Lecture 37: What Can We Do to Reduce the Magnitude of Future Climate Change? Research, understand, and educate Adapt Mitigate This lecture was prepared on 1/23/2005 (Sunday). Took me 5 hours (from 8:00pm to 1:00am)

Global Warning !

Adaptation Adjustment in natural and human systems in response to actual or expected climate stimuli or their effects, which moderates harm or exploits beneficial opportunities. IPCC 2001

Mitigation An anthropogenic intervention to reduce the sources or enhance the sinks of greenhouse gases. IPCC 2001

UNFCCC United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change Signed 1992, Rio Earth Summit, Brazil Effective March 1994

Kyoto Protocol An international treaty on climate change. Made under the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) Reduce emissions of carbon dioxide and five other greenhouse gases, or engage in emissions trading if they maintain or increase emissions of these gases The objective is the "stabilization of greenhouse gas concentrations in the atmosphere at a level that would prevent dangerous anthropogenic interference with the climate system" UNFCCC-2 History: Negotiated in Kyoto, Japan in December 1997 Opened for signature on March 16, 1998 Closed on March 15, 1999 Ratified by Russia on November 18, 2004 Came into force on February 16, 2005 As of April 2006, 163 countries have ratified As of May 2008, 181 countries have ratified Notable exceptions: the United States have signed but not ratified Other countries, like India and China, ratified, not required to reduce carbon emissions under the present agreement.

DOMESTIC IMPLEMENTATION STRATEGIES (e.g., recently in California) Enhance energy efficiency and promote emissions reductions Protect and enhance C sinks Promote renewable energy and C sequestration Remove subsidies for environmentally damaging activities Tackle transport sector emissions Control methane emissions - recovery and waste management

What Can We Do? A solar power satellite is among the possible alternatives to carbon dioxide-emitting fossil fuels. It could take advantage of the fact that the sun shines 24 hours a day in space. Wind turbines and solar power, which are renewable energy sources, provide less than 2 percent of the world’s electricity. This should increase!

Further information IPCC websites http://www.ipcc.ch/