Can We Avoid the Two Degree Threshold? Vital Signs
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Transcript of Can We Avoid the Two Degree Threshold? Vital Signs
Vital Signs
TEXT HERECan we avoid the two
degree threshold?
TEXT HERE
Carbon Dioxide (CO2) is the maincontributor to global climate change
It is believed that warming the earth by 2degrees Celsius will have severe and
irreversible global environmental effects
"CO2 Emissions Set to Reach New 40 Billion Tonne Record High in 2014," press release(Norwich, U.K.: Tyndall Center for Climate Research, 22 September 2014).
TEXT HERETo prevent this temperature increase, total
future emissions cannot exceed 1,200billion tons
"CO2 Emissions Set to Reach New 40 Billion Tonne Record High in 2014," press release (Norwich,U.K.: Tyndall Center for Climate Research, 22 September 2014).
TEXT HEREIn 2013, global combustion of fossil fuelsand the production of cement resulted inthe emission of 36.1 billion tons of CO2.
2014 emissions are projected to be 2.5%over 2013 levels
Global Carbon Project, "Global Carbon Budget 2014," Power Point Presentation, 21 September 2014. Notethat all figures cited are in metric tons.
TEXT HEREWithout more aggressive global mitigationactions, the 2 degrees threshold could be
crossed before 2041
TEXT HEREReaching carbon net neutrality
between 2055 and 2070 is essentialto minimizing the risk of severe,pervasive, and in some cases,
irreversible climate change impacts
U.N. Environment Programme, “UN Says Global Carbon Neutrality Should be Reachedby Second Half of Century, Demonstrates Pathways to Stay Under 2°C Limit,” press
release (Nairobi: 19 November 2014).
TEXT HEREThe United States ranks first inper person emissions from the
combustion of fossil fuels. Chinais ranked second.
Stefan Nicola, “China Surpasses EU in Per-Capita Pollution for First Time,” BloombergNews, 22 September 2014.
TEXT HERECarbon Dioxide is the most
prevalent greenhouse gas butmethane is the most potent,
trapping 86 times the heat of CO2
Joe Romm, “Methane Leaks Wipe Out Any Benefit of Fracking, Satellite ObservationsConfirm,” Thinkprogress.org, 22 October 2014.
TEXT HEREGreenhouse gas emissions mainly
come from energy supply,industrial processes, forestry,
agriculture, and transportation.U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), “Global Greenhouse Gas Emissions
Data,” at www.epa.gov/climatechange/ghgemissions/global.html, based on IPCCdata.
Failure to meet previouslyestablished climate goals is due to
the falling prices of coal, naturalgas and petroleum, among other
things
REN21, Renewables Global Status Report 2014 (Paris: 2014), p. 15.
TEXT HERESlowdown in global economic
growth causes industrial nationsto limit support for clean energy
alternatives
TEXT HERE
Expanding world population andthe growth of developing-
country economies alsocontributes to the rising
greenhouse gas emissions
TEXT HERE
Halving the rate of deforestationand restoring significant acres ofdeforested lands worldwide by
2030 could reduce carbonemissions by between 4.5 billion
and 8.8 billion tons of CO2
“UN Climate Summit Pledges to Halt Loss of Natural Forests by2030,” (London) Guardian, 23 September 2014.
TEXT HEREClean energy alternatives,
like solar and wind power, areavailable and are decreasing
in cost
REN21, Renewables Global Status Report 2014 (Paris: 2014), p. 28
TEXT HEREMany larger developing nations are
investing in sustainable energyindustries. China invested $56.3 billion in
renewable energy in 2013
REN21, Renewables Global Status Report 2014 (Paris: 2014), p. 68
Full analysis, sources,and data available at:
http://bit.ly/1uUrKTB
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