Climate change policy

What time period does a climate determination look at

Typically a thirty year period

When did we pass the 1 degree barrier and what are we at now?

We passed the 1 degree barrier in 2015 and estimate to be at 1.5 degrees warmer from pre industrial times now

Why is 1.5 super scary in terms of global warming?

4 degrees is the difference between pre-industrial times and an ice age

Why is global mean temperature a finicky metric

It is measured from hundreds of stations across the world but all of the stations test differently within different metrics

What is COP 30 and why was it important

30th UNFCCC panel - highlighted the shift towards adaptation instead of prevention and focus on national matter instead of as a global target

What is the Kaya identity

A formula for the total carbon emissions

What were Stephen hills five points on climate policy

1. Technologies and policies exist to reduce GHGS

2. Global negotiations have not led to global policy solutions, even though it is a global problem, so for climate solutions need to look at our local and immediate priorities  

3. Looking at what we are worried about and what our priorities are, so that we can connect climate change with priorities and principles that matter to people  

4. There are a lot of reasons why it is hard to reduce GHGS

5. There are some reasons to be cautiously optimistic  

Examples of technologies to reduce GHGS

reducing our carbon consumption - energy efficiency, transition to low carbon energy sources, carbon sinks, methane capture and mineralization

What is mineralization

Inorganic absorption of Carbon dioxide, called enhanced weathering 

Examples of policies to reduce GHGS

Cap on carbon prices, education, voluntary target agreements, subsidies (incentive), electric vehicle mandate, actions tied to other benefits people are more concerned about

Who is most vulnerable to the effects of climate change

Specific examples like: areas that do not have the ability to adapt, areas that are warming faster than others  or coastal regions are feeling the effects of rising sea levels  but really the answer is everyone is vulnerable

What is the UNFCCC and what does it do

United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change - panel that meets to look at global agreements, no real agreement till Paris

Why is the Montreal protocol a good example of global agreement

agreement on chlorofluorocarbons emitted in refrigerants killing the ozone layer, forced company to recall them and switch

What is the Paris agreement

Agreement to look at no more than 2 degree target by 2050 to stabilize climate - renters around each nation holding their own individual pledges with stock takes every 5 years to monitor progress

What is the concept of applied hope?

Essentially just doing something regardless of pre-existing hope and finding reasons along the way