Addressing climate change

What can be done to address climate change?

How fast do changes need to happen? (McKibben says pretty quickly.)

Why are environmental issues so hard to deal with?

Who can make the biggest difference?

Reductions totalling > 50%...

Hobson suggests these measures that could result in $CO_2$ emission reductions totaling 50%.

"Wedges"

About the wedges (pdf)

Assignment

1. Pick one of the wedge strategies to read and write about in greater detail.
2. Everyone should read the section from Richard Muller's book "Energy for Future Presidents" on climate solutions
3. Additionally, read through the links suggested for your wedge strategy.
4. Write a short (1-2 pages) paper summarizing what you've learned about that strategy

You choose (I think!)...#1 (Maria), #2 (Alex), #13 (Natalie), #14 (Michael), #15 (Clay)

Why are environmental problems hard?

The Tragedy of the commons

An attempt to explain overuse of common land (in no-one's interest) as a result of individual rational economic decisions...

1. A herder who adds one more animal to those grazing the common land gets all the benefit.
2. But the cost is spread out, and shared by the community.

The ozone hole

Another "tragedy of the commons", dealing with the atmosphere

Read Hobson, Section 9.8 "Global ozone depletion". Questions:

1. What chemical was damaging the ozone layer? In what products is/was this chemical present?
2. What are the hazards of a damaged ozone layer?
3. What happened to address the ozone problem?
4. What are the similarities and contrasts with the problem of global warming?