What you’ll learn14 learning objectivesChoose one objective for a focused lesson, or study the complete topic.6.3.1Global action required• Avoid catastrophic climate change• International cooperation neededSyllabus objective6.3.2Decarbonization• Reduce/end CO₂-emitting energy sources• Replace with renewable energy• Carbon neutrality goalsSyllabus objective6.3.3Mitigation strategies• Reduce global warming: household changes, geoengineering• Reduce GHG production: energy efficiency, renewables, food changes, carbon tax• Remove CO₂: carbon sinks, rewilding, afforestation, carbon captureSyllabus objective6.3.4Adaptation strategies• Structural: flood defences, desalination, movable infrastructure• Non-structural: agricultural adaptation, vaccination, land zoning, building codesSyllabus objective6.3.5Adaptation plans• National Adaptation Programmes of Action (NAPAs)• Individual to society scaleSyllabus objective6.3.6(HL)—Response types• Led by governments or non-governmental stakeholders• Economic measures: carbon pricing, emissions trading, subsidies, tariffs• Legislation: reduce carbon emissions• Goal setting: B Corp, company goals• Personal changes: reduce waste, meat, energy consumptionSyllabus objective6.3.7(HL)—UN role• UNFCCC, IPCC, COP summits• Stabilize GHG concentrations• Kigali Amendment controls HCFCsSyllabus objective6.3.8(HL)—IPCC emissions scenarios• Five scenarios for future GHG emissions• Targets to reduce catastrophic change riskSyllabus objective6.3.9(HL)—Technology development• Aid climate change mitigationSyllabus objective6.3.10(HL)—Climate action barriers• There are challenges to overcome in implementing climate management and intervention strategies• Include: the following challenges and barriers• Lack of belief that climate change is a serious problem• Lack of financial resources or planning strategies from national governmentsSyllabus objective6.3.11(HL)—Geoengineering• Geoengineering is a mitigation strategy for climate change, treating the symptom not the cause• Geoengineering is a deliberate and large-scale intervention in the Earth’s climate system, including but not limited to measures such as space mirrors, ocean fertilization• However, it has disadvantages, such as potential high costs, uncertainty of impacts, political hesitancy, lack of convincing trials and the potential for geopolitical conflict• Consider: arguments for and against the potential of geoengineeringSyllabus objective6.3.12(HL)—Stakeholders and climate perspectives• A range of stakeholders play an important role in changing perspectives on climate change• Consider: how a range of stakeholders can influence an individual’s perspectives on climate change• For example, stakeholders can include a charismatic individual, a local community group, NGOs, media and educational institutionsSyllabus objective6.3.13(HL)—Variation in climate perspectives• Perspectives on the necessity, practicality and urgency of action on climate change will vary between individuals and between societies• Consider: differences in perspective between age groups, developed and developing societies, coastal and inland communities, and economies that profit from fossil fuelsSyllabus objective6.3.14(HL)—Climate tragedy of the commons• The concept of the tragedy of the commons suggests that catastrophic climate change is likely unless there is international cooperation on an unprecedented scale• The atmosphere is common to all, but when one nation benefits from an action that harms the atmosphere (e.g., burning of fossil fuels), the costs are shared by all nations• The reverse scenario is also true: the costs of restoring the atmosphere (e.g., by carbon capture and storage) might be borne by a single nationSyllabus objective
