Investing in new infrastructure, or radically upgrading existing highways and transmission lines, would help cut greenhouse gas emissions and drive economic growth in developing countries. Bill Gates and dozens of the world’s most prominent investors committed to do the same through a parallel initiative called the Breakthrough Energy Coalition. complex, confusing, and at times contested scientific information But implementing just a few of them could make a difference. Scientific American is part of Springer Nature, which owns or has commercial relations with thousands of scientific publications (many of them can be found at, reduce greenhouse gas emissions to safer levels, supplying roughly half of the electricity, turning the lights off when you leave the office, 54 acres to sustain an average human being, China's Xi Outshines Trump as the World's Future Energy Leader, Fact or Fiction? But should such individual and national efforts fail, there is another, potentially desperate solution: Experiment Earth—Climate change represents humanity's first planetwide experiment. Improved agricultural practices along with paper recycling and forest management—balancing the amount of wood taken out with the amount of new trees growing—could quickly eliminate this significant chunk of emissions. Citizens of many developed countries are profligate wasters of energy, whether by speeding in a gas-guzzling sport-utility vehicle or leaving the lights on when not in a room. That is no coincidence. But it doesn't have to be that way. Climate models are mathematical descriptions of the Earth’s climate, and they require computational systems to manage the calculations and data to replicate the climate system. And that’s fair — humans had to first study the climate to make sure climate change existed, then study the causes of climate change … These commitments -- in the billions of dollars -- are a major step to ensure we have continued breakthroughs and cost reduction in the future. Such efforts can also be usefully employed at work, whether that means installing more efficient turbines at the power plant or turning the lights off when you leave the office. Forego Fossil Fuels—The first challenge is eliminating the burning of coal, oil and, eventually, natural gas. For all of that, we need innovation. Massive investment in low-emission energy generation, whether solar-thermal power or nuclear fission, would be required to radically reduce greenhouse gas emissions. One Child—There are at least 6.6 billion people living today, a number that is predicted by the United Nations to grow to at least nine billion by mid-century. World leaders are gathering in Paris this week for the 21st United Nations climate conference, known as COP21. But plug-in hybrids would still rely on electricity, now predominantly generated by burning dirty coal. “Climate change is a risk management problem,” said Kousky. But it is clear that at least some form of geoengineering will likely be required: capturing carbon dioxide before it is released and storing it in some fashion, either deep beneath the earth, at the bottom of the ocean or in carbonate minerals. It would also take far less land to grow the crops necessary to feed humans than livestock, allowing more room for planting trees. Climate Change is the defining issue of our time and we are at a defining moment. Open NASA facilities to "green tech" companies. Such carbon capture and storage is critical to any serious effort to combat climate change. It poses a significant long-term threat that demands our collective action to prevent its root causes and cope with its impacts. Swapping old incandescent lightbulbs for more efficient replacements, such as compact fluorescents (warning: these lightbulbs contain mercury and must be properly disposed of at the end of their long life), would save billions of kilowatt-hours. Confronting Climate Change Climate change is exacerbating many of the environment issues we currently face. Always adjust the thermostat for heating… All may have unintended consequences, making the solution worse than the original problem. Climate change in Africa is an increasingly serious threat for Africans as Africa is among the most vulnerable continents to climate change. James Hansen Why I must speak out about climate change Top climate scientist James Hansen tells the story of his involvement in the science of and debate over global climate change. As we have seen, innovation also drives the cost reduction necessary to transform global energy markets. University of Chicago researchers estimate that each meat-eating American produces 1.5 tons more greenhouse gases through their food choice than do their vegetarian peers. David Biello is a contributing editor at Scientific American. Cutting down on long-distance travel would also help, most notably airplane flights, which are one of the fastest growing sources of greenhouse gas emissions and a source that arguably releases such emissions in the worst possible spot (higher in the atmosphere). But just as ecologist Stephen Pacala and physicist Robert Socolow, both at Princeton University, came up with 15 so-called "wedges" for nations to utilize toward this goal—each of which is challenging but feasible and, in some combination, could reduce greenhouse gas emissions to safer levels—there are personal lifestyle changes that you can make too that, in some combination, can help reduce your carbon impact. Among the ideas: releasing sulfate particles in the air to mimic the cooling effects of a massive volcanic eruption; placing millions of small mirrors or lenses in space to deflect sunlight; covering portions of the planet with reflective films to bounce sunlight back into space; fertilizing the oceans with iron or other nutrients to enable plankton to absorb more carbon; and increasing cloud cover or the reflectivity of clouds that already form. That scientists developed safe, effective COVID-19 vaccines in less than a year is evidence of our untapped potential to solve global problems. Outstanding leadership is needed from the big players such as the US and China when talks resume on 28 November. Its about ensuring energy security, expanding access to reliable and affordable energy, and spurring economic growth that creates jobs and protects the planet. There are a number of ways climate change may contribute to drought. Flights are also one of the few sources of globe-warming pollution for which there isn't already a viable alternative: jets rely on kerosene, because it packs the most energy per pound, allowing them to travel far and fast, yet it takes roughly 10 gallons of oil to make one gallon of JetA fuel. Move Closer to Work—Transportation is the second leading source of greenhouse gas emissions in the U.S. (burning a single gallon of gasoline produces 20 pounds of CO2). Climate economic studies convincingly show that one of the best investments to fix climate in the medium run is to invest heavily in green R&D. The climate challenge is more than any one government can solve alone. The U.N. Environmental Program estimates that it requires 54 acres to sustain an average human being today—food, clothing and other resources extracted from the planet. For instance, if you are in the market for a new car, buy one that will last the longest and have the least impact on the environment. © 2021 Scientific American, a Division of Springer Nature America, Inc. Support our award-winning coverage of advances in science & technology. Additional reporting by Larry Greenemeier and Nikhil Swaminathan. Think green when making purchases. The U.S. alone contributed 50.7 million metric tons of carbon dioxide to the atmosphere in 2005 from cement production, which requires heating limestone and other ingredients to 1,450 degrees Celsius (2,642 degrees Fahrenheit). in many ways, this is because climate change was originally communicated as a scientific problem. Regions such as the U.S. Southwest are at particular risk. Future Fuels—Replacing fossil fuels may prove the great challenge of the 21st century. Global climate change may be the biggest challenge facing humanity, and it is a problem that illustrates the world-changing implications of interdisciplinary problem-solving. But, if all else fails, it may not be the last. Solutions to the climate crisis are not true or false, or good or bad. Choosing food items that balance nutrition, taste and ecological impact is no easy task. Let’s make sure we’re committed to what lies beyond Paris. One way to dramatically curtail transportation fuel needs is to move closer to work, use mass transit, or switch to walking, cycling or some other mode of transport that does not require anything other than human energy. stated in “limate hange Effects- Where to Changing how industries are run or subsidised doesn’t sound like anything I can influence... can I? This is perhaps the most daunting challenge as denizens of richer nations literally eat, wear, work, play and even sleep on the products made from such fossilized sunshine. Eat Smart, Go Vegetarian?—Corn grown in the U.S. requires barrels of oil for the fertilizer to grow it and the diesel fuel to harvest and transport it. That represents 20 percent of human-made greenhouse gas emissions and a source that could be avoided relatively easily. And even more speculative energy sources—hyperefficient photovoltaic cells, solar energy stations in orbit or even fusion—may ultimately be required. It’s about ensuring energy security, expanding access to reliable and affordable energy, and spurring economic growth that creates jobs and protects the planet. There is also the option of working from home and telecommuting several days a week. Discover world-changing science. Because research is … Climate change is both a global problem and a local problem, and its impacts have implications for and interact with nearly every sector of human activity, including energy and food production, water and other natural resources, human health, business and industrial activities, and, in turn, political stability and international security. That is why President Obama announced last week that the U.S. and 19 other nations are seeking to double our investment in clean energy R&D by 2020. As United States Secretary of Energy, Dr. Ernest Moniz is tasked with implementing critical Department of Energy missions in support of President Obama’s goals of growing the economy, enhancing security and protecting the environment. That’s why scientists and policymakers are exploring how intentional climate interventions, also called geoengineering or climate engineering , can help us combat the worst effects of climate change. Solutions to Environmental Problems (STEP) courses bring together students, faculty, staff and community partners in discussion and action to advance sustainability. To take but one example, efficient battery chargers could save more than one billion kilowatt-hours of electricity—$100 million at today's electricity prices—and thus prevent the release of more than one million metric tons of greenhouse gases. Fossil fuels need to be quickly replaced with cleaner, renewable energy like wind and solar power. Solving any problem takes time. Renewable energies like solar, wind, biomass and geothermal. But we already have the answers, it’s just a question of making them happen. Mining copper and other elements needed for electrical wiring and transmission also causes globe-warming pollution. I will announce the host city and state on Tuesday, December 8. Getting 194 nations to agree on anything, let alone a re-tooling of the global energy system that drives economies, is fiendish. This important meeting will serve as a key milestone in our work after Paris to help countries reach their climate goals. Of course, it takes a lot of cement, a major source of greenhouse gas emissions, to construct new buildings and roads. Some you may already be doing or absolutely abhor. “Part of why it’s tricky is it’s actually not just one risk management problem, but hundreds of risk management problems.” If there ever was a problem that’s hard to solve, it’s climate change. Some grocery stores stock organic produce that do not require such fertilizers, but it is often shipped from halfway across the globe. Restricting flying to only critical, long-distance trips—in many parts of the world, trains can replace planes for short- to medium-distance trips—would help curb airplane emissions. And meat, whether beef, chicken or pork, requires pounds of feed to produce a pound of protein. Televisions, stereo equipment, computers, battery chargers and a host of other gadgets and appliances consume more energy when seemingly switched off, so unplug them instead. Texas GOP, Dems tried to solve a climate change problem together 10 years ago. Foodstuffs often bear some nutritional information, but there is little to reveal how far a head of lettuce, for example, has traveled. In doing so he outlines the overwhelming evidence that change is happening … Not only will we need to make good on our commitments in Paris, we must work with international partners to accelerate the global transition to clean energy. The global momentum to tackle climate change has never been stronger. Coal is the substrate, supplying roughly half of the electricity used in the U.S. and nearly that much worldwide—a percentage that is likely to grow, according to the International Energy Agency. This high-impact effort will launch a race to reach cumulative global sales of 10 billion high-efficiency, high-quality and affordable lighting products (such as LEDs) as quickly as possible. 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