Action on climate change
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The issue of human-caused, or anthropogenic, climate change (global warming) is becoming a central focus of the Green movement. Beyond these narrow bounds, however, the issue is building an increasing level of mainstream interest. Around the world, there is an increasing awareness of the importance of climate change as a factor in a range of issues. Many environmental, economic and social issues find common ground in the form of climate change.
Action on climate change can take many forms, all of which have the ultimate goal of limiting and/or reducing the concentration of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere.
Political action
Political action is useful for changing laws and regulations that relate to climate change, such as tax incentives and greenhouse gas emissions limits. It can also be useful for gaining media and public attention to climate change.There are many forms of political action on climate change. These include letter writing, direct lobbying, and public shaming of politicians and political and media organizations. Many people choose to support only those who offer plans to convert to wind power and electric vehicles.
Protest movements
An increasing number of groups from around the world are coming together to work on the common issue of climate change. Non-governmental organizations, NGOs, from diverse fields of work are finding they have an issue to unite on. A coalition of 17 NGOs called Stop Climate Chaos recently launched in Great Britain to highlight the issue of climate change.Another group, the Campaign against Climate Change was created to focus purely on the issue of climate change and particularly to pressure Governments into action by building a protest movement of sufficient magnitude to effect political change.
International political frameworks
Kyoto
The primary international policy framework currently in existence is the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), specifically the Kyoto Protocol, which sets emissions limits for many of the world's most economically developed nations.The EU ETS
Under Kyoto, countries with targets can elect to reach these targets in co-operation with other countries. The European Union has decided to work as a unit to meet its emissions targets. The European climate change program attempts to do this by utilising an emissions trading scheme known as the European Union Greenhouse Gas Emission Trading Scheme. The principle of this scheme is quite simple: in order to make their legally binding commitments under Kyoto, countries can either make these savings within their own country, or they can buy these emissions reductions from other countries. These other countries would still need to meet their Kyoto targets, but the use of a free market system ensures the reductions are made for the least possible costs. Most reductions are made where these reductions are cheapest, and the excess reductions can be sold on to other countries where such cuts would be less economically viable.Lifestyle action
- Shopping: by making smart consumer choices, one can reduce the production of greenhouse gases. Purchasing energy-efficient products helps reduce the release of greenhouse gases into the atmosphere. For example, aluminium packaging has a much more energy intensive production process than plastic packaging, and therefore higher greenhouse emission.
- Recycling: Reduce, Reuse, Recycle are basic principles that apply not only to waste minimization; buying products that are reusable or recyclable, or contain reduced packaging, means saving a significant part of the energy and resources required for manufacturing new goods. By recycling paper, cardboard, glass or metal, an average family could reduce their carbon dioxide emissions by up to one ton annually. Even more effective is not buying at all; cutting down on the relatively useless products we use around the home, especially electric gadgets, can have a huge effect on overall emissions.
- Public transport: More frequent use of public transportation helps the environment by reducing the time spent in cars. Boats and ferries are the most efficient method of fossil fuel transport, followed by trains, then buses. Airplanes can be more than ten times less efficient than cars.
- Bicycling: The bicycle produces no carbon emissions, hence riding a bicycle instead of using a fossil fuel-driven vehicle is the most climate-friendly way to travel.
- Protecting and planting trees: Protecting forests and planting new trees contributes to the absorption of carbon dioxide from the air. There are many opportunities to plant trees in the yard, along roads, in parks, and in public gardens. Conversely, clearing old-growth forests adds to the carbon in the atmosphere, so buying non-old-growth paper is good for the climate as well as the forest.
- Labels: The Energy Star label can be seen on many household appliances, home electronics, office equipment, heating and cooling equipment, windows, residential light fixtures, and other products. It is a symbol of energy efficiency that means the Energy Star products use less energy, save money and help protect the environment.
- The right car: Buying a car is a weighty decision. If you must buy a car, there are many factors to consider before making the choice, such as efficiency, price, comfort, styling, safety and performance. One thing that every shopper may want to think about is purchasing an energy-efficient vehicle, to reduce air pollution and especially emissions of carbon dioxide.
- Renewable energy: The use of alternative energy sources, such as solar, wind, geothermal, and hydro energy, is gaining increased support worldwide. The wind energy produced in Denmark, for example, provides about 10 percent of the country's total energy needs. These methods of energy production emit no greenhouse gases once they are up and running. Many energy suppliers in various countries worldwide have options to purchase part or pure "green energy."
Business action
Businesses take action on climate change for several reasons. Action improves corporate image and better aligns corporate actions with the environmental interests of owners, employees, suppliers, and customers. Action also occurs to reduce costs, increase return on investments, and to reduce dependency on uncontrollable costs.Increased energy efficiency
For many companies, looking at more efficient usage of energy can pay off in the medium to long term; unfortunately, shareholders need to be satisfied in the short term, so regulatory intervention is often required, to encourage prudent conservation measures. However, as carbon intensity starts to show up on balance books through organizations such as the Carbon Disclosure Project, voluntary action is starting to take place.Recently there has been a spate of companies acting to improve their energy efficiency. Possibly the most prominent of these companies is Wal-Mart. Wal-Mart, the largest retailer in the US, has announced specific environmental goals to reduce energy use in its stores and pressure its 60,000 suppliers in its worldwide supply chain to follow its lead. On energy efficiency, Wal-Mart wants to increase the fuel efficiency of its truck fleet by 25% over the next three years and double it within ten years, moving from 6.5 mpg. This seems an attainable goal, and by 2020, it is expected to save the company $494 million a year. The company also wants to build a store that is at least 25% more energy efficient within four years.
Use of renewable energies
In August 2002, the largest gathering of ministers in the history of the world met at the World Summit on Sustainable Development [WSSD] in Johannesburg. The global environmental community discussed the role of renewables and energy efficiency in lowering carbon emissions, mitigating poverty reduction (energy access) and improving energy security. One result from WSSD was the formation of [Partnerships for Sustainable Development] to carry forward the international dialogue on sustainable energy and its role in the energy mix.
Partnerships formed include the Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency Partnership [REEEP], the Global Village Energy Partnership [GVEP], the Johannesburg Renewable Energy Coalition (JREC), and the Global Network on Energy for Sustainable Development [GNESD].
Renewable energies and renewable energy technologies have many advantages over their fossil fuel counterparts. These advantages include the absence of local pollution such as particulates, sulphur oxides (SOX's) and nitrous oxides (NOX's). For the business community, the economic advantages are also becoming clearer. Numerous studies have shown that the working environment has a significant effect on workforce morale. Renewable energy solutions are a part of this, wind turbines in particular being seen by many as a potent symbol of a new modernity, where environmental considerations are taken seriously. A workforce seeing a forward-looking and responsible company is more likely to feel good about working for such a company. A happier workforce is a more productive workforce.
More directly, the high oil and gas prices of 2005 have only added to the attraction of renewable energy sources. Although most renewable energies are more expensive at current fuel prices, the difference is narrowing, and uncertainty in oil and gas markets is a factor worth considering for highly energy-intensive businesses.
Another factor affecting the uptake of renewable energies in Europe is the EU Energy Trading Scheme (ETS or EUTS). Many large businesses are fined for increases in emissions, but can sell any "excess" reductions they make.
Companies with high-profile renewable energy portfolios include an aluminium smelter (Alcan), a cement company (Lafarge), and a microchip manufacturer (Intel). Many examples of corporate leadership in this area can be found on the website of The Climate Group, an independent organization set up for promoting such action by business and government.
Large-scale carbon offset
The principle of carbon offset is fairly simple: you decide for whatever reason that you don't want to be responsible for accelerating climate change, you cannot afford to stop doing whatever it is you are doing, so you decide to pay someone else to take up new low-carbon technologies. Every unit of carbon that is not emitted due to your funding of renewable energy technologies is seen as offsetting the emissions you are making. In many cases, encouraging uptake of renewable energy and energy efficiency schemes, particularly in developing nations, can be a relatively cheap way of making an event, a business, or a project "carbon neutral".Many businesses are now looking to carbon offset all their work. An example of a business going carbon neutral is FIFA: their 2006 World Cup Final will be carbon neutral. FIFA estimate they are offsetting one hundred thousand tons of carbon dioxide created by the event, largely as a result of people travelling there. Other carbon neutral companies include the bank HSBC, and the publishing house New Society Publishers. The Guardian newspaper also offsets its carbon emissions resulting from international air travel.
Sub-national level action
Action on the sub-national level means action on the individual level. Fighting for sustainable development isn't a case of proving that global warming does indeed exist or pointing fingers anywhere else. It's about making personal decisions and coming together in communities to do what is best for the environment, even if that means making sacrifices. Politically, we can make change more effectively if we can show our devotion to the environment at the polls as well. Sustainable development is impossible without the organization of communities and the education of the populace on how to live by less-destructive means.External links
Climate change science
- [Tyndall Centre for Climate Research]
- [Hadley Centre Climate Models]
- [Union of Concerned Scientists]
- [Real Climate] Climate scientists blog
- [Intro to Climate Change]
- [Climate Change Facts and Impacts]
Protest and direct action groups
- [Campaign against Climate Change] International climate change protest movement
- [Stop Climate Chaos] A coalition of 17 NGOs from the United Kingdom, working together on a common concern
- [Rising Tide] A network of groups and individuals that takes creative action on the root causes of climate chaos, and promotes socially just, ecological alternatives to fossil fuels, working to dismantle the oil industry
- [Rising Tide Australia] An action group based in Newcastle, the largest coal export port in the world. Not affiliated with Rising Tide UK, although generally in agreement on most issues.
- [Indymedia Climate Change Project] Indymedia coverage of climate change.
International political action
- [Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change]
- [United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change]
- [The Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency Partnership (REEEP)]
- [EU Climate Change Program] EU climate policy.
- [Global Climate Change Action Group] An ACTION based forum/group - to exchange ideas, pass on and store information. Discuss actions to gain public awareness and pressure our elected representative to take immediate action(s) to mitigate Climate Change.
Lifestyle action
- [Climate Change Action] Information about personal energy use, with outlines of some of the major issues in energy policy
- [Sustainable Travel International] offset your personal carbon emissions resultant from use of all forms of transportation, particularly aviation
- [Climate Care] Offset your annual carbon emissions; this site has a carbon calculator for accurate estimate of your impact on the planet
- [Green Pack] Project of the Regional Environmental Center for Central and Eastern Europe
- [Klimatbalans.se] Offset your carbon emissions and become climate balanced
- [Carbon Clear] Carbon offset packages for your car, your flight and your homelife
Business action
- [The Climate Group]
- [World Business Council for Sustainable Development (WBCSD)]
- [Safe Climate] Helping businesses of all sizes understand and take action on climate change
- [Carbon Disclosure Project]
Sub-national action
- [US Clean Energy States] An alliance of US States working together to promote renewable energy
- [Cities for Climate Protection] Reductions in local greenhouse gas emissions, improvements in air quality, and enhanced urban livability
- [Nottingham Declaration] A statement signed by many county councils in the UK, stating their determination to play their part in mitigating climate change
- [What is your state doing?] database of US states and their action on climate change
- [Zero Carbon City] Catalyzing action by people, communities and cities on the challenge of climate change
- [SustainUS] The US Youth Network for Sustainable Development
- [Climate Campaign] Northeast student environmental networks working to make our schools and our states stop global warming
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