Global Warming - Case Study Example

Global Warming Global Warming Introduction In response to challenges presented by climate change, countries have enacted policies to maintain global carbon gas emission at the safest levels. Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) is the leading organization that undertakes an assessment of climate change. The WMO and UNEP pioneered the formation of IPCC in 1988. It serves as a scientific body under the UN structure. Key among its roles is to review and assess scientific, technical, as well as socio-economic data and information produced globally and that which helps in understanding climate change (IPCC, 2015). Using the information disseminated from the panel, all IPCC member countries have the mandate to ensure a holistic approach towards addressing climate change and lowering greenhouse gas safest levels. The study addresses the question, which agreements should IPCC member countries make to reduce global greenhouse gas emissions? In responding to the research question, the study involves an analysis of the different climate change policies on in IPCC member countries. The research further highlights remarkable inconsistencies in the policies and explains that strategies set by IPCC member countries have not proven viable to combat climate change. Thus, the research justifies the necessity for reforms in existing policies meant to combat climate change in IPCC member countries. An analysis of policies on global warming in selected IPCC member countries The IPCC member countries are in categories of six regions as classified by WMO. Region I includes Africa, the second (II) includes Asia, the third (III) includes South America, region four (IV) includes North and Central America and the Caribbean. Region V includes the South-West Pacific while region VI includes Europe. The analysis features policies from selected countries from all the six IPCC regions. Region I of IPCC includes African countries. Specifically, South Africa has initiated the Carbon Tax Policy Paper to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and facilitate the transition to a green economy (National Treasury, Rep. of South Africa, 2013). According to the policy paper, taxes are levied on coal, oil, electricity and petroleum products. The Carbon Tax Policy Paper provides industries and other emitters an adequate time to invest and innovate in greener technologies for the future. The tax is based on emissions derived from emitting factors linked to the fuel inputs used. It covers all stationary sources including process emissions. Carbon tax changes producer and consumer behavior hence addressing the magnitude of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere. The tax policy, therefore, include carbon taxes, energy taxes and taxes on process emissions such as nitrogen dioxide. The second policy in South Africa involves changes to the energy subsidy regime. The subsidy reform reduces the greenhouse emissions (Moodley, Mabugu, Hassan, 2005). For instance, the removal of subsidies from fossil fuels or from electricity that depends on fossil fuels is significant in reducing carbon dioxide emissions. In region II, Japan has implemented various mitigation policies to reduce greenhouse gas emissions concerning the Warsaw target. The policies include The Feed-In-Tariff (FIT) Scheme, which aims to boost renewable energy deployment. The next policy is The Global Warming Tax (Blumenthal, Damassa & Kuramochi, 2014). In addition, Japan has initiated guidelines for carbon dioxide emissions from new fossil fuel-powered plants. The power plant technology must conform to the available technology standards. The guidelines require that carbon dioxide emissions from new coal power plants that exceed gas-fired power plants must be offset with International. In addition, Japan tackles energy efficiency by strengthening thermal insulation in buildings and households. In region III, Brazil has witnessed a dramatic increase in the carbon emission in the recent years, a report published by the Brazilian climate policy indicate that carbon emission has risen by 25% (Center for Climate and Energy Solutions, 2008). The cause of the increase in carbon emission is the poor industrial revolution policies that have promoted deforestation in the Amazon forest and the Cerrado savanna. The industrial policies embraced by Brazil violate the forestry code allowing deforestation to play a larger percentage of carbon emission in the South American state. In an attempt to reduce the carbon emission, Brazil implemented a policy that aimed at promoting better practices in the economic sector by stimulating efficiency. The action plan designed to promoting efficient use of the available natural resources, improving scientific technology to encourage healthier performance in the various economic and industrial sectors. However, the policy to combat the carbon emission crisis has increased as the industrial platforms embrace the use of high-energy consumption machines known for the emission of greenhouse gases. The implementation of national energy consumption policy failed leading to high electric consumption and consequently carbon emission from both the industrial and domestic sector. The USA faces a major climatic crisis due to the emission of carbon gases. In an attempt to reduce the climatic changes the USA through the American Climatic and Energy Security Act (ACESA) have suggested some policies to remedy the situation. Among the policy proposed to combat the emission is the reduction of the consumption of coal and petroleum products in the USA industries. The plan introduced a registration of carbon firms with the state and the emission laws that permitted the companies to emit certain amounts of carbon to the environment. The U.S has strategies of reducing greenhouse gas emissions (Center on Budget and Policy Priorities, 2013). The main environmental agency, EPA specifies emission standards for all states (ALEC, 2014; Utech, 2014). The action plan on climate change initiated by the Obama administration provides measures to reduce carbon emission levels (US Climate Action Network, 2014). The increase in the number of light-fueled vehicles in the USA is a factor for the Nation’s Crisis. These vehicles promote climate change by emitting large amounts of carbon into the air. The use of coal as cheap natural gases as an alternative fuel for domestic is a factor for the climate crisis. Germany Germany has an ambitious climate change ambitions. It reduce reduced the greenhouse gas emission substantially but remain the primary emitter. The mitigation plans on the Global change in Germany considered the vast range of the environmental measures implemented. German remains the greatest greenhouse gas emission, the largest and most energy efficient economies, globally. Germany has shown commitment to addressing the challenge to ensure the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions. It reduced the GHG emissions but remains an important emitter. Germany is dedicated to achieving its Kyoto commitment for 2012. It has had a reduction of 21 percent GHG reduction from 1990.The greatest reduction of the carbon footprints was in the manufacturing and the construction with a depreciation in emissions of more than 40 percent one third higher than the European Union. Between 1990 and 2000, real emissions of the 6 green house gases stated in the Kyoto protocol decreased by over 18 percent in Germany. Carbon dioxide emissions are composing 80 percent, of all the greenhouse gas emissions reduced by 15.3 percent from 1014.3 million tons to 859.3 Million tons. France France is supporting the robust climate policies for many countries. The French development agency has developed innovative budget assistance elements for countries integrating climate challenges into their development strategy. France advocates for the apparent cut down in the carbon emission by the scientific recommendations. The medium-term emissions reduction should be around 25 percent and 40 percent for the developed countries. Developed countries had to commit to reducing their emissions by 15 percent to 30 percent. For the realization of the positive results related to the reduction of the carbon emission, there must be a framework to ensure transparent implementation. The United Nations and the Copenhagen suggest that the development countries increase by sponsoring vulnerable second world countries to adapt to the effects of climate change. The financial support would come from private and public sources to promote the Kyoto Protocol to reduce the emission cuts. For the fight of climatic change, a group of climatic change Facing AGF, the G20, and the Transitional. To combat climate change, there is coherent and integrated architecture. South west Pacific Australia Australia bears the high per capita global warming emission rates with great coal preservers. Australia and National Renewable electricity standards and it has taken to reduce its global warming emission implementation. The Australian government set the mandatory energy target of 9500 gig watt-hours by 2010. New Zealand New Zealand emission trading scheme is the carbon trading systems in the world. The New Zealand approach requires emission sources to by credits to cover their emissions allowing sources that limit Emissions. Both the Europe and the south-west Pacific policies regulating the depletion of the ozone layer by the wild carbon emission. The provision the carbon pricing mechanism, renewable energy target, and other arising polices. Dependence on the international markets than the local ones reveals the policy uncertainty for both the countries like in Europe and south west pacific. Policy Reforms The failure of proposed policies to combat the greenhouse gas emission prompts the necessity for IPCC member nations to seek other alternatives that best work to curb the global menace. The affected member countries have reviewed their previous policies and proposed new ones to in an attempt to eradicate the greenhouse gas emission. One of the Brazil’s policies in curbing the emission of the greenhouse gases is the protection of its vegetation. The nation has passed strict policies against deforestation to protect its Amazon forest from industrial and economic activities. Brazil and the USA have resorted to the use of energy efficient policies like tapping solar energy. The USA has passed a plan to introduce electric passenger trains to replace the light fueled cars. The policy on the state and industrial laws in the USA ensures that industries emit carbon in less harmful forms to reduce the climatic changes. It is remarkable that the tax policy is not effective in completely mitigating the greenhouse gas content in the atmosphere. Tax on oil offers low reduction in energy emissions, however, it is not the best method as it lacks environmental effectiveness. In addition, tax on petroleum and coal is inefficient in minimizing greenhouse gas emissions. Therefore, the best remedy is to initiate changes in the lifestyle and behavior patterns of individuals. Changes in lifestyle and consumption patterns ensure low consumption of carbon. The low consumption is more effective compared to taxes, as it is the primary way of preventing production of greenhouse gases to the surrounding. The renewable power capacity is insufficient to sustain the Japan nation. It can only supply less voltage of energy. Therefore, it is recommendable to fit reactive chimneys on the non-renewable sources of energy such the geothermal power engines. The reactive chimneys will prevent escape of greenhouse gases to the atmosphere. In the industries, management tools that include reward systems, staff training, and documentation of existing practices ensure low energy use. Low energy consumption results in minimum production of greenhouse gases. It significant to change the cultural patterns, occupational behavior, and choice in technological use to reduce carbon dioxide release related to energy use in the building or facility. In addition, the government should education people especially industry staffs on greenhouse gas pollution is more powerful compared to strengthening thermal insulation in building. References American Legislative Exchange Council (ALEC) (2014). Resolution Concerning EPA Proposed Greenhouse Gas Emission Standards for New and Existing Fossil-Fueled Power Plants. Retrieved May 18, 2015 from http://www.alec.org/model-legislation/resolution-concerning-epa-proposed-greenhouse-gas-emission-standards-for-new-and-existing-fossil-fueled-power-plants/ Blumenthal, J., Damassa, T., Kuramochi, T. (2014). Post-Fukushima Climate Action: How Japan Can Achieve Greater Emissions Reductions. Retrieved June 19, 2014, from http://www.wri.org/blog/2014/06/post-fukushima-climate-action-how-japan-can-achieve-greater-emissions-reductions Center for Climate and Energy Solutions (2008). Policies In Key Countries. Retrieved June 19, 2014, from http://www.c2es.org/international/key-country-policies/policies-key-countries Center on Budget and Policy Priorities. (2013, February 15). Policy Basics: Policies to Reduce Greenhouse Gas Emissions. Center on Budget and Policy Priorities. Retrieved May 18, 2015 from http://www.cbpp.org/research/policy-basics-policies-to-reduce-greenhouse-gas-emissions Moodley, S., Mabugu, R.M., Hassan, R. (2005). Analysing scenarios for energy emissions reduction in South Africa. http://www.erc.uct.ac.za/jesa/volume16/16-4jesa-moodley.pdf National Treasury, Rep. of South Africa, (2013). South Africa Carbon Tax Policy Paper: Reducing Greenhouse Gas Emissions and Facilitating the Transition to a Green Economy. Retrieved May2, 2013, from https://rfflibrary.wordpress.com/2013/05/02/carbon-tax-policy-paper-reducing-greenhouse-gas-emissions-and-facilitating-the-transition-to-a-green-economy/ The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC). (2015). Organization. Retrieved May 26, 2015 from https://www.ipcc.ch/organization/organization.shtml US Climate Action Network. (2014). President Obama’s Climate Action Plan. Retrieved May 18, 2015 from http://www.usclimatenetwork.org/policy/presidents-climate-action-plan Utech, D. (2014, June 02). By the Numbers: The EPAs Proposed New Carbon Pollution Standards for Power Plants. The White House. Retrieved May 18, 2015 from https://www.whitehouse.gov/blog/2014/06/02/numbers-epas-proposed-new-carbon-pollution-standards-power-plants Read More