Climate Change FAQ’s & essential climate change definitions

Weather

Weather reflects the short-term conditions of the atmosphere.

Climate

Climate is the average daily weather during an extended period (e.g., 30 years) at a certain location.

Climate change

Climate change refers to a change in the state of the climate that can be identified (e.g., by using statistical tests) by changes in the mean and/or the variability of its properties and that persists for an extended period, typically decades or longer.

Climate impacts

Climate impacts are the consequences of climate change on natural and human systems.

Mitigation

Mitigation: A human intervention to reduce GHG emissions or enhance the sinks. Mitigation deals with how economic activities may slow down climate change, by, for example reducing greenhouse gas emissions or removing greenhouse gases from the atmosphere. Mitigation is a reaction to climate change that also has an impact on climate change.

Adaptation

Adaptation: In human systems, the process of adjustment to actual or expected climate and its effects, to moderate harm or exploit beneficial opportunities. In natural systems, the process of adjustment to actual climate and its effects; human intervention may facilitate adjustment to expected climate and its effects. Here we don’t change the climate; we react to it.

* Mitigation and Adaptation are complementary strategies to reduce the risks of climate change.

Maladaptation

Maladaptation is defined in the UN IPCC Third Assessment Report (2001) as “an adaptation that does not succeed in reducing vulnerability but increases it instead”. Whilst the UN IPCC Fifth Assessment Report (2014) defines maladaptation as “a process that results in increased vulnerability to climate variability and change, directly or indirectly, and/or significantly undermines capacities or opportunities for present and future adaptation”.

Perception of the climate change proble

Perception of the climate change problem: The perception of climate change has shifted from a rather narrowly defined environmental problem to a fundamental global transformation of societies. It presents a threat to sustainable development and its widespread, unprecedented impacts disproportionately burden the poorest and most vulnerable. Since climate change is already underway and certain impacts can no longer be prevented, there is need for a comprehensive transformational change towards a low carbon climate resilient economy linking science, politics and finance.

SRM

SRM: refers to Solar Radiation Management technologies

CDR

CDR : refers large-scale Carbon Dioxide Removal

If you require further information or assistance please contact us via email at info@carbonaction.co.uk or by phone at +44 (0)20 3869 1869.

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