ATTIYA REHMAN

Explain what policies have been put into place to solve climate change on different scales (15 marks).
There have been many strategies put in place to reduce climate change locally, regionally, nationally and internationally. Locally within the area in schools there are many strategies in place for example recycling. This helps to prevent deforestation so the plants are taking in carbon dioxide from the air to photosynthesise and releasing oxygen. This reduces the amount of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere so the atmosphere is less thick, allowing heat to go back out into space, keeping climate constant. There is a close relationship between the amount of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere and global warming. Also there are wind turbines and solar panels in place locally, using renewable energy so less fossil fuels are burnt, and therefore lesson carbon dioxide is released in to the atmosphere. Regionally in Birmingham there were aims to reduce carbon emissions by 20% by 2010 and 60% by 2015. To meet these aims there have been many strategies put in place for example new developments have to have at least 10% of energy sourced from onside renewable sources for example solar water heaters and wind turbines. This means less fossil fuels are being burnt reducing the amount of carbon dioxide released in to the atmosphere, so there is less CO2 to contribute to global warming. Also there are plans to ensure all homes have an energy rating by 2015. This allows people to see how much energy they are using and allows them to make changes to their lifestyle if they are using too much, reducing carbon emissions however not everyone may make these changes so there may be no effect on climate change. Furthermore targets ensure that 15% of all energy use in Birmingham is from renewable sources. Again this means less energy is used from non renewable sources such as coal/oil. On a national scale in the UK, emissions have already fallen 21% below 1990 levels nearly double what was promised at Kyoto. This helps to solve climate change as there are less harmful gases released in to the atmosphere such as CO2, methane, and also CFCs which damage the ozone layer allowing more heat to reach the Earth. As these gases have been reduced, there would be less change in the climate, temperatures staying approximately the same. To meet the targets the UK government has put in place the worlds first ever legally binding target to cut emissions at least 80% by 2050 and a set of 5-year carbon budgets to keep the UK on track. Emissions are falling faster than before - fallen 1% a year since 1990 and will now fall 1.4% a year. Also the government has introduced clean energy cash back schemes so people and businesses will be paid if they use low carbon sources to generate heat/electricity. This encourages large businesses to produce fewer emissions as they are being rewarded for it. Internationally, there has been a global strategy to solve climate change which takes the name of the Kyoto Protocol. The Kyoto Protocol was adopted in 1997 in Japan and entered force in 2005. It is an international agreement linked to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change and it commits its parties by setting internationally binding emission reduction targets. Before the industrial revolution CO2 level was steady at around 280 parts per million. When the Kyoto protocol was drawn up in 1997, the CO2 level had reached at 368 ppm and in 2004, it hit 379 ppm. Countries in Kyoto Protocol have committed to cut emissions of not only carbon dioxide, but of also other greenhouse gases, being: Methane (CH4), Nitrous oxide (N2O), Hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs), Perfluorocarbons (PFCs) and Sulphur hexafluoride (SF6). These greenhouse gases can lead to global

ATTIYA REHMAN warming and the reduction of these will have a positive impact on climate change, keeping it steady solving the problem of climate change. Among industrialised nations, 16 are on target to meet their Kyoto obligations, including France, the UK, Greece and Hungary, the UN said. Some 20 countries are off-course, including Canada, Germany, Ireland, Italy, Japan, New Zealand and Spain. Nations that miss their Kyoto target in 2012 will incur a penalty of an additional third added to whatever cut they agree under a new treaty in Copenhagen. This greatly helps to solve the problem of climate change as countries work together to reduce the amount of emissions released by their own country.