Search

This article tracks the intergovernmental negotiations aimed at combatting human-induced greenhouse gas emissions under the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change from COP21 and the creation of the Paris Agreement in 2015 to COP24 in Katowice, Poland in 2018. These conferences are explored in detail, focusing on the Paris Rulebook negotiations around how to implement market- and nonmarket-based approaches to mitigating climate change, as set out in Article 6 of the Paris Agreement, and the tensions regarding the inclusion of negotiating text safeguarding human rights. A concluding section comments on the collapse of Article 6 discussions and the implications for climate justice and social quality for the Paris Agreement going forward.

The starting point of this paper is the Paris Agreement under the UNFCCC agreed in 2015 and its global temperature goal. It highlights that the current pathway of decarbonization would result in a sharp temperature increase by 2100 (see Sect. 1) that would result in unacceptable risks of climate change (see Sect. 2). Those risks cannot be properly addressed by adaptation activities as long as there are no reliable expectations of the climate changes expected over the lifetime of current projects. The paper informs about such recently published projections that suggest that global surface temperatures will increase by approximately 5 °C (9 °F) over pre-industrial temperatures by the year 2100 and discusses options to bridge the gap to the goals specified in the Paris Agreement. In this context also two main geoengineering options carbon dioxide removal (CDR) and solar radiative management (SRM) and their associated risks are considered. At the center of the paper two proposals are made on a limited use of geoengineering that should finally help meet the goals of the Paris Agreement without increasing risks of geoengineering unduly, provided that decarbonization is significantly accelerated beyond the plans included in current National Determined Contributions. One conclusion is that geo-engineering can only provide a small contribution to meeting the goals of the Paris Agreement and that the main contribution needs to come from enhanced mitigation action. The paper also highlights how recommendations of the Financial Stability Board could contribute to result in the necessary shift of investments to accelerate GHG emission reduction and informs about a recent initiative to establish the necessary governance framework to manage geoengineering.

According to ISO 14040:2006 and ISO 14044:2006, the carbon footprint of products (CFPs) is the system to calculate the category indicator of the targeted product for the global warming potential or “climate change” in life cycle assessment.

There is little doubt that the currently observed patterns of climate change are predominantly caused by human activity (Volume 1, Chapter 1). This chapter addresses the challenge of stabilizing climate change at 2 degrees C and particularly focuses on the questions which mitigation and adaptation measures in Austria can contribute to achieve this goal. Additionally, a number of desirable co-benefits pertaining to socio-ecological transformation leading towards limiting climate change are analysed. In the Copenhagen Accord (UNFCC) and in the EU-Ruling, a goal of limiting the rise of global average temperature to +2 degrees C compared to pre-industrial times has been deemed as necessary to limit dangerous anthropogenic climate change impacts, despite calls from scientists to consider a +1.5 degrees C target. It is an internationally accepted target supported by a broad number of supporters, including industrialized and developing countries as well as non-state actors. Without actions towards reducing emissions, significant negative impacts on the socio-economic conditions in Austria can be expected. This derives an important obligation to undertake necessary mitigation measures in Austria. Mitigation and adaptation measures are necessary, but by themselves provide insufficient conditions for sustainable development. Achievement of the 2 degrees C target requires a focus on climate friendly technologies, as well as behavioural - and institutional change. In particular, the activities of energy provision and consumption, industrial processes and agriculture deserve attention: in 2012, the energy sector activities caused 74.6% of GHG emissions (with one third originating from road transport), industrial processes caused 13.6%, and agriculture triggered 9.4% of emissions, (excluding emission effects of forest cover expansion, cf. Anderl et al., 2014). The corresponding figures for 2010 are: energy sector 75.9%, industrial processes: 12.7%, agriculture: 8.8% (Anderl et al., 2014). To stabilize the climate, the climate impact criteria have to be integrated in all decisions regarding investment, production, politics and consumption, in order to reduce the risk of irreversible changes. At the same time, the social- and economic framing conditions must be respected. Measures to address climate change have to be integrated into the broader criteria of sustainability. Discussions of climate protection measures are typically reduced to additional costs and undesirable changes. Thereby the manifold potential co-benefits of such measures, for example with respect to quality of life, health, employment, rural development, environmental protection, security of supply, and international trade balances are mostly ignored. Integrating these criteria and effects into the analysis is required for being able to display the full spectrum of options for addressing climate change.

This chapter focuses on the needs and opportunities as well as the constraints and barriers with respect to mitigation and adaptation to climate change. While the chapter concentrates mainly on Austria, information is provided on the global and EU level to the extent they are relevant for Austria. Section 1.1 discusses the targets already specified for mitigation at the global level, as well as technologies that are already available or are emerging with the potential to meet the challenges and associated costs. In particular, the progress achieved by IPCC and UNFCCC bodies, as well as EU policies and national scale policies and measures are reviewed. Section 1.2, on adaptation to climate change, addresses the different concepts developed at the international scale, reviews progress on the EU and Austrian national adaptation strategy, and characterizes the different types of adaptation relevant over short, medium and long term timescales. The costs of inaction are also addressed. Again, progress achieved by IPCC and UNFCCC bodies, as well as EU policies (green and white papers, etc.) and national scale policies and measures (national adaptation strategy) will be reviewed. This includes the progress made on adaptation planning, implementation, and integration in vulnerable sectors. Section 1.3 highlights the synergies and trade-offs that may emerge among adaptation and mitigation and hence explains the importance of a holistic approach. This also includes a discussion of mainstreaming of mitigation and adaptation into other policy areas. Section 1.4 identifies the barriers for mitigation and adaptation, including obstacles at the individual, social, political and economic levels. Moreover, barriers of insufficient knowledge and uncertainties are addressed. Finally, approaches for overcoming these barriers are summarized and needs for future research are highlighted.

To investigate the lasting effects of high ozone concentrations under environmental conditions, we examined the respiratory health, pulmonary function, bronchial hyperresponsiveness to methacholine, allergic sensitization, and lymphocyte subpopulations of 10- to 14-yr-old children. A total of 218 children recruited from an area with high ozone concentrations (Group A) were tested against 281 children coming from an area with low ozone concentrations (Group B). As to subjective complaints, categorized as "usually cough with or without phlegm," "breathlessness," and "susceptibility to chest colds," there was no difference between the two groups. The lung function parameters were similar, but in Group A subjects' bronchial hyperresponsiveness occurred more frequently and was found to be more severe than in Group B (29.4 versus 19.9%, p less than 0.02; PD20 2,100 +/- 87 versus 2,350 +/- 58 micrograms, p less than 0.05). In both groups the number of children who had been suffering from allergic diseases and sensitization to aeroallergens, found by means of the skin test, was the same. Comparison of the total IgE levels showed no difference at all between the two groups. As far as the white blood cells are concerned, the total and differential cell count was the same, whereas lymphocyte subpopulations showed readily recognizable changes.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)