Another new word entered my vocabulary in this, the final week of the Climate Change MOOC - ANTHROPOCENE. It is a new geological epoch and is the period during which human activity has been the dominant influence on climate and the environment. It is generally considered to have started at the time of the Industrial Revolution, since when carbon dioxide levels in the atmosphere have increased rapidly and in May 2013 reached 400 parts per million. If we continue to burn the known 4,000 billion tonnes of fossil fuels, then carbon dioxide levels will probably rise to 1,500 parts per million by 2300 - frightening! This assumes we take no action to reduce our carbon footprints.
Of course we are trying to reduce carbon footprints, aren't we? The 1997 Kyoto protocol, which expires in 2020, committed industrial nations to reduce carbon emissions. The United Nations is now working on a new agreement to keep climate change within safe levels of less than two degrees of global warming above the pre-industrial level. This should avoid dangerous tipping points, like the collapse of the West Antarctic Ice Sheet, from happening. If there is an agreement to meet the two degree target, it will require a 60% reduction in CO2 emissions. This sound like a lot, but wait for it! In order for developing countries to industrialise, developed countries will have to reduce emissions by even more than 60% - wow! Now it seems reasonable to me that the developed countries, who have created most of the industrial pollution to date and have benefitted economically from it, should take more pain in the future than the the developing countries, who have yet to catch up economically, hopefully with far less pollution. Whilst it's all very well talking in generalities, we need to take specific actions.
We were introduced to a carbon footprint calculator, which allows you to quantify the amount of carbon dioxide your household is producing in tonnes per year. That's interesting, but it's just a number. What I believe is more valuable is, through the inputting of data to the online calculator, identifying the factors that directly influence your carbon footprint. These include loft and cavity insulation, the use of energy-efficient devices and switching off electronic devices at the wall. Additionally, your individual footprint is affected by factors like walking, cycling or using public transport and holidaying closer to home. I am fortunate to live on an area that benefits from long hot summers and my property has solar panels for water heating. From May through to November the water is only heated from the sun. During the winter months, a top-up immersion heater is required but never for more than two hours per day. In fact, two hours is the maximum switch-on time. The thermostat will ensure that power is supplied to the heating element for considerably less time than the switch-on period. I am now considering installing solar Photo Voltaic (PV) panels to supply electricity to some of the electrical equipment in an off-grid configuration. At the moment I am evaluating the technical requirements in order to specify the system and estimate the procurement, installation and support costs. If you wish to change the world start with yourself - it's exciting!
The course isn't quite over yet as we have a feedback session later in the week, but we're almost there and it's been great fun. I've learnt a lot. There was a test at the end of each week on the content of that week, as well as a two-part test this week on the total course content. The aggregate of my scores is 94% and although I don't like dropping any points, I think that's a respectable result. I will be thanking those responsible for the delivery of the MOOC at the University of Exeter directly, but if Professor Tim Lenton or members of his team read this post, thanks again guys, it's been great!
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