Dealing with Climate Change

Dealing with Climate Change

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Dealing with Climate Change

The effects of climate change are estimated to grow in the coming decades.   There is no way to undo the damage that has already been done to the planet.  Instead, there are two options for dealing with climate change; mitigation and adaptation.   Mitigation aims to deal with the cause of the problem at hand by developing ways to reduce further greenhouse gas emissions.   Adaptation searches for ways to respond to the impacts of climate change and to help those affected. 

Mitigation: Renewable Energy

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Renewable energy relies on naturally occurring sources of energy to replace the burning of fossil fuels.   Methods include wind, solar, geothermal, wave, tidal, and biomass.   These sources are generally more expensive to implement than fossil fuels but are becoming cheaper and more competitive due to their long-term sustainability. 

Mitigation: Carbon Capture

  Carbon Capture and Storage (CCS) aims to replicate the way in which the Earth stores carbon.  This is one of the biggest methods of mitigation apart from renewable energy innovation. CCS removes carbon from the atmosphere, converts it into "supercritical" liquid carbon dioxide, and injects it into sedimentary rock. A "cap rock" stops this carbon from escaping.  This process is expensive and it is unknown whether this is a long term solution.  This process does not promote renewable energy, it is rather just a cover up of the effects of fossil fuels.

Mitigation: Planting Trees

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Reforestation aims to plant trees to remove the carbon dioxide from the atmosphere.   This is done to try to reduce the impact of deforestation.   The UK has many forest programs which aim to plant trees but this process is only effective if it becomes widespread.

Adaptation: Changes in Agriculture

Because climate change is affecting agriculture dramatically, changes need to be made to adapt to new conditions. Many areas of agriculture have moved location to move away from extreme weather conditions. This affects jobs in both locations.   Irrigation can be increased to combat minimal rainfall.   Changes in crop varieties and the time at which they are planted can help to adapt to changing conditions. This includes planting drought-resistant crops and moving to livestock production.   These adaptations are sometimes costly and are extremely difficult for poorer farmers.

Adaptation: Managing Water Supply

Reducing demand for water can help to deal with drought seasons.   By 2030, London aims to offer water-efficient devices to all homes, including aerators that limit water usage. 

The UK aims to increase the supply of fresh water available to its residents. A new Thames Water desalinisation plant opened in 2010 to treat water from the Thames river at low tide when it is least salty. Reverse osmosis is used to provide drinking water to 400,000 homes in the region. This plant uses a huge amount of energy that is offset by a biodiesel electricity plant nearby.