University of California
Climate Change, Water, and Society IGERT
Triumphs and pitfalls of adapting/mitigating climate change at international, national, and local scales
Thought provoking article out of NASA climate change.
"In recent decades, extreme weather events have contributed to increasing loss of lives, human and natural infrastructure and other things of value. Climate change has already begun to exacerbate such losses through more frequent and intense floods, high winds, heat waves, droughts, wildfires and the like, locally and regionally. University of Colorado policy scientist Ron Brunner studies how U.S. communities deal with environmental threats and climate change, from floods in the Midwest to melting permafrost in Alaska..."
Main questions posed:
1. How do local initiatives against climate change compare to international efforts?
2. What are some examples of successful communities?
3. Do communities ever take action solely on the basis of predicted climate change?
4. As you've researched community successes in combating climate change, have you uncovered any principles or best practices that others can follow?
5. What's the next step toward creating more successes?
Conclusion:
"A lack of political will among national governments has led to climate policy gridlock. But many local communities are focusing on solving their own climate problems, and we can learn from them...We have paid too much attention to barriers - to research problems that have yet to be solved. It's time to pay attention to these success stories. They can inform and inspire action and start new communities down their own unique roads to successful climate adaptation. For these communities, the highest practical priority is to build on what has already worked, not reinvent it."
-Dr. Ron Brunner, University of Colorado