MITIGATION AND ADAPTATION: STRATEGIES FOR COPING WITH THE PREDICTED EFFECTS OF GLOBAL CLIMATE CHANGE

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MITIGATION AND ADAPTATIONSTRATEGIES FOR COPING
WITH THE PREDICTED EFFECTS OF GLOBAL CLIMATE
CHANGE

• IF THE PREDICTIONS ARE RIGHT, WE WILL BE LIVING
  WITH THE EFFECTS OF GLOBAL CLIMATE CHANGE FOR THE
  REST OF OUR LIVES

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WE MUST ANTICIPATE OUR RISK
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GLOBAL CLIMATE CHANGE

• GLOBAL WARMING WAS ONLY DISCUSSED IN A
  HYPOTHETICAL WAY FOR MANY YEARS.
• IT WAS CON-SIDERED AS A THREAT FOR THE DISTANT
  FUTURE.

• NOW, GLOBAL WARMING IS INCREASINGLY BEING
  REGARDED AS A CLEAR FACT.
• IT IMPLIES SERIOUS NEW RISKS FOR PRESENT AND
  FUTURE GEN-ERATIONS.

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MITIGATION AND ADAPTATION

• MITIGATION ADDRESSES THE FRONT END OF THE
  GLOBAL WARMING PROBLEM.
• IT INCLUDES ACTIONS THAT WILL PREVENT THE RELEASE
  OF EXCESS CO2 EMMISIONS.

• ADAPTATION ADDRESSES THE BACK END OF THE
  PROBLEM.
• IT INCLUDES ACTIONS THAT WILL SAFE-GUARD A
  PERSON, A COMMUNITY, A BUSINESS, OR A NATION.

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MITIGATION ADAPTATION

• ADAPTATION IS REQUIRED BECAUSE WE CAN NOT TURN
  OFF THE MOMENTUM OF GLOBAL WARMING IN A SHORT
  TIME.
• CARBON DIOXIDE REMAINS IN THE ATMOSPHERE FOR
  DECADES, AND ---
• OCEANS STORE HEAT FOR CENTURIES.

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MITIGATION ADAPTATION

• MANY COUNTRIES ARE MAKING LARGE INVESTMENTS AND
  TAKING ANTICIPATORY ACTIONS NOW.
• LEADERS RECOGNIIZE THAT THE EFFECTS OF GLOBAL
  WARMING WILL LIKELY INCREASE THE RISKS FOR
  PEOPLE, BUSINESSES, AND COMMUNITIES LIVING OR
  LOCATED IN COASTAL AREAS OR IN FLOODPLAINS.

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THE NETHERLANDS MITIGATION ADAPTATION

• AFTER 800 YEARS EXPERIENCE BATTLING THE NORTH
  SEA, THE NETHERLANDS HAS CREATED SOME OF THE
  STRONGEST FLOOD DEFENSES IN THE WORLD.
• PRESENT RIVER DEFENSES PROVIDE 1-IN -250
  YEARS PROTECTION LEVELS.

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THE NETHERLANDS MITIGATION ADAPTATION

• THE OOESTERSCHELDEKERING, A PART OF THE DELTA
  WORKS DAMS, DEFENDS AGAINST THE NORTH SEA.
• THEY ARE NOW BEING MADE STRONGER TO PROVIDE
  1-IN-100,000 YEARS PROTECTION INSTEAD OF
  1-IN-10,000 YEARS PROTECTION.

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THE NETHERLANDS MITIGATION ADAPTATION

• THE DUTCH ARE ALSO REVISING TRADITIONAL FLOOD
  MANAGEMENT THINKING.
• IN ADDITION TO CONTAINING THE FLOOD WATERS, THEY
  WILL ALLOW CERTAIN DESIGNATED LOCATIONS TO BE
  FLOODED.
• THIS TRATEGY IS CALLED, LIVING WITH WATER.

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THE OOESTERSCHELDEKERING THE NETHERLANDS
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THE NETHERLANDS MITIGATION ADAPTATION

• THE NETHERLANDS WILL COMMIT ABOUT 1.3 BILLION
  ANNUALLY TO INCREASE PROTECTION LEVELS.
• THIS INVESTMENT IS EQUAL TO ABOUT 0.2 PERCENT OF
  THE NETHERLANDS GDP.

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BRITAIN MITIGATION ADAPTATION

• THE BRITISH ARE IMPROVING AND EXTENDING THE
  THAMES BARRIER, A SET OF FLOODGATES ACROSS THE
  THAMES RIVER.
• THE BARRIER IS NOW BEING CLOSED 10 TIMES A YEAR
  TO PROVIDE 1-IN-2,000 YEARS PROTECTION
  OF LONDON FROM FLOODING CAUSED BY OCEAN STORM
  SURGES.

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THAMES RIVER BARRIER
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BRITAINMITIGATION ADAPTATION

• THE PREDICTED RISE IN SEA LEVEL BY 2030 IS
  EXPECTED TO REQUIRE AN INCREASE IN PROTECTION
  ALONG THE THAMES TO 1-IN-1,000 YEARS.
• THE ENTIRE SYSTEM WILL LIKELY BE REPLACED AND
  UPGRADED BY 2100.

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JAPANMITIGATION ADAPTATION

• JAPAN IS ANTICIPATING MUCH MORE WATER FROM
  RISEING SEA LEVEL, OCEAN STORM SURGES, TSUNAMI
  WAVE RUN UP, AND EXCESSIVE PRECIPITATION FROM
  TYPHOONS.
• ITS G-CANS PROJECT HAS CREATED MASSIVE
  UNDERGROUND CONCRETE RIVER CHANNELS IN NORTHWEST
  TOKYO THAT FACILITATES MOVEMENT OF EXCESS WATER
  AWAY FROM TOKYO.

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JAPAN G-CANS PROJECT
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JAPANMITIGATION ADAPTATION

• JAPAN HAS INSTALLED UNDERGROUND PUMPS THAT CAN
  PUMP 100 TONS OF WATER PER SECOND OUT OF RIVERS
  AND INTO THE HARBOR TO PREVENT FLOODING OF CTY
  STREETS.
• BUT, THIS SYSTEM IS ALREADY CONSIDERED TO BE
  OPERATING AT FULL CAPACITY NOW.

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BANGLADESHMITIGATION ADAPTATION
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BANGLADESHMITIGATION ADAPTATION

• BANGLADESH, ONE OF THE MOST VULNERABLE PLACES ON
  EARTH TO GLOBAL WARMING, NOW REQUIRES USE OF
  CLIMATE CHANGE MODELS IN ALL FUTURE PLANNING AND
  DECISIONS.
• IT HAS BEGUN SWITCHING LAND USE FROM RICE FARMING
  TO PRAWN FARMING IN LOCATIONS WHRE SALT WATER IN
  THE BAY OF BENGAL IS NOW MOVING INLAND.

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BANGLADESHMITIGATION ADAPTATION

• BUT BANGLADESH IS ONE OF THE POOREST COUNTRIES IN
  THE WORLD.
• IT CAN NOT AFFORD THE INVESTMENTS REQUIRED FOR
  ADAPTATION MEASURES NOW UNDERWAY IN MANY
  INDUSTRALIZED COUNTRIES.
• INTERNATIONAL AID IS NOW BECOMING AVAILABLE.

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UNITED STATESMITIGATION ADAPTATION

• ADAPTATION IS NOW ON THE AMERICAN AGENDA BECAUSE
  OF HURRICANE KATRINA AND ITS IMPACT ON NEW
  ORLEANS AND THE GULF COAST.
• NEW ORLEANS HAS BECOME A LABORATORY FOR SCIENCE,
  TECHNOLOGY, HAZARD INSURANCE, AND PUBLIC POLICY.

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NEW ORLEANSMITIGATION ADAPTATION
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NEW ORLEANS LEVEE SYSTEM
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UNITED STATESMITIGATION ADAPTATION

• NEW ORLEANS LEVEE SYSTEM ONLY PROVIDES 1-IN-100
  YEARS PROTECTION NOW.
• 122 LEVEES IN THE SYSTEM ARE NOW CONSIDERED TO BE
  INADEQUATE FOR MORE SEVERE EFFECTS EXPECTED IN
  FUTURE HURRICANES.

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LEVEE SYSTEMMITIGATION ADAPTATION
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UNITED STATESMITIGATION ADAPTATION

• DEFENSE IN DEPTH, A THREE-LAYERED SYSTEM, HAS
  BEEN DEVISED TO PROTECT NEW ORLEANS.
• THE INNER LAYER CONSISTS OF HARDENED LEVEES AND
  FLOOD WALLS.
• THE MIDDLE LAYER IS COMPRISED OF A LARGE EXPANSE
  OF WETLANDS.
• THE OUTER LAYER CONSISTS OF BARRIER ISLANDS IN
  THE GULF OF MEXICO.
• EACH LAYER ACTS LIKE A SPEED BUMP TO ABSORB AND
  REDUCE THE ENERGY AND ADVERSE IMPACTS OF THE
  STORM.