* Your assessment is very important for improving the workof artificial intelligence, which forms the content of this project
Download The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC)
Climate change and agriculture wikipedia , lookup
Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change wikipedia , lookup
Climatic Research Unit documents wikipedia , lookup
Media coverage of global warming wikipedia , lookup
Effects of global warming on humans wikipedia , lookup
Attribution of recent climate change wikipedia , lookup
Global warming hiatus wikipedia , lookup
Fred Singer wikipedia , lookup
Climate change, industry and society wikipedia , lookup
Climate engineering wikipedia , lookup
Emissions trading wikipedia , lookup
Global warming controversy wikipedia , lookup
Citizens' Climate Lobby wikipedia , lookup
Climate governance wikipedia , lookup
Surveys of scientists' views on climate change wikipedia , lookup
Solar radiation management wikipedia , lookup
Scientific opinion on climate change wikipedia , lookup
Climate change and poverty wikipedia , lookup
Paris Agreement wikipedia , lookup
Economics of global warming wikipedia , lookup
Global warming wikipedia , lookup
German Climate Action Plan 2050 wikipedia , lookup
Kyoto Protocol and government action wikipedia , lookup
Kyoto Protocol wikipedia , lookup
Public opinion on global warming wikipedia , lookup
Carbon governance in England wikipedia , lookup
Climate change in the United States wikipedia , lookup
Climate change mitigation wikipedia , lookup
2009 United Nations Climate Change Conference wikipedia , lookup
United Nations Climate Change conference wikipedia , lookup
Climate change in New Zealand wikipedia , lookup
Climate change feedback wikipedia , lookup
Low-carbon economy wikipedia , lookup
Economics of climate change mitigation wikipedia , lookup
Carbon Pollution Reduction Scheme wikipedia , lookup
Mitigation of global warming in Australia wikipedia , lookup
Politics of global warming wikipedia , lookup
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