Climate Change Mitigation and Adaptation strategies, Effects

Climate change mitigation and adaptation present complex challenges in today's world, spanning various fields such as science, society, finance, politics, and ethical considerations. This issue extends beyond local boundaries, evolving into a global predicament with lasting consequences. The primary contributor to recent warming is carbon dioxide, a greenhouse gas that lingers in the atmosphere for an extended period. The Earth, particularly the oceans, requires time to respond to this warming effect. Even if we halt greenhouse gas emissions now, the repercussions of global warming will persist for future generations. Hence, we find ourselves in an "alarming situation" regarding climate change.

The extent of climate change depends on the magnitude of future emissions and how the climate reacts to them. Despite increased awareness of climate change, substantial greenhouse gas emissions persist. In 2013, carbon dioxide levels in the atmosphere surpassed 400 parts per million daily, marking a historic milestone. The last time concentrations were this high dates back three to five million years.

Since we're already going to have some climate change, we need to do two things:

• Cut down on making and keep the levels stable of the gases causing the warming (called"mitigation").
• Get ready for the climate change that's already happening (called "adaptation").

What is the difference between adaptation and mitigation?

Mitigation - means lessening the impact of climate change. This involves reducing the release of heat-trapping greenhouse gases into the air. We can achieve this by cutting down on activities that produce these gases, like burning fossil fuels for energy and transportation. Additionally, we can enhance natural processes, like the absorption of these gases by oceans, forests, and soil.

The main aim of mitigation is to prevent significant human interference with the Earth's climate. We want to stabilize the levels of greenhouse gases within a timeframe that allows ecosystems to naturally adjust to climate changes. Making sure food production is safe and supporting economic growth in a way that lasts is the goal of this strategy. This information is based on the 2014 report on Mitigation of Climate Change from the UnitedNations.

Adaptation - is about getting ready for the challenges that come with climate change and doing the right things to avoid or lessen the harm they can do. It also involves making use of any good chances that might show up. Ways to adapt include making big changes to things like buildings to guard against rising sea levels, and also changing the way people behave, like cutting down on wasting food. Basically, adaptation is about getting used to what's happening now and what might happen in the future because of climate change.

Over time, people and societies have dealt with changes in weather, like extreme heat or lack of rain, in different ways. These changes in climate, especially droughts, have played a role in the successor decline of civilizations. For the past thousands of years, the Earth's climate has been fairly steady, which has been important for the growth of our current civilization and farming practices. Our way of life is built around this stable climate, not the hotter climate expected in the coming thousand years. As the climate continues to change, we'll have to adjust. The faster these changes happen, the harder it will be for us to adapt.

IPCC Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change

What are the 5 ways to mitigate the effects of climate change?

Climate change is a big problem for development. It can make poverty worse and slow down economic growth. How countries develop and the choices they make about things like energy, food, and water for a growing population can either make climate change worse, causing problems globally, or be part of the solution.

World Bank Group President Jim Yong Kim spoke to students at Georgetown University in Washington, D.C., on March 18. He highlighted five important areas where policies and decisions about growth can help lessen the things that cause climate change.

The Crucial Role of Carbon Pricing

To slash emissions, we need straightforward rules. Carbon pricing setups, be it capping emissions through trading or imposing charges per ton via carbon taxes, give companies a distinct cue. These setups motivate companies to cut down on polluting practices and channel resources into cleaner energy and innovative low-carbon solutions.

Currently, nearly 40 countries and over 20 cities, states, and provinces either possess or are gearing up to initiate carbon pricing. This figure is on the rise. Korea recently introduced the most recent carbon market in January. China, boasting seven trial carbon markets in various locales, observed a decline in emissions last year. They aim to roll out a nationwide emissions trading system as soon as 2016.

Eliminating Fossil Fuel Subsidies

It is crucial to end subsidies for fossil fuels as they promote wasteful practices and hinder the development of low-carbon solutions. These subsidies, totaling around $550 billion globally in 2013, artificially reduce energy prices and disproportionately benefit the wealthier population rather than supporting the poor. President Kim emphasizes that phasing out these subsidies can free up funds to address more pressing needs and provide targeted assistance to those in need. While reforming subsidies is challenging, the World Bank is assisting countries with a $20 million facility to design and implement subsidy reforms along with social protection systems.

Building Sustainable Cities

In order to create environmentally friendly and resilient cities, it's crucial to consider both fair pricing and sustainable development. The President Jim Yong Kim emphasized that the next two decades will witness more infrastructure development than the past 6,000 years, especially in rapidly growing cities, mainly in the developing world. Presently, over half of the world's population resides in urban areas, and this is projected to increase to two-thirds by 2050.

To achieve sustainable growth, cities need to carefully plan transportation and land use, implementing energy efficiency standards to avoid unsustainable practices. This approach not only opens up opportunities for the less privileged but also helps reduce harmful air pollution. Despite these goals, financing sustainable growth poses a challenge. Data indicates that only 4 percent of the largest developing country cities are considered creditworthy internationally. The World Bank Group is actively assisting cities in enhancing strategic planning and addressing financial issues to ensure they can access necessary funding.

Advancing Global Energy Access and Sustainability

The World Bank Group is working towards improving global access to energy through the Sustainable Energy for All initiative. Currently, 1.2 billion people lack electricity, and 2.8 billion use solid fuels like wood and coal for cooking, leading to harmful indoor air pollution.

The initiative aims to achieve three goals by 2030: universal access to modern energy, doubling the rate of energy efficiency improvement, and doubling the share of renewable energy in the global energy mix. Energy efficiency is crucial as saving one gigawatt means not having to produce it. Thanks to the past 20 years of energy efficiency improvements, global energy use is about one-third lower than it would have been.

Implement climate-smart agriculture landscapes

Promoting climate-smart agriculture and preserving forest landscapes is crucial for addressing both the challenges of climate change and adapting to them. Climate-smart farming methods not only enhance productivity and resilience against climate impacts like droughts but also contribute to lowering overall carbon emissions by creating carbon sinks. Forests play a vital role as carbon sinks too, absorbing and storing carbon in their soil, trees, and foliage. It is essential to implement these strategies to foster sustainable agriculture and safeguard our valuable forest ecosystems.

Adaptation strategies for climate change

An adaptation strategy is a plan or method created to deal with the expected effects of climate change in a particular area. The strategies shared here aim to help communities recognize potential ways to tackle present and future challenges caused by climate change. It's important to note that these strategies are examples and not a complete list of all possible actions for building resilience or adapting to changing climates.

Air Quality

Climate change can create challenges for communities to uphold air quality standards, impacting human health and the environment. The provided adaptation strategies suggest potential solutions to address expected climate-related risks to both outdoor and indoor air quality.

• Indoor air quality
• Outdoor air quality

Critical Infrastructure

The Environmental Resilience Institute is working on a plan to deal with the effects of climate change on important structures like:

• Buildings
• Communication systems
• Energy sources
• Transportation
• Waste management

Due to climate change, there's more flooding and extreme weather that can harm or disturb these essential parts of our community. The goal is to come up with strategies to prepare for and adapt to these expected changes, ensuring our critical infrastructure stays resilient.

Protect Ecosystems

Climate change poses challenges for safeguarding Earth's interconnected ecosystems, which consist of millions of organisms. The provided adaptation strategies offer potential solutions to address the expected climate-related risks to these ecosystems. These strategies cover various areas such as:

• Wetlands
• Estuaries
• Invasive species and pests
• Lakes, rivers, and streams
• Maintaining biodiversity, parks, trees, and forests
• Urban ecosystems

Implementing these strategies can help protect and sustain the health of ecosystems in the face of climate change.

Food and Agriculture

Climate change poses economic challenges for farming communities and threatens food security, leading to potential shortages. The provided adaptation strategies focus on addressing anticipated climate risks and changes in agriculture. These strategies include enhancing food distribution and access, supporting rural agriculture, and promoting urban gardens and farms. By implementing these measures, we can work towards mitigating the impact of climate change on the economic success of farming communities and ensuring a more secure food supply.