**This
blog is inspired by the above video by the IPCC, summarising the many pillars
of climate mitigation**
Human action in
the past century has had an obvious effect on the planet, in wanting to understand
whether there is any way in which we can reverse the impacts that we have borne
on the planet, we have to seriously consider,
in an aim to implement, mitigation and adaptation strategies. Mitigation refers
to the reduction of severity in the effects of climate change and adaptation refers
to the ability to change for the better in response to the changes in the
climate.
It is obvious that the way that where we currently
are at in terms of climate needs to change, this belief is prevalent in the
various political, scientific and social realms (although there are those that vehemently
deny even the possibility of climate change). In considering ways to change the
impacts that are effecting the planet, climate mitigations and adaptation are
very ever present in the discussion. Alternative energy sources that move away
from non-renewables of oil, gas and coal is a principal alternative in conditioning
and moving away from the current stream of climate change. This is principally
important because countries of emerging economies which produce energy
intensive goods for consuming countries are those nations emitting a vast
amount of emissions. Key in this is that these nations are still developing,
meaning that development can be diverting away from the business as usual
mentality and move towards an energy dependency on renewables and away from GHG’s.
Considering economic efficiency is also of
importance in seeking to make a success of alternatives to GHG’s and a move
away from business as usual. This is important as there needs to be funding and
investment into renewable forms of energy to the extent that emissions are down
completely to 0.
What is also important is behavioural
mitigation in moving away from the business as usual approach to development –
this is important as the decisions made today are important in the
environmental, developmental and economic trajectory of the planet, all three
factors are intricately tied. It is important to start mitigating the effects
of climate change – a better late than never approach cannot be applied to climate
change mitigation; it is vital to start mitigating as soon as possible. As the video
highlights, emission trajectories are vastly better when mitigation is started
before 2030 rather than after, especially so because if we delay mitigation, change
to mitigate climate will be more difficult. But what is important is that it
can be done, we are already seeing changes in the car industry towards electric
car production – there is also a greater presence of climate change in the
political arena. Change is imminent.
The video vaguely mentions ‘The Tragedy of
Commons’, this theory suggests that if we pursue individual interests will
eventually lead to the ultimate depletion of the common good, which in the
context of climate change is the environment and the intricate global system.
The title of this blog is a play on the term ‘tragedy of the common’ in terms
of what we face. Mitigation and adaptation is something we need yet we cannot strain to achieve – the ultimate
difference is that strive to achieve mitigation and adaptation is not individual.
Do you think that the effort for adaptation would distract the resources or counteract the effect for mitigation?
ReplyDeleteAlso, would you say that the developing countries have more potential in developing renewable energy compared to developed nations? In my opinion, the developed nations should have more resources and expertise in doing those compared to the developing countries.
Hey Dan! In response to your first question: I do not believe that the effort for adaptation would distract resources or counteract the effect for mitigation, rather I think they would have mutual benefits for one another, take for example the behavioural mitigation in terms of education. Where people have been educated their response to adaptation will more likely be immediate and informed rather than not adapt at all.
DeleteIn response to your second question: I disagree with you. Developing countries do have potential in developing renewable energy - but at the same potential that developed countries do at the moment. The difference, I believe, is that there is no incentive to divest away from a non-renewable energy source because there is a greater strive for economic goals than there is environmental, both in developing and developed nations.
Nice read!
ReplyDeleteI noticed you mentioned the increasing importance of climate change in the political arena. Over the last few years, in the UK, funding for renewables have taken a hit and many people (including ministers) are questioning the appropriateness of green levies in household bills. How do you think we can keep climate change from getting pushed further to the side as budgets are cut?
Hi Baljeet! Thank you!
DeleteWith an increasing acknowledgement of climate change in the context of the United Kingdom, I do believe that there is a great amount of awareness for climate change - but not quite enough! In order to prevent climate change getting pushed to the side, Climate change has to be kept at the forefront - through usage of social media and multiple campaigns.
This would be especially important at times of general elections, you would have to integrate climate change and politics in a manner where government would be obligated to respond to the qualms of the people who will elect them into government. Where there is a movement, the lack of implementing these policies would be detrimental to the future of the political party and so hopefully they follow through on their promises.
Further, I also believe there needs to be a change in economic success narrative, there needs to be a greater strive to be sustainable in a form that both economic and environmental goals are attained. At present the focus on economic goals alone is what is marginalising green policies and this narrative is present in both ministers and general public alike.