Government Led Strategies (DP IB Geography)
Revision Note
Global Geopolitical Efforts
Global warming and climate change require an international response because it affects the entire globe
Responses involve:
Mitigation - actions that reduce emissions that contribute to global warming and climate change
Adaptation - actions which minimise or prevent the negative impacts of global warming and climate change
Mitigation
One form of mitigation is through international agreements:
In 1988 the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) was set up to assess the 'risks of human-induced climate change
This was followed by several international agreements:
Earth Summit, Rio 1992
Set out aims to stabilise greenhouse gas levels
Kyoto Protocol 1997
Delegates from 150 countries agreed to reduce greenhouse gas emissions
It stated that industrialised countries would reduce emissions to below the levels in 1990
Developing countries including China and India were exempt from the agreement
The USA did not sign up for the treaty
Canada withdrew in 2011 stating that without China and USA, the treaty would not work
Paris Agreement 2015
Global agreement to limit global warming to 2oC (preferably 1.5oC) above pre-industrial levels
The agreement also includes reducing CO2 emissions by at least 60% by 2050
Signed by 196 countries including the USA and China (the USA withdrew in 2020 and later, re-joined in 2021)
Conference of the Parties (COP)
The United Nations (UN) holds an annual (every year) meeting to discuss climate change.
COP26 was held in Glasgow, UK in 2021, COP27 in Sharm El Sheikh, Egypt in 2022 and COP28 in Dubai, UAE in 2023
All nations agreed to take actions to further reduce greenhouse gas emissions
Adaptation
These are ways in which people can adapt to the impacts through:
Change in agricultural systems
Managing water supplies
Reducing risks from rising sea levels
Change in agricultural systems
Agricultural systems will need to adapt to changing weather patterns, different pests and diseases
Changing crops or the livestock raised to suit the climatic conditions
More irrigation may be required which will need careful management of water supplies
Development of drought-resistant crops
Floating gardens where crops are planted on platforms which rise with the level of water
Managing water supplies
Reducing demand through the use of water-efficient appliances and devices (shower heads, dual flush toilets)
Increasing supply through desalinisation
Water storage facilities
Improved irrigation systems which waste/use less water
Reducing risks from rising sea levels
Construction of sea walls as in the Maldives
Mangrove forest restoration which protects the land from coastal flooding
Raised homes on stilts to allow waters to flow underneath
Construction of artificial islands up to 3m high
Flood barriers such as the Thames Barrier in London
Examiner Tip
It is important to be clear about the difference between mitigation and adaption. Adaptation is the actions actions taken to adjust to natural events to reduce potential damage or deal with the consequences such as building homes on stilts to adapt to increased flooding. Mitigation is the actions taken to reduce or eliminate the long-term risk to human life and property from climate change such as international agreements to reduce carbon emissions.
Carbon Offsetting & Trade
Carbon offsetting is about reducing, avoiding or removing CO2 emissions in one part of the world to compensate for emissions in another
Carbon offset schemes allow for investments in environmental projects around the world so that individuals or companies can balance their own carbon footprints
The projects are usually based in LICs and are designed to reduce future emissions
Critics argue that carbon offsetting does not change the behaviour of individuals or companies but acts as a 'greenwashing' substitute for making direct emission cuts
Carbon capture and sequestration (CCS)
This is the use of technology to capture, remove and store CO2 from industrial facilities, power plants, and other large-scale sources
There are two methods:
Captured at the site - CO2 is captured before atmospheric release, compressed and stored underground or utilised for industrial purposes
There are 3 methods to remove or ‘scrub’ CO2:
Pre-combustion - CO2 is scrubbed before burning the fossil fuel
Post-combustion - CO2 is removed after burning the fossil fuel. CO2 is captured (‘scrubbed’) from the exhaust (or ‘flue’) gases
Oxyfuel combustion - fossil fuel is burned in oxygen instead of air and the exhaust gas are mainly CO2 and water vapour. The water vapour is condensed and the remaining CO2 (which is almost pure) is then transported and stored
Direct air carbon capture (DASC) - CO2 is allowed to enter the atmosphere, but is then captured using specially designed removal processes
A large fan draws air from the atmosphere, through a carbon-capturing filter, which is then heated to release CO2 which is either stored or reused
Captured carbon can be used to manufacture fuels, make concrete building materials, and carbonate (fizzy) soft drinks
This is an expensive process and is not yet economically viable
It is unknown whether CO2 can be stored long term
Carbon taxes
This is a tax paid by businesses and industries that produce excessive GHG emissions through burning fossil fuels (coal, oil, and gas)
The tax is designed to encourage businesses to move to renewal energy by making fossil fuels more expensive and encouraging companies to become more energy-efficient, and save money
35 countries to date have implemented the tax, although the USA (as one of the largest emitters) has no carbon taxes
Carbon trading
This is a way of monetising GHG emissions through the buying and selling of 'credits or permits', which allow the owner to emit a certain amount of GHGs
The credits and trading are agreed between governments with the aim of gradually reducing overall emissions and mitigating their contribution to global warming and climate change
In Europe, carbon credits/permits are traded through the Emissions Trading System (ETS)
Industries that exceed the limits set, must buy permits from others that have not
Carbon trading has led to carbon accountability which measures the impact made by governments, companies, and individuals
Technology & Geo-Engineering
Technology and geoengineering are large scale schemes that aim to alter natural processes
Using sulphate aerosols in the air could cool the planet by reducing insolation
Using giant mirrors in space to deflect more sunlight back into space
Seeding clouds to reflect more rays into space
In principle, these ideas work, but practically, they are unworkable and far too expensive
More accessible strategies include:
Reforesting large areas of land to absorb more carbon
Painting rooftops white to be more reflective
Fertilising the ocean with nitrogen, iron, and phosphorus to grow more plankton and absorb more carbon
Geo-engineering schemes
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