Introduction

2020 ◽  
pp. 1-18
Author(s):  
Janis Sarra
Keyword(s):  
Global Warming ◽  
Financial Institutions ◽  
Carbon Intensity ◽  
Climate Mitigation ◽  
Effective Governance ◽  
Mitigation And Adaptation ◽  
Climate Resilience ◽  
Net Zero ◽  
Zero Carbon

Chapter 1 introduces the need for effective climate governance in businesses and financial institutions. A variety of concurrent strategies are required to tackle global warming through mitigation and adaptation internationally and domestically. The chapter introduces how the best of current scholarly and business literature on effective governance can guide this transition and offer a coherent normative and practical framework for moving forward. It offers some essential definitions so that readers understand how the terms are used throughout the book, including the Anthropocene, global warming and climate change, greenhouse gas emissions and carbon intensity, systemic risk, climate mitigation and adaptation, net zero carbon emissions, climate resilience, and the circular economy. It provides an overview of the book’s structure and objectives.

From Ideas to Action

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Janis Sarra
Keyword(s):  
Climate Change ◽  
Carbon Footprint ◽  
Economic Benefits ◽  
Climate Mitigation ◽  
Community Members ◽  
Mitigation And Adaptation ◽  
Net Zero ◽  
The Face ◽  
Zero Carbon ◽  
Retirement Funds

Climate change represents an urgent and potentially irreversible threat to human societies, economies, and the planet. Yet despite clear signals, we are slow to act in a meaningful way, despite the fact that we have the legal, political, and technological tools to transition our economies to net zero carbon. While some businesses are reluctant to take significant steps to reduce their carbon footprint, many companies are well-intentioned but feel somewhat paralysed in the face of overwhelming data that portend a financially and environmentally devastating future. Yet we can still reverse the trajectory of climate change, but it requires bold and informed action to reduce our carbon footprint in a manner that embeds fairness in the transition. This book offers a guide for companies, pension funds, asset managers, and other institutional investors to commence the legal, governance, and financial strategies needed for effective climate mitigation and adaptation, and to help distribute the economic benefits of these actions to their stakeholders. It takes the reader from ideas to action, from first steps to a more meaningful contribution to the move towards a ‘climate positive’ circular economy. It can also serve as a helpful guide to everyone implicated in a corporation’s activities—employees, pensioners, consumers, banks and other lenders, policy-makers, and community members. It offers insights into what we should be expecting, and asking, of these individuals who have taken responsibility for effectively managing our savings, our retirement funds, our investments, and our tax dollars.

Leadership for a climate resilient, net-zero health system: Transforming supply chains to the circular economy

2021 ◽  
pp. 084047042110036
Author(s):  
Neil H. Ritchie
Keyword(s):  
Supply Chains ◽  
Circular Economy ◽  
Multiple Stakeholders ◽  
Natural Systems ◽  
Climate Resilience ◽  
Global Pandemic ◽  
Net Zero ◽  
Climate Action ◽  
Zero Carbon ◽  
Single Use

The global pandemic has taught us that we can focus the attention of the healthcare system on a clear intention when there is a looming threat. Climate action is required from multiple stakeholders particularly private sector suppliers in order to achieve the net-zero carbon emission by 2050 goal established by the Canadian government. Also building climate resilience among healthcare institutions and their supply chains is urgently needed, as they are already affected by a changing climate. By adopting a circular economy framework, the industry can move away from the current damaging take, make waste economic model and adopt a more sustainable model characterized by designing out waste and pollution, keeping products and materials in use, and regenerating natural systems. Health leaders can adopt sharing platforms, product as a service, reduce single use products, encourage extended producer responsibility, and value-based procurement in order to further these aims.

scholarly journals Thermal system-specific and net-zero carbon least-cost design of new houses in Canadian cold climates

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Brandon Wilbur
Keyword(s):  
Life Cycle ◽  
Heat Pump ◽  
Life Cycle Cost ◽  
Ghg Emissions ◽  
Building Design ◽  
Heating System ◽  
Carbon Intensity ◽  
Low Carbon ◽  
Net Zero ◽  
Zero Carbon

Whole-building model optimizations have been performed for a single-detached house in 5 locations with varying climates, electricity emissions factors, and energy costs. The multi-objective optimizations determine the life-cycle cost vs. operational greenhouse gas emissions Pareto front to discover the 30-year life-cycle least-cost building design heated 1) with natural gas, and 2) electrically using a) central air-source heat pump, b) ductless mini-split heat pump c)ground-source heat pump, and d) electric baseboard, accounting for both initial and operational energy-related costs. A net-zero carbon design with grid-tied photovoltaics is also optimized. Results indicate that heating system type influences the optimal enclosure design, and that neither building total energy use, nor space heating demand correspond to GHG emissions across heating system types. In each location, at least one type of all-electric design has a lower life-cycle cost than the optimized gas-heated model, and such designs can mitigate the majority of operational GHG emissions from new housing in locations with a low carbon intensity electricity supply.

Climate Change Law: Encounters with Aesthetics and Art

Climate Law ◽  
2018 ◽  
Vol 8 (3-4) ◽  
pp. 279-319
Author(s):  
Benjamin J. Richardson
Keyword(s):  
Climate Change ◽  
Global Warming ◽  
Climate Mitigation ◽  
Mitigation And Adaptation ◽  
Law And Policy ◽  
The Social ◽  
Political Struggles ◽  
The Aesthetic ◽  
Aesthetic Values

Climate change has multifaceted aesthetic dimensions of legal significance. Global warming alters the aesthetic properties of nature, and further aesthetic changes are precipitated by climate mitigation and adaptation responses of impacted societies. The social and political struggles to influence climate change law are also influenced by aesthetics, as environmental activists and artists collaborate to influence public opinion, while conversely the business sector through its marketing and other aesthetic communications tries to persuade consumers of its climate-friendly practices to forestall serious action on global warming. This article distils and analyses these patterns in forging a novel account of the role of aesthetics in climate change law and policy, and it makes conclusions on how this field of law should consider aesthetic values through ‘curatorial’ guidance.

scholarly journals Lowering the Carbon Emissions Peak and Accelerating the Transition Towards Net Zero Carbon

2021 ◽  
pp. 2150013
Author(s):  
PAN Jiahua
Keyword(s):  
Climate Change ◽  
Carbon Emissions ◽  
Quality Development ◽  
Ecological Civilization ◽  
High Quality ◽  
New Era ◽  
Carbon Neutrality ◽  
Climate Resilience ◽  
Net Zero ◽  
Zero Carbon

China’s declaration to the international community to peak CO2 emissions before 2030 and achieve carbon neutrality before 2060 is of great significance in advancing the objectives of the Paris Agreement, and has a positive and far-reaching impact on China’s high-quality development. This paper expounds on responsibilities and ambitions in tackling climate change, analyzes the high-quality development opportunities brought about by CO2 emissions peak and carbon neutrality, and discusses the net zero carbon emissions transformation in the new era of ecological civilization. This paper is of the view that development towards net zero carbon emissions provides a new impetus for building a Beautiful China, and promoting ecological civilization and green development. The essence of carbon neutrality should be correctly understood so that the world will work together to improve climate resilience. China should also deepen the understanding of the principles and methodologies of climate change economics.

scholarly journals Thermal system-specific and net-zero carbon least-cost design of new houses in Canadian cold climates

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Brandon Wilbur
Keyword(s):  
Life Cycle ◽  
Heat Pump ◽  
Life Cycle Cost ◽  
Ghg Emissions ◽  
Building Design ◽  
Heating System ◽  
Carbon Intensity ◽  
Low Carbon ◽  
Net Zero ◽  
Zero Carbon

Whole-building model optimizations have been performed for a single-detached house in 5 locations with varying climates, electricity emissions factors, and energy costs. The multi-objective optimizations determine the life-cycle cost vs. operational greenhouse gas emissions Pareto front to discover the 30-year life-cycle least-cost building design heated 1) with natural gas, and 2) electrically using a) central air-source heat pump, b) ductless mini-split heat pump c)ground-source heat pump, and d) electric baseboard, accounting for both initial and operational energy-related costs. A net-zero carbon design with grid-tied photovoltaics is also optimized. Results indicate that heating system type influences the optimal enclosure design, and that neither building total energy use, nor space heating demand correspond to GHG emissions across heating system types. In each location, at least one type of all-electric design has a lower life-cycle cost than the optimized gas-heated model, and such designs can mitigate the majority of operational GHG emissions from new housing in locations with a low carbon intensity electricity supply.

scholarly journals The tragedy of the cows: exploring the short and long-term warming effect of methane emissions in agricultural mitigation

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ignacio Pérez Domínguez ◽  
Agustin del Prado ◽  
Klaus Mittenzwei ◽  
Jordan Hristov ◽  
Stefan Frank ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Global Warming ◽  
Global Climate ◽  
Methane Emissions ◽  
Agriculture Sector ◽  
Net Zero ◽  
Zero Carbon ◽  
Short And Long Term ◽  
Cost Efficient ◽  
Mitigation Policies

Abstract This paper investigates how the short-lived character of methane could have important implications for the design of global climate change mitigation policies in agriculture, sector which is often seen to have a limited contribution to a net-zero carbon economy. Motivated by the renewed attention for the short-term versus long-term warming effects of methane, we explore how various appreciations of global warming affect cost-efficient mitigation policies and dietary transitions, and the implied warming. Results show that the choice of a particular metric is decisive if used to determine optimal mitigation options. For instance, focusing on the long-term warming effect of agricultural methane emissions could lead to a higher relevance of low meat diets relative to stringent mitigation policies. Moreover, a combination of stringent mitigation and dietary changes could help reverse the contribution of agriculture to global warming.

scholarly journals Future of Freshwater Ecosystems in a 1.5°C Warmer World

2021 ◽  
Vol 9 ◽  
Author(s):  
Samantha J. Capon ◽  
Ben Stewart-Koster ◽  
Stuart E. Bunn
Keyword(s):  
Global Warming ◽  
Fresh Water ◽  
Freshwater Ecosystems ◽  
Climate Mitigation ◽  
Anthropogenic Pressures ◽  
Mitigation And Adaptation ◽  
Wide Range ◽  
Climate Action ◽  
The Many ◽  
And Function

Freshwater ecosystems are highly vulnerable to global warming because 1) their chief drivers, water quality and flow regimes, are highly sensitive to atmospheric warming, and 2) they are already extremely threatened by a wide range of interacting anthropogenic pressures. Even relatively modest global warming of 1.5°C poses a considerable threat to freshwater ecosystems and the many critical services these provide to people. Shifts in the composition and function of freshwater ecosystems are widely anticipated with adverse consequences for ecosystem services, including those underpinning water and food security. While the extent and severity of effects is likely to be significantly reduced if global warming is limited to 1.5°C, concerted efforts to implement widely recognised priorities for policy and management are required to mitigate unavoidable impacts and reduce the likelihood of perverse outcomes of climate mitigation and adaptation efforts in other sectors—all of which rely on fresh water supply. Freshwater ecosystems and their services, including provision of fresh water, must therefore be considered first and foremost when developing and implementing any climate action.

Adaptation strategies can offset rising river flood risk in Europe

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Francesco Dottori ◽  
Lorenzo Mentaschi ◽  
Alessandra Bianchi ◽  
Lorenzo Alfieri ◽  
Luc Feyen
Keyword(s):  
Global Warming ◽  
Flood Risk ◽  
Adaptation Strategies ◽  
Climate Mitigation ◽  
River Flooding ◽  
Risk Levels ◽  
Flood Impacts ◽  
Mitigation And Adaptation ◽  
River Flood ◽  
Cost Efficient

<p>River flooding is the costliest natural disaster in Europe. Global warming and continued development in flood prone areas will progressively increase river flood risk. Direct damages from flooding could become six times present losses by the end of the century in case of no climate mitigation and adaptation. Keeping global warming well below 2°C would halve these impacts. Adequate adaptation strategies can further substantially reduce future flood impacts. In particular, implementing building-based damage reduction measures and reducing flood peaks using retention areas can lower impacts in a cost-efficient way in most EU countries, even to flood risk levels that are lower than today. Restoring natural wetlands and floodplains to retain excess water also improves the state of water and ecosystems.</p>

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