Climate change mitigation can be described as the action taken to reduce the risk of the climate changing. These actions include reducing greenhouse emission, removing air pollutants, and improving efficiency. The first workshop was held in April 2019, and aimed to identify the types of mitigation options that can be deployed to address climate change.
A second workshop was held in October, and aimed to assess the well-being effects of demand-side mitigation options. This was accomplished by a comprehensive literature review. The literature review examined a range of approaches to evaluating the relationship between climate mitigation and well-being. It was the work of a number of experts, including technology and well-being experts as well professionals. The cobenefit approach was used to assess the wellbeing of the scenarios.
Demand-side solutions aim to change the choices of consumers or businesses by increasing the demand for goods, and services. They are different to supply-side solutions which focus on changing production techniques, production processes, and consumption patterns. For example, demand-side strategies may include promoting sustainable practices and increasing adoption.
Demand-side solutions can also be classified into different categories. The category "shift", for example, refers to a strategy which switches to low carbon technologies. Some of these strategies include increasing the availability of electric vehicles, developing more sustainable transport, or reforestation. Others are focused on reducing consumption. But, to capture the behavioral consequences such actions have on our behavior, we need more modeling.
While the majority of research has been done from a macroeconomic viewpoint, many social dimensions have been overlooked. There should be more research to discover how people's values, beliefs and worldviews influence their decisions as well the impact of climate mitigation measures on their wellbeing. Research on the relation between the various mitigation options and the relevant social components, such as economic and social well-being, is required.
There are three main limitations to the joint evaluation of climate change mitigation and well-being. First, the eudaimonic perspective, which emphasizes concrete conditions for a better life, isn't as prominent in the context of climate mitigation. Second, current GHG emission assessment is limited to a macroeconomic viewpoint. Third, more specialized research is needed to better understand how the broader climate change mitigation options and the social constituents involved can impact well-being.
The workshop's first session was led by nine experts. They brainstormed and identified possible demand-side solutions for climate change. Participants were divided into three categories: industry, infrastructure, as well as the health and wellbeing sectors. During the internal audit, the upper boundaries were drawn in rounded numbers.
These workshops discussed the effects of demand-side options on citizens' well being. They also discussed how to evaluate well-being using the Eudaimonic approach.
FAQ
What is the role that individuals and groups can play in addressing climate-change?
Climate change is one our greatest contemporary challenges. It is a major issue that affects everyone. Individual action and collective attention are needed to make an impact.
Individuals can play an important role in addressing climate change. Your everyday behaviors could include reducing waste, conscious eating, changing your lifestyle, such as becoming vegetarian, choosing sustainable clothing and decor, and using public transport more frequently. Additionally, they can take part in political advocacy and promote initiatives in their communities that foster sustainability.
The key to addressing climate change at a larger scale is also the role of communities. They can adopt policies that reduce emissions. These include reformulating energy models that are based on renewable sources, encouraging efficient infrastructure for bicycle or electric transport, reducing deforestation and encouraging composting systems for waste disposal. For this mission to succeed, collaboration is key.
Civic education regarding climate change is essential from the beginning of education and throughout the lifelong learning process. This will enable individuals to become more aware of the issues and better understand how we are connected with other societies that are similarly affected by global warming.
Employers are ultimately responsible for fighting climate change. They can introduce corporate practices that emphasize sustainability and choose green alternatives whenever they are possible. This will have positive sociological and economic outcomes.
The collective efforts of individuals, communities and businesses will all play a significant role in addressing global warming and defending humanity from the long-term effects of climate change.
How are extreme weather events related to climate change?
Global warming directly links extreme weather events like heat waves, floods. droughts. cyclones. storms. Global warming has caused an increase of atmospheric temperatures.
According to climate scientists, the frequency of extreme weather-related catastrophes has more than doubled in the past 20 years. The sea level rises due to rising ocean temperatures and changing wind patterns. This has an impact on the normal distribution and strength of hurricanes and storms across different regions of the planet.
The 2015 El Nino event pushed warm water toward South America resulting in rising temperatures at an alarming rate along with heavy rains that triggered floods in Peru and Bolivia resulting in the displacement of people and property damage. Several places including Antarctica have recorded their highest-ever temperatures indicating a definite relation between global warming trends and the occurrence or frequency of extreme weather events around the world.
Another example is Hurricane Irma, which struck in 2017, causing $50 billion in economic damage not only to Florida, but also to other states like Puerto Rico, Cuba, and others. This proves once again that climate change has been responsible for an increase in major storms.
The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change's (IPCC) concluded, "Human activities are increasing the severity current climate change." This naturally leads worldwide to more severe, intense, and frequent natural disasters. There is strong evidence of humans' involvement with extreme weather events occurring frequently around us all.
What is climate Change and how does this happen?
Climate change refers the long-term shifts that occur in global weather patterns due to an increase in greenhouse gasses in the atmosphere. These gases trap heat, leading to global temperature rises that can result in a range of climate and weather changes. These can include rising sea level, melting glaciers or droughts, widespread coral bleaching, species extinction and disruptions in food production.
Human activity is the major cause of climate change. This is because these activities release huge amounts of carbon dioxide into the atmosphere. It warms the planet faster than natural processes like volcano eruptions.
Deforestation also plays a large role contributing about 15-20% of global greenhouse gas emissions. Deforestation is when trees are cut down and burned. This releases carbon dioxide from the trees back into the atmosphere. Furthermore, forests act like a natural carbon sink and remove CO2 from air. Without this absorption capacity carbon dioxide levels will continue rising with devastating consequences to ecosystems all over the world.
Not only does CO2 release into the atmosphere but it also releases other harmful gasses, such as methane(CH4) and nitrogen oxide (N2O). Methane has been used extensively in industrial processes and contributes significantly to atmospheric warming while N2O is emitted primarily from agricultural soil management activities like fertilization or tilling which release excess levels of nitrogen into soil leading to N2O production upon microbial contact.
To limit climate change, we must collaborate across economic, political, and social institutions in order to reduce our emissions and transition away fossil fuel dependence towards renewable energy sources. Smart solutions that encourage zero-waste living and replace polluting fossil fuels could help reduce atmospheric pollution and heat buildup. Reforestation projects, which are powerful aid in the fight against climate change by absorbing large quantities of CO2 back into nature and maintaining biodiversity, can help us take responsibility for our environmental impact.
How will climate change impact the world's oceans?
What is the effect of climate change upon the world's oceans?
Since its inception, climate changes have had significant impacts on the oceans of the world and the marine life that surrounds them. Constant oceanic warming due to the depleted ozone layer causes drastic disruptions in marine ecosystems resulting in a decrease in species and coral bleaching.
Climate change may also be responsible for extreme sea level rises and more unpredictable weather conditions, which can prove to be fatal to coastal areas. Also, rising temperatures can reduce the oxygen levels in the water system, leading to "deadzones" that are areas with less marine life.
Ocean acidification is also caused by carbon dioxide that is released into the air and then accumulates in the seas. Ocean acidification increases pH, which can disrupt the essential functions of animals that are unable to adapt, such as crabs, oysters, clams and crabs.
Higher temperatures can also alter natural habitats by changing their geographic locations or shrinking them together, thus becoming uninhabitable for certain species that depend on them. An increase in ocean stress can accelerate already high extinction rates of many species around the world, resulting in a severe imbalance between predators/prey that could eventually lead to total extinction.
The ripple effect of climate change affects entire ecosystems. It can directly or indirectly impact multiple species through evaporation, lower water volumes, and sharp temperature shifts. Overall climate change continues one by one wiping out entire species from our planet transforming future lives on land but most importantly deep below the surface of our oceans.
Statistics
- Indigenous peoples and local communities receive less than 1% of all climate funding despite scoring wins for people and nature Africa's broken food markets must be fixed to tackle hunger (climatechangenews.com)
- features Earth's average surface temperature in 2022 tied with 2015 as the fifth warmest on record, according to an analysis by NASA. (climate.nasa.gov)
- Fossil fuel production must decline by roughly 6 percent per year between 2020 and 2030. (un.org)
- The 10 countries with the largest emissions contribute 68 percent. (un.org)
- According to the 2014 report on Climate Change Impacts, Adaptation, and Vulnerability (page 8) from the United Nations Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, governments at various levels are also getting better at adaptation. (climate.nasa.gov)
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How To
How to Reduce Carbon Footprint, Fight Climate Change
There are many actions you can take in order to reduce your carbon emissions and fight climate change. You can start by investing in energy efficient appliances, lighting, insulation, and other energy-saving measures in your home. It is possible to save energy by not using electronics, taking public transit, walking or driving and setting the thermostat lower in the winter and the summer.
Second, ensure you recycle all materials and compost food scraps. They won't end up in landfills that release methane gas to the atmosphere. Third, you can plant trees around the house to provide shade and natural cooling. Vegetation absorbs carbon dioxide in the air. Consider purchasing products that are minimally packaged or sustainably labeled, such as organic cotton and FSC-certified timber. This will ensure that the forest is healthy.
Other than reducing your personal emissions, you may also be able to support organizations that work towards lowering global emissions. Organizations such as Emissions Reduction Alberta or Climate Change Solutions; The Pembina Institute; The Nature Conservancy Canada and The Nature Conservancy Canada are all working towards reducing emissions via clean energy investments. International initiatives such ICLEI (Local Governments for Sustainability)'s urban sustainability strategies program can also be supported.
We can all make small changes in our daily lives to combat climate change!