1. Lecture 37: What Can We Do to Reduce the Magnitude of Future Climate Change?
Research, understand, and educate
Adapt
Mitigate
This lecture was prepared on 1/23/2005 (Sunday).
Took me 5 hours (from 8:00pm to 1:00am)

2. Global Warning !

4. Adaptation
Adjustment in natural and human systems in response to actual or expected climate stimuli or their effects, which moderates harm or exploits beneficial opportunities.
IPCC 2001

5. Mitigation
An anthropogenic intervention to reduce the sources or enhance the sinks of greenhouse gases.
IPCC 2001

6. UNFCCC United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change
Signed 1992, Rio Earth Summit, Brazil
Effective March 1994

7. Kyoto Protocol An international treaty on climate change.
Made under the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC)
Reduce emissions of carbon dioxide and five other greenhouse gases, or engage in emissions trading if they maintain or increase emissions of these gases
The objective is the "stabilization of greenhouse gas concentrations in the atmosphere at a level that would prevent dangerous anthropogenic interference with the climate system" UNFCCC-2
History:
Negotiated in Kyoto, Japan in December 1997
Opened for signature on March 16, 1998
Closed on March 15, 1999
Ratified by Russia on November 18, 2004
Came into force on February 16, 2005
As of April 2006, 163 countries have ratified
As of May 2008, 181 countries have ratified
Notable exceptions: the United States have signed but not ratified
Other countries, like India and China, ratified, not required to reduce carbon emissions under the present agreement.

13. DOMESTIC IMPLEMENTATION STRATEGIES (e.g., recently in California)
Enhance energy efficiency and promote emissions reductions
Protect and enhance C sinks
Promote renewable energy and C sequestration
Remove subsidies for environmentally damaging activities
Tackle transport sector emissions
Control methane emissions - recovery and waste management

14. What Can We Do?
A solar power satellite is among the possible alternatives to carbon dioxide-emitting fossil fuels. It could take advantage of the fact that the sun shines 24 hours a day in space.
Wind turbines and solar power, which are renewable energy sources, provide less than 2 percent of the world’s electricity. This should increase!

15. Further information
IPCC websites