Transcript Climate Change and the Environment

Climate Change
and the
Environment
The dangers of carbon
dioxide? Tell that to a
plant, how dangerous
carbon dioxide is!
-Rick Santorum
Jeb Bush vs. Pope Francis
99% of Peer reviewed articles
“Climate change is human
caused and it will dramatically
affect the world’s poorest”
“I am not a scientist, but I know
there is a dispute among the
scientists regarding climate
change.”
Climate Change?
• 2014 Dryest and hottest March in
US weather recorded history (since
1895). 15,292 record highs
recorded across the country.
• Or Just a cycle?
The data is there!
Skeptics v. Paleo Climate
Data fm Vostok Ice Cores
Central Themes
• Reaching a worldwide consensus on
how to address environmental
concerns.
• Allowing nations to continue developing
while also encouraging reductions in
activities that are detrimental to the
global environment.
• Encouraging the individual to engage in
more environmentally friendly activities
• What are the main challenges to
addressing global warming and
climate change?
Background
• 1992: Nations meet in Rio de
Janeiro
– First such meeting devoted to
addressing climate change
– Participating countries committed to
the Framework Convention on
Climate Change (FCCC)
Background continued
• 1995: FCCC participants meet in
Berlin
– They agree, in principle, to set
specific targets for reductions in the
future
Which leads to…
Kyoto Protocol
• 1997: Countries meet in Japan to
negotiate the Kyoto Protocol
– Signatories would agree to make
“meaningful” and “specific” reductions in
their greenhouse gas emissions
– During negotiations, two key concessions
are made
• 1.) Nations can work towards meeting their
reduction targets by planting vast amounts of
trees
• 2.) A cap-and-trade scheme is set up where
countries can buy pollution credits from one
another
Kyoto Protocol
Setbacks and challenges:
1997: Countries meet in Bonn to
negotiate increased and continued
reductions
-Negotiations come to a stalemate
2001: The Bush administration
withdraws its support for Kyoto
Kyoto cont.
Discussion Question
• What were the flaws in the Kyoto
Protocol?
The Suffering Ocean
• Carbon dioxide leads to warming
• Warmer temperatures hurt
– Good bye ice
– http://video.economist.com
• Waste in the ocean/acidification
– “red tides” & “dead zones”
• Over-fishing
– Decreasing biodiversity
• An unbalanced ecosystem
A little thought…
• The ocean’s pretty big, should we even
care about its problems? Why?
• How can the current changes in the
ocean be approached in order to bring
about the least harm and most benefit
for the future?
U.S.
• European Frustration with U.S. –
Border Tax? Free Rider?
• Addressing global warming and climate
change is gaining momentum within
the US
• Some believe that in the past the US
has taken a moral leadership role - The
US has an opportunity to do so again
and regain some of its political
influence
China
• China’s emissions have now surpassed
the United States’ emissions –
increased 70% since 1990
• Economic growth
– Based in heavy industry
• Environmental damage
– Looming health concerns
• China seems resolute about maintaining
their growth, so is it even possible for
them to be pressured into addressing
environmental concerns?
India
• Next big challenge likely to be the
environment
• The Ganges: India’s dumping ground
– Human waste, cremation waste/corpses, etc.
• India has many environmental laws and
institutions, but is still having difficulty
– Rapid growth makes regulation a challenge
• Can India achieve growth and development
while successfully enforcing environmental
regulations at the same time?
Durbin
• Dec 2011 last minute deal for all
countries to accept binding
emission cuts by 2020
• Poor countries would be obliged to
proportionally to the rich
• The goal is to limit the earth to a 2
Degree C temperature rise.
• Experts say cuts wont’ help, we
are headed to a 4 degree rise.
Discussion Questions
• Do developing nations have a right to
pollute more because developed nations
polluted while they were developing?
• What can rich nations do to help poorer
nations pollute less while still continuing
to develop?
• What role does the individual have in
combating climate change? If any?
Discussion Questions
• Even if the US had signed and
followed the Kyoto Protocol, would
it have succeeded?
• What lessons can be learned from
Kyoto and other similar treaties
that will lead to a more effective
and meaningful treaty in the
future?