Climate Change Mitigation and Sea-level Rise

Climate Change

Climate Mitigation

• Strategies to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and slow climate change:
  • Transition to renewable energy sources (e.g. solar, wind)
  • Increase energy efficiency in buildings and industry
  • Electrify transportation and promote sustainable land use
  • Carbon capture and storage technologies
  • Implement carbon pricing and policies

Sea-level Rise

• Causes:
  • Melting of glaciers and polar ice caps
  • Thermal expansion of seawater
• Consequences:
  • Coastal erosion and flooding
  • Saltwater intrusion into freshwater sources
  • Loss of land and habitat for coastal ecosystems
• Projection: 26 cm to 82 cm rise by 2100, depending on emission scenarios

Weather Patterns

• Changes in:
  • Temperature: increased frequency and severity of heatwaves
  • Precipitation: more frequent and intense droughts and floods
  • Extreme weather events: increased frequency and severity of storms, wildfires, and landslides
• Impacts on:
  • Agriculture: altered growing seasons, crop yields, and food security
  • Human health: increased mortality, morbidity, and mental health concerns

Greenhouse Gases

• Main contributors:
  • Carbon dioxide (CO2): 65% of warming potential
  • Methane (CH4): 20% of warming potential
  • Nitrous oxide (N2O): 5% of warming potential
  • Fluorinated gases (F-gases): 2% of warming potential
• Sources:
  • Fossil fuel combustion
  • Deforestation and land-use changes
  • Agriculture and livestock

Global Warming

• Definition: long-term trend of rising average global temperatures
• Causes:
  • Increase in greenhouse gas concentrations
  • Aerosol emissions and volcanic eruptions
• Consequences:
  • Melting of glaciers and sea-level rise
  • Changes in weather patterns and extreme weather events
  • Impacts on ecosystems, biodiversity, and human societies

Sustainability

• Definition: meeting present needs without compromising future generations' ability to meet their own needs
• Strategies:
  • Transition to a circular economy
  • Implement sustainable agriculture and forestry practices
  • Promote sustainable consumption and production patterns
  • Invest in renewable energy and energy efficiency
  • Implement climate-resilient infrastructure and urban planning

Climate Change Mitigation

• Transition to renewable energy sources (e.g., solar, wind) to reduce greenhouse gas emissions
• Increase energy efficiency in buildings and industry to decrease energy consumption
• Electrify transportation and promote sustainable land use to minimize emissions
• Implement carbon capture and storage technologies to reduce emissions
• Establish carbon pricing and policies to promote sustainable practices

Sea-level Rise

• Causes: melting of glaciers and polar ice caps, and thermal expansion of seawater
• Consequences: coastal erosion and flooding, saltwater intrusion into freshwater sources, and loss of land and habitat for coastal ecosystems
• Projection: 26 cm to 82 cm rise by 2100, depending on emission scenarios

Weather Patterns

• Increased frequency and severity of heatwaves due to rising temperatures
• More frequent and intense droughts and floods due to changes in precipitation patterns
• Increased frequency and severity of storms, wildfires, and landslides due to extreme weather events
• Impacts on agriculture: altered growing seasons, crop yields, and food security
• Impacts on human health: increased mortality, morbidity, and mental health concerns

Greenhouse Gases

• Main contributors: carbon dioxide (CO2, 65% of warming potential), methane (CH4, 20% of warming potential), nitrous oxide (N2O, 5% of warming potential), and fluorinated gases (F-gases, 2% of warming potential)
• Sources: fossil fuel combustion, deforestation and land-use changes, agriculture and livestock

Global Warming

• Definition: long-term trend of rising average global temperatures
• Causes: increase in greenhouse gas concentrations, aerosol emissions, and volcanic eruptions
• Consequences: melting of glaciers and sea-level rise, changes in weather patterns and extreme weather events, impacts on ecosystems, biodiversity, and human societies

Sustainability

• Definition: meeting present needs without compromising future generations' ability to meet their own needs
• Strategies: transition to a circular economy, implement sustainable agriculture and forestry practices, promote sustainable consumption and production patterns, invest in renewable energy and energy efficiency, and implement climate-resilient infrastructure and urban planning