Download The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC)

What Can Be Done
Measures -- heavily dependent on teamwork and political will -- can
slow the rate of global warming and help the world cope with the
climate shifts that occur.
Reducing emissions. Burning oil and coal more efficiently, switching
to renewable forms of energy, and developing new technologies for
industry and transport can attack the problem at the source.
Expanding forests. Trees remove carbon dioxide from the
atmosphere, but deforestation -- the current trend -- liberates
additional carbon.
Changing lifestyles and rules. The cultures and habits of millions of
people -- essentially, whether they waste energy or use it efficiently -have a major impact on climate change. So do government policies
and regulations.
Coping. Steps have to be taken to limit damage from consequences of
global warming
Accomplishments to date . . . and Challenges
Technology versus politics and economics
* Between 1990 and 2000, total greenhouse-gas emissions of
industrialized countries actually declined (by 5.6 per cent) -- but
that reflected unusual circumstances. Emissions of Eastern Europe
and the former Soviet Union fell by 37 per cent. That more than
compensated for an 8.2 per cent increase in emissions among
developed countries elsewhere. The real work -- worldwide
economic progress combined with reduced emissions -- has yet to
be accomplished.
* Technology already exists that could stabilize and even
reduce greenhouse gas levels within a few decades. Getting such
technology in place – such as using renewable energy sources – is
politically and economically difficult.
* Economic systems and governments currently aren't arranged for
accomplishing greenhouse-gas reductions. Cutting emission costs
are immediate. The benefits, such as fewer severe storms, floods, and
droughts will occur in the future and will benefit people everywhere,
whether they pay for the relevant technology or not. It is hard to put a
price on these positive outcomes.
* If laws and regulations around the world aren't equally demanding,
businesses in countries that don't require greenhouse-gas reductions
will be able to operate more cheaply and sell their products at lower
prices (in the short term) than businesses in countries that require more
climate-friendly behavior resulting in competitiveness problems.
* No-regret options can reduce emissions and pay for themselves
through greater efficiency and lower operating costs . . . but even those
require up front investments.
Examples of progress to date
* Denmark stabilized emissions between 1990 and 2000 by
switching to more efficient methods of electricity generation and
by shifting from coal to renewable energy and natural gas.
* Germany achieved a considerable reduction in CO2 emissions by
economic restructuring resulting from reunification, through
reduced use of lignite, and greater use of wind. There also were
substantial cuts in methane emissions from coal production, waste
management, and agriculture.
The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC)
Scientists sound the alarm
•It fell to scientists to draw international attention to the threats
posed by global warming. Evidence in the 1960s and '70s that
concentrations of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere were
increasing first led climatologists and others to press for action. It
took years before the international community responded.
• In 1988, the IPCC was created by the World Meteorological
Organization and the UN Environment Programme. This group
issued a first report in 1990 reflecting views of 400 scientists
stating that global warming was real and urged that something be
done about it.
IPCC
•The Panel's findings spurred governments to create the United
Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change. It was
ready for signature at the 1992 UN Conference on Environment and
Development -- the "Earth Summit" -- in Rio de Janeiro.
•The IPCC does not conduct its own scientific inquiries, but
reviews worldwide research and issues regular assessment
reports.
•The IPCC's findings, because they reflect global scientific
consensus and are apolitical, form a counterbalance to the highly
charged political debate over what to do about climate change.
IPCC reports played a major role in the negotiations leading to the
Kyoto Protocol, a second, more far-reaching international treaty on
climate change.
The Kyoto Protocol
This international agreement sets legally binding targets and
timetables for cutting the greenhouse-gas emissions of
industrialized countries.
The Protocol shall enter into force on the 90th day after the date on
which not less than 55 Parties, which accounted for at least 55% of
the total CO2 emissions for 1990 have approved it.
In November 2004 Russia ratified the protocol bringing it into
effect.
On 16th February 2005 the Kyoto Protocol entered into force!!
Table: Total carbon dioxide emissions of Annex I Parties in 1990
Party
Emissions (Gg)
Australia
288,965
Austria
59,200
Belgium
113,405
Bulgaria
82,990
Canada
457,441
Czech Republic 169,514
Denmark
52,100
Estonia
37,797
Finland
53,900
France
366,536
Germany
1,012,443
Greece
82,100
Hungary
71,673
Iceland
2,172
Ireland
30,719
Italy
428,941
Japan
1,173,360
Latvia
22,976
Liechtenstein 208
Luxembourg 11,343
Monaco
71
Netherlands
167,600
New Zealand 25,530
Norway
35,533
Poland
414,930
Portugal
42,148
Romania
171,103
Russia
2,388,720
Slovakia
58,278
Spain
260,654
Sweden
61,256
Switzerland
43,600
UK
584,078
USA
4,957,022
Total
13,728,306
(31 out of 34 have ratified)
Percentage
2.1
0.4
0.8
0.6
3.3
1.2
0.4
0.3
0.4
2.7
7.4
0.6
0.5
0.0
0.2
3.1
8.5
0.2
0.0
0.1
0.0
1.2
0.2
0.3
3.0
0.3
1.2
17.4
0.4
1.9
0.4
0.3
4.3
36.1
100.0