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Evidence of human influence on the environment
Global Environmental Change
Science
Relation to International Environmental
Assessments and Conventions
Kevin. E. Trenberth
World Population 6,640,000,000
Energy
Food
Water
Biodiversity
Sustainability
How is the global Earth system changing?
What are the primary forcings of the Earth
system?
How does the Earth system respond to
natural and human-induced changes?
What are the consequences of changes in
the Earth system for human civilization?
How well can we predict future changes in
the Earth system?
Can effective action be taken in response to
the findings?
Fundamental Earth Science Questions
The IPCC claims that it doesnt do science.
So who does?
We do!
Intergovernmental
Panel on Climate
Change
Best available
scientific
information
IHDP
Diversitas
IGBP
WCRP
IPCC
Assessment
Millennium Ecosystem
Assessment
Ozone
Assessment
GCOS
Adequacy
Report
Millennium Ecosystem Assessment
Begun 2001, completed in March 2005:
Series of reports:
Ecosystems & Human Well-being:
:Synthesis
:Biodiversity Synthesis
:Desertification Synthesis
:Opportunities & Challenges for Business & Industry
:Wetlands & Water
:Health
1300 experts from 95 countries
Millennium Ecosystem Assessment
Any progress achieved in addressing the goals of
poverty and hunger eradication, improved health,
and environmental protection is unlikely to be
sustained if most of the ecosystem services on
which humanity relies continue to be degraded.
Ongoing degradation of ecosystem services is a road
block to the Millennium Development Goals agreed
to by the world leaders at the United Nations in
2000.
From the Synthesis Report
The MA has provided a road map, now we need to
start the journey. Carpenter et al. 2006 Science.
Ozone assessments
1985: Ozone hole discovered
1986: First ozone assessment. Others
followed: 1988, 1989, 1991, 1994,
1998, 2002, (2006 underway).
1986-89: Scientific explanation
1987: Montreal Protocol signed
1990: London amendments
1992: Copenhagen amendments
1999: Beijing amendments:
each decreasing the amount
of ozone depleting material
allowed to be emitted as
evidence became more
widespread of ozone
depletion elsewhere as well.
What the world decided to do about it.
100
150
200
250
300
1975 1985 1995 2005
p
p
t
CFC-11
Climate change & other environmental issues are inter-linked
Food and Fiber Production
Provision of Clean and Sufficient Water
Maintenance of Biodiversity
Maintenance of Human Health
Storage and cycling of Carbon, Nitrogen, Phosphorus
Agricultural
Lands
Coastal
Zones
Forest
Lands
Freshwater
Systems
Arid Lands
Grasslands
Climate change will affect the ability of ecological systems
to provide essential ecological goods and services
1988 - The establishment of the IPCC
WMO, UNEP
1990 - First IPCC Assessment Report
1992 - IPCC Supplementary Reports
1994 - IPCC Special Report
1995 - Second IPCC Assessment Report
1996 - COP-2, 1997 - COP-3
2001 - Third IPCC Assessment Report
2002 - COP-8, 2003 - COP-9
2007 - Fourth IPCC Assessment Report
1992- Adoption of the UNFCCC
1994- Entry into force of the UNFCCC
Ratified by 189 countries
1997- Adoption of Kyoto Protocol at COP-3
2005 Feb 16- Kyoto Protocol ratified by 164 countries
(But not by USA or Australia)
UNFCCC ARTICLE 2: OBJECTIVE
The ultimate objective of this Convention and
any related legal instruments that the
Conference of the Parties may adopt is to
achieve, in accordance with the relevant
provisions of the Convention, stabilization of
greenhouse gas concentrations in the
atmosphere at a level that would prevent
dangerous anthropogenic interference with the
climate system. 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.
1988 - The establishment of the IPCC
Role of the IPCC:
The role of the IPCC is to assess on a
comprehensive, objective, open and transparent
basis the scientific, technical and socio-
economic information relevant to understanding
the scientific basis of risk of human-induced
climate change, its potential impacts and options
for adaptation and mitigation.
Review by experts and governments is an
essential part of the IPCC process.
Scenarios of future emissions
of greenhouse gases, aerosols
Scenarios of future concentrations
of greenhouse gases and aerosols
Projections of future climate:
The response, global, regional
Assessment of observations,
processes and models
Impacts
Adaptation
Mitigation
Policy options
The role of the IPCC
is to provide policy relevant but not policy prescriptive
scientific advice to policy makers and the general public.
IPCC scientists with all kinds of value systems, ethnic
backgrounds, and from different countries, gather
together to produce the best consensus science
possible, and with appropriate statements about
confidence and uncertainty.
Scientists have become accustomed to this role and
many find it hard to become advocates for particular
courses of action, and have often been criticized as a
result.
It is a difficult balancing act to be an unbiased scientist
at work and an advocate in ones own time.
A major strength of the IPCC process
has been the intergovernmental process, through
reviews and then approval of the Summary for Policy
Makers on a word-by-word basis. This provides
ownership.
But it has also been subject to much criticism as it is
much more political. In principle, this process is designed
to provide a report in which the content is determined
by the science while how it is stated is determined
jointly with the governments. Hence it aids
communication between scientists and politicians.
NOTE: In terms of impact of the report, the
process is as important as the report itself.
The Kyoto Protocol basically calls for a freeze on
emissions to 1990 levels for developed countries.
Similarly, the Montreal Protocol for ozone depletion
initially called for a freeze on CFC emissions and only later
was this changed to a phase out.
A freeze on emissions
means that
concentrations of
carbon dioxide continue
to increase. Climate
continues to change,
temperatures rise and
sea level continues to
rise.
Global climate change from human influences is
already with us. The long lifetime of Carbon Dioxide and
other GHGs means that there is already a commitment
to further climate change of at least 0.6C.
We can not stop it: we can slow it
down! That is highly desirable as it
allows greater time for planning and
adaptation. Disruption arises more
from rapid change than from the climate per se.
However, mitigation effects mainly payoff beyond
2050. So we must adapt to climate change: we will
adapt, whether unplanned (disruptive untold damage and
loss of life), autonomously, or planned.
Climate change is not necessarily bad! Rapid change is:
because we are adapted to our current climate.
Increasingly, the climate of the past is not a good
guide to the future. But that is what is widely used for
planning and design: water use, buildings, energy,
agriculture
All climate change has a cause, even if natural.
E.g., It is possible for the atmosphere to warm at the
expense of cooling the oceans. But we can track, in
principle, what is happening to the oceans and they too
are warming.
The imperative is to build an observing and
information system to better plan for the future.
The climate is changing: It is likely to continue to change!
Regardless of the success of mitigation actions:
We need a comprehensive information system to:
Observe and track the climate changes and
forcings as they occur.
Analyze global products (with models)
Understand the changes and their origins
Validate and improve models
Initialize models; predict future developments
Assess impacts regionally: on environment,
human activities and sectors such as
agriculture, energy, fisheries, water resources, etc.
Such a system will be invaluable regardless of
magnitude of global warming
Atmospheric
Observations
Data Systems
Technology
Development
OBSERVING SYSTEM TIMELINE
Innovations
Breakthrough
Efficiencies Cost
Mass Productions
Space
Observations
Ocean
Observations
Innovations
Breakthrough
Efficiencies
Cost
Mass
Productions
20
th
Century 21
st
Century
Discipline Specific View
Whole System View
Technology
Development
We have some Global Earth Observations We dont have:
Courtesy:Tom Karl
GEOSS: A possible way to implement?
Natural &
Human Induced
Disasters
Human Health
& Well-Being
Energy
Resources
Climate
Variability &
Change
Water
Resources
Weather
Information,
Forecasting &
Warning
Terrestrial,
Coastal
& Marine
Ecosystems
Sustainable
Agriculture &
Desertification
Biodiversity
We need to do it!
The Challenge:
Sustainable Management of an Ever-Changing Planet
Puff of white smoke
(cloud)
Every five years a conclave forms
Climate scientists gather in storms
Increased greenhouse gases abound
No obvious solution can be found.
The IPCC report is clear
Global Warming, year after year !
K. Trenberth May 2005, Beijing LA mtg; time new Pope selected
