IB Diploma Environmental Systems

1. Topic 7
Climate change and energy
production
7.3 Climate change – mitigation and
adaptation

2. Mitigation
• ‘An action to reduce the severity or
seriousness of an unpleasant situation’
• In terms of climate change this refers to
actions to reduce/stabilise emissions of
greenhouse gases or remove them from the
atmosphere

3. Mitigation
• Greenhouse gases may be reduced by:
– Reducing energy consumption
– Reducing emissions of NOx (fertilisers) and
methane (cow farts) in agriculture
– Using alternatives to fossil fuels
– Using biomass as a fuel (carbon neutral)
– Geo-engineering
– Reducing deforestation/encouraging aforestation

4. Geo-engineering
• ‘Large-scale engineering interventions in the
Earth’s natural systems to try to counteract
climate change’
• Examples include:
– Orbiting mirrors to reflect solar energy
– Artificial ‘trees’ to absorb CO2
– Ocean fertilisation to create phytoplankton blooms
– Exposing minerals such as calcium oxide to absorb CO2
http://edroness.blogspot.mx/2014/03/blog-post.html

5. Pollution Management Strategies
to Reduce Global Warming (Policy)
• Control the release of greenhouse gases
• Reduce the rate of deforestation
• Increase tree planting programmes
• Develop renewable energy resources
• Reduce car use and improve public transport
• Set national limits on carbon emissions
• Use carbon credits and carbon trading to offset
CO2 emissions
• Develop methods to sequester carbon from the
atmosphere (biological and chemical)

6. Pollution Management Strategies to
Reduce Global Warming (Individuals)
• Grow your own food
• Buy locally grown produce
• Use energy efficient products (e.g. light bulbs)
• Reduce heating your house/ improve insulation
• Use less electricity and unplug appliances
• Turn off lights when not in use
• Reduce use of air conditioning and refrigerants
• Don’t waste water (take showers instead of baths)
• Walk and use a bike/ use cars less/ use public transport
• Use biofuels
• Eat less meat
• Get involved in public education/ activism
United Nations Programme on Reducing Emissions from Deforestation and Forest Degradation (UNREDD)

7. The Kyoto Protocol
• In 1997, 183 countries signed this agreement to try to
keep global greenhouse gases at a stable level
• It came into force in 2005
• Each country’s emissions were divided into credits and
they were allowed to buy and sell them
• Countries are also able to offset their emissions by
planting trees (an alternative to buying carbon credits)
• The US and Australia signed but refused to ratify the
Kyoto Protocol
• Canada signed and ratified it, but has since withdrawn
from its obligations

8. The Future of the Kyoto Protocol
• The original agreement was due to end in 2012
• Representatives of the signatories met in
December 2012 to discuss its future
• It was extended until 2020. Richer nations agreed
in principle to compensate poorer nations
• The Paris Accords (2015) strengthened nations’
commitment to climate change mitigation and
was signed by the U.S.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NAsGnGWZS1M&list=PLITAq0aJinsQLtj9dV3Q1tHoSIK76sczW
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xpiM2LuK4O4&list=PLITAq0aJinsQLtj9dV3Q1tHoSIK76sczW

9. Adaptation
• ‘The action or process of changing something
to suit a new purpose or situation’
• In terms of climate change, this means
accepting that climate change will affect our
quality of life and therefore changing our
lifestyles as a result

10. Adaptation
• Prevent flooding (dikes, ditches, coastal defenses)
– The US Navy is building protection for its bases at the
Washington Naval Yard and US Naval Academy
• If flooding can’t be prevented, then flood-proof
or floating buildings could be constructed
• Some locations may have to be evacuated if there
are no other options
– e.g. Tuvalu
Rise in sea level

11. Adaptation
• Change in freshwater availability
– Less precipitation in some areas
– Loss of glacial water (1 billion people depend on freshwater from
Himalayan glaciers)
– Salinisation of water due to seawater ingress
• Increased transportation of potable water
• Desalinisation of seawater
• Abandonment of some settlements
• Conflict
• Freshwater trading
Freshwater

12. Adaptation
• Changing crop locations as a result of biome shift
• Changing crop types in order to adapt to increasing
temperatures
– e.g. replacing wheat with sorghum
• Changing agricultural methods in response to changing
water availability or soil quality
– e.g zero-til agriculture
• Accepting a decreased availability of some produce (at least
seasonally)
Agriculture