You will find three main approaches to tacking global warming: through policy measures, economic mechanisms and technological changes. They are obviously interdependent and really should be tackled simultaneously.
The two big policy elephant’s within the room are economic growth and population growth which drive consumption and also the discharge of greenhouse gases. Without subduing these, any attempts at mitigating global warming through technological means alone is going to be completely undermined. We also have to replace the flawed economic mechanisms which have proven largely ineffective because of the lobbying and corruption within corporations. The technological solutions themselves should focus initially on the sectors responsible for the greatest net warming within the temporary. This can provide us with time to reduce greenhouse gases using their company sectors which will exhibit greater net warming in the long term. We currently examine these in more detail.
POLICY ISSUES
1. Educate children about how to reside a sustainable lifestyle
However, the science is just the easy part. We’re also inundated using the pressure to consume, that makes it much more essential to avoid unsustainable thinking habits from an early age. Children should be taught that sustainability is not just about buying more energy efficient products, but also designing to last, making full use of the items we now have, eating less, wasting less and recycling more. Above all we need to teach that materialistic gain only produces temporary pleasure, and also the path to genuine happiness lies in a less competitive, more co-operative society with strong social ties.
2. Control population through family planning, welfare reforms and also the empowerment of ladies
The earth’s human population is expected to increase from 6.8 billion last year, to achieve 9.15 billion in 2050, with most of the growth happening within the developing world. Urgent measures are needed to limit global population at levels which can be sustained in the long run, since our culture encourages everyone to strive for the highest material affluence. Unrestrained population growth is really a carbon time bomb, that is now just starting out to take effect in South East Asia, with South usa and Africa soon to follow along with. The only real ethical way we is capable of this potentially vast increase in wealthy individuals are by minimising birth rates.
Population growth can be controlled through a mixture of measures. These include free and easy use of family planning, welfare provision to encourage smaller families, and the empowerment of women through education and freedom to choose their future. Used, educated for women who live less children because of career commitments and also the social freedom in the early responsibilities of motherhood.
Contraception is nearly 5 times less than conventional green technologies as a means of combating climate change. Each $7 (4) spent on basic family planning over the next 40 years would reduce global CO2 emissions by greater than a tonne. To achieve the same result with low-carbon technologies would cost a the least $32 (19).
ECONOMIC MECHANISMS
3. Encourage reforestation and sustainable land use through a mixture of economic restrictions and incentives
90% of deforestation is caused by unsustainable agricultural practices, as the logging and plantation forestry play a greater role in forest degradation.
Tropical countries should be paid to reforest net land with natural vegetation, verified via satellite imagery and paid using a carbon tax from industry (see item 4). The price ought to be set so it’s more financially beneficial for countries to reforest and maintain forest habitats than grow your crops, biofuels and raise cattle. This technique could be far more effective than present financial instruments such as negotiable caps and less prone to manipulation since the reforestation would be genuinely additional. Higher latitude countries might be one of them scheme when the combined affect of the carbon absorption and albedo change from forestation reduces net heat grow in these locations.
Further carbon reductions within our biofuel and food chain can be created through alterations in our farming practices, for example using crop rotation, no till agriculture, and appropriate fertiliser use. These practices would also reduce pollution in rivers and lower the degradation of the coastal ecosystems that help to absorb carbon.
4. Introduce a carbon tax and sustainability index for businesses
Corporations are keen on publicising their green credentials, however, these often consist of isolated initiatives with only a limited environmental effect on their business in general. It remains the norm for organisations to make use of energy inefficient offices and send their employees to conferences and meetings that could easily have been accomplished through teleconferencing. Even some businesses which advise on sustainability issues are almost indistinguishable using their clients in this way. These companies hardly provide a good example!
To avoid this greenwashing all companies should pay a carbon tax. This could permit the carbon released from cooling and heating their buildings and the fuel used throughout their employees commuting and business travel. These figures should be calculable from energy and fuel bill receipts, and require only limited additional administrative effort. The monies collected could then be used to fund economical carbon mitigation projects such as reforestation, population control and biochar sequestration.
The carbon emitted from each company may be expressed as a sustainability index with regards to the carbon emitted per employee hour and company turnover. This may be prominently shown on the corporate literature to make sure each company’s true commitment and environmental credentials could be judged with respect to other similar organisations, a minimum of in terms of carbon emissions. Government contracts may also ascribe priority to firms who fall within carbon intensity guidelines, however, there might be other environmental and ethical issues that need considering within this choice.
However, this technique wouldn’t take full account from the environmental externalities of the products being purchased for the business; this could be better addressed through taxes on imports from countries that do not apply these criteria, and regulating practices which bring about waste, such as food pricing and packaging. Although this accounting procedure is far from perfect, it is much more important that carbon calculations ought to be kept as explicit and as simple as possible to avoid ‘creative accounting’ and corrupt practices.
TECHNOLOGIES
5. Utilization of biochar stoves for burning biomass
Domestic biomass combustion may be the second greatest cause of net climatic change after transport. This is partially brought on by the black carbon emissions (a part of smoke) released from burning this source. The atmospheric residence time of black carbon is just a couple weeks, while CO2 emissions resides in the atmosphere for over a century, so reducing black carbon emissions could quickly reduce climate forcing together with any potential feedback effects. Therefore, this is probably the most affordable short term mitigation strategy available to us.
Biomass is often employed for cooking in developing countries, often on open stoves producing substantial smoke which could cause health issues, particularly if used indoors. Between 25 and 35 percent of the worlds black carbon from biomass originates from China and India alone.
However, there is a smokeless method of burning biomass that has other benefits too. If biomass is heated with no presence of air, it releases the smokeless, combustible gases methane and hydrogen, leaving a carbon or charcoal residue. Specially constructed biochar stoves may use this principle for cooking. The rest of the biochar or charcoal left within the stove can be sequestered within the soil to lock away the carbon, or processed right into a fertiliser. This biochar might be in love with by local communities, paid by a carbon tax on industrial emissions as described in item 4.
Modern biochar production can also be industrialised in processes that may produce 3 to 9 times more energy than invested. However, it would be necessary to ensure that the biomass was from a sustainable resource and the commodity value is set at a level so it doesn’t encourage deforestation.
6. Utilise vehicles better and permit them to use a priority access infrastructure
Road transport may be the largest cause of net global warming of the human activity sectors examined inside a recent NASA study, therefore, this should be another priority area for mitigation.
Despite all the technological advances in road vehicles to improve efficiency, the main factor determining the fuel consumption or carbon emissions per person carried is still passenger utilisation, or how full the vehicle is. An average car will need to carry approximately 20 times the load and 100 times the amount of the driver it carries. Carrying this much excess weight and space around is an inherently inefficient way of conveying people in one spot to another. Similarly, public vehicles can be much more under-utilised than cars. This situation will continue until a more competitive and convenient method of public transport is found.
Utilisation in vehicles might be improved in two ways, by encouraging more and more people to visit in standard sized vehicles and reducing the size vehicle to meet a typical journey load.
The first case can be met by developing nationally coordinated car-sharing schemes. Here, car drivers are guided to their destination, via small diversions if necessary, to gather and drop off passengers for a fee using priority access routes for example bus lanes. This enables drivers to bypass congested zones in the rush hour and reduce their own journey times to create up for that lost amount of time in obtaining passengers.
The second case uses small, narrow width cars using the provision of a parallel road infrastructure. These vehicles might for example carry two people lengthways, seated back to back inside a reclined position to minimise weight and air resistance. The parallel road infrastructure would contain side lanes and underpasses, enabling drivers to bypass bottlenecks and reduce journey times.
7. Electrify the transport network and power it from overnight nuclear electricity
Battery Electric Vehicles (BEVs) exhibit no emissions in the vehicles themselves. However, emissions can be generated in the power stations that produce the electricity to charge their batteries, and also the overall greenhouse gases emitted will be dependent on the power generating sources used.
Most studies suggest that switching from Internal Combustion (IC) engined vehicles to BEVs would reduce carbon emissions, as well as improve local air quality. For cars in the united kingdom, approximately swapping from fossil fuelled to planet would reduce their carbon emissions by over fifty percent, even if while using current methods of electric generation. However, further reductions in carbon could be achieved by generating more electricity from non-fossil fuelled sources. For example, any increase in nuclear capacity might be best directed towards powering BEVs, as these could be charged overnight and during other non-peak periods. Intermittent sources such as wind may also contribute since charging periods could be varied to match the windy periods.
While BEV range is restricted without making use of extortionately expensive batteries, most trips can be accommodated using relatively conventional batteries. Car trips in the UK involving journeys under 80km long cover 97% of trips and 75% of total distance travelled. However, for commuter drivers, trips involving journeys under 80km long cover 98% of trips and 88% from the total distance travelled. Therefore, it is suggested that for many types of motorist a minimum of, a fundamental BEV will be a practical and affordable proposition, especially like a second car. For longer journeys other alternatives might be made available such as replaceable SWAP modules or perhaps a ferrying system where cars are charged while being managed to move on a specialised car transporter.
Electric trucks and buses may also have their range extended while on an electrified guided trackway, constructed from underused areas of the rail network.
8. Introduce more incentives for improving energy efficiency within the housing sector
Home insulation grants are available in many countries specifically for those on social benefits. However, the rate of implementation is very slow, and requires initiative on area of the property owner to do something, so these measures will inevitably be delayed through apathy and inertia. This method could be led to while using following methods.
All property owners should qualify for free water tank, loft and cavity wall insulation and draught proofing. This should be heavily marketed to those who’ve not already installed these measures. The expense should be borne with a government zero interest loan payable around the fuel bill for that property remaining with any new owner. When the repayment period is sufficiently long this should generate a continuing saving.
Less economical retrofit measures for example external cladding, internal wall insulation, heat pumps, condensing boilers, thermally efficient glazing panels and solar heating might be similarly encouraged, by the same mechanism, although a low interest loan should be used instead. On the other hand the least cost-effective technologies should only be eligible for a this incentive if they could demonstrate an economic payback period without the use of heavy subsidies. This may vary from location to location with respect to the local environmental conditions.
9. Match supply and demand from sustainable energy generating systems
In a desperate make an effort to meet alternative energy commitments, certain EU countries have engaged in widespread installations of large wind farms. While it may make a useful contribution towards the electricity grid, and may be economically justified if located in the correct locations, their usefulness is heavily compromised by their intermittency and unpredictability of output. Wind generation requires 100% standby capacity from conventional fuelled generators during calm periods, this renders the entire grid system more expensive to operate since the efficiency of conventional plants are compromised by switching them off and on to meet the variability in supply of the renewable contribution.
These problems could be reduced somewhat by installing a continent-wide hollywood grid which can transfer electricity from remote areas where the wind is blowing, and using stores of hydro electricity along with other renewable’s when available. However, the disparity between demand and supply will stay problematic unless other initiatives are utilized.
One solution would be to use wind generated electricity to power heat pumps for space heating in all new build properties, especially offices. These buildings could be designed to use the thermal inertia of the walls, ground and underlying foundations like a heat store, so heat is retained during calm periods when there is only limited wind generation capacity. Hence the variable electricity generated from wind farms is effectively stored and released as heat assisting to match the disparity between supply and demand.
Existing installations with ac could also use heat pumps powered from electricity, but employ natural gas heating like a contingency during the calmer spells. It may also be possible to use hybrid electric and gas heat pumps to create combined heat and power (visit a later article about this). These initiatives would help to lessen demand and supply and allow wind farms to be more economically used.
10. Ensure new power vegetation is carbon capture ready
The inexorable increase in world demand for energy is disconcerting. China is increasing its electricity generation capacity by about 14% each year and it has become the worlds largest direct emitter of carbon emissions, partially due to the widespread utilization of high-carbon emitting coal fired powered stations. To get this into perspective, Germany’s entire electricity capacity of photovoltaics is the same as only 0.8% of China’s rise in electricity generation per year (based on calculations using data here and here)
To stand any realistic chance of reducing carbon emissions, it is crucial that people develop carbon capture and sequestration technologies for fossil fuelled power stations and industry on a large scale. However until we obtain these into operation, all new industrial units ought to be capable of being retrofitted with carbon capture technology and built near locations in which the co2 can be stored.
