| Revision as of 22:54, 26 June 2005 editRd232 (talk | contribs)54,863 edits →Efficiency← Previous edit | Revision as of 23:10, 26 June 2005 edit undoRd232 (talk | contribs)54,863 edits →Mitigating global warmingNext edit → | ||
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| ===Renewable energy=== | ===Renewable energy=== | ||
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| ⚫ | One means of reducing carbon emissions is the development of new technologies, such as ], ]s (and hybrids), and ]s. In some countries, government action has boosted the development of renewable energy technologies - for example, a programme to put ]s on the roofs of a million homes has made ] a world leader in that technology, and ]'s support for ] has ensured its leadership of that sector. | ||
| ⚫ | One means of reducing carbon emissions is the ], such as ], ]s (and hybrids), and ]s. In some countries, government action has boosted the development of renewable energy technologies - for example, a programme to put ]s on the roofs of a million homes has made ] a world leader in that technology, and ]'s support for ] has ensured its leadership of that sector. | ||
| In June 2005, the ] of ] became the first head of a British company to admit that climate change was already taking place, and affecting its business, and announced plans to source much of its substantial energy use from renewable sources. He noted that, ''"Since the beginning of the year, the media has been showing us images of Greenland glaciers crashing into the sea, Mount Kilimanjaro devoid of its ice cap and Scotland reeling from floods and gales. All down to natural weather cycles? I think not"''. | In June 2005, the ] of ] became the first head of a British company to admit that climate change was already taking place, and affecting its business, and announced plans to source much of its substantial energy use from renewable sources. He noted that, ''"Since the beginning of the year, the media has been showing us images of Greenland glaciers crashing into the sea, Mount Kilimanjaro devoid of its ice cap and Scotland reeling from floods and gales. All down to natural weather cycles? I think not"''. | ||
Revision as of 23:10, 26 June 2005
The mitigation of global warming covers all actions aimed at reducing the extent or likelihood of global warming, as well as actions aimed at reducing the effects of global warming. The world's primary international agreement on combating climate change is the Kyoto Protocol, which came into force on 16 February 2005.
In addition to government action, the threat posed by global warming provides business opportunities to be exploited and risks to be mitigated. An industry very directly affected by the risks is the insurance industry. For example, a June 2004 report by the Association of British Insurers said that weather risks for households and property were already increasing by 2-4 % per year due to changing weather, and that claims for storm and flood damages in the UK had doubled to over £6 billion over the period 1998 - 2003, compared to the previous five years.
Mitigating global warming
See also: Kyoto Protocol
Renewable energy
Main articles: Renewable energy and Renewable energy development
One means of reducing carbon emissions is the development of new technologies, such as renewable energy, electric cars (and hybrids), and fuel cells. In some countries, government action has boosted the development of renewable energy technologies - for example, a programme to put solar panels on the roofs of a million homes has made Japan a world leader in that technology, and Denmark's support for wind power has ensured its leadership of that sector.
In June 2005, the chief executive of BT became the first head of a British company to admit that climate change was already taking place, and affecting its business, and announced plans to source much of its substantial energy use from renewable sources. He noted that, "Since the beginning of the year, the media has been showing us images of Greenland glaciers crashing into the sea, Mount Kilimanjaro devoid of its ice cap and Scotland reeling from floods and gales. All down to natural weather cycles? I think not".
Carbon emissions trading
With the creation of a market for trading carbon dioxide emissions within the Kyoto Protocol, it is likely that London financial markets will be the centre for this potentially highly lucrative business; the New York and Chicago stock markets would like a share (which is unlikely as long as the US rejects Kyoto).
23 multinational corporationss have come together in the G8 Climate Change Roundtable, a business group formed at the January 2005 World Economic Forum. The group includes Ford, Toyota, British Airways and BP. On 9 June 2005 the Group published a statement stating that there was a need to act on climate change and stressing the importance of market-based solutions. It called on governments to establish "clear, transparent, and consistent price signals" through "creation of a long-term policy framework" that would include all major producers of greenhouse gases.
Energy efficiency
See also: energy conservation
On 9 May 2005 Jeff Immelt, the chief executive of General Electric (GE), announced plans to reduce GE's own emissions tied to global warming by one percent by 2012. GE said that given its projected growth, those emissions would have risen by 40 percent without such action.
On 21 June 2005 a group of leading airlines, airports and aerospace manufacturers pledged to work together to reduce the negative environmental impact of the aviation industry, including limiting the impact of air travel on climate change by improving fuel efficiency and reducing carbon dioxide emissions of new aircraft by fifty percent per seat kilometre by 2020 from 2000 levels. The group aims to develop a common reporting system for carbon dioxide emissions per aircraft by the end of 2005, and pressed for the early inclusion of aviation in the European Union's carbon emission trading scheme.
Other
Mitigating the effects of global warming
Mitigation of the effects of global warming focusses on defending against rising sea levels through better flood defences and by changing patterns of land use (avoiding more vulnerable areas for housing). Increased use of air conditioning will develop as hot summers - like the 2003 heatwave which killed 20,000 people in Europe - become more common. There are also a variety of measures that can be taken to ensure food security in the face of less reliable agricultural yields, particularly in the tropics, where drought is expected to become more common.
Resistance to action
US government
The United States federal government remains an implacable sceptic of global warming, and an opponent of action against.
However, 150 local governments in the US - covering 50m people - have committed to reducing carbon emissions to 7% below 1990 levels.
Other governments
Business
One of the biggest opponents of action on global warming has been the energy industry, and particularly the oil industry, such as ExxonMobil, which regularly publishes papers mitigating the threat of gobal warming. In 2005, it opposed a shareholders' resolution to explain the science behind its denial of global warming. In recent years, other companies have increasingly come to accept the existence and consequences of global warmin; for example, the Chairman of BP, John Browne, declared a need for action in 2002. Lord Oxburgh, non-executive chairman of Shell, said in a speech at the 2005 Hay-on-Wye Festival: "We have 45 years, and if we start now, not in 10 or 15 years' time, we have a chance of hitting those targets. But we've got to start now. We have no time to lose."
See also
Mitigating temperature rise
- Kyoto Protocol
- Carbon sequestration / Carbon tax
- Future energy development
- Soft energy path
- United Kingdom Climate Change Programme