Showing posts with label storms. Show all posts

2.0°C Would Shift Once-in-a-Century Storms to Once in Five Years, Canadian Study Concludes: The Energy Mix

Flooding - Climate Change

Researchers at Environment and Climate Change Canada have established an unequivocal correlation between climate change and the increasing number of extreme rainfall events in North America—and the data suggests things will get worse if warming continues.

While the relationship between a warmer world and a (catastrophically) wetter one has been confirmed at global and hemispheric levels, the Canadian study is one of the first to connect the dots at the continental level, reports CBC. In the study’s first step, the researchers showed that major downpours did increase at sites around the United States and Canada between 1961 and 2010. Then, they compared those observations to climate models that predicted such a trend for a warmer atmosphere.

Prepare Australia's transport now for climate change or face costly transport chaos

"As the transport systems in our major cities come under pressure, some commuters and communities are experiencing negative effects such as high transport costs and travel times, congestion, overcrowding, noise, air pollution, and reduced physical activity.

Crucially, our transport systems are failing when it comes to tackling climate change."

Waiting for the Green Light: Transport Solutions to Climate Change 13.09.18 By Greg Bourne, Will Steffen and Petra Stock

Click here to download the full report.

"AUSTRALIA is stuck in the slow lane on transport pollution, as one of a handful of OECD countries without greenhouse gas emissions standards for vehicles.

Our new report, ‘Waiting for the Green Light: Transport Solutions to Climate Change’ shows that transport is Australia’s second largest source of greenhouse gas pollution, after electricity."

"Transport is now Australia’s second largest source of greenhouse gas pollution after electricity, and the sector has seen the largest percentage growth (62.9%) since 1990."

Click to enlarge

From: https://www.climatecouncil.org.au/resources/transport-climate-change/

"At a number of international conferences, transport ministers have addressed the need for CO2 abatement and improved fuel efficiency in the transport sector, mainly through:

Innovative vehicle technologies, advanced engine management systems and efficient vehicle powertrains;

Olli, a 3D-printed autonomous bus that’s looking to revolutionize transit.

Local Motors

The use of sustainable biofuels, not only of the first generation (vegetable oil, biodiesel, bio-alcohols and biogas from sugar plants, crops or animal fats etc.), but also of the second (biofuels from biomass, non-food crops including wood) and third generations (biodegradable fuels from algae);
An improved transport infrastructure together with Intelligent Transport Systems (ITS) to avoid traffic congestion and to foster the use of intermodal transport (road, rail and waterways);
See related UNECE work

Reference

Consumer information (campaigns for eco-driving*, use of public transport and modal transport etc.);
See related UNECE work and joined UNECE/WHO work on THE PEP
Legal instruments (such as tax incentives for low carbon products and processes, taxation of CO2 intensive products and processes, etc.).
See related UNECE work

UNECE.ORG

In Australia a "A variety of factors, including relatively low fuel prices and patterns of urban development, have led to heavy dependence on road transport. Given the significant contribution that road transport makes to greenhouse gas emissions, measures are needed to encourage road transport users to switch to less carbon-intensive modes"

Maddocks: Climate Change and the Transport Sector

AIR

In the meantime, there are a number of measures that the aviation sector can adopt to mitigate emissions, including:

• more fuel efficient aircraft, such as through advanced propulsion systems, utilization of lightweight materials, and improved aerodynamics and air frame designs

• use of lower carbon fuels navigation systems and air traffic control techniques that minimise fuel use

Maddocks: Climate Change and the Transport Sector

SEA

Maddocks: Climate Change and the Transport Sector

GENERAL

"In conjunction with a review of the regulatory regimes, consideration needs to be given to how climate change can be more effectively accounted for to reduce the risks for transport infrastructure.

Some options include: * mandatory assessments of climate change risks by infrastructure owners and operators review of the standards for transport infrastructure development to ensure that the infrastructure can withstand the effects of climate change – now and in the future

* the imposition of a use-based tax to support additional maintenance and repair measures that may be needed to address the effects of climate change establishing a direct link between revenues collected from road users and the allocation of funding for infrastructure construction and maintenance to ensure adequate funding exists to address the effects of climate change.

With respect to mitigation, there are a range of mitigation measures aimed at reducing greenhouse gas emissions from the transport sector, including mode-specific measures as well as more general actions regarding design of transport and transport usage. Most of the mode-specific mitigation measures relate to road transport.

Uptake of these measures, particularly the voluntary measures, may be limited until a carbon price is introduced. In the meantime, greater emphasis is needed on making transit-oriented design the norm and changing individual’s habits regarding their transportation choices. Improving less carbon-intensive transport choices – particularly, rail transport – will help to achieve this.

Broader consideration also needs to be given to mitigation options for the other modes, particular air and shipping transport. However, adoption of measures for these modes may be delayed until global responses have been developed."

Maddocks: Climate Change and the Transport Sector

“The issue goes two ways in transport. Typically, road and air transport are considered major contributors to climate change, making up 23 percent of CO2 emissions,” said Professor Levinson.

“But transport is also vulnerable, particularly due to so many facilities like roads and bus terminals being in flood zones, for instance New Jersey Transit lost $US120 million in damage to buses after Hurricane Sandy.

Flooded Tunnel

“Many transport facilities are also below grade, tunnels like those in the New York Subway were severely damaged from flooding during Sandy. Airports being at low elevations along the coast are at risk of sea-level rise. Extreme heat can cause road buckling, freeze-thaw cycles cause pavement cracking and potholes.


Bridges will require strengthening

Dr Mark's map depicts projected landfall hazard in 2050. Blue is water, green is safe (low risk), yellow is medium risk, red is high risk.

“Extreme weather increases the variability of weather, and roads designed for a particular climate range may fail more quickly. All of these add costs to design and retrofit, as well as decreasing reliability for users.”" University of Sydney Study

Prepare for more severe storms

"Although scientists are uncertain whether climate change will lead to an increase in the number of hurricanes, warmer ocean temperatures and higher sea levels are expected to intensify their impacts."
https://www.c2es.org/content/hurricanes-and-climate-change/

Queensland: Cyclone Debbie caused massive damage to crops.

How can we prepare for more severe storms?

"How to Build Resilience

Reducing greenhouse gas emissions is one way to reduce the risk of the strongest storms in the future. Communities can also bolster their resilience to the impacts of hurricanes by:

Preserving coastal wetlands, dunes, and reefs to absorb storm surges.
Replenishing beaches and improve infrastructure that affords coastal protection, such as seawalls.
Elevating vulnerable buildings to reduce flood damage.
Designing structures to be resilient to high winds and flying debris.
Enacting policies that discourage development in vulnerable areas.
Preparing prior to a storm’s arrival by boarding windows, clearing property of potential flying debris, and having an evacuation plan." https://www.c2es.org/content/hurricanes-and-climate-change/

Suggestions:

• strengthen regulations to prevent further development and new infrastructure on susceptible coastlines

• ensure emergency services are well prepared and supported financially

• support people in developing emergency plans

• ensure the vulnerable can access support

• financially support smaller nations unable to prepare sufficiently for storms

Preparing for climate refugees

As droughts impact and water becomes scarce wars are fought over resources.

It is not just war that creates refugees. South and Central American and African droughts are forcing farmers off their lands.

Sea rise destroying Fijian village

Hurricanes, storms and the resulting flooding is making much of the world’s lower coastal areas unlivable.

Sea level rise is poisoning or drowning farm lands or swamping island homes.

You Tube: Climate Change Will Make MILLIONS Homeless. Where Will They Go?

Heat is forcing indigenous peoples from their traditional lands.

Central and South American farmers are forced off their lands by droughts. Many travel north.

Yet the poorest have hardly contributed to climate change.

You Tube: Climate Change, Disasters and Refugees - Talking Points

From a purely economic view the indefinite holding of refugees in detention camps is massively expensive. Huge, long-term camps of refugees require a more compassionate response by wealthier nations especially those contributing to wars or climate change.

• Governments require a humane and compassionate response to refugees.

• The United Nations needs to make 'climate change' a legal reason for refugees to seek asylum.

• Planning how refugees can be assimilated and contribute to less climate affected nations is essential.

Latest News:

Climate refugees can't be returned home, says landmark UN human rights ruling

Experts say judgment is ‘tipping point’ that opens the door to climate crisis claims for protection

• Wealthy nations must contribute more to the poorer nations so they can better manage their own climate refugees and the effects of climate change.

Preparations for Climate Change