Climate What To Do

SC.8.N.1.6 , SC.8.N.4.1, SC.7.E.6.6, SC.8.L.18.3

We will experience the impacts of climate change. What can we do to lessen the impacts?

There are three approaches - mitigation, adaptation and geoengineering

Mitigation - reducing greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions or enhance the capacity of carbon sinks to absorb GHGs from the atmosphere

Energy conservation - reduce the need for additinal power plants, the major source of carbon dioxide

Increased energy efficiency - make the things we use everyday use less energy

Renewable energy and/or nuclear energy - obtain energy without burning fossil fuels

Reforestation - more trees = more carbon dioxide removed from the atmosphere

Power plants accounted for 2.2 billion metric tons CO2e, which represents about 67% of the 3.3 billion metric tons CO2e reported for 2011. Source: U.S. EPA - Climate Change

Adaptation - making changes to overcome the effects of climate change without reducing greenhouse gas emissions

Adaptation through local planning

Drought tolerant crop varieties - crops that will grow with less water

More spending on irrigation - make more water available to crops

Forest resources -

Rainwater storage - store rainwater instead of letting it run off into the ground.

Weather control (in future) - make it rains/snow where it is most needed.

Geoengineering

Solar radiation management - controlling the amount of light that reaches the Earth

Carbon dioxide removal - removing carbon dixoide from the atmosphere and storing it

"the deliberate and large-scale intervention in the Earth´s climatic system with the aim of reducing global warming."

Also known as climate engineering

Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Geoengineering

Surface-based albedo modification e.g. pale-colored roofing, paving materials

Increase albedo

Troposphere-based, e.g. using fine sea water spray to whiten clouds, ncrease cloud reflectivity.

Increase albedo

Upper atmosphere-based e.g. reflective stratospheric aerosols

Increase albedo

Space-based: e.g. with space-based mirrors

Reflect light back into space before it reaches the Earth

Creating biochar (charcoal) from biomass and mixing it with soil to create terra preta (fertile soil) to sequester the carbon

Bio-energy with carbon capture and storage to sequester carbon and simultaneously provide energy

Carbon air capture to remove carbon dioxide from ambient air (geological storage) cool carbon dioxide to a liquid and store it undergrownd

Planting trees to offset carbon emissions

Ocean nourishment including iron fertilization of the oceans

To increase growth of phytoplankton, which use carbon dioxide

Add carbonates to oceans to offset acidification

Enhance weathering of rock to form carbonates

Source: Mother Nature Network

Some projects have been tested (example: ocean nourishment with iron), but the results are not conclusive.

Houses in the Greek islands are painted white to lower inside temperatures

Tree-planting has been practised for many years (but not with the goal of reducing carbon dioxide)

For some other projects, the technology has not yet been developed.

Ineffectiveness—may not be as effective as predicted

Incomplete solution to CO2 emissions—for techniques that do not remove greenhouse gases from the atmosphere

Control and predictability problems—the full effects of various geoengineering schemes are not well understood

Side effects—techniques themselves may cause significant foreseen or unforeseen harm, such as ozone depletion (sulfur into stratosphere), changes in hydrological cycle (droughts or floods)

Termination shock—abruptly stopping solar radiation management would cause the climate to warm rapidly

Effect on sunlight, sky and clouds—managing solar radiation using aerosols or cloud cover would change the ratio between direct and indirect solar radiation.

Source: http://2020science.org/2009/09/01/geoengineering-options-balancing-effectiveness-and-safety/

Compare mitigation, adaptation and geoengineering

What forms of mitigation can reduce greenhouse gas emissions?

What forms of adaptation will allow use to adjust to climate change impacts?

What forms of geoengineering will allow us to reverse climate change impacts?

Which forms of geoengineering are the most effective?

Which forms of geoengineering are the safest?

NASA - Global Climate Change

Wikipedia - Climate change

The Royal Society-Geoengineering the climate: science, governance and uncertainty