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Debate over climate change, , - Coggle Diagram
Debate over climate change
Historical background to the global warming debate
1824 greenhouse effect discovered
1862 John Tyndall suggested certain gases e.g water vapour and CO2 trapped heat escaping the Earth and galcials were associated with periods of low atmospheric CO2
1896 Swedish scientist observed CO2 is an absorber of LW radiation & showed that a doubling of CO2 would increase average temps by 5/6oC
1938 a scientist linked global warming in 19th century to emissions of CO from burning fossil fuels BUT was widely believed that excess CO2 was absorbed by oceans – so little credence given.
1957 – Suess and Revelle discovered a chemical process which limited the capacity of oceans to absorb CO2 providing that the residence time of CO2 in the atmosphere was much longer than had been thought
After the 1957 discovery, the debate on global warming took off – in 1958 accurate measurements of atmospheric CO2 began at the Mauna Loa observatory on Hawaii – providing proof of increasing CO2 level
Role of organisations
The United Nations and Climate Change
This is an intergovernmental organisation set up in 1945 and is made up of 193 member states with the key aim of promoting international co-operation.
In 1992 countries joined an international treaty, the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) which was established as framework for international cooperation to combat climate change by limiting average global temperature increases and the resulting climate change and coping with the inevitable impacts.
The Kyoto Protcol: The efforts of the UNFCCC led to the signing of the Kyoto Protocol in 1997. This was an important step forward as it was the first time that legally binding targets were set for countries to reduce their emissions. There were 192 initially party to the Kyoto protocol – although China and USA never ratified the treaty (signed).
Kyoto recognises that Advanced Countries are primarily responsible for global warming and climate change due to their cumulative emissions of greenhouse gases over the last 150 years. Therefore more burden was put on these countries to take action.
The Kyoto Protocol also involved establishing an adaptation fund – to assist countries in adapting to the adverse effect of climate change through financial support for adaptation projects and programmes in developing countries that are parties to the Kyoto Protocol.
During the first commitment period (2008-2012), 37 industrialized countries and the European Community committed to reduce GHG emissions to an average of five percent against 1990 levels.
During the second commitment period (2013-2020), Parties committed to reduce GHG emissions by at least 18 percent below 1990 levels in the eight-year period; however, the composition of Parties in the second commitment period is different from the first – with Canada, Japan and Russia pulling out.
The European Union and Climate Change
European Climate Change Programme (ECCP) has been established over the past 25 years and includes many measures to reduce GHG emissions.Each EU state also has its own policies which link to and build on the ECCP. The EU has set targets for member states to cut GHG emissions by 20% of 1990 levels by 2020, to have 20% of electricity generated from renewables and a 20% improvement in energy efficiency.
The EU’s Emissions Trading System
This covers 45% of emissions from the EU –it is a cap-and-trade scheme targeting a 21% reduction in emissions from power stations, industry and aviation.
How does it work? The cap on GHG emissions is a limit set and companies pay penalties if they exceed the cap. The trade enables companies to buy and sell allowances permitting them to only emit a certain amount – encouraging them to save money by cutting emissions.
Each EU country has binding annual targets up to 2020 for cutting emissions in agriculture housing, waste and transport. As well targets for expanding the contribution of renewables.
The UK and Climate Change
The UK work within the framework of Kyoto and the EU policies but it also develops its own policies to tackle GHG emissions.
The UK Government Climate Change Act of 2008 committed the government to reducing Greenhouse Gas levels by 80% of 1990 levels
The Committee on Climate Change is an independent body which advises the UK on tackling and preparing for climate change.
Set Carbon Budgets Set in 5 year periods as stepping stones towards the 2050 target of reducing emissions by 80% compared to 1990
Low Carbon Technologies Investment in carbon capture and storage (CSS) and encouraging the growth of renewable energy (e.g. wind, solar etc.) through offering subsidies and reducing GHG emissions from power stations.
Carbon Taxes With aim of switching electricity generation from coal to greener fuels. In 2014 – 10 coal-fired power station. In 2013 carbon emissions were taxed – this was frozen at just over £18/tonne in 2014. 3 coal fired stations closed in 2015/2016.Vehicle CO2 emissions are also taxed (since 2002)
Reduced demand for energy Domestic smart meters promotion of energy efficiency and reduced GHG from transport & agriculture.
India and Climate Change
India did not ratify the Kyoto Protocol. Like other middle and low-income countries, the Indian government argued that rich countries should shoulder the costs of reducing carbon emissions. This view prevented the USA – at the time the world’s biggest GHG emitter – from supporting Kyoto: the US government believed that without the participation of India and China the Kyoto Protocol would be meaningless.
its per capita energy consumption (1.7 tonnes) was well below the global average of 5 tonnes
its priorities were alleviating poverty and expanding access to electricity in India, rather than reducing Emissions
Current high concentrations of CO2 in the atmosphere were largely the result of industrialisation and economic growth in ACs over the previous 150 years. At the 2014 climate conference India’s environment minister stated that India would not consider reducing its emissions for at least 30 years. Nonetheless, India is concerned about climate change and has its own National Action Plan on Climate Change (NAPCC).
But so far it has only decided to reduce its GHG emissions as a ratio of its GDP. Using this measure it targets a 20–25 per cent reduction in emissions (based on 2005 levels) by 2020. A sort of carbon tax is currently levied on coal, both imported and domestic. Given its current policies GHG emissions are expected to be in the range 4.0–7.3 billion tonnes by 2030. This compares with 2.43 billion tonnes in 2010
The role of the media in public perception and opinion on Climate Change
Given that the overwhelming majority of climate scientists believe in human-caused climate change, the issue remains remarkably controversial. It is argued that this situation is partly due to media misrepresentation.
Most people rely on popular media reporting through newspapers, magazines and television. These media outlets therefore play a crucial role in forming public perception and opinion.
However, depending on the political leanings of media organisations, reporting may be deliberately slanted. Thus right leaning newspapers such as The Times and the Sunday Telegraph are more likely to report sceptical opinions on climate change than left-leaning newspapers like The Guardian
This makes the climate change issue appear more open to question than it really is. Also, in an attempt to provide a balanced discussion and accommodate dissenting views, some media organisations, including the BBC have been accused of false balance.
Some media organisations, such as the BBC, in an attempt to provide a more balanced discussion and accommodate dissenting views have been accused of false balance.
False balance is a media bias in which journalists present an issue a being more balanced between opposing viewpoints than the evidence suggests.
The debate on global warming is a clear example of this. A very small number (probably a few dozen) of scientists, out of tens of thousands of scientists dispute the conclusion – but where equal voice is given to both sides it seems like there is serious disagreements within the science community – in reality there is an overwhelming scientific consensus that anthropogenic global warming does exist.