IB ESS Topic 7.3 Mitigation & Adaptation

Mitigation

Reduction and/or the stabilisation of GHG emissions and their removal from the atmosphere.

It is an anthropogenic intervention, it includes strategies to reduce the GHG sources and enhancing GHG sinks

Adaptation

The adjustment in natural or human systems in response to actual or expected climate changes or their effects, moderating harm or exploiting beneficial opportunities

What are three routes?

1) Do nothing/business as usual

2) Wait and see. - Dangers?

3)Precautionary strategy - Act now

How can we take precautionary action?

○ International commitments;

○ National actions; and

○ Personal lifestyle changes

What is a limitation of mitigation strategies?

Even if mitigation strategies drastically reduce further emissions and stabilise the concentration of GHGs in the atmosphere past emissions will continue to have an effect for some time.

What are the Three main mitigation strategies?

● Stabilise or reduce GHG emissions

○ Reduction of energy consumption

○ Reduction of emissions of nitrogen oxides and methane from agriculture

○ Use of alternatives to fossil fuels

● Remove carbon dioxide from the atmosphere

● Geo-engineering- limitation is little is know about their effectivenes

Name some facts about the CASE STUDY: Reduce emissions: DESERTEC solar and wind power

● Areas with high potential for renewable are often far away from people - need transmission lines

● DESERTEC was designed to link North Africa, the Middle East and Europe into a single grid

● Solar and wind potential of North Africa/Arabian peninsula to support their energy needs and export the excess to Europe.

● 2013: Cancelled, 'too expensive and utopian'

○ The EU does not need the energy

What are some International and national methods of mitigation?

1)Controlling the amount of atmospheric pollution

2)Reducing atmospheric pollution

3)Stopping forest clearance

4)Increasing forest cover

5)Developing alternative renewable energy sources

6)Improving public transport

7)Setting national limits on carbon emissions

8)Developing carbon dioxide capture methods

What are some more International and national methods of mitigation?

9)Recycling programmes

10)Reduce methane production - agriculture

11)Sustainable agriculture

12)Capture more methane from landfill

13)Replace high GHG emission energy sources with low GHG emission ones

14) Set national limits on GHG production and carbon credit system

15)Adopt carbon taxes and remove fossil fuel subsidies

Congestion charges/low emission zones

How can we make individual contributions against climate change?

1)Grow your own food

2)Eat locally produced foods

3)Use energy efficient products

4(Reduce heating by insulation

5)Unplug standby appliances

6)Turn off lights

7)Reduce use of air conditioning and

8)refrigeration

9)Use a manual lawn mower

10)Turn off taps

11)Take a shower rather than a bath

12)Walk more

13)Ride a bike

14)Use public transport

15)Use biofuels

16)lower down the food chain

17)Buy organic food

18)Get involved in local political action

How can we remove carbon dioxide from the atmosphere CDR (Carbon Dioxide Removal)?

a) Using biomass as a fuel source

b) Using carbon capture and storage/sequestration (CCS)

c) Enhancing absorption by the oceans (geoengineering)

d) Land management, eg UN-REDD

What is biomass as a carbon neutral fuel?

● Used as a source of fuel which directly is burnt it to generate heat or electricity

○ Indirectly to produce biofuels

■ Biogas from animal waste in Indian villages or on a

larger scale - fermenters

■ Biodiesel and ethanol from waste organic matter or

waste vegetable oils or from planting crops such as

sugar cane.

● An equal amount of CO2 to that released by burning the fuels is captured through

photosynthesis when biomass is replanted ready for next year's harvest

What is Carbon Capture and Sequestration (CSS)?

● Easier to remove CO2 before it enters the atmosphere

● Capture from the oil refineries, power stations etc

● The CO2 can be:

○ Pumped into suitable rocks under pressure.

○ Stored in mineral carbonates by reacting CO2 with metal oxides at high temperatures.

● The costs are high/other logistical issues eg pipeline networks/safety/room for storage

How can we enhance oceanic carbon dioxide absorption?

● Increase absorption by fertilising the ocean with compounds of iron, nitrogen and

phosphorus, introducing nutrients to the upper ocean layer increase marine food production -> removes atmospheric CO2

● Can support large scale fisheries eg Peru coast. Artificial upwelling can be produced

by pumps.

● Can cause an algal bloom algae trap CO2 then sink to the ocean floor.

● However, it could cause environmental issues and pumping etc is expensive

How do we protect and enhance carbon sinks with the UN-REDD?

❏ United Nations Initiative on Reducing Emissions from Deforestation and Forest Degradation

❏ LEDCs - over 50 countries, in 2017 had $200 million in funding, mostly

from Norway.

❏ In 2007 - estimated that loss of forests contributed to 17% of global

greenhouse gas emissions

❏ Launched in 2008 with the Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO), the UN

Development programme (UNDP) and the UN Environment programme

(UNEP).

❏ Stresses role of conservation, sustainable management of forests and

increase of forest carbon stocks.

❏ Supports by:

❏ Direct support to design and implementation of national programmes

❏ Complementary support to national REDD action

What are some adaptation strategies in Agriculture?

Agriculture

Resilient crop varieties to higher temperatures, flooding and droughts

What are some examples of geo-engineering ideas?

○ Scatter iron, nitrates or phosphates on oceans to increase algal blooms which take up more carbon and act as a carbon sink

○ Release sulphur dioxide from airplanes to increase global dimming

○ Send mirrors into space between the Earth and the Sun to deflect solar radiation

○ Build with light coloured roofs to increase albedo and reflect more sunlight

What are Geo-engineering ideas?

● Large scale intervention projects.

● This is different from other mitigation strategies, because they are hypothetical or computer models. They have not been tried and may have ethical questions.

What are some adaptation strategies in Infrastructure?

Cities and housing; protect against rising sea levels, storm surges and flooding

Water - more desalination plants

MEDCs can provide support to LEDCS; economic and tech support

What are some adaptation strategies in Disease?

Vaccination in a wider area as biomes shift and environments become more suitable for vectors like mosquitoes

Name the CASE STUDY ADAPTATION TO CLIMATE CHANGE: THAMES BARRIER

116Km^2 was at risk of flooding before the barrier was constructed

The risk now is low due to the barrier and Barking & Dartford Creek Barriers

Built in 1992 an average closed 3 x a year

London built on a floodplain - 420,000 homes would have a 0.1% annual risk of flooding - flood risk of £80 Billion

Risk increases with rising tides/ sea levels change

South-East England is sinking

London 30cm lower that it was at the end of WW2

What are carbon taxes?

Users of fossil fuels have a tax equal to the social cost of the CO2 emitted

Raises cost of fossil fuels compared with renewables

Suggested $25-$100 per tonne

Encourages producers to reduce Co2 emissions; financial incentive

Most effective if international

What are some Climate change policy changes?

Carbon offset schemes

● Neutralise the effects of CO2 from humans by investing in projects that cut emissions elsewhere

● Offset companies buy carbon credits from projects that plant trees or encourage a switch from fossil fuels to renewable energy.

● They sell credits to individuals and companies who want to go carbon neutral.

● Criticism - credits dissuade people from changing their behaviour

What is National Adaptation Programmes of Action?

● Contain a list of ranked priority adaptation activities and projects

● Focus on urgent/immediate needs

● Steps to produce a NAPA:

○ Synthesise available information

○ Assess vulnerability to current climate and extreme events

○ Identification of key adaptation measures/criteria for prioritization

○ Selection of activity shortlist.

● December 2017 - 51 countries had submitted NAPAs.

What is the NAPA Case Study for Bangladesh ?

● Bangladesh is very vulnerable to climate change, due to its location and topography.

○ At the risk of droughts, flooding and severe storms.

● 70 million people at risk.

● By 2050: 10-15% of the land could be flooded, resulting in over 35 million climate refugees

● Different adaptation plans for different areas of the countries coastal/floodplains/drought/erosion and landslides.

What are 70 million at risk in Bangladesh?

○ High population

○ Geographic position - low elevation

○ Weak infrastructure

○ Issues with poverty

○ High dependence on natural resources.

What secondary issues could this cause?

○ Leading to secondary problems: biodiversity loss, agriculture loss, health problems, lack of water and sanitation.

What are some of Bangladesh's planned adaptation measures?

● Implement surveillance systems for existing and new disease risks

● Repair and rehabilitate existing infrastructure eg embankments and drainage

● Strengthen the capacity to manage natural disasters

● Undertake community participation afforestation programme

What was the UNFCC: UN Framework Convention on Climate change, 1994?

Encouraged MEDCs to lead the way in GHG reduction

They have tech, money, historic release.

MEDC - cut carbon emissions 20% by 2012 compared to their 1990 emissions

What was the limitations of UNFCC: UN Framework Convention on Climate change, 1994?

Failed to slow down GHG emissions

USA refused to sign - said it would give China an edge

Canada and Aus signed but didn't implement

Not legally binding.

What was the Kyoto protocol, 1997?

Signed 1997 by 183 countries.

Came into force 2005 & Extended from 2012.

Attempt to implement UNFCC legally.

MEDC - cut carbon emissions 5% by 2012, compared to their 1990 emissions

LEDC - no specific target

Extension - allocated amounts of CO2 - units. Can sell spare units: carbon trading.

Why is the Kyoto protocol special?

The only legally binding Climate Change international agreement

What was the IPCC: Intergovernmental panel on climate change report, 2014?

● Action to prevent climate change is affordable

● emissions eventually need to reach 0

● halt poverty by reducing global warming

● emissions are currently rising, not falling.

● CCS is important in this plan

● Behavioural changes eg less meat has role in reduction

What was the Copenhagen summit, 2009?

Failed to reach an agreement between all parties for an agreement for after 2012.

What was the paris agreement?

USA: cut emissions between 26-28% of 2005 levels by 2025 (Obama)

China - peak emissions by 2030

EU: 40% cut by 2030 compared with 1990

USA left in November 2020 and rejoined in 2021

Conference this year to discuss how this agreement will run in the future