Managing Climate Change
- Global warming and climate change require an international response because it affects the entire globe
- Responses can involve either adaptation or mitigation
Mitigation
- One form of mitigation is international agreements:
- In 1988 the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) was set up to assess the 'risks of human-induced climate change
- This was followed by several international agreements:
- Earth Summit, Rio 1992
- Set out aims to stabilise greenhouse gas levels
- Kyoto Protocol 1997
- Delegates from 150 countries agreed to reduce greenhouse gas emissions
- It stated that industrialised countries would reduce emissions to below the levels in 1990
- Developing countries including China and India were exempt from the agreement
- The USA did not sign up for the treaty
- Canada withdrew in 2011 stating that without China and USA the treaty would not work
- Paris Agreement 2015
- Global agreement to limit global warming to 2oC (preferably 1.5oC) above pre-industrial levels
- Agreement also includes reducing CO2 emissions by at least 60% by 2050
- Signed by 196 countries including the USA and China (the USA withdrew in 2020 and later, re-joined in 2021)
- Conference of the Parties (COP)
- The United Nations (UN) holds an annual (every year) meeting to discuss climate change.
- COP26 was held in Glasgow, UK in 2021 and in Sharm El Sheikh, Egypt in 2022
- All nations agreed to take actions to further reduce greenhouse gas emissions
Other forms of mitigation include:
- Alternative energy production
- Wind, solar, HEP, tidal and geothermal are all renewable energy sources which reduce the amount of greenhouse gases emitted:
- Gases are released in the construction of turbines, dams, solar panels etc... but these emissions are lower than fossil fuels
- They are becoming cheaper
- Renewable energy is not as efficient as fossil fuels
- Wind, solar, HEP, tidal and geothermal are all renewable energy sources which reduce the amount of greenhouse gases emitted:
- Afforestation
- Planting trees increases the removal of CO2 from the atmosphere
- Oxygen is created during photosynthesis
- Increased transpiration increases cloud formation which reduces incoming solar radiation
- Carbon capture and storage (CCS)
- Captures and removes CO2 before it is emitted:
- The CO2 is then compressed and stored underground
- This is an expensive process and is not economically viable yet
- It is unknown whether the CO2 will be able to be stored long term
- Captures and removes CO2 before it is emitted:
Adaptation
- These are ways in which people can adapt to the impacts through:
- Change in agricultural systems
- Managing water supplies
- Reducing risks from rising sea levels
- Change in agricultural systems
- Agricultural systems will need to adapt to changing weather patterns, different pests and diseases
- Changing crops or the livestock raised to suit the climatic conditions
- More irrigation may be required which will need careful management of water supplies
- Development of drought-resistant crops
- Floating gardens where crops are planted on platforms which rise with the level of water
- Managing water supplies
- Reducing demand through the use of water-efficient appliances and devices (shower heads, dual flush toilets)
- Increasing supply through desalinisation
- Water storage facilities
- Improved irrigation systems which waste/use less water
- Reducing risks from rising sea levels
- Construction of sea walls as in the Maldives
- Mangrove forest restoration which protects the land from coastal flooding
- Raised homes on stilts to allow waters to flow underneath
- Construction of artificial islands up to 3m high
- Flood barriers such as the Thames Barrier
Worked example
Explain how alternative energy production and planting trees may help to reduce the rate of climate change
[4 marks]
- The command word in this question is 'Explain'
- This means that you need to give an account of how and why the mitigation strategies of alternative energy and planting trees are helpful in reducing the rate of climate change
- You need to clearly outline that both attempt to deal with the source of the problem by preventing or reducing the release of greenhouse gases which led to climate change
- This is a levelled answer so to achieve 4 marks you need to give clear explanations or linked statements with use of geographical terms
Answer:
-
- Renewable energy sources such as HEP/solar/wind/tidal do not emit large amounts of CO2 [1] Nuclear is another source with little or no release of CO2 [1]
- Trees act as carbon sinks [1] removing CO2 from the atmosphere during photosynthesis [1] They also release moisture which produces more cloud and reduces incoming solar radiation [1]
Exam Tip
It is important to be clear about the difference between mitigation and adaption. Adaptation is the actions actions taken to adjust to natural events to reduce potential damage or deal with the consequences such as building homes on stilts to adapt to increased flooding. Mitigation is the actions taken to reduce or eliminate the long-term risk to human life and property from climate change such as international agreements to reduce carbon emissions.
