EAES 101: Global Environmental Change Spring 2018 Possible Short Answer Question

Question

EAES 101: Global Environmental Change Spring 2018 Possible Short Answer Question 4: (20 points total) Reflect on anthropogenic climate change. A) Identify two changes in the Earth System that are evidence for contemporary anthropogenic climate change. For each change that provides a piece of evidence, discuss what it looks like and why that change is expected in light of anthropogenic climate change. (6 points) B) For each of the Earth System changes that you choose in A), identify an associated adverse consequence. For each adverse consequence, briefly discuss what it entails. (4 points)

Explanation / Answer

A) The important changes in the earth system that can be evidence for anthropogenic climate change are:

B) The adverse consequence of the earth system changes listed in A) are as follows:

C) The three avenues to address climate change are mitigation, adaptation, and market solutions. The examples for possible actions under each avenue is as follows:

Adaptation: In Sudan, the government and many organisations came together and expanded the use of traditional rainwater harvesting and water conserving techniques. By building of shelter-belts and wind-breaks to improve resilience of rangelands; monitoring of the number of grazing animals and cut trees; and set-up of revolving credit funds are a few measures adapted by Sudan to build resilience against draughts and climate uncertainty.

Mitigation: Carbon capture and sequestration (CCS) is the best example of a mitigation process for climate change. In this process, the carbon emission is not allowed to escape to the atmosphere and it is captured and stored deep underground. This is usually implemented at the fossil fuel power plants.

Market Solution: The major example of market-based solutions to climate change are the carbon tax and the cap and trade mechanisms. In carbon tax, the emissions are taxed compelling the emitter to pay for the mitigation and adaptation. In case of cap and trade, the carbon emissions are put a certain limit and the emitter emitting more must by the permit from the less polluting industry or from the state. These mechanisms generate funds and reward the clean industries.

D) Sea level rise: Adaptation to the sea level rise is the best option available as the lag effect will continue to rise the level even after mitigation is successful. The best adaptation options for the sea level rise are planning the urban areas and human settlements, disincentive for construction near coastal areas through higher levy or insurance premiums, regulate the development activities neat coastal areas, preserve wetlands, discouraging shoreline stabilisation, increase heights of coastal infrastructure, etc. Miami Beach spending $500 million in the next few years to address sea-level rise through a pump drainage system, and to raise roadways and sidewalks is an example of such attempts.

Extreme weather events: Mitigation is the best option to avoid extreme weather events in the future. The drastic decrease in the emission levels instigated through policy interventions and technological advancements can trigger stabilisation in the energy balance of the earth system and reduce the frequency of extreme weather events.

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