Georgia Climate Change Summit

2008

Al Gore:anan inconvenient truthtruth

IPCC:IPCC:4th Assessment Report4th Assessment Report

2007 Nobel Peace Prize

“Warming of the climate system is unequivocal, as is now evident from observations of increases in global average air and ocean temperatures, widespread melting of snow and ice, and rising global average sea level.”

“Most of the observed increase in globally averaged temperatures since the mid-20th century is very likely due to the observed increase in anthropogenic greenhouse gas concentrations.”

4th Assessment Report Summary for Policy Makers

WMO

UNEP

UNEP

INTERGOVERNMENTAL PANEL ON CLIMATE CHANGE

What about skepticism and uncertainty?

Puzzle Analogy

While several of the pieces are not yet in place, we have confidence that we know what the overall picture is

Scientific skepticism is alive and well, as scientists continueto analyze data, refine theories, and improve models

Local Warming: Georgia Sea level rise

Heat waves

Droughts & floods

Hurricanes

Air quality

Infectious diseases

Agriculture

Forests

Fisheries/wildlife

IMPACTS: economy, ecosystems,public health & safety, quality of life

Impacts of droughtImpacts of drought

2007 drought has cost N. Georgia over $1.3B

Mandatory water use restrictions; running out of water

Lack of reliable water supply will hurt industry, economic development, property development

Impacts energy generation (hydropower, power plant cooling)

Stress on forests; wildfires

Stress on agriculture, livestock

Stress on landscape, tourism, recreation industries

Stress on river ecosystems

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IMP

AC

TS

VU

LN

ER

AB

ILIT

IES

Initial Impacts

Net Impacts

Autonomous Adaptations

Exposure

Human interference

MITIGATION

Policy responses

CLIMATE CHANGE

ADAPTATION

IPCC, 2001•Mitigation is reduction of greenhouse gas emissions to prevent dangerous climate change

•Adaptation is alteration of activities to minimise consequences of climate change

Adapting to an Uncertain World:Georgia’s Water Resource Planning

Goals:• Protect public health and environmental quality• Meet future water need while protecting aquifers, in-

stream uses, downstream usersStrategies:• Increase water conservation, efficiency, reuse• Maximize water returns to the basin of origin• Meet increases for demand through water storage,

aquifer management, and reducing demands• Protect water quality by reducing pollutants from

discharges and runoff from land

Challenges to regional climate change assessment, mitigation and adaptation

Some uncertainty in climate change projections

Lack of understanding of how to apply this knowledge to support decision making and risk analyses

Impacts of regional climate change and local vulnerabilities have been inadequately studied

Local/regional mitigation/adaptation strategies are further complicated by political, cultural, and economic issues

Political will is needed to develop policy and technology options that are practically feasible and cost effective

The Challenge: Sustainable Management of an Ever-Changing Planet

resourceconsumption

populationincrease

environdegradation

climatechange

http://sustainability.gatech.edu

Integrating research, education, green campus, and partnerships and innovative policies

Major themes: Sustainable energy systems Climate and environmental stewardship Sustainable enterprise Sustainable urban systems

Brook Byers Institute for Sustainable Systems @ Georgia Tech