Climate Mitigation Flashcards
What is mitigation according to the IPCC?
A human intervention to reduce emissions or enhance the sinks of greenhouse gases.
What is a sink?
A reservoir (natural or human, in soil, ocean and plants) where a GHG, aerosol or a precursor of a GHG is stored.
What is the Paris Agreement/Paris Climate Accords (2015)?
- International treaty on climate change, adopted by 196 countries at COP21 in Paris, France (2015).
- Goal: limit global warming to well below 2 degrees celsius compared to pre-industrial (1750) levels.
- By 2020: countries to submit plans for climate action known as Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs). Actions they will take to reduce GHG emissions and meet Paris targets. Include actions to build resilience & adapt to changing climate.
Are we on track to meet global commitments?
No, we’re falling short, on track for > 2.7 degrees celsius. We are not doing enough, fast enough.
What are some IPCC Assessment Report (AR) 6 warnings?
“Unless there are immediate, rapid, and large-scale reductions in GHG emissions, limiting warming to 1.5 degrees celsius will be beyond reach.”
“It is indisputable that human activities are causing climate change, making extreme climate events, including heat waves, heavy rainfall, and droughts, more frequent and severe.”
“Climate change is already affecting every region on Earth, in multiple ways. The changes we experience will increase with further warming.”
“To limit global warming, strong, rapid, and sustained reductions in CO2, methane, and other GHGs are necessary.”
Summarise NZ’s CO2 emissions by fuel or industry type.
Mostly oil (transport), and also gas (heating, industry, etc.) & coal (electricity).
When did NZ’s CO2 emissions start to increase drastically?
~1950. After WWII (1939-1945)
What is NZ’s approach to climate mitigation?
- Climate Change Response (Zero Carbon) Amendment Bill
The domestic 2050 target requires at least:
- Net zero emissions of all GHG other than biogenic methane by and beyond 2050
- 10% reduction below 2017 biogenic methane emissions by 2030
- 24 to 47 % reduction below 2017 biogenic methane emissions by and beyond 2050
NZ’s overall rating according to Climate Action Tracker is …
HIGHLY INSUFFICIENT
What are some notable UN sustainable development goals?
7 - Affordable and clean energy
11 - Sustainable cities and communities
13 - Climate action
Describe “Tragedy of the Commons”
An economic theory - individuals will act in their own self-interest; contrary to public good; leads to depletion and over-exploitation
Define “sustainable development” (as defined by the World Commission on Environment and Development)
“Development that meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs.”
What are the Three Pillars of Sustainability: the “Triple Bottom Line”
People, Planet, Prosperity
(People, environment, economics)
People + Planet = Bearable
People + Prosperity = Equitable
Planet + Prosperity = Viable
People + Planet + Prosperity = Sustainable
What is sustainability?
Maintaining balance, improving efficiency, in the face of change over time
Applied to engineering and engineering decisions, sustainability is?
Cost-effective, enduring, efficient, longevity, usefulness
Climate mitigation and sustainability go hand-in-hand:
- not mutually exclusive
- sustainability assessments focus on emissions accounting
Why does mitigation matter for CNRE?
- engineered systems have an outsize impact
- decisions made by engineers also impact on the climate of those systems
What is the largest contributor to GHG emissions in NZ?
Agriculture
NDCs help guide the determination of our:
Carbon budgets
Are global GHG emissions evenly distributed across world regions?
No.
What is the leading contributor to global GHG emissions?
Energy.
Coal is incredible carbon intensive, producing about X times as much carbon dioxide as natural gas per unit of energy.
2
Methane emissions must be tackled in the next decade if we are to have any hope of keeping global warming to 1.5 degrees. It has about X times the warming impact of CO2 over a 20-year period.
80
Poor farming practices and deforestation hamper the ability of soils and trees to:
Store carbon
According to the International Energy Agency, passenger air travel needs to be capped at:
Pre-pandemic levels.
How to homes contribute to climate change?
- Heating and cooking systems that rely on fossil fuels
- Emissions produced when making building materials
- Loss of heat through inefficiency
Insulating existing homes and installing solar panels or heat pumps - or retrofitting - is the key to reducing impact.
Should we set a carbon price (a tax for every tonne of carbon produced by the goods and services we make or buy)?
Yes, but don’t set it too high (which led to protests in France). Also consider equality and equity - are we disadvantaging the more vulnerable?
