficiency.

Geoengineering

The deliberate manipulation of the climate system, typically through methods like changing Earth’s albedo or removing greenhouse gases from the atmosphere.

Solar Radiation Management (SRM)

A type of geoengineering that cools the Earth by increasing its albedo using methods like stratospheric aerosol injection, cirrus cloud thinning, or marine cloud brightening.

Carbon Dioxide Removal (CDR)

A type of geoengineering that modifies the carbon cycle to remove $CO_2$ more quickly, through strategies like planting trees, enhanced rock weathering, or ocean iron fertilization.

Carbon Capture and Storage

A process that captures $CO_2$ directly at the emission source and stores it to prevent atmospheric entry, allowing for continued energy use while being near carbon-neutral.

Direct Air Capture

The process of removing $CO_2$ directly from the air and storing it in mineral sequestration, underground reservoirs, saline aquifers, or using it in synthetic fuels.

Carbon Taxes

A free market policy where businesses are incentivized to reduce emissions only if it is cheaper than paying the associated tax.

Cap and Trade

An emissions control system where a cap sets the number of permits and trade allows for the selling of unused permits.

Joseph Fourier

The individual who identified the greenhouse effect around the year $1820s$, with later expansion by John Tyndall.

Tobacco Strategy

A set of tactics applied to climate denial including cherry-picking data, creating controversy, demanding equal airtime, and ignoring evidence.

Montreal Protocol

A successful global agreement that phased out CFCs, characterized by developed nations acting first and supported by global funding, resulting in ozone layer recovery.

Common but Differentiated Responsibilities

A principle where all countries participate in climate action but not equally, with developed countries expected to take on more responsibility.

Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs)

Targets set individually by countries under the Paris Agreement, which must be reported every $5$ years.

Green New Deal

A policy framework that, beyond climate, focuses on high-paying jobs, economic equality, infrastructure, and social programs.

Inflation Reduction Act

A climate policy that reduces carbon emissions and funds clean energy while also addressing healthcare, tax reforms, and environmental programs like air quality and agriculture.

Clean Power Plan

A US policy that specifically targets $CO_2$ emissions from power plants.

Clean Air Act Pollutants

Major pollutants regulated by the act including ground-level ozone, particulate matter, sulfur dioxide, carbon monoxide, and lead.

Richard Nixon

The US President responsible for creating the EPA, the Clean Air Act, the Clean Water Act, and the Endangered Species Act.

$2^{\circ}C$ Target

A scientifically informed and politically realistic threshold aimed at avoiding the worst climate impacts while allowing for adaptation.