Climate Change
Anthropocene
An academic term that refers to the geological epoch during which human activities have become a “geological force”. Scientists identify the start of the Anthropocene as the year 1950 with the start of nuclear weapon testing, use of non-recyclable plastics, and rapid population growth.
Carbon Capture and Storage (CCS)
Carbon capture and storage (CCS) refers to a range of technologies that aim at capturing and storing carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions resulting from combustion of (mostly from industrial operations such as refineries and power plants) instead of releasing them into the atmosphere. The track record of CCS clearly shows that it is an ineffective, expensive, […]
Causes of the Climate Disaster
Causes of the are firstly the burning of and secondly deforestation, cement production and a range of other factors that lead to an increase in average global temperatures to levels that threaten the survival of human beings on Earth. In addition to anthropogenic, i.e., man-made causes, the global climate system has a number of “tipping […]
Climate Litigation
Lawsuits aimed at compelling governments to take more effective climate action, making polluters pay for , and driving countries and corporations alike to acknowledge and respect the human rights impacted by . Climate litigation is a fast-growing field all over the world with multiple legal aspects.
Conference of the Parties (COP)
COP refers to the Conference of the Parties to the , which is normally held annually. Negotiations at COPs do not “solve” the , but they aim to adopt an outcome text unanimously agreed by all parties, which they usually achieve. Since negotiations involve desperate countries impacted by as well as countries exporting fossil fuels, […]
Demand-Side Mitigation
Strategies aimed at mitigating the impacts of through avoiding , shifting to new behaviors, and improving the efficiency of technologies. Examples include constructing more energy-efficient buildings, promoting public transportation or cycling instead of cars, reducing food waste, and transitioning to a . Demand-side mitigation alone is insufficient for achieving the 1.5 °C and 2 °C […]
Desertification
The process of land degradation by which fertile lands loses productivity because of droughts, deforestation, human activities, among other reasons. Desertification causes and declines in crop and livestock productivity, both of which can lead to for local communities. has caused the desertification of 5 million km2 of land worldwide, affecting the livelihoods of 213 million […]
Extinction
The dying out of a certain species. Human activities and have already caused the extinction of many species. The projects that at 4°C 40-70% of all species on the planet could become extinct. Rapid heating of the planet, possibly due , has been associated with past mass extinction events on our planet.
Flash Floods
Floods caused by rapidly rising water levels, often as a result of short, high-intensity rainstorms or the failure of dams. Flash floods are the deadliest type of flood and one of the deadliest weather-related hazards since they are much harder to predict than other kinds of floods. As a result of , heavy rainfall will […]
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