Global warming refers to a long-term increase in the average temperature of the Earth's climate system, primarily due to human activities such as burning fossil fuels, deforestation, and agriculture. Carbon dioxide is the primary greenhouse gas responsible for global warming, but other greenhouse gases such as methane and nitrous oxide also contribute to global warming. Global warming is having a significant impact on the Earth's climate through rising sea levels, changes in precipitation patterns, and the frequency of heat waves, droughts, and extreme weather events.
The lecture covered the current status and future projections of global warming, including the global average concentration of greenhouse gases in 2021 and historical averages, as well as international agreements and initiatives on global warming such as the Kyoto Protocol, Cancun Agreement, and Paris Agreement, which have different goals, targets, and mechanisms for reducing emissions. The lecture also covered the following topics.
It also mentioned the Glasgow Climate Agreement, which aims to limit temperature rise to 1.5°C, accelerate action during a critical decade, enhance technology diffusion, and phase out coal-fired power generation. We also studied recent developments in Japan regarding global warming, such as the revision of the Law Concerning the Promotion of Measures to Cope with Global Warming and the efforts of Mie Prefecture.
The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), an organization of scientists established by the United Nations, predicts that if greenhouse gas emissions continue to increase at their current pace, the average global temperature will likely rise 2 to 6 degrees Celsius by the end of this century. This would have serious consequences for human societies, ecosystems, and biodiversity.
To mitigate global warming, countries and organizations are advocating various strategies and policies, such as reducing emissions from power generation, transportation, and industry; increasing the use of renewable energy; and improving energy efficiency. Adaptation measures include building seawalls, relocating communities at risk of flooding, and developing drought-resistant crops.
The Paris Agreement, adopted in 2015 at the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change, aims to pursue efforts to limit global temperature increase to 1.5°C, well below 2°C above pre-industrial levels. To achieve this goal, each country is required to submit and regularly update a National Defined Contribution, which outlines its efforts to reduce emissions and adapt to the effects of climate change.
Being able to learn about and act on these matters will become even more important in the future. We, too, will take no small amount of action.