The Copenhagen Agreement is a document that delegates at the 15th session of the Conference of Parties (COP 15) to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change agreed to "take note of" at the final plenary on 18 December 2009.
The Accord, drafted by, on the one hand, the United States and on the other, in a united position as the BASIC countries (China, India, South Africa, and Brazil), is not legally binding and does not commit countries to agree to a binding successor to the Kyoto Protocol, whose round ended in 2012.
After represented Indonesian Youth in COP15 Climate Change Conference, Yangki Suara give a presentation in Padjadjaran University about Copenhagen Accord.
Report on Copenhagen COP15 is a summary of events that transpired in Dec. 2009 at the UNFCCC Conference of the Parties (COP15) including drafting of the Copenhagen Accord and subsequent public discourse.
The Copenhagen Agreement is a document that delegates at the 15th session of the Conference of Parties (COP 15) to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change agreed to "take note of" at the final plenary on 18 December 2009.
The Accord, drafted by, on the one hand, the United States and on the other, in a united position as the BASIC countries (China, India, South Africa, and Brazil), is not legally binding and does not commit countries to agree to a binding successor to the Kyoto Protocol, whose round ended in 2012.
After represented Indonesian Youth in COP15 Climate Change Conference, Yangki Suara give a presentation in Padjadjaran University about Copenhagen Accord.
Report on Copenhagen COP15 is a summary of events that transpired in Dec. 2009 at the UNFCCC Conference of the Parties (COP15) including drafting of the Copenhagen Accord and subsequent public discourse.
Presentaion on carbon credits and kyoto protocolAnkit Agrawal
To combat these changes globally, Kyoto Protocol was created and has been
agreed upon by 170 countries so far, committing themselves to reduce Green
House Gas Emissions and improve Energy Efficiency.
• The Kyoto Protocol envisages reduction of Green House Gases by 5.2% in the
period 2008-12.
• New System of Carbon Credits is Introduced in the texts of Kyoto Protocol is
being formalised to bring more awareness in Industries to reduce their annual
carbon emission by awarding monetary value to reduced emission taking us
towards eco-friendly future
•Through this Presentation we are going to bring into focus
these two main International steps on combating the new evil
“Global Warming”.
Delivered at a FAO informal meeting, this presentation highlights the opportunities and challenges in climate change mitigation, adaptation and finance for African and non-African countries.
Presentation By Shri Mahesh Pandya, Director, Paryavaranmitra shown at The institution of Engineers, Gujarat State Center, Ahmedabad
Note: Views expressed by the author are his own. Placing this presentation here does not mean IEI GSC is in agreement with the same.
Montreal protocol, Kyoto protocol & Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD)Nethravathi Siri
General review and highlights for AECC-Environmental Studies, Unit 6 - International Agreements such as Montreal protocol, Kyoto protocol & Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) in-order to preserve mother nature.
Lets join hands together for awareness spring...
Presentaion on carbon credits and kyoto protocolAnkit Agrawal
To combat these changes globally, Kyoto Protocol was created and has been
agreed upon by 170 countries so far, committing themselves to reduce Green
House Gas Emissions and improve Energy Efficiency.
• The Kyoto Protocol envisages reduction of Green House Gases by 5.2% in the
period 2008-12.
• New System of Carbon Credits is Introduced in the texts of Kyoto Protocol is
being formalised to bring more awareness in Industries to reduce their annual
carbon emission by awarding monetary value to reduced emission taking us
towards eco-friendly future
•Through this Presentation we are going to bring into focus
these two main International steps on combating the new evil
“Global Warming”.
Delivered at a FAO informal meeting, this presentation highlights the opportunities and challenges in climate change mitigation, adaptation and finance for African and non-African countries.
Presentation By Shri Mahesh Pandya, Director, Paryavaranmitra shown at The institution of Engineers, Gujarat State Center, Ahmedabad
Note: Views expressed by the author are his own. Placing this presentation here does not mean IEI GSC is in agreement with the same.
Montreal protocol, Kyoto protocol & Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD)Nethravathi Siri
General review and highlights for AECC-Environmental Studies, Unit 6 - International Agreements such as Montreal protocol, Kyoto protocol & Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) in-order to preserve mother nature.
Lets join hands together for awareness spring...
The UN Framework Convention on Climate Change was agreed more than 20 years ago, but global CO2 emissions have continued to rise. Fossil fuels still dominate the global energy supply and we are on course for a 3-5⁰C increase in global surface temperatures by the end of the century. July 2015 was the warmest month ever recorded for the globe. The OECD has been working in co-operation with its partners to identify how countries need to resolve misalignments between climate goals and policies in other domains that risk undermining climate action and making the low-carbon transition more costly. With the carbon clock ticking, the Paris COP21 conference in December must give a clear and credible directional signal that governments can and will transition from the carbon-intensive present to a low carbon resilient future.
Making the Texas Case for Green Infrastructurejuliekannai
Gulf Coast Green 2019. Speaker: Luke Metzger, Environment Texas. Topic: The most compelling arguments for using Green Infrastructure (aka Low Impact Development) in the Texas Gulf Coast. Summarizing the achievements of Environment Texas in advocated for GI/LID.
Gulf Coast Green 2019. Speaker: Chip Place, Houston Parks Board. Topic: The visionary Bayou Greenways 2020 Plan, and it's impact on flood control and open space.
Cultivating Sustainability on Campus: Lessons from University Communitiesjuliekannai
Gulf Coast Green 2019. Speakers: Colley Hodges, Michael Mendoza, Roshani Malla. Topic: the challenges and opportunities of advocating for sustainability on college campuses.
Analyzing and Designing Connectivity for Green Citiesjuliekannai
Gulf Coast Green 2019. Christof Spieler, David Copeland, Tanvi Sharma and Corey Phelps. How to measure and analyze existing multi-modal (pedestrian, vehicle and transit) connectivity in a given city.
Gulf Coast Green 2019. Anna Mod. Topic: The intersection of historic preservation and sustainability. Includes discussion of the Texas Historic Preservation Tax Credit.
Gulf Coast Green 2019. Lance Hosey. Keynote Address. Topics: Spatial Belonging- how form and space encourage social and emotional wellness; Organizational Belonging- organizations thrive on diversity; Community Belonging- aspects of design that encourage connection to a place; Planetary Belonging- all of humanity is interconnected.
Houston at the Crossroads: Resilience and Sustainability in the 21st Centuryjuliekannai
Jim Blackburn, SSPEED Center, Rice University
This presentation will be a summary of what we know and where we stand eight months after Harvey at the beginning of hurricane season and what each of us can do going forward. The presentation will provide an overview of each of the bayous and stream and river systems including the issues that are particular to each of them as well as a discussion of the upcoming bond issue and a discussion of key upcoming issues.
Richard Vella, City of Houston
Peter McStravick, Houston First
Tom Smith and Hussein Moussa, ARUP
Houston’s history has included several storm events, including Allison, Ike, Rita and most recently Harvey. Harvey’s record breaking rains resulted in flooding that became an inevitable reality. Now, Houston has made the conscience decision to build back in a more resilient way, thereby minimizing damages in subsequent events. Recovery and restoration efforts were aided by the lessons learned during these previous events. This panel session will feature representatives from City of Houston and Houston First describing how they rebuilt and restored their building operations following the Harvey storm. Those discussions will be expanded to highlight some of the key design and planning considerations that will be adopted moving ahead with this work.
Jon Penndorf, Amy Thompson, Cindy Villareal, Perkins and Will
RELi is a new standard designed to measure the strategies that make buildings and communities more shock resistant, healthy, adaptable and regenerative. This session will include an overview of the RELi standard, including the RELi Action List and Credit Catalog. Washington DC has developed a city-wide Climate Plan to address resiliency issues; speakers will describe the process of creating the plan, and how well it is working more than a year after it was implemented.
Michelle Old, Kirksey Architecture and Scott McCready, SWA Landscape Architecture
This session will take a look at the multi-faceted design approach to education carried out by the newest UHD campus addition. The University of Houston Downtown Sciences and Technology building not only provides an opportunity of formal education, but the design of the building also lends itself to an educational experience for both students and faculty alike.
Throughout the project, educational and sustainable moments are showcased within the design, allowing the program to practice what it teaches. The site is designed to react to the flood plain by the use of paving quantities and site location, and a resilient landscape is achieved through the use of native plants as well as a water filtration system that is made of existing recycled concrete. Through the project, water flow can be traced from the building, through the site and ultimately into the bayou. The school’s program ties into the design by using native plants as learning opportunities as well as educational graphics that are located throughout the project. As a downtown campus, the building is connected to the existing hike and bike trail adjacent to the bayou, as well as the downtown urban edge along Main Street. This location enhances pedestrian activity through the project’s site and increases health and wellness.
Preparing for a Black Swan: Planning and Programming for Risk Mitigation in E...juliekannai
Scott Tucker and Verrick Walker, Page
A Black Swan is an event that appears random, is extremely difficult to predict, and usually occurs unexpectedly—with a huge impact. The flooding from Hurricane Harvey in 2017 was Houston’s Black Swan. Unfortunately, we seldom think of disastrous flooding in our commercial buildings, bioterrorism in our health care facilities, blasts in our mission critical facilities, or wildfires overcoming our civic infrastructure, until another black swan dominates the news.
Over the past two decades, Page has formally helped owners and operators of critical facilities and infrastructure to plan and organize programs to harden and protect assets from a wide range of common and not-so-common threats, both natural and artificial. Beginning in 2001, we implemented a flood mitigation solution for Baylor College of Medicine’s campus in the Texas Medical Center after Tropical Storm Allison. Since that first project, we have helped academic, corporate, and government clients safeguard their facilities against fires, hurricanes, earthquakes, explosions, terrorist attacks, and even nuclear detonations. Through our work, we have developed a useful analytical framework for exploring resilient design options that applies to all types of threats, responses, and recovery efforts. This approach focuses on planning and programming for system-wide robustness, based on generalizing threats to buildings, rather than using actuarial data or calculated risk analysis.
This presentation outlines a practical methodology for architects to evaluate facility vulnerabilities throughout the programming and design phases. We will share our threat matrix, a tool developed to summarize and prioritize risks, case studies of how we have implemented this process, and the resulting robust solutions. We also will discuss operational steps that can be taken before, during, and after extreme events in conjunction with designed solutions to maximize resilience.
Alex Westhoff, Marin County Department of Public Works
Role-playing time! Marin County’s "Game of Floods" is a fun, engaging activity to help officials and citizens confront the complexities and challenges of adapting to Sea Level Rise. The simulated, fictitious island game board addresses nature-based protections, building retrofits, land use policy changes, and traditional engineering to solve for future sea level rise. Marin County developed the Game because an educated citizenry is critical to successful planning and implementation.
This small group activity involves 4-6 participants tasked with developing a vision for the hypothetical island landscape that highlights conditions that will be experienced in coming years with sea level rise and increased storm impacts causing the loss or deterioration of homes, community facilities, roads, beaches, wetlands, and other resources.
Jaime Gonzales, the Nature Conservancy, and Beth Clark, Clark Condon Landscape Architects
The Coastal Prairie Partnership, Katy Prairie Conservancy, Houston Native Prairie Association of Texas, and Clark Condon Associates came together to introduce a simple palette of native plants that is commercially available for the community to use in their landscapes. The Nine Natives were selected to work together to give a beautiful show in the garden throughout the year. Species were selected for their extended or repeat blooms, interesting foliage, contrasting colors and textures. All were chosen for the benefit to butterflies, hummingbirds, birds, beneficial insects and other wildlife in the garden and ethnobotanical value. The program includes example plans for formal and informal home gardens and street median plantings and a plan to demonstrate a multi-speciesplanting to create a native pocket prairie.
While some species are strong enough in monoculture, others may be more effective in mixed groupings. The Nine Natives were judged to be a collection that would be appealing to local gardeners - easy to grow - and with a height and habit acceptable to the residential garden or street median. Most of the species are available through local specialty growers, if not local nurseries. The collection is a mix of grasses and forbs, perennials, or re-seeding annuals. Some flowers may give a quick show of brilliant color and others may carry the show throughout spring into the summer and fall long enough to contrast with the soft bloom and foliage of the native grasses in the palette. These Nine Native species may be used to incorporate natives in lieu of, or in addition to, horticultural (non-native) species. Used individually, planted in landscape beds in groups, or mixed together to make a prairie - no matter how they are used - these Nine Natives will add to the beauty and enjoyment of our gardens and neighborhoods.
David Batts, Construction EcoServices
This presentation will explain the business model for green infrastructure, and describe the best way to show decision-makers the value of this strategy.
Economic Resilience in the Houston Galveston Regionjuliekannai
Joshua Owens, Houston-Galveston Area Council
Economic resilience is the ability to prevent and withstand disruptions to the economy. The most common types of disruptions include downturns in economy or in a key industry; the closure or exit of a major employer; and natural or manmade disasters. Creating a resilient economy requires the ability to anticipate risk, evaluate how risk can impact economic assets, and building the capacity respond to disruptions. The Houston-Galveston region has one of the most robust economies in the nation with major economic assets including the energy, agriculture and medical industries; international ports; and new plant expansions. The region is also vulnerable to wide range of natural hazards, including flooding, tornadoes, tropical storms and hurricanes; as well as potential manmade threats such as chemical releases. Local economies throughout the region can be impacted by a downturn in major industries or the loss of important employers. By identifying potential economic disruptions in the region, and conceptualizing economic resilience, creates the means to enhance the region’s economic resilience, through developing a vision for resilient regional economy.
Communicating Flood Risk Using Esri Story Mapsjuliekannai
Bradley Dean, Coastal Scientist, Michael Baker International
Communicating about flood risk and hazard mitigation is challenging and requires storytelling. Our brains are wired to discount facts and the future. During this session, Coastal Scientist Bradley Dean CFM, CE, will explore three use cases for story maps focusing on best practices for communicating flood risk and mitigation initiatives:
• Annapolis, Maryland needed a platform where residents and stakeholders could visualize and interpret the city’s flood mitigation efforts.
• FEMA’s Cooperating Technical Partners’ Recognition Program wanted to showcase award recipients, San Antonio River Authority and Illinois State Water Survey, for their outstanding efforts in a unique way.
• FEMA’s Risk MAP Program needed to increase awareness of non-regulatory flood risk products and their associated benefits for a broader audience.
The solution was to develop story maps which utilize maps, narrative text, and multimedia content to increase accessibility and engage their target audiences. The applications are designed to be attractive and usable by anyone, which makes them great for education and outreach, either to the general public or to a specific audience.
Story maps are an excellent resource to increase local awareness of current and future flood risk and interpret, prioritize, integrate, and implement solutions that reduce risk to enhance community resilience.
Promoting Resilient Communities with the SITES Rating Systemjuliekannai
Danielle Pieranunzi, SITES Program Specialist, GBCI
Too often, landscapes are seen as an afterthought – something to be altered and shaped once elements like buildings and roads are finalized. Modeled originally after LEED, the SITES program has shifted the focus beyond the building to reveal the necessity of healthy, functioning landscapes and green infrastructure in achieving overall sustainability and community resilience. High-performance sites provide a variety of benefits and can create ecologically resilient places better able to withstand and recover from catastrophic events. This session will frame the importance of land design and development by exploring the SITES v2 Rating System and relevant case studies.
Post Harvey Flood Data and the Future of Resilient Infrastructurejuliekannai
John Blount, Harris County Engineer
In late August, a downgraded tropical storm Harvey, which made landfall as a category 4 hurricane just days before, stalled over southwest Texas causing torrential flooding throughout the region. Unincorporated Harris County alone was inundated with in excess of a trillions gallons of storm water over 4 days, enough to fill the Astrodome 3200 times. In the aftermath of the unprecedented event, local officials were left to shepherd constituents through recovery and back to a sense of normalcy.
In this presentation, the county engineer, John Blount, gives a detailed account of the after events of Hurricane Harvey and its effects on the environment, infrastructure and community. Mr. Blount will analyze flood data yet to be released to the public, in order give the audience a perspective of just how devastating Harvey’s flood waters were. This session will breaks down the county facilities destroyed by Hurricane Harvey and John’s vision to respond with resilient solutions instead of temporary fixes because with the frequency and severity of recent storms, this could be the new normal.
7 Alternatives to Bullet Points in PowerPointAlvis Oh
So you tried all the ways to beautify your bullet points on your pitch deck but it just got way uglier. These points are supposed to be memorable and leave a lasting impression on your audience. With these tips, you'll no longer have to spend so much time thinking how you should present your pointers.
You could be a professional graphic designer and still make mistakes. There is always the possibility of human error. On the other hand if you’re not a designer, the chances of making some common graphic design mistakes are even higher. Because you don’t know what you don’t know. That’s where this blog comes in. To make your job easier and help you create better designs, we have put together a list of common graphic design mistakes that you need to avoid.
Expert Accessory Dwelling Unit (ADU) Drafting ServicesResDraft
Whether you’re looking to create a guest house, a rental unit, or a private retreat, our experienced team will design a space that complements your existing home and maximizes your investment. We provide personalized, comprehensive expert accessory dwelling unit (ADU)drafting solutions tailored to your needs, ensuring a seamless process from concept to completion.
Can AI do good? at 'offtheCanvas' India HCI preludeAlan Dix
Invited talk at 'offtheCanvas' IndiaHCI prelude, 29th June 2024.
https://www.alandix.com/academic/talks/offtheCanvas-IndiaHCI2024/
The world is being changed fundamentally by AI and we are constantly faced with newspaper headlines about its harmful effects. However, there is also the potential to both ameliorate theses harms and use the new abilities of AI to transform society for the good. Can you make the difference?
Book Formatting: Quality Control Checks for DesignersConfidence Ago
This presentation was made to help designers who work in publishing houses or format books for printing ensure quality.
Quality control is vital to every industry. This is why every department in a company need create a method they use in ensuring quality. This, perhaps, will not only improve the quality of products and bring errors to the barest minimum, but take it to a near perfect finish.
It is beyond a moot point that a good book will somewhat be judged by its cover, but the content of the book remains king. No matter how beautiful the cover, if the quality of writing or presentation is off, that will be a reason for readers not to come back to the book or recommend it.
So, this presentation points designers to some important things that may be missed by an editor that they could eventually discover and call the attention of the editor.
1. Gulf Coast Green
Symposium and Expo 2012
The Politics of Carbon Management:
Treaties, Programs, and Plans
Aaron Tuley, AICP, Manager
District No. 11
2.
3. Session Objectives:
The Politics of Carbon Management:
To provide and overview -
The evolution of International Accords and Agreements
The strategies behind National Commitments and Programs
Regional and State Programs
. . . to reduce emissions and resulting atmospheric concentrations of CO2
4. We are faced with the fact, my
friends, that tomorrow is today.
We are confronted with the
fierce urgency of now.
In this unfolding conundrum of
life and history there is such a
thing as being too late. . .
Over the bleached bones and
jumbled residues of numerous
civilizations are written the
pathetic words: ‘Too late.’
Martin Luther King, Jr.
5. Scientists are forewarning –
450 ppm
- will trigger potentially irreversible glacial melt and sea level rise…
“out of humanity’s control.”
As of 12 April 2012 - 394.45 ppm
At the current population growth rate of 1.5%, atmospheric concentrations
of CO2 are increasing at a rate at approx. 2 ppm annually.
450 ppm in 2040
RUNAWAY CLIMATE
6. Including land-use change and deforestation, emissions reached:
2010 48 billion metric tons CO2e (36.7 BMTCO2)
5.9% increase over 2009
7. The Hottest Year Ever Measured
(Statistically tied with 2005)
48 billion metric tons of CO2e (UNEP, 2010)
Source: NASA/GISS
8. Scenario 4: Business as Usual
(No action taken)
132% Increase in Emissions by 2050
5.5 – 7.1˚C rise in global temperature by 2100
Scenario 3: Late and Slow Decline
Action Starts in 2030
76% Increase in Emissions by 2050 =
4 – 5.2˚C rise in global temperature by 2100
Scenario 2: Early but Slow Decline
Action Starts in 2010
Emissions return to 1990 levels by 2050 =
2.9 - 3.8˚C rise in global temperature by 2100
Scenario 1: Early and Rapid Decline
Action Starts in 2010
47% Decrease in Emissions =
2.1 - 2.8˚C rise in global temperature by 2100
9.
10. What are we doing about it?
Is there enough time to alter this trajectory?
Are we too late . . . ?
12. 1992 World Climate Conference
Rio Earth Summit
In response to the Brundtland Commission’s report, "Our Common Future,”
an international conference was convened address urgent problems of
environmental protection and socio-economic development.
Results
Three (3) United Nations Conventions were adopted:
•Convention on Biological Diversity
•Convention to Combat Desertification
•Framework Convention on Climate Change
Agenda 21
13. United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC)
Purpose –
1.To illuminate the fact that climate change is a problem.
2.Set lofty but specific, achievable goals.
3.Put the onus on developed countries to lead the way.
4.Direct new funds to climate change activities in developing countries.
5.Keep tabs on the problem and what's being done about it.
6.Formalize realistic consideration of adaptation to climate change.
14. United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC)
The ultimate objective of the UNFCCC –
“to stabilize greenhouse gas concentrations in the atmosphere at a level that
will prevent dangerous human interference with the climate system."
further stating that -
“such a level should be achieved within a time-frame sufficient to allow ecosystems
to adapt naturally to climate change, to ensure that food production is not threatened,
and to enable economic development to proceed in a sustainable manner.“
The UNFCCC entered into force on 21 March 1994.
Parties to the Convention – 192 signatory countries to the UNFCCC.
Parties agreed -
Annex I countries should reduce emissions to 1990 levels by 2000.
(8 ppm in five years)
15. UNFCCC Key Principle –
Parties should act to protect the climate system, “on the basis of equality and in
accordance with their common but differentiated responsibilities and
respective capabilities.”
This principle includes two fundamental elements:
1. The common responsibility of Parties to protect the environment, or parts of it,
at the national, regional and global levels.
2. The need to take into account the different circumstances, particularly each Party’s
contribution to the problem and its ability to prevent, reduce and control the threat
(makes the distinction between “developed” versus “developing” countries).
16. 1995
UNFCCC realized that emission reductions provisions in the Convention
were inadequate. They launched negotiations to strengthen the global response
to climate change, and, two years later, adopted the Kyoto Protocol.
17. Conferences of the Parties 1995 - 2012
1995 COP 1: Berlin, Germany 2004 COP 10: Buenos Aires, Argentina
1996 COP 2: Geneva, Switzerland 2005 COP 11: Montreal, Canada
1997 COP 3: Kyoto, Japan 2006 COP 12: Nairobi, Kenya
1998 COP 4: Buenos Aires, Argentina 2007 COP 13: Bali, Indonesia
1999 COP 5: Bonn, Germany 2008 COP 14: Poznan, Poland
2000 COP 6: The Hague, The Netherlands 2009 COP 15: Copenhagen, Denmark
2001 COP 7: Marrakech, Morocco 2010 COP 16: Cancun, Mexico
2002 COP 8: New Delhi, India 2011 COP 17: Durban, South Africa
2003 COP 9: Milan, Italy 2012 COP 18: Doha, Qatar
18. 1997
Conferences of the Parties 3
The Kyoto Climate Change Conference
The Kyoto Protocol (KP) was adopted in Kyoto, Japan, on 11 December 1997 and
entered into force on 16 February 2005.
The Kyoto Protocol is a legally binding agreement under which industrialized countries
will reduce GHG emissions by –
5% emissions reduction compared to 1990 levels over a five-year period (2008-2012).
(1990 = 350 ppm CO2)
Problem:
Developed countries came under a compliance of emitting GHGs under a cap,
while the developing countries were allowed to emit without a limit.
19. 1997
Conferences of the Parties 3
The Kyoto Climate Change Conference
Under the Treaty, countries must meet their targets primarily through national measures.
Kyoto Protocol offers three market-based mechanisms:
1
Clean Development Mechanism (CDM)
• Relationship between industrialized country and a developing country
• industrialized country with emission-reduction commitment (host)
v
implements an emission-reduction project
v
in a developing country.
• host country earns saleable, certified emission reduction (CER) credits, which can be
counted towards meeting Kyoto target.
20. 1997
Conferences of the Parties 3
The Kyoto Climate Change Conference
Kyoto Protocol’s market-based mechanisms:
2
Joint Implementation (JI)
• between two industrialized countries
•allows a country with an emission reduction commitment to earn emission reduction
units (ERUs) from an emission-reduction / removal project in another country, which
can be counted towards meeting its Kyoto target.
•underlying premise that it is cheaper to implement an emission reduction / removal
project in a country other than in the host country.
•offers Parties a flexible, cost-efficient means of fulfilling Kyoto commitments, while
the host Party benefits from foreign investment and technology transfer.
21. 1997
Conferences of the Parties 3
The Kyoto Climate Change Conference
Kyoto Protocol’s market-based mechanisms:
3
Emission Trading (ET)
•Under this scheme Parties would buy carbon credits developed by renewable
projects in developing countries, at a flexible market rate to offset the extra
amount to emissions.
22. European Union
Emissions Trading Scheme (ETS)
ETS has been operational since 2005 and is the LARGEST
international scheme for the trading of GHG emission
allowances.
The EU ETS covers some 11,000 power stations and
industrial plants in 30 countries.
The GOAL of the EU ETS is to encourage capital investment
in low-carbon energy technologies and fuels.
The Kyoto Protocol requires the EU-15 countries reduce
their collective emissions to -
08% below 1990 levels between 2008-2012.
Emissions monitoring and projections show that the EU-15 has met this target.
Unilateral commitment, implemented through binding legislation, to cut emissions
by at least - 20% of 1990 levels by 2020. (500 MMTCO2e by 2020)
EU has offered to increase its emissions reduction to -
30% of 1990 levels by 2020,
on condition that other major emitting developed / developing countries commit to
do their fair share under a future global climate agreement.
23. 2009
Conferences of the Parties 15
The Copenhagen Climate Summit
Non-binding, Copenhagen Accord was drafted by the U.S. -
°
1. recognizes the scientific case for keeping temperature rises below 2°C, but
•does not contain a baseline for this target, and removes all benchmarks
and commitments for reduced emissions that would be necessary to achieve
the target (blessing and a curse).
2. Commits capital support for Developing Countries
•Green Climate Fund - $30 billion quick start funding ramping-up to $100 billion.
4. U.S. agreed to cut greenhouse gas emissions by 17% below 2005 levels by 2020,
42% by 2030 and 83% by 2050
2005 = 379.1 ppm CO2 (44.5 BMTCO2e)
Problems –
Non-binding, in that Parties did not sign-it and therefore did not agree to commit to it.
24. 2010
Conferences of the Parties 16
Cancun Climate Change Conference
COP-16 negotiations were commended by many as noticeably more transparent
and inclusive of all countries.
Cancun Agreements. Copenhagen Accord is ratified.
Parties agreed to –
•commit to a maximum temperature rise of 2 degrees Celsius above pre-Industrial
levels, and to consider lowering that maximum to 1.5 degrees in the near future.
•to establish a Green Climate Fund to provide financing to projects, programs,
policies and other activities in developing countries via thematic funding windows;
25. - 56 BMTCO2
- 52 BMTCO2
Delta: 7 BMTCO2
- 45 BMTCO2
47% reductions beginning in 2010? Maybe 15-20% at most.
November 2011
The combined global effort to reduce emissions remains less
than half of what it needs to be to remain within a 2 degree C.
rise in temperature.
26. 2011
Conferences of the Parties 17
Durban Climate Change Conference
Durban Platform for Enhanced Action
1. Cooperation: Called for “the widest possible cooperation by all countries and their
participation in an effective and appropriate international response.”
• attempts to break down the divide between developed and developing countries
in order to embrace an inclusive, collective action approach.
2. Enforcement: Recognized the need to strengthen the multilateral, rules-based regime
through development of a “protocol,” with legal force under the Convention,
applicable to all Parties by 2015.
Second Commitment Period of the Kyoto Protocol
1. Governments of the Parties to the Kyoto Protocol decided that a second commitment
period, from 2013 onwards, would seamlessly follow the end of the first commitment
period.
2. The length of the second commitment period is to be determined: either 5 or 8 years.
27. 2012
Conferences of the Parties 18
Qatar Climate Change Conference
Not South Korea?
Doha.
World must engage, not enrage, the Middle East and the Arab World.
CLIMATE VOTE PROJECT
Purpose: challenge worldwide governments at COP 18 to develop a comprehensive, legally
binding climate protection agreement for the time after 2012.
Objective: 10 million Facebook Users will add weight and coherence to this demand.
The Climate Vote Project demands implementation of the following points in this
successor agreement:
1. To ensure that global warming stays well below 2 degrees C., the industrialized
nations must commit themselves to far more drastic reductions in emissions than in
the first Kyoto period.
2. New agreement must include the U.S., which signed the first KP but did not ratify it.
3. Encourage India and China to take part with appropriate targets for Kyoto Phase Two.
28. Despite the U.S.’ weak response to international agreements . .
Don’t give up hope yet -
30. 2009 Executive Order 13514: Federal Leadership in
Energy, Environmental, and Economic Performance
GOAL:
Reduce TOTAL federal Scope 1 and Scope 2 emissions by –
28 % from a 2008 baseline by 2020.
Reduce indirect Scope 3 emissions by –
13 % from 2008 levels in the same time frame.
2008 Baseline Emissions: 123.2 MMTCO2e
66.4 are subject to emissions reduction targets
18.5 MMTCO2e
But –
By meeting these two goals, the federal government will, through 2020 –
•Eliminate 235 million barrels of oil
•Save $8-11 billion on avoided energy costs
31. 2008,
President Bush warned that U.S. emissions would continue to rise until 2025 . . .
Despite the Myth of U.S. Inaction -
Obama Commitment at 2009 COP 15 (Copenhagen):
17% Emissions Reductions below 2005 levels by 2020
U.S. Proposed Policies Potential Emissions Percentage below
and other Developments Reductions (MMT) 2005 levels
1 Stronger than expected recession:
2 Unexpectedly high oil prices
and low natural gas prices:
3 Ambitious new automobile
efficiency regulations:
4 Accelerated shutdowns of
coal-fired power plants
5 Policy action in California (AB 32) 91.0 – 130.0
and other states
7.5%
Official Estimate: U.S. energy-related emissions to be 7.5% below 2005 levels
by 2020.
32. Despite the Myth of U.S. Inaction -
Additional Economic / other Events Potential Emissions Percentage below
Reductions (MMT) 2005 levels
0 New Greenhouse Gas (GHG) 2.3%
regulations:
0 U.S. Congress extension of
expiring clean energy incentives,
tax credits and subsidies: 0.6%
10.4%
0 Clean Energy Standard (CES) 200
0 Subsidy for residential geothermal
heat pumps 50
15.5%
0 Faster than expected energy-related
technological development: 200
0 Continued lackluster growth
by U.S. economy: 183
0 Higher than expected oil prices
($200 / barrel by 2035): 127
18.9% - 24%
34. What Does America Need?
Abundant and free renewable resources
Technology
Materials
Workforce
Capital
Rapid mobilization experience
Political will?
35. Part of the challenge over these past three years has been that people’s
number-one priority is finding a job and paying the mortgage and dealing
with high gas prices. In that environment, it’s been easy for the other side
to pour millions of dollars into a campaign to debunk climate-change
science. I suspect that over the next six months, (climate change) is going
to be a debate that will become part of the campaign, and I will be very
clear in voicing my belief that we’re going to have to take further steps to
deal with climate change in a serious way. That there’s a way to do it that
is entirely compatible with strong economic growth and job creation – that
taking steps, for example, to retrofit buildings all across America with
existing technologies will reduce our power usage by 15 or 20 percent.
That’s an achievable goal, and we should be getting started now.
President Barack Obama
Rolling Stone interview (24 April 2012)
My view is that we don’t know what’s causing climate change on this planet.
And the idea of spending trillions and trillions of dollars to try to reduce CO2
emissions is not the right course for us.
Mitt Romney (October 2011)
36. 53% of Americans think the effects of Global warming
have already begun or will do so in a few years.
- Gallup
The Age of Fact-free Science
According to the Center for American Progress –
More than half of the Republicans in the House and three-
quarters of Republican senators now say that the threat
of global warming, as a man-made and highly threatening
phenomenon, is at best an exaggeration and at worst an
utter “hoax.”
- New York Times, 25 February 2011
37. The Science of Truthiness: Why Conservatives Deny Global Warming
38. Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative
(RGGI)
• Voluntary Program
• 10 Northeast states
• Power plants > 25 MW capacity
• Only Carbon Dioxide Maine
Vermont
RGGI Programs include: New Hampshire
Massachusetts
1. Goal
Rhode Island
• Reach 25-40% below 1990 emissions limits by 2010 Connecticut
• Achieved 7% below 1990 emissions by 2009 New York
Actions - New Jersey
Maryland
2. Clean up power plants (led to the first cap and trade program Delaware
in the U.S.)
3. Clean Cars Program – 30% reduction in per-mile emissions by 2016
4. Energy efficiency improvements
• Resulting in $2.1 billion reductions in consumer utility bills, despite rate increases,
because of the immediate impact of energy efficiency measures
5. Expanded renewable energy – 25 MW in 2000 > 1,671 MW in 2010
39. Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative
(RGGI)
Successes –
Between 2000 and 2009, the 10 northeastern states that participate in the Regional
Greenhouse Gas Initiative (RGGI)
1. cut per capita carbon dioxide emissions by 17.9%, 20% faster than the rest of the nation
2. grew the region’s gross product per capita 87% faster than the rest of the U.S.,
with GDP increasing by 8.4%,
increased economic output by $1.6 billion ($33 per person)
(Environment New Jersey Research & Policy Center).
Findings –
1. large reductions in global warming pollution are possible
2. innovative regional collaborations can help make them happen
3. emission reductions can be achieved side-by-side with economic growth.
So why did Governor Chris Christie withdraw the
State of New Jersey from RGGI?
40. State of California
Assembly Bill 32: Global Warming Solutions Act (2006)
Set the 2020 greenhouse gas emissions reduction goal into law.
Lead Agency: California Air Resources Board (ARB)
Provisions
1 Establish 1990 as baseline year
•2020 emissions forecast: 507 MMTCO2e
•1990 emissions verified at 427 MMTCO2e
80.0 MMTCO2e
2 Scoping Plan (approved December 2008)
Reduction Goals:
•Pavley (AB 1493) GHG emission reductions 26.1
•advanced clean cars 4.0
•Renewable Portfolio Standard (RPS) – 20% by 2020 21.3
•Renewable Electricity Standard (RES) – 33% 13.4
•Low Carbon Fuel Standard 15.0
•Energy Efficiency (building, appliance, CHP, etc.) 11.9
91.7 MMTCO2e
41. U.S. Conference of Mayors
Climate Protection Agreement
Under the Agreement, participating cities commit to take following three actions:
1) Strive to meet or beat the Kyoto Protocol targets in their own communities,
through actions ranging from anti-sprawl land-use policies to urban forest
restoration projects to public information campaigns;
2)Urge their state governments, and the federal government, to enact policies
and programs to meet or beat the GHG emission reduction target suggested
for the United States in the Kyoto Protocol –
7% reduction from 1990 levels by 2012
3)Urge the U.S. Congress to pass the bipartisan GHG reduction legislation, which
would establish a national emission trading system.
Status? Uncertain. Can’t be measured.
42. Addison
Texas Signatories: Arlington
Austin
Cities that have signed the Conference of Mayors Carollton
College Station
Climate Protection Agreement:
1,055 (as of 21 April 2012) Coppell
Corsicana
85 million U.S. citizens! Dallas
Denton
Edinburgh
El Paso
Euless
Fairview
Fort Worth
Frisco
Garland
Hurst
Hutto
Laguna Vista
Laredo
McKinney
Mount Vernon
Plano
Port Isabel
Richardson
San Antonio
Shavano Park
South Padre Island
Sugar Land
Texarcana
Westlake