GC 170a1 1st Edition Lecture 22 Outline of Last Lecture Political solutions to climate change Stakeholders o Energy industry group o Environmental group Guest Ivan Rudik o Cost of carbon emissions o Why o Does it matter o How do we get the s Outline of Current Lecture Climate Change Debate o Home o Class o Debate question o Roles Political history Kyoto protocol o IPCC o Uncertainty reports o Kyoto Protocol US Canada Adaptation Mitigation o Definitions Alternative Renewable Energy o Solar o Wind o Hydropower o Nuclear Benefits Problems Current Lecture Climate Change Debate At home 40 points o Paragraph one to answer the debate questions These notes represent a detailed interpretation of the professor s lecture GradeBuddy is best used as a supplement to your own notes not as a substitute Consider how climate change policy would impact your role s life company or financial interests o Paragraph 2 How would climate change policy affect your personal life not the role What is your personal opinion about immediate action Group Activity 20 points o Debate of different perspectives on government regulations of carbon emissions Debate questions Should the US take immediate aggressive action to reduce CO 2 emissions o Carbon tax imposed o Gas prices increasing by at least 30 cents gallon o Higher energy costs water restrictions etc Roles o Climate change scientist o Global warming denier o Executive from the fossil fuel industry coal oil gas o Representative from an environmental NGO o Working class American o Upper class American Historical of Political Action Late 1980 s topic of global warming was becoming a concern 1988 IPCC established by World Met Organization and United Nations o Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change o Thousands of scientists contributed data 195 countries o Provide scientific technical and socioeconomic information 1990 First assessment report from the IPCC o Published every 6 years Physical Science Basis Impacts Adaptation Vulnerability Mitigation what can we do o Groundbreaking conclusions that global warming is happening o Supplemental report 1992 o Led to the creating of the UN Framework Convention on Climate change UNFCCC Stabilize emissions to 1990 levels by the year 2000 Following the 1992 agreement opposition quickly formed in the US and from developing nations US not enough scientific evidence that global warming is happening Developing nations regulation would hinder economic growth 2007 report uncertainty o 99 certainty more warm days and nights in the future o 90 certainty warming will be at least 1 5 degrees Celsius in the future increase in heat waves and precipitation amounts o 66 certainty warming will be between 2 degrees Celsius and 4 5 degrees Celsius Areas affected by drought will increase loss of glaciers will accelerate in the next decades the intensity of hurricanes will increase 2014 Most recent IPCC report o Most aspects of climate change will persist for many centuries even if emissions of CO 2 are stopped This represents a substantial multi century climate change commitment created by past present and future emissions of CO 2 Kyoto Protocol o 1997 After several years of difficult negotiations the Kyoto protocol was finally signed in 1997 o Outcome agreement to reduce greenhouse gas emissions to below 1990 levels 350 ppm Only required for 37 industrialized nations Developing nations were asked to make voluntary reductions where economically feasible o The US did not sign this Huge failure o Has been modified Keeping temperatures below 2 degrees Celsius by 2100 Drastic governmental action is needed carbon tax and regulations 192 countries have signed the latest agreement United states still has not signed Canada Japan have dropped out o Major difficulty with international government comes down to 2 major issues Negative impact on economy of US Canada Division between developing and developed nations Developing nations such as Brazil India and China refuse to sign because US Canada have not signed US Canada want large developing nations to limit emissions Recent agreements between China and US is promising What should we do about it Mitigation strategies to reduce GHG emissions o This could be local to national government policies laws regulations etc that promote energy conservation and renewable energy sources Nuclear Splitting of uranium releases energy Supplies 20 of energy that US needs Problems o Creates toxic nuclear waste difficult to dispose of Waste disposal facility build in Nevada o Fear and risk of major radiation leaks o However death rates from nuclear toxic spills is tiny compared to coal and oil Benefits o No greenhouse gases o Huge reserves of Uranium available o Technology is available o Can provide critical power for 30 years while transition to renewable energy sources Solar Wind PV photovoltaic cells convert solar radiation into electricity Large scale solar power has two forms o Solar Farm An array of solar panels PV cells that generate power for a public utility company o Concentrated solar power plants Moveable mirrors Reflect the sun s energy on receivers that store heat energy The heat energy drives a steam turbine that creates electricity Not same thing as a PV cell 1 of total world energy US produces 17 Gigawatts 3 of our needs Wind turbines spin and this produces energy Efficient but wind doesn t always blow o Need to improve infrastructure for storing energy Hydropower Dam built on a river o Water flows through turbines and creates energy Meets 7 of the US energy needs Renewable energy derived from natural processes that are replenished constantly bold are major sources Adaptation adjustments made to reduce the impact of climate change lessen harm associated with climate change impacts Many people are vulnerable to impacts and protection is needed