Module 5: Climate Change Processes and Policy Flashcards
Define the greenhouse effect
Some infrared radiation passes through the atmosphere, but most is absorbed and re-emitted in all directions by greenhouse gas molecules, leading to the warming of the earth’s surface and lower atmosphere.
the global average temperature combined land and ocean surface temperature was ____ degrees celsius above pre-industrial levels in 2024?
1.5
Which two strategies should be used to respond to climate change
- mitigation - reducing future GHG emissions to decrease future climate change by reducing emissions and increasing sinks
- Adaptation: Reducing the impacts of climate change by incorporating measurings
What is the main difference between historic stocks and flows and today’s
the introduction of ancient fossil stock of carbon (hydrocarbons, coal, fuels)
Without further action, the UN predicts the world could warm by ___ degrees this century.
3.1
If countries’ commitments in previous climate change agreements are met, how much could we reduce the rise?
2.6-2.8 degrees
Can see 1.9 if net zero pledges are met
What is the Paris Agreement on Climate (2015)
- consisted of __ year cycles
- who does it provide support for?
- consisted of 5-year cycles for countries to review goals and tighten targets (transparency and accountability)
- provides support for developing countries
List the significant commitments made from the Paris Agreement
France began to ban all gas and diesel vehicles by 2040
- France will no longer use coal for electricity in 2022
- Norway banned gas and diesel cars by 2025, Netherlands by 2030
- Dutch national railway powered by wind
- Netherlands will cut 1990 GHG emissions by 95% by 2050
Describe the Glasgow Climate Pact (2021). How many countries did it include?
Recognized that current NDCs from the Paris Agreement was not adequate to limit temperature rise to 1.5
200 countries
4 Main Objectives of the Glasgow Climate Pact 2021
- Limit global warming to 1.5 degrees
- Phase out/down - an accelerated phasing-out of coal and subsidies for fossil fuels
- Halt deforestation by 2030 from 130 countries (90% of global forest cover)
- Financial help - developed countries pledge to increase financial help needed for climate change adaptation in developing countries by 2025
What happened at COP 28 - Dubai 2023
- Further efforts to phase out coal
- development of zero and low-emission technology
- tripling the global renewable energy capacity by 2030
Was there any progress on the Paris Agreement? What worked and what didn’t?
Highly Insufficient
- China peaked CO2 emissions in 2025
- Canada very slowly, EVs mandate cancelled, and emissions on a slight downward trend
Insufficient
- EU 40% below 1990 levels by 2030 (already 19% below)
- The Biden administration redirected investment into clean energy but is far from meeting goals (only met 30% of the targets)
Define Net Zero
Economy has either zero greenhouse emissions or offsets its emissions (afforestation, carbon capture)
What are Canada’s Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs), which were updated in 2024?
40% reduction below 2005 levels by 2030 and net-zero by 2050
What is a carbon tax?
A carbon tax is levied on inputs (fuel) based on the carbon content of the input. high carbon fuels (coal) have higher tax than fuels with lower carbon (natural gas)
How does a carbon tax reduce emissions?
By putting a price on each tonne of CO2 emitted, the carbon tax raises the cost of using carbon energy sources, which incentivizes users to decrease consumption and use another energy alternative
List the advantages and disadvantages of the carbon taxpa
Pros
- encourages alternatives for technology, lifestyle, and infrastructure
- raises revenue: Subsidize alternative, revenue neutral
- socially efficient outcome: internalize external cost
Cons
- Create pollution havens
- High admin costs
- Hard to determine the efficient level to tax
- Politically unpopular
What is Cap and Trade?
- establishes a mandatory cap on emissions. Can be industry based regional based, national or international and can be decreased over time
- Establishes rules that will enable the trade of permits among emitters at low costs: creates a market for trading emission permits
Advantages and Disadvantages to the Cap and Trade
Pros
- Emitting firms can choose a cost-minimizing approach (whether that’s new infrastructure or trading emissions)
- Sets a firm cap on emissions, which can be tightened over time
Cons
- Complex process to determine the permit number and allocation
- Expensive monitoring
- Transaction costs in permit market
- May cause production shifts from one jurisdiction to another
