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Review of Kyoto so far and finishing it off Followed by one or more exam questions to review the whole unit 1 Kyoto Protocol 1997 • Was A global Agreement that set targets for reducing greenhouse gas emissions • 175 countries signed up • The aim of the treaty was "stabilization of greenhouse gas concentrations in the atmosphere at a level that would prevent dangerous human interference with the climate system." 2 Key ideas • Under the Protocol, 37 industrialized countries (called "Annex I countries") commit themselves to a reduction of four greenhouse gases (carbon dioxide, methane, nitrous oxide, sulphur hexafluoride) and also fluorine gas compounds. • Annex I countries agreed to reduce their collective greenhouse gas emissions by 5.2% from the 1990 level. Emission limits do not include emissions by international aviation and shipping (in the too-hard box) 3 Article 2: Ways to fight GHGs • 2.1.a.i Enhance energy efficiency • 2.1.a.ii Protect and enhance the sinks • 2.1.a.iii Promote sustainable agriculture – by promoting farming methods that produce less GHG, especially in developing countries • 2.1.a.iv Research and promote renewable energy sources (wind, water, solar, biomass • 2.1.a.vii Limit GHG from transport • 2.1.a.viii Limit methane emissions through recovery and use 4 Other articles • Article 3: Is all about the way in which Annex 1 countries will reduce their emissions and how/when the progress will checked. • Article 6 is about Joint Implementation (JI), by which one country can achieve reductions in other countries, which can then be used to help their reduction promises, e.g. in Russia. This in an example of a ‘flexibility mechanism’. What is that? • There are several other articles about monitoring progress, and cooperating and Annex 1 countries funding change in less developed areas. 5 Article 12: The Clean development mechanism (CDM) • allows governments or private entities in rich countries to set up emission reduction projects in developing countries. They get credit for these reductions as 'certified emission reductions (CER's). This system is different form the Joint Implementation as it promotes sustainable development in developing countries. • CDM can use afforestation (planting somewhere new) and reforestation (replanting where there once was some), or some other emissions reduction project like a rural electrification project using solar panels in a developing country. • Is another 'flexibility mechanisms’ 6 Article 12.5 Some rules for the CDM are shown above. (a) Voluntary participation by each country (b) Real, measurable, and longterm benefits related to mitigating climate change (c) Reductions must be additional to those which would occur anyway 7 Article 17 Emissions trading - countries can trade in ‘emission units’ The final flexibility mechanism. A tradable carbon credit unit called AAU's (Assigned Amount Units) has been proposed which would represent one tonne of CO2 emissions. The advantages of this trading are that it drives countries to better efficiency in their own greenhouse gas emissions. Bur there is a worry that some rich countries will simply 'buy off' the GHG they produce and not take any action themselves. the idea of a 'cap on the amount of trading has been suggested, but has produced even more argument'. 8 Kyoto Protocol Aims: • Share of CO2 Emissions in 1990 • Industrialised countries to cut emissions to 5% below 1990 levels by 2008/12 • Had varying targets EU by 8% and Japan 5% (It is a lower polluter) • Countries like Iceland were allowed to increase emissions 9 10 Problems with signing up • Some delayed in signing up to Kyoto such as Russia who signed in 2004 • USA initially signed but then withdrew in 2001 following GW Bush’s election (USA emit 25% of world emissions) 11 How big a problem was the American Issue? • The US was the biggest emitter at the time (36.1%) - it has since been overtaken by China – • So if they were going to continue polluting, why should other countries bother? Small countries efforts would have little overall impact on the total GHG. • George W was even saying that climate change was (a) not happening and (b) if there was some variation it was natural. • He did however admit that being dependent on foreign (especially Muslim) oil supplies was a security issue and so went full tilt into producing biofuels from corn and soya, offering big money to his farmers to change from food production to biofuel production. 12 How big a problem was the American Issue? • This forced up the world prices of food and encouraged deforestation of the Amazon, to grow soya to feed the beef cattle of the developed world. • Meanwhile GW, whose ascent in politics was largely funded by the oil companies, remained friends with the oil barons – not an insignificant issue so far as he was concerned. • The Republican Party listened to its other big funders, the transnational companies (TNCs) who could not see the possibilities of more new business from the new technologies, but saw only costs and problems from having anything to do with climate change. So they were and still are all in favour of the no-change policy that opting out of Kyoto allowed them to follow. 13 Successes? 14 So what for the future? • Renewable energy can only supply 10-15% of the UK’s energy needs • Must replace coal fired with nuclear power stations • Building nuclear power plants takes time 15 What is Carbon offsetting? • Forests and woodland cover 10% of the UK and they absorb CO2 and store it • Several UK and EU schemes allow businesses to offset their emissions by planting trees • However there is a limit to the amount of CO2 that they can hold and therefore are limited in viability • UK woodland removes 4 million tonnes a year • UK emits 150 million tonnes it would take a huge increase in woodland to offset all of UK emissions 16 Alternatives Biomass fuels Wood fuel Ethanol and bio diesel Alcohol fermented from sugar Oil extracted from soybeans Methane Gas coming from rubbish dumps 17 Problems • Unfortunately these rely on removing plants from the planet thus removing a carbon sink and need to be followed by mass replanting schemes • Growing biofuels reduces the land available to grow food and increases food prices as well as leaving more people liable to an inadequate diet 18 19 Economic Impacts • More extreme weather leads to increased costs equal to 1% of GDP • 2-3oC rise in temps reducing global economic output by 3% • Poor countries ability to cope would be reduced with lack of basics like water 20 Copenhagen was supposed to be the next step • But no protocol was signed. • However, it is not all disaster – The Americans are on board – The Chinese and the Indians are both committed to reducing the impact of their growth – this does not mean they are cutting emissions in total but for each unit of production, the emission will be reduced substantially – The Brazilians have reduced deforestation for the first time in many years (partly due to the recession, it is true) by 45% on last year but they are committed to reducing deforestation by 80% by 2020. 21 Copenhagen was supposed to be the next step but … It may be worth looking at the stuff on Cancun (COP 16 2010) in the blog http://lindym.wordpress.com/2010/11/27/cancun-hopes-to-serve-ovenready-redd-deal/ and other article with Cancun – do a search – top right of the page. Also the Durban round in December 2011, COP 17, at http://lindym.wordpress.com/2011/12/21/how-can-cop17-durban-beseen-as-a-success/ Also as another example of a current impact: http://lindym.wordpress.com/2011/12/24/shock-as-retreat-of-arctic-sea-icereleases-deadly-greenhouse-gas/ 22 (May 2006) Fragile Environments: (a) Study Figure 7, which shows reasons for soil erosion and desertification. • (i) Label each statement below with the appropriate box number from figure 7. (3) • Bare soil • Afforestation • Climate changes • Farmers try to increase food supply. 23 (a) Study Figure 7, which shows reasons for soil erosion and desertification. • (ii) State the two natural ways in which soil is eroded. (2) • (iii) Explain two ways in which removing plants makes soil erosion more likely. (4) • (iv) What is meant by the term desertification? (2) 24 • (b) Soil erosion and desertification result from • • • • • climate change and people’s misuse of land. (i) How can climate change encourage soil erosion and desertification? (3) (ii) How can the misuse of land by farmers result in soil erosion and desertification? (3) (c) (i) Name one area which suffers or has suffered from severe soil erosion and desertification. (1) (ii) Describe the impacts of soil erosion and desertification on local communities. (6) (d) Explain how people’s use of resources threatens the future sustainability of the environment. Refer to one or more named examples.(9) 25 (Nov 2006):(a) Study Figure 7(a), a photograph showing an area of tropical rainforest • (i) Identify three features of the rainforest in the background of the photograph. (3) • (ii) Give two reasons for the deforestation in the foreground of the photograph.(4) 26 • • • • (b) Explain the effects of deforestation on: 1. the ecological balance of the local environment(4) 2. the global environment.(4) (c) Study Figure 7(b), which shows three possible futures for tropical rainforests • Describe two examples of sustainable forest management. (6) 27 • (d) Explain why governments of many tropical countries allow deforestation to continue, despite the serious environmental and social problems it causes. (9) • [While no mention of ‘named examples is included here, this IS a 9-mark question and you NOT get more than 6 without them] 28