climate

Pollution is the contamination of a substrate when harmful and foreign substances are added to it. This substrate can be air, water or soil. The additive substances can be of any form –solid, liquid or gases. This leads to poisoning of the medium, making it unfit to be used.

Be aware of the change of the climate; watch important issues. Only the international community can shoulder the responsibility to do their bit to reduce emissions of greenhouse gases. The main cause of climate change or global warming effects is believed to be the accumulation of the carbon dioxide (CO₂) gas in the atmosphere, which is a result of the extensive burning of fossil fuels that began during the Industrial Revolution.

Climate change is marching onward, habitats are disappearing and species are dying out: in the medium term, a good life in an intact environment is no longer guaranteed. Core areas of our lives will have to change. The economy, work, every aspect of our day-to-day lives are facing social and environmental restructuring. The course for this will be set in the next ten years. How we shape digitalisation will determine whether this path will lead to a greenhouse gas neutral future in a liveable world.

Climate experts were consulted on the steps to be taken to put in place a binding climate protection agreement as of 2012. A so-called Bali roadmap is to lay out the salient points to be negotiated and a time schedule for negotiations. One thing is, however, already clear. Negotiations for the new agreement must be wound up by 2009, to ensure that there is no gap following the expiry of the first commitment period of the Kyoto Protocol.

"Time is of the essence, because the international climate council tells us we must halve CO2 emissions in the long term – by the middle of this century,” This is such an enormous task that the international community can only solve it together.

(year 1990 is stated 0)......................... 1990 .......2008 ......... 2018 .......... 2030
carbon dioxide concentration................350.......... 385 .......... 408 .......... - 55%
temperature ............................................ 0C......... 0,3C .......... 0,9C ...........
sea-level................................................... 0 cm ..... 5,5 cm .......8,6 cm ..............
energy savings ............................................................................................. 30%
functioning renewables .............................................................................. 27%

Both sites contains information about a European research project (CO₂capture, sink and storage) dealing with research on geological storage of CO₂ as a means of reducing green house gas emissions. The main cause of climate change or global warming effects is believed to be the accumulation of methane (CH4) and the carbon dioxide (CO₂) gas in the atmosphere. This accumulation is a result of the extensive burning of fossil fuels that began during the Industrial Revolution.

Mitigation: reducing emissions

a long-term goal of keeping the increase in global average temperature to well below 2°C above pre-industrial levels;
to aim to limit the increase to 1.5°C, since this would significantly reduce risks and the impacts of climate change;
on the need for global emissions to peak as soon as possible, recognising that this will take longer for developing countries;
to undertake rapid reductions thereafter in accordance with the best available science.

Before and during the Paris conference, countries submitted comprehensive national climate action plans (INDCs). These are not yet enough to keep global warming below 2°C, but the agreement traces the way to achieving this target.

Transparency and global stocktake

come together every 5 years to set more ambitious targets as required by science;
report to each other and the public on how well they are doing to implement their targets;
track progress towards the long-term goal through a robust transparency and accountability system.

Adaptation

strengthen societies' ability to deal with the impacts of climate change;
provide continued and enhanced international support for adaptation to developing countries.

Loss and damage

recognises the importance of averting, minimising and addressing loss and damage associated with the adverse effects of climate change;
acknowledges the need to cooperate and enhance the understanding, action and support in different areas such as early warning systems, emergency preparedness and risk insurance.

Support

The EU and other developed countries will continue to support climate action to reduce emissions and build resilience to climate change impacts in developing countries.
Other countries are encouraged to provide or continue to provide such support voluntarily.
Developed countries intend to continue their existing collective goal to mobilise USD 100 billion per year by 2020 and extend this until 2025. A new and higher goal will be set for after this period.

Digital Policy Agenda for the Environment