1 Recommendation

7th Jul, 2017

Jayanta Kumar Biswas

University of Kalyani

Respected Madam,

Your presentation offered enough food for thought. In theory we frequent find suggestions on  some 'simple' (!) solutions to climate change problems. But to become climate smart or climate resilient is not easy - it's easier told than done! No silver bullets! Moreover, India is lagging behind in many counts in CC adaptation and mitigation. We must have to adopt and adapt  eco-friendly approaches and technologies to successfully face the current formidable challenges.

Best regards,

Jayanta

7th Jul, 2017

Uma Lele

Independent Researcher

Good you found the presentation useful

7th Jul, 2017

João Carlos Azevedo

Instituto Politécnico de Bragança

The "Bragança Declaration" provides several actions and measures for adaptation to climate change in mountain areas in Europe but that might be also useful for other regions. This is an outcome of the X European Mountain Convention organized by Euromontana and CIMO/IPB in Portugal last Fall under the theme "Mountains’ vulnerability to climate change: how can people and territories adapt and mitigate its effects?" The full document can be downloaded from this address: 

http://cimo.esa.ipb.pt/mountains2016/wp-content/uploads/2016/11/Declaration_Braganca-FINAL_EN.pdf

Best,

João

7th Jul, 2017

Rene Aga

NGO, SECOT, Senior Volunteer consultants and mentors, Spain

Maybe these two articles of me can give you some information

Facing sustainable development in the processing industries - The need for energy efficient and other CO2 emissions reduction technologies-, René Aga, Ingeniería Química, Nº 400, May 2003.

Innovative Chemistry is required to fight Climate Change, René Aga Van Zeebroeck, Dr.Sc. (SECOT), Industria Química, Nº 23, 2015, Achema 2015 edition.

https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B4t62vBUtHSMangtSDM0dlhUQWc/view

http://alchemy.cchem.berkeley.edu/static/pdf/innovativechemistry.pdf

7th Jul, 2017

Vinaya Kumar

Anand Agricultural University

Dear Sir, we all knew that climate change is a natural phenomenon, I feel that we should work on validation of indigenous knowledge with scientific touch to mitigate climate change. working on only demand side technology will not serve the purpose. 

7th Jul, 2017

Rene Aga

NGO, SECOT, Senior Volunteer consultants and mentors, Spain

Climate change is a natural phenomenon but very very slow. It has been accelerated and disrupted by human intervention and this must be reorientated to influence as least as possible the natural evolution. See several articles at: http://e2i.blogspot.com.es/2006/12/bibliografia-del-autorbibliography-of.html

7th Jul, 2017

Olofin Emmanuel

Ekiti State University, Ado Ekiti

The following are some of the strategies to  mitigate the effects of global warming.

1. Using high albedo materials for roofing: light coloured roofs do not get warmed significantly unlike dark coloured roofs.

2.Green roofs: if the roofs are made green by vegetation, the vegetation will act a major role in mitigating global warming effect by absorbing the carbon dioxide that suppose to travel to atmosphere to destroy ozone layer and beside, it will filter the air and keep the temperature low .

3.Afforestation and re-forestation within urban centre.

4. Natural surface instead of artificial, concrete surfaces within urban centre

5. Proper urban planning. building should be built in such a way that wind path is created within the cities. THANKS

1 Recommendation

7th Jul, 2017

Uma Lele

Independent Researcher

please look up my Filey Garry lecture on my website www.umalele.org

7th Jul, 2017

Hermann Hrdlicka

Universidade Federal da Paraíba

Both strategies demands time, money and changing human kind behavior. 

For mitigation you will find a vast camp of  innovations based on continuous improvment and old good practices -some adopted by ooeioke, others no, as usual.

It starts at microlevel, as written by Olofin, and grow up as national policies, like changing thermal to eolic energy plants, etc.

Some good practice is reuse of materials, grey and darkwater, that can be able easy practiced by urban homes and in the macro level, using the water for agribusiness, etc. THis is necessary in poor countries, because the cost in managing drink water is too high, in proportion to the agricultural use.

But, if you talk about preventing..than the matters turns complicated, because you need breakthrough innovations - and its need a good level of technology shared, knowledge management, investments, good government policies in other to inspire inventors and entrepreneurs in search to kill negative  enviro externalities.

In my opinion, you need different efforts related to Education and governments focused to eliminate these risks (for local l and regional perspectives). For Global, you really needs a good country accomplishment with the best practices suggested by international negoriation arenas, like UNO, OCDE, UNEP, etc.

7th Jul, 2017

Luis Bertello

Chemiconsult- Argentina

Smith is right. The rule must be: zero efluentes with contamination, re-use of all rssidual solids in the process. That will be a good works for all the CEOs...

7th Jul, 2017

Craig Patterson

Callison College - University of the Pacific and Bangalore, India

There is NO evidence we have even begun to understand the depths and trajectories of our unsustainable ways. It's endemic in every field of study, practice and endeavor. We've gotten the fundlemental questions wrong. We don't restore nature, nature does on geologic time. We destroy nature on human time. Nature has no waste while our garbage dumps everywhere beguile our ignorance. We need to get honest and stop these 'educated exercises in futility. Wake up humans before its too late...

1 Recommendation

7th Jul, 2017

Christopher Anierobi

University of Nigeria

Hi Jayanta!

The issue you are raising here is crucial to human existence. It all boils down to human attitude towards the natural environment as we explore and exploit.

The current clamors for sustainability shows an earlier exhibition of unsustainability in our everyday attitude towards the environment. Consciousness in what and how we consume natural resources and generate wastes is very essential.

Depletion of vegetation cover and extinction of animal species due to mass destruction through bush burning, deforestation through lumbering, continuous soil cultivation, local cultural hunting festivals for animal resources,bush animal/ meat among many others that are typical of most African and developing societies coupled with industrial emissions from industrialized countries.

Besides the reuse, recycling and reduction of waste for sustainability, proper disposal is also important so as not to litter nor block drainage channels.

Besides reduction in GHG emissions, Alternative sources of Energy for clean energy from solar, wind, hydro, biomass among others should be pursued on global down to local level.

Besides afforestation, attitude towards felling of trees for construction and greeneries should be made more positiveand lucrative.

Harmful cultural practices should be prohibited such as hunting festivals, bush burning, lumbering etc.

Besides environmental friendly policies formulation and implementation, greater attention should be paid to poverty eradication, adequate drainage channels and sustainable waste management as well as urban planning and development at global, regional and all levels of human settlement.

Good Luck.

7th Jul, 2017

Abhiroop Chowdhury

Manipal Academy of Higher Education

There are many ways to approach these problems. Some tackle these in scientific ways by understanding the effect of climate change in biodiversity/geological scale etc. Some address these issues in a socio-economic direction. Both processes have pros and cons. Like one could find very many articles in good premier journals on climate change predictions, but a question remains that predicting climate change events, how come that truly help to solve the problem. Sociologists/Social workers aproach the human ecology factors to save people from realistic effect of climate change like sea level rise, desertification, environmental refugee problem etc. Ap[apparently the later method is no doubt the best way, as it is 'in field' not only 'in paper'.

But I believe that approaching solution to these dual problem could be achieved by integrating both science and sociology. I tried to do some work in both directions as part of my PhD work at one of the most climate change vulnerable region of globe, i.e Sundarban Mangrove ecosystem that have both a unique conserved biodiversity like the flagship species of Mangrove Tigers (Royal Bengal Tiger) and various species of mangroves along with a huge population with limited resources.

You can go through my approaches through my publications.

Article How to communicate climate change ‘impact and solutions’ to ...

Article Dynamics of mangrove diversity influenced by climate change ...

1 Recommendation

7th Jul, 2017

Amir Rahdari

UNICEF

Check out this new book: 

"Project Drawdown"

www.drawdown.org

7th Jul, 2017

Srinivasrao Ch.

National Academy of Agricultural Research Management

it depends upon agro ecosystem and particularly climate factor is very important

7th Jul, 2017

Ron Bernee

The University of Arizona

Agree with Craig Patterson above. Would continue/add that policy makers have failed to wake up. CO2 continues to rise. the numbers indicate that mitigation is now to avoid worst case scenario, but it is "game over" for climate. Emissions of GHGs are not being lowered and are continuing to accelerate.

http://advances.sciencemag.org/content/2/11/e1501923.full

https://esrl.noaa.gov/gmd/aggi/aggi.html

7th Jul, 2017

Avi Gottlieb

Tel Aviv University

I just read through the question and you replies. I have the sense that you are all missing a central point.

The international community of nations (UNFCCC) has long failed to address climate change effectively, and is continuing to do so in its mediocre commitments (NDCs) in the 2015 Paris Climate Agreement. The evidence of higher ambitions in the two years since is mixed at best. Just look at the domino effect of the US withdrawal from the Paris Agreement: a net loss of US$ 2.9 billion in climate finance support from the US in FY 2018 alone. By the way, India has made all of its NDC implementation costs – US$2.5 trillion over 15 years – fully conditional on international finance support.

Mitigation is taking place elsewhere, almost under the radar of and with little support from national governments: Assets are increasingly divested from fossil fuels and invested in renewable energy. This expedites technological development and accelerates production, which in turn leads to a drop in prices.

And it is the world’s cities whose demand and consumption are the driving force of this process. Recent studies have shown that most of the world’s cities could by carbon-neutral by 2050. Many probably will be. This is where your attention should be focused, whether you are “just a resident” of your city, a civic leader, a member of the municipality, a city planner, a technological expert or engineer, a business leader or entrepreneur, and certainly of you want to invest in renewable technology.

7th Jul, 2017

Ranko Bozovic

EnPlus

Dear Jayanta Kumar Biswas,

Human influence on Climate change - The main problem is that we are (predominately) solving consequences. Direct proposal would be to create systematic analytical approach that will define practical, detailed causes of the problem, determine priorities and change planning mind set - to introduce solutions that minimize our negative influence.

This, of course, requires many things to be changed but, actually it is simpler and cheaper than it looks,

7th Jul, 2017

Avi Gottlieb

Tel Aviv University

True. Precisely what more and more cities are doing. Another high priority of many cities: to adapt to the present and near-future effects of climate change that are already inevitable. One case are international harbor cities at risk due to rising sea levels. For example, google what Rotterdam is doing about it.

1 Recommendation

8th Aug, 2017

Manmohan J.R. Dobriyal

Rani Laxmi Bai Central Agricultural University

To understand this GW and CC situation we have go in its root. cause. Is this industrialization or development or human intention to conquer the natural system. Change in any system is inevitable but in last half century the unprecedented increase in human development and environmental degradation  are competitive to each other where in harmonious system it should have complementary to each other.  In near future to UNFFCC or IPCC with other international agencies will keep on struggling which mitigation and adaption measures are the best and what is their practicability for adoption. Developed  countries justifying the technological improvement to mitigate while developing countries are rerlying on cheaper measures of afforesation and reforestation or agroforestry  tree (integration in  cropping land)as land is limited.  Surpringly you will see 80% of  CC,  M/A projects are energy sectors UNFCC in CDM mechanism and 10-15 % are from tree planting or other such measures when we know 70% countries can adopt these measures. Though it is not that cheap for Asian countries where more than 65% population resides and they need to feed themselves first. In this situation too many global institution say that forests or trees are not a good sink and rather they produce more GHGs!!! So if science will be debated geopolitical frame to isolate the developing countries in their efforts for CC and developed countries who during last one centuries developed at the cost of Environmental deterioration not wish to share their burden with help of free sharing of ecofriendly  technology and nor by financial assistance.

I think this need top to bottom approach in international level. Is US is not going to be affected by CC or can he defend CC alone with other cooperative initiatives. Developed countries with poor socio economic  set up first strive for their bread  and butter than will think for CC and it difficult to clear their mindset. I think the traditional knowledge with modern scientific validation need to best solution for long term adoption of strategies fot M/A of CC.

8th Aug, 2017

Michelle Balfour-Cunningham

Murdoch University

China, USA and Europe are responsible for over 50% of global emissions. Solutions should be regional and appropriate. There is no point in disadvantaging small populations of people whose lifestyle makes no difference to climate change.

2 Recommendations

8th Aug, 2017

Golam Kibria

RMIT University

To adapt to climate change in relation to water security on a global scale we need

• increasing storage capacity (reservoirs and dams),
• rainwater harvesting,
• improvement of water use efficiency,
• desalination of seawater,
• water savings,
• mandatory rainwater tanks in new and old buildings,
• use of recycled/reclaimed water,
• improvements in irrigation efficiency,
• selection of climate resilient crops
• no-tillage agriculture and
• integrated agriculture-aquaculture.

The most effective way to decrease carbon footprint in water sectors is to use low carbon-emitting fuels such as renewable energy (see the link)

https://www.researchgate.net/publication/303218799_Climate_Change_Water_Security

Book Climate Change & Water Security

1 Recommendation

8th Aug, 2017

Mark Yuschak

Kean University

I do not believe we need to add additional storage capacity. What we need to implement is water efficiency. We need to address water usage in our homes and buildings.  In the US leaks account for about a trillion gallons of water annually.  We are also fixated on having "green lawn/grass" to keep up with others in the neighborhood. Rainwater water harvesting is one way we can reduce the pressure on water availability. But we also need to start thinking about how we handle storm water. Storm water  should not be diverted. 

  Desalination is a method of generating potable water. But the desalination process, if not using solar, is fossil fuel heavy. It can also be done using reverse osmosis but this too is an expansive process. In some cities in the US it is now mandatory to collect rainwater. In the developing countries we need more education on conservation. We need to address human behavior.   

Even though the US withdrew from the Paris agreement, there are some major cities here in the US that have committed to reducing their carbon footprint. Some are implement policies that will comment to 100% renewable energy by 2050 or sooner. Another area that needs more attention is our existing building stock. We should be addressing existing buildings and making them more energy efficient.  One thing you will have in twenty five years is the home or building you are in now. Why not improve the energy and water usage in existing buildings?

We must also consider transportation. In the US transportation accounts for about a third of GHG emissions.  This is an area that need to be addressed. In the US we seems to be taking 1 step forward and 2 steps backwards when it come to this sector.

We need to address not only mitigation but adaption. You cannot address one without the other.

https://www.epa.gov/watersense/fix-leak-week

https://www.epa.gov/greenvehicles/fast-facts-transportation-greenhouse-gas-emissions

9th Sep, 2017

N B Narasimha Prasad

Centre for Water Resources Development and Management

Question is very interesting in the context of present day research topic. Lot of project studies and conferences are being carried out on GW & CC. All these research/conferences first started with the finding of CAUSES; thereafter it was on MITIGATION measures; now recently people are busy in discussing ADAPTATION. Lots of money has been spent on these activities. In the research field or conference discussions, there is progress from 'Causes' to 'Adaptation' on GW & CC, but in reality nothing has changed or improved on the field. This means that by & large the public appear to have not experienced any of the anticipated / projected ill-effects of GW & CC.

I too had asked a similar question on RG on the Mitigative measures & Adaptation, but ended up in understanding that the issue of GW & CC is a debatable topic and till now there is no consensus even on the causes on this Global phenomenon.

Can you help by adding an answer?

Answer