Policy Responses to Climate Change

Climate Change and Its Consequences

Climate change is described as a rise in average “daily temperatures on Earth” (Broth and Harriet 94). Climate change has become dramatic in recent years as a result of the rapid industrialization of both industrialized and emerging nations, the use of fossil fuels, and the emission of greenhouse gases into the environment. Climate change's negative consequences have compelled many countries around the continent to adopt measures to remedy the crisis. The policies are based on approaches that promote sustainable development at a low cost. Developed and developing economies respond to climate change through adaptive measures, economic policy, and technology transfer and efficiency.

Mitigation and Adaptive Measures

Mitigation and adaptive measures help in preventing climate change. It involves using scientific methods to limit the release of the dangerous gasses into the atmosphere. The common alternative is by maintaining large areas of land forested, using energy-saving, and the non-renewable sources “that are most effective” (Jaded and Ehsan 36). Trees are the natural absorbents of CO2 and recycle it to the harmless and much-needed oxygen gas. If it works out, the same economic activity will continue to the level of dangerous gasses like CO2 reduces.

The adaptive measure, on the other hand, deals with what has already occurred. That is, it involves limiting the damage. Klein provides that adaptive strategies to control climate changes are shifting to better and environmental conservation farming methods and mobilizing the required resources that will be “needed as a perfect rational reason” (4). Since agriculture is the most affected sector due to global warming, environmental conservation prevents the deterioration of the atmosphere. Some of the ways to conserve the environment in the agriculture sector include stop spraying harmful herbicides. Chatterjinoted that mitigation and adaptive measures would “reduce the money spent on health-related diseases” and death cases in Africa and Southeast Asia (37).

Economic Policy Methods

Carbon Taxes

From the economic perspective, the current prices for carbon fuels such as coal and oil are low compared to “renewable sources of power (Broth and Harriet 94). Due to low prices of these products, it allows for high quantity consumption, which results in a quick change in global climate.Broth and Harriet believe that taxing the “carbon-related goods can be a remedy” to reduce the emission of carbon into the environment (98). The tax will automatically raise the general price of the carbon-emitting products. Its consumers will try to find an alternative like shifting their consumption to another fuel source like natural gas, which is a bit environmentally friendly. Alternatively, the little they can purchase will be used sparingly as a way of evading their high prices. In the long-run, the amount of CO2 released into the atmosphere reduces. A study conducted by Klein, the relationship between the carbon gasses and the consumption, revealed, “tax inclusion is applicable” and economically viable (66). For example, a 10% increase in gasoline prices led to a 25% decrease in its consumption within a year. In five years' time, if tax continues to grow, the use will continue reducing to a very limited number. This has a social benefit concerning the global change rate; However, it can also partly help the economic side in that the energy-saving technological inventions will have more innovation as many people might consider them as an alternative.

Tradable Permits

Tradable permits are an option for global change management.Kleindenotesthat the restriction of permits “revolves around the international fuel standards” that must be met (68). For instance, each country will be limited to the maximum level of carbon they are allowed to emit to the environment. This depends on their national goal as any country emitting 20 million tons of carbon realizes a reduction of 10%. In fact, the international standard watchdogs such as World Trade Organization do not allow a state to exceed the new set standard. Under the proposal of tradable permits, all carbon emitters and suppliers within a country should read and understand it. The permits could be sold, so that those who can find optional source of fuels avoid price tag on the permits. Firms will implement least-cost carbon reduction alternatives, which are cheaper than the market price for the permits. If a business exceeds the listed amount, it can trade for another permit from a company, which released less. Environmental groups could also buy licenses and constrain them so that aggregately "they reduce carbon release” (Broth and Harriet 101). Some countries can opt to use non-polluting fuel and then export their vouchers to more industrialized nations who find it hard adjusting to the restrictions. After a while, the direct emissions of CO2 reduce.

Subsidies

Governments ought to shift their subsidies to the environmentally friendly fuels like fossil fuels and solar photovoltaic. It encourages most investors to avoid the tax burdened fuels and invest in the sustained alternatives. Eventually, the market will be flooded with safe energy like wind power. Klein provides that people would create “carbon credit” for eradicating unhealthy sources of energy (8).The consumers will have no other option but to go for a cheaper source of energy, which in this case, is safe. In the long run, the environment will be safe from dangerous gasses emissions.

Efficiency Standards

The government should ensure the major manufacturers get tied to a given quality standard, which they must meet. They have to increase machine efficiency. At the average rate, the efficiency will be at 35% while a manufacturer that has highly efficient gas-fired co-generation “receives 75%-90% efficiency” (Broth and Harriet 96). The tight standards will be enforced in all other carbon emitters like buildings and vehicles. None will be buying energy inefficient appliances anymore, and with time, they replace with modernized and efficient machines.

Technology Transfer to Developing Nations

The developed countries have implemented most of the climate change management in their industries. The contrast is seen in the developing countries. World Bank is among the agencies that “aid in the funding of energy development project” (Broth and Harriet 93). Soon they are directing their funds purely towards non-carbon energy technologies. The developing countries will automatically find it beneficial to use the non-carbon technologies, which are already funded on their behalf. This directly minimizes the level of CO2 emission. Some of the non-carbon technologies include solar and wind turbines. Chatterji argues that technologies that produce environmentally friendly energy require “understanding of the interconnected series of activity” (38). However, in the long-run, it would be financially sound since there is a high demand for non-carbon sources of energy. Also, technology increases efficiency since there is high energy production. Some argue that carbon emissions can be reduced using the current technologies that we already have by minimizing their use.

Conclusion

Climate change has become a worldwide disaster that countries should manage to reduce health and environmental contamination. Different policies such as mitigation and adaptive measures, tradable permits, carbon taxes, subsidies, and technological efficiency have been suggested towards the reduction of carbon release. Agencies such as World Trade Organization and World Bank are on the forefront to ensure that countries use renewable and clean energy. Although various factors like availability and cost are a concern for many countries, they can enroll the project in phases. For example, countries may decide to install wind power in areas with strong winds. Each country should try a method that is manageable according to their potential. Also, a country may decide to ask for financial assistance from financial institutions such as World Bank.

Works Cited

Broth, V. Castán and Harriet Bulkeley. A Survey of Urban Climate Change Experiments in 100 Cities.Global Environmental Change vol. 23.no1 (2013): pp.92-102.

Chatterji, Manas, ed. Technology Transfer in the Developing Countries. New York: Springer, 2016.

Jaded, Naghi, and Ehsan Rahmandoust. "CO2 Capturing from Industrial Flue Gases." American Journal of Oil and Chemical Technologies: Volume 3.2 (2015).pp.34-50

Klein, Naomi. This Changes Everything: Capitalism Vs. The Climate. Simon and Schuster, 2015.