Climate Change
With abrupt climate changes approaching faster than predicted according to scientists, fast-action mitigation strategies are essential in order to delay climate tipping points. These fast-action strategies include reducing non-CO2 agents such as black carbon, methane, and tropospheric ozone; using the Montreal Protocol to phase down HFCs and to recover and destroy ozone-depleting substances (ODSs) in "banks" of existing equipment, foams, and stockpiles; and expanding bio-sequestration through biochar. IGSD is working to promote these strategies in both domestic and international policy.
Read more about climate tipping points here.
IGSD documents
- Environmental Law Institute: Reporting on Climate Change: Understanding the Science, 4th Edition
- The Need for Near-Term Climate Mitigation
- IISD MEA Bulletin: Start, then Strengthen: The Importance of Immediate Action for Climate Mitigation, by K. Madhava Sarma and Durwood Zaelke
- IISD MEA Bulletin: Avoiding Tipping Points for Abrupt Climate Changes with Fast-Track Climate Mitigation Strategies, by Durwood Zaelke, Peter Grabiel, and Elise Stull
Additional resources
- Scientific Synthesis Report of Calera Technology
- PNAS: The Copenhagen Accord for limiting global warming: Criteria, constraints, and available avenues (V. Ramanathan and Y. Xu, May 2010)
- U.S. American Power Act, Subtitle C: Achieving Fast Mitigation
- MEA Bulletin guest article: Fast and Furious: Early Agreement on Fair and Equitable Financing is Key to Post-2012 Treaty by Romina Picolotti, Argentina’s Minister of Environment
- “How to Tackle Greenhouse Gases” a letter from IGSD President to The Washington Post
- Congressional testimony of FSM Ambassador Masao Nakayama
- CEDHA & IGSD: Non-CO2 Short-Lived Climate Pollutants and the Deterioration of Human Rights
UNFCCC - BONN (June 2009)
Side event on "Targeting Non-CO2 Climate Forcers for Fast Mitigation to Complement CO2 Cuts" (IGSD press release)
- Statement from the Federated States of Micronesia
- Presentation on climate tipping points by Durwood Zaelke, IGSD
- Presentation on short-lived climate forcers and their implications for exceeding 2C by Dr. Malte Meinshausen, Potsdam Institute for Climate Impact Research
- Presentation on the climate benefits of phasing down HFCs by Mack McFarland, DuPont Fluoroproducts
- Presentation on bridging the gap between the UNFCCC and the Montreal Protocol by Husamuddin Ahmadzai, Swedish EPA
- Presentation on black carbon by Dennis Clare, IGSD
- Presentation on methane by Scott Bartos, U.S. EPA
- Presentation on biochar by Debbie Reed, International Biochar Initiative
UNFCCC - POZNAN (December 2008)
- FSM’s submission to the AWG-LCA on the Bali Action Plan
FSM and Sweden's side event:“The value of fast-track mitigation: more innovation, fewer tipping points”:
- Presentation by Hermann Held, Potsdam Institute for Climate Impact Research
- Presentation by Peter Read, Massey University Centre for Energy Research, New Zealand
UNFCCC - BALI (December 2007)
“Role of Compliance in Ensuring Environmental Integrity and Market Confidence in Climate Change Regimes” side event 4 December 2007, Bali
“The Montreal Protocol and Climate Change: Lessons for Success” Side Event, 4 December 2007, Bali
Side Event powerpoint presentations:
Mr. Marco Gonzalez, Executive Secretary of the Ozone Secretariat
Mr. K. Madhava Sarma, former Executive Secretary of the Ozone Secretariat
Mr. Husamuddin Ahmadzai, Swedish Environmental Protection Agency
How to Make Bali Climate Talks Productive: Some Hints from the Montreal Protocol
Comments on this document should be sent to Durwood Zaelke or K. Madhava Sarma