MET 112 Global Climate Change:

Controls on Climate Change (IPCC Report)

Professor Menglin Jin MET 112 Outline:    IPCC CA Efforts on Energy Kyoto Treat 1

The UN Framework Convention on Climate Change

‘

stabilization of greenhouse gas concentrations in the atmosphere at a level that would prevent dangerous anthropogenic human induced interference with the climate system. Such a level should be achieved within a time frame sufficient to allow ecosystems to adapt naturally to climate change, to ensure that food production is not threatened and to enable economic development to proceed in a sustainable manner’

Figure: Courtesy of IPCC MET 112 3

http://www.ipcc.ch/

Climate Change 2001: The Scientific Basis WGI contribution to IPCC Third Assessment Report

Summary for Policymakers (SPM) Drafted by a team of 59 Approved ‘sentence by sentence’ by WGI plenary (99 Governments and 45 scientists) 14 chapters 881 pages 120 Lead Authors 515 Contributing Authors 4621 References quoted

IPCC Assessment Report

MET 112  IPCC-Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change – Greenhouse gas concentrations continue to rise (warming).

– Anthropogenic aerosols tend to produce negative radiative forcing (cooling)

“The balance of evidence suggests a discernible human influence on global climate”

(IPCC) 1997

"There is new and stronger evidence that most of the warming observed over the last 50 years is attributable to human activities .“

(IPCC), 2001

The IPCC finds that it is “very likely” that emissions of heat trapping gases from human activities have caused “most of the observed increase in globally averaged temperatures since the mid-20th century.

(IPCC) 2007 7

Human Responsibility for Climate Change

The IPCC finds that it is “

very likely

” that emissions of heat-trapping gases from human activities have caused “most of the observed increase in globally averaged temperatures since the mid 20th century.” MET 112 Source: IPCC

Climate Change 2007: The Physical Science Basis

—Summary for Policymakers.

8

Emission Scenarios

 MET 112 SRES (special report on emission scenarios) 10

Scenarios

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CO 2 concentrations (amount)

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Model Sensitivity

  Models (like the atmosphere) are sensitive systems. They can respond differently to the

same

radiative forcing, e.g., a doubling of CO 2 – This means that different models give different answers to the same problem – Thus, we use a range of models to determine the range of possible future scenarios.

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Future Predictions: Temperature

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Notes on Temperature Projections

 Projected Warming: 2000 – 2100 ranges from ~1.4

° C to ~5.8

° C.

 Curves represent warming produced for seven scenarios by a model with average sensitivity.

 Each bar on right represent range of warming produced – by models of differing sensitivities for a specific scenario.

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Land areas are projected to warm more than the

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oceans with the greatest warming at high latitudes Annual mean temperature change, 2071 to 2100 relative to 1990: Global Average in 2085 = 3.1

o C

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Some areas are projected to become wetter, others drier with an overall increase projected

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Annual mean precipitation change: 2071 to 2100 Relative to 1990

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Sea Level

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Sea Level Rise

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Annual mean precipitation change: 2071 to 2100 Relative to 1990

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Tons of CO2 emitted per person

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US CO

2

Emissions

  Total emissions ~ 5,788.5 million metric tons ~ 22 metric tons per person     Industry: 35% Transportation: 33% Residences: 18% Commercial: 14%  1,600 million metric tons due to personal use (~33%) MET 112 25

Average US Personal Energy Use (Per Person)

Automobile fuel: 38 gallons per month Natural Gas: 15 therms per month Electricity: 190 Kilowatt-hours per month Airline Miles flown 147 miles per month Total: 

Latest estimate ~ 17,600 lbs of CO 2



Kyoto allowance (for US):



~11,000 pounds



To stabilize climate (550ppm)



4,700 pounds

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Mitigation of climate change

 Mitigation: – Steps taken to avoid or minimize negative environmental impacts . MET 112

Mitigation can include

: • avoiding the impact by not taking a certain action; • minimizing impacts by limiting the degree or magnitude of the action; • rectifying the impact by repairing or restoring the affected environment 27

The Kyoto Protocol was adopted in Kyoto, Japan, on 11 December 1997 and entered into force on 16 February 2005 The Kyoto Protocol is an international agreement linked to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change. The major feature of the Kyoto Protocol is that it sets binding targets for 37 industrialized countries and the European community for reducing greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions.

These amount to an average of five per cent against 1990 levels over the five-year period 2008-2012.



The Kyoto Protocol

MET 112 – A United Nations sponsored effort: Calls for reductions of greenhouse gas emissions by industrialized countries of 5.2 per cent below 1990 levels. – The Protocol will go into force after 1. The protocol has been ratified by a minimum of 55 countries.

2. The ratifying nations comprise 55% of global greenhouse gas emissions.

–  Current status: 191 countries have signed accounting for 61% of global CO 2 .

 US not planning on signing protocol (US accounts for 36% of CO 2 emitted)  Kyoto protocol went into force in Feb 2005 29

Kyoto Protocol

MET 112  – Aim: Ways to reduce increasing GHG  Goals: – Enhancement of energy efficiency in relevant sectors of the national economy 30

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Kyoto Protocol

MET 112  – Aim: Ways to reduce increasing GHG  Goals: – – Enhancement of energy efficiency in relevant sectors of the national economy Protection and enhancement of sinks 32

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Kyoto Protocol

MET 112  – Aim: Ways to reduce increasing GHG  Goals: – – – Enhancement of energy efficiency in relevant sectors of the national economy Protection and enhancement of sinks Promote sustainable agriculture 34

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Kyoto Protocol

MET 112  – Aim: Ways to reduce increasing GHG  Goals: – – – – – Enhancement of energy efficiency in relevant sectors of the national economy Protection and enhancement of sinks Promote sustainable agriculture Research and promote new and renewable energy 36

MET 112  

Kyoto Protocol

– Aim: Ways to reduce increasing GHG Goals: – – – – – – Enhancement of energy efficiency in relevant sectors of the national economy Protection and enhancement of sinks Promote sustainable agriculture Research and promote new and renewable energy Phase out any incentives for ‘bad practice’ 43

Kyoto Protocol

MET 112  – Aim: Ways to reduce increasing GHG  Goals: – – – – – – Enhancement of energy efficiency in relevant sectors of the national economy Protection and enhancement of sinks Promote sustainable agriculture Research and promote new and renewable energy Phase out any incentives for ‘bad practice’ Encourage ‘good practices’ 45

Kyoto Protocol

MET 112  – Aim: Ways to reduce increasing GHG  Goals: – – – – – – – Enhancement of energy efficiency in relevant sectors of the national economy Protection and enhancement of sinks Promote sustainable agriculture Research and promote new and renewable energy Phase out any incentives for ‘bad practice’ Encourage ‘good practices’ Cut GHG from aviation 48

Kyoto Targets

MET 112     Industrialized countries will reduce their collective emissions by 5.2% compared to the year 1990

Note that compared to the emissions levels by 2010 without the Protocol, this target represents ~30% cut).

Calculated as an average – over the five-year period of 2008-12.

Target includes six greenhouse gases carbon dioxide , methane , nitrous oxide , sulfur hexafluoride , HFCs , and PFCs 49

 HFC - Hydrofluorocarbons 

PFC- perfluorocarbon

, a powerful greenhouse gas emitted during the production of aluminum PFC MET 112 50

Kyoto Targets

 National targets – European Union - 8% below 1990 levels – USA – Japan - 7% below 1990 - 6% below 1990 – Russia 0% (stay at 1990 levels) – Australia 8% over 1990 levels) – Developing countries (no target)  China, India etc.

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Kyoto Targets: Developing countries

MET 112  The UN Framework on Climate has agreed: 1. The largest share of historical and current global emissions of greenhouse gases – has originated in

developed

countries ; 2. Per capita emissions in developing countries – are still relatively low ; 3. The share of global emissions originating in developing countries – will grow to meet their social and development needs. 52

The Kyoto Mechanisms

 Under the Treaty, countries must meet their targets primarily through national measures. However, the Kyoto Protocol offers them an additional means of meeting their targets by way of mechanisms . three market-based     The Kyoto mechanisms are: Emissions trading – known as “ the carbon market " Clean development mechanism (CDM) Joint implementation (JI) . MET 112 53

Kyoto Protocol Mechanisms

MET 112  Keep to assigned amounts of GHG with overall worldwide reduction by at least 5% below 1990 levels by 2008-2012   Countries can meet their commitments together Joint implementation -Countries can work together to meet their emission reduction targets.

 Richer (annex 1) countries can help developing countries to achieve sustainable development and limit GHG increases and then claim some emission reductions for their own targets  Emissions trading countries can trade in ‘emission units’ 54

Emissions Trading

MET 112    Each country has an emission limit. If this country cannot meet it’s target, it may purchase carbon credits from other countries (on the open market) who are under their limit.

This financially rewards countries that meet their targets.

 Countries also receive carbon credits through – clean energy programs (i.e. greentags) – carbon dioxide sinks (i.e. forests, oceans) 55

Main reasons the US did not sign the Kyoto Protocol?

Economic burden No limits on developing countries (i.e. China, India) Protocol is not going to help much "We will not do anything that harms our economy, because first things first are the people who live in America" - President Bush

Solutions - government

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Kyoto Protocol



California potential leader

61

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Solutions - personal



Transportation



Home



Food



Consumption

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www.earthday.net

: Top 10 Actions; Ecological Footprint

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Four R’s

1. Rethink 2. Reduce 3. Reuse 4. Recycle

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