CIVIL & STRUCTURE DEPARTMENTFACULTY OF

ENGINEERING & BUILT ENVIRONMENTTHE NATIONAL

UNIVERSITY OF MALAYSIA


KKKH4284 SUSTAINABLE URBAN PLANNING
TASK 6: GLOBAL WARMING




Lecturers:
PROF. IR. DR. RIZA ARIQ ABDULLAH BIN O.K RAHMAT
DR. MUHAMMAD NAZRI BIN BORHAN
PM. NORLIZA BT MOHD AKHIR


Students Name:
MUHAMAD RAHMAD BIN MUSTAR A133094


Supposed you are living in a coastal city. The city administrator has noticed that the mean sea
level has been rising for the past 50 years. The raising is small but over a long period of time it
may cause problems in the city centre as the level of that part of the city is quite low. If you are
hired as a consultant, write a plan of action on what can be done to reduce or mitigate the
problems

1.0 INTRODUCTION
Measurements of temperature taken by instruments all over the world, on land and at sea have
revealed that during the 20th century the Earths surface and lowest part of the atmosphere
warmed up on average by about 0.6C. During this period, man-made emissions of greenhouse
gases, including carbon dioxide, methane and nitrous oxide have increased, largely as a result of
the burning of fossil fuels for energy and transportation, and land use changes
including deforestation for agriculture. In the last 20 years, concern has grown that these two
phenomena are, at least in part, associated with each other. That is to say, global warming is now
considered most probably to be due to the increases in greenhouse gas emissions and concurrent
increases in atmospheric greenhouse gas concentrations, which have enhanced the Earth's natural
greenhouse effect. Whilst other natural causes of climate change can cause global climate to
change over similar periods of time, computer models demonstrate that in all probability there is
a real discernible human influence on the global climate.

If the climate changes as current computer models have projected, global average surface
temperature could be anywhere from 1.4 to 5.8C higher by the end of the 21st century than in
1990. To put this temperature change into context, the increase in global average surface
temperature which brought the Earth out of the last major ice age 14,000 years ago was of the
order of 4 to 5C. Such a rapid change in climate will probably be too great to allow many
ecosystems to suitably adapt, and the rate of species extinction will most likely increase. In
addition to impacts on wildlife and species biodiversity, human agriculture, forestry, water
resources and health will all be affected. Such impacts will be related to changes
in precipitation (rainfall and snowfall), sea level, and the frequency and intensity of extreme
weather events, resulting from global warming. It is expected that the societies currently
experiencing existing social, economic and climatic stresses will be both worst affected and least
able to adapt. These will include many in the developing world, low-lying islands and coastal
regions, and the urban poor.
The Framework Convention on Climate Change (1992) and the Kyoto Protocol (1997)
represent the first steps taken by the international community to protect the Earth's climate from
dangerous man-made interference. Currently, nations have agreed to reduce greenhouse
gas emissions by an average of about 5% from 1990 levels by the period 2008 to 2012. The UK,
through its Climate Change Programme, has committed itself to a 12.5% cut in greenhouse gas
emissions. Additional commitments for further greenhouse gas emission reduction will need to
be negotiated during the early part of the 21st century, if levels of greenhouse
gas concentrations in the atmosphere are to be stabilised at reasonable levels. Existing and future
targets can be achieved by embracing the concept of sustainable development - development
today that does not compromise the development needs of future generations. In practical terms,
this means using resources, particularly fossil-fuel-derived energy, more efficiently, re-using and
recycling products where possible, and developing renewable forms of energy which are
inexhaustible and do not pollute the atmosphere.

2.0 MITIGATION
2.1 INTRODUCTION
Mitigation of global warming involves taking actions to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and to
enhance sinks aimed at reducing the extent of global warming. This is in distinction to adaptation
to global warming, which involves taking action to minimise the effects of global
warming. Scientific consensus on global warming, together with the precautionary principle and
the fear of non-linear climate transitions, is leading to increased effort to develop new
technologies and sciences and carefully manage others in an attempt to mitigate global warming.
Carbon capture and storage (CCS) for coal-fired power stations has been put forward as a
solution to rising greenhouse gas emissions. However, CCS cannot deliver in time to avoid
dangerous increases in temperatures, as widespread commercial use of CCS is not expected
before 2030.
Following the introduction of government mandatory renewable energy targets, more
opportunities have opened up for renewable energy technologies such as wind power,
photovoltaics, and solar thermal technologies. The deployment of these technologies provides
opportunities for mitigating greenhouse gases.

2.2 GOVERNMENT POLICY
Some components of the government's emissions reductions strategy have been:
the Carbon Pollution Reduction Scheme (CPRS) (which was a proposal for an emissions
trading scheme that would have established a market in greenhouse gas permits);
the Renewable Energy Target;
"investment in renewable energy technologies and in the demonstration of carbon capture
and storage";
"action on energy efficiency.

2.3 AGRICULTURE
Feeding the planets ever-expanding population while dealing with climate change will require a
new way of thinking about agriculture. Current farming methods are depleting the earths
resources and producing alarming quantities of greenhouse gasesagriculture operations
currently produce 13 percent of human-based global GHG emissions. The environment is paying
a huge price in biodiversity loss and deforestation, while the global economy leaks billions of US
dollars per year on conventional agricultures economic side effects.
Turning agriculture a brighter shade of green will not only ease pressure on the
environment and help cope with climate change, but will also create opportunities to diversify
economies, increase yields, reduce costs, and generate jobswhich will in turn help reduce
poverty and increase food security. Increasing farm yields and improving ecosystems services
will be a boon to the 2.6 billion people who depend on agriculture for a livelihood, particularly in
developing nations where most farmers live on small parcels in rural areas.
Huge gains can be made for a greener future by simply reducing agricultural waste and
inefficiency. Nearly 50 percent of food produced is lost through crop loss or waste during
storage, distribution, marketing, and household use. Some of these inefficienciesespecially
crop and storage lossescan be addressed with small investments in simple farming and storage
technologies.
Greening agriculture will require investment, research, and capacity building. UNEPs
contribution to this global effort includes the following innovative programmes:
CASCADe (Carbon Finance for Agriculture, Sylviculture, Conservation and Action
against Deforestation).
The UNEP Bioenergy Programme
Reducing Emissions from Deforestation and Forest Degradation (REDD)

2.4 FOREST
Forest goods and services support the livelihoods of over 1 billion people, most of whom are
poor and live in developing countries. They also sustain over 50 percent of the Earths species,
regulate our climate through the carbon cycle, and protect watersheds. Yet this priceless
resource, a fundamental component of our ecological infrastructure, is being threatened by
deforestation and forest degradation at a rate of 13 million hectares per year.
Halting deforestation may be a good investment: models suggest that investing just US$
40 billion per year from 2010 to 2050 in reforestation and payments to landholders for
conservation could raise value added in the forest industry by 20 percents, and at the same time
increase forest carbon storage by 28 percent.
What is needed is a stable global regime that would attract investment in forest-derived
goods and assure their equitable and sustainable production. Reducing Emissions from
Deforestation and forest Degradation (REDD) may offer one of the best possibilities for
establishing this type of regime. REDD aims to create financial value for forest carbon storage,
while REDD+ goes beyond the programmes initial mission and includes conservation,
sustainable forest management, and enhancing forest stocks.

2.5 ENERGY
As populations and incomes grow, so does the demand for energy. Our thirst for energy services
is one of the biggest challenges to mitigating climate change and building a greener future. While
the global community wrestles with climate change, it must also grapple with a host of issues
resulting from current patterns of energy consumption, including energy security, pollution, and
enduring energy poverty. The current fossil fuel-heavy energy system is not only
environmentally unsustainable, but also highly inequitable, leaving some 1.4 billion people
without access to electricity. Moreover, much of this growing energy demand is occurring in
developing countries, where rising fossil fuel prices and resources constraints are putting
additional pressure on the environment and the economy.
Fortunately, there is another way. Once considered an unrealistic alternative, today
renewable energies are a growing presence on the global scene. In 2010, new investments in
renewable energies reached a record high of US$ 211 billion, with noticeable growth in
emerging economies. While there is much progress to be made, decreasing costs and increasing
deployment experience are making renewables more and more competitive with fossil fuels,
especially when the latters negative externalities, like pollution and health impacts, are taken
into account. But in order to move towards a greener energy path, governments and local
institutions will need to increase their involvement.
UNEPs Energy branch focuses on aiding governments and regionsparticularly in
developing countriesmake this green energy transition, offering support and training regarding
technical assessments, policies, and finance.

2.6 MANUFACTURING
Responsible for some 35 percent of global electricity use, 20 percent of CO2 emissions, and a
quarter of primary resource extraction, manufacturing has a major impact on the environment
and must be factored into the climate change equation. At the same time, the sectors economic
importance cannot be ignored: including extraction and construction, manufacturing currently
accounts for 23 percent of worldwide employment.
Changing the way industries make things will go a long way towards mitigating
manufacturings negative environmental impacts. In some cases, simply re-designing a product
can improve not only the products life span, but also lead to a more efficient use of resources,
easier recycling, and less pollution during the manufacturing process and life of the product.
Modern innovations like recycling heat waste and closed-cycle manufacturing can save both
resources and money. Remanufacturing and reconditioning, both labor-intensive activities, can
create jobs and require relatively little capital investment.
To enable these innovations, regulatory reforms and new policies will need to be set in
motion, as well as mechanisms that ensure that environmental cost is factored into producers
calculations.
UNEPs work on manufacturing-related climate change issues includes:
The Resource Efficient and Cleaner Production programme, which is implemented by
UNEPs Sustainable Consumption and Production branch
UNEPs OzonAction programme

2.7 TRANSPORT
Current methods of getting from one place to another are generating serious problems for both
human wellbeing and the environment. Transport gobbles up over half of the planets liquid
fossil fuels and is responsible for almost a quarter of energy-related greenhouse gas (GHG)
emissions. Our motorized lifestyle is causing widespread air pollution, over a million fatal traffic
accidents per year, and chronic traffic congestionimpacts that can cost countries more than 10
percent of their gross domestic product.
For the moment, there is little sign that the global appetite for vehicular transport is
diminishing. Vehicle use in developing countries is increasingat the current rate, the global
vehicle fleet is set to triple by 2050. Yet investments in public transportation and vehicle
efficiency can yield exceptional economic returns. Several studies show that a green, low-carbon
transport sector could reduce GHG emissions from the sector by as much 70 percent, with
minimal additional investment. And when sustainable regulatory policies are added to the mix,
the road to greener transport begins to look a lot shorter.
For this transformation to happen, however, there needs to be a major shift in the way we
think about investing in transport. UNEP proposes a three-pronged strategy: AvoidShiftClean.
Help users avoid or reduce tripswithout restricting mobilitythrough smarter city planning
and land use options. Shift passengers away from private vehicles to public and non-motorized
transport, and freight users from trucks to rail or water transport. Finally, make vehicles cleaner,
through both efficiency improvements and cleaner fuels.
UNEPs Transport Programme is working towards this paradigm shift through several
initiatives and programmes, including:
Partnership for Clean Fuels and Vehicles
Global Fuel Economy Initiative
Share the Road

2.8 TOURISM
Nothing seems to be able to quell the human urge to visit foreign places. The tourism sector
currently accounts for 5 percent of global GDP and continues to grow, particularly in developing
countries. Tourism is one of the top five export earners in 150 countries, and the number one
export in 60. While this may be good news for national economies, if not properly managed it
can be bad news for the environment and local populations. Tourists are traveling more often and
to more distant destinations, using more energy-intensive, fossil fuel-based transport, and the
sectors greenhouse gas (GHG) contribution has increased to 5 percent of global emissions.
Other unsustainable practices, such as excessive water use, waste generation, and habitat
encroachment are threatening ecosystems, biodiversity, and local culture.
But if done right, tourism can be a positive force for both the local economy and the
environment. Green tourism aims to reduce poverty by creating local jobs and stimulating local
business, while establishing ecologically sustainable practices that preserve resources and reduce
pollution. Currently, far too little of tourism profits touch the people living in and near tourist
destinations. Increasing local involvement can not only generate income but also encourage
communities to protect their environment. Investing in energy efficiency and waste management
can reduce GHG emissions and pollution and also save hotel owners and service providers
money. Under the right circumstances, natural areas, biodiversity, and cultural heritagethree of
the main reasons people travel in the first placecan all reap the benefits of sustainable tourism.
UNEP hosts the secretariat of the Global Partnership for Sustainable Tourism an
initiative designed to inject sustainability principles into the mainstream of tourism policies,
development, and operations.

2.9 BUILDINGS
Approximately one third of the worlds energy use takes place inside buildings. This has earned
the building sector the dubious honor of being the Earths biggest contributor to greenhouse gas
(GHG) emissions. Whats more, the construction industry consumes more than one third of the
planets resources and generates huge quantities of solid waste. Clearly, any attempt to improve
resource efficiency must take buildings into account.
If todays building sector has an oversized ecological footprint, there is considerable hope
for reducing it in the green future. Improving energy efficiency in buildings through greener
construction methods and retrofitting existing structures can make an enormous difference in
reducing GHG emissions. Moreover, many of these improvements can be realized at a low cost,
using existing technologies. Green construction can also have a positive effect on productivity,
public health, and even employment: according to estimates, every US $ 1 million invested could
result in ten to fourteen jobs.

2.9.1 Cities
Cities are growing quickly, especially in developing countries. Urban areas are now home to
some 50 percent of the planets population, use a good 60 percent of available energy, and
account for an equal share of carbon emissions. Rapid urbanization is affecting water supplies,
public health, environment, and quality of life, especially for the poor. Fundamental changes in
urban development will have to take place in order to build a sustainable future.
Fortunately, the very density of cities may turn out to be their strongest advantage.
Characterized by proximity, variety, and density, cities can be fertile ground for collaboration
between local and national governments, civil society, private partnerships, and academiaall of
whose input will be essential to the greening of our urban areas. With the right policies,
practices, and infrastructures in place, cities can be green models for efficient transport, water
treatment, construction, and resource use.
UNEPs Sustainable Buildings and Climate Initiative (SBCI) is a partnership of major
public and private stakeholders in the buildings sector working to promote sustainable building
policies and practices worldwide.
Other UNEP work on buildings and cities includes the following projects:
Integrated Approach for Low Emissions Project Development in the New Town of
Boughzoul, Algeria
Efficient Lighting for Developing and Emerging Countries (en.lighten)

2.10 WASTE
As countries economies grow, so does the volume of their garbage. According to estimates,
some 11.2 billion metric tonnes of solid waste are currently being collected around the world
every year, and the decay of the organic portion is contributing around 5 percent of global
greenhouse gas emissions (GHG). Whats more, rubbish is becoming increasingly complex. The
fastest growing waste stream in both developing and developed countries is electrical and
electronic products, which contain hazardous substances that make disposal even more of a
challenge. Human health and the environment are increasingly at risk, particularly when
dumpsites are uncontrolled or volume becomes unmanageable. Illnesses and infections, ground
water pollution, GHG emission, and ecosystem destruction are just some of the impacts of our
overfilled global dustbin.
Turning the waste stream a brighter shade of green, however, can actually create
economic opportunities. Managing waste, from collection to recycling, is a growing market,
currently estimated at US$ 410 billion per year, not including the substantial informal segment in
developing countries. Recycling, in particular, will grow with a greening of the waste sector, and
actually creates more jobs than it replaces. Investment in greener waste management can produce
many environmental and economic benefits, including resource savings, nature protection, and
employment and business opportunities.
Of course, the best way to manage waste is to produce less of it, and minimizing waste is
the first essential step towards greening the sector. The goal is to produce as little waste as
possible, recycle or remanufacture as much as possible, and treat any unavoidable waste in a
manner that is the least harmful to the environment and humansor even as a source of
sustainable energy.
UNEPs Sustainable Consumption and Production branch is working on several aspects of
the waste puzzle. Other UNEP offices running waste-related projects and programmes include:
The International Environmental Technology Centre





3.0 ADAPTATION
3.1 INTRODUCTION
Adaptation refers to efforts by society or ecosystems to prepare for or adjust to future climate
change. These adjustments can be protective (i.e., guarding against negative impacts of climate
change), or opportunistic (i.e., taking advantage of any beneficial effects of climate change).
Adaptation to changes in climate is nothing new. Throughout history, human societies have
repeatedly demonstrated a strong capacity for adapting to different climates and environmental
changes--whether by migration to new areas, changing the crops we cultivate, or building
different types of shelter. However, the current rate of global climate change is unusually high
compared to past changes that society has experienced. In an increasingly interdependent world,
negative effects of climate change on one population or economic sector can have repercussions
around the world.
Ecosystems will also be faced with adaptation challenges. Some species will be able to
migrate or change their behavior to accommodate changes in climate. Other species may go
extinct. Society's ability to anticipate some of the impacts of climate change on ecosystems can
help us develop management programs that help ecosystems adapt.
Even if current climate changes seem readily absorbed today, governments and
communities are beginning adaptation planning. Many greenhouse gases remain in the
atmosphere for 100 years or more after they are emitted. Because of the long-lasting effects of
greenhouse gases, those already emitted into the atmosphere will continue to warm Earth in the
21st century, even if we were to stop emitting additional greenhouse gases today. Earth is
committed to some amount of future climate change, no matter what. Therefore, steps can be
taken now to prepare for, and respond to, the impacts of climate change that are already
occurring, and those that are projected to occur in the decades ahead.
There are limits to the ability to adapt, so actions to mitigate climate change must
continue. For example, the relocation of communities or infrastructure may not be feasible in
many locations, especially in the short term. Over the long term, adaptation alone may not be
sufficient to cope with all the projected impacts of climate change. Adaptation will need to be
continuously coupled with actions to lower greenhouse gas emissions.

3.2 ADAPTATION THROUGH LOCAL PLANNING
Local landuse and municipal planning represent important avenues for adaptation to global
warming. These forms of planning are recognised as central to avoiding the impacts of climate
related hazards such as floods and heat stress, planning for demographic and consumption
transition, and plans for ecosystem conservation. This type of planning is different from the
National Adaptation Programs of Action (NAPAs) which are intended to be frameworks for
prioritizing adaptation needs. At the local scale, municipalities are at the coal face of adaptation
where impacts are experienced in the forms of inundation, bushfires, heatwaves and rising sea
levels.
Cities are planning for adapting to global warming and climate change. The New York
Times began a series of articles on this subject with Chicago's adaptation initiatives being
highlighted. Projects include changing to heat tolerant tree varieties, changing to
water permeable pavements to absorb higher rainfalls and adding air conditioning in public
schools. New York and other cities are involved in similar planning. Carefully planned water
storage could help urban areas adapt to increasingly severe storms by increasing rainwater
storage (domestic water butts, unpaved gardens etc.) and increasing the capacity
of stormwater systems (and also separating stormwater from blackwater, so that overflows in
peak periods do not contaminate rivers). According to English Nature, gardeners can help
mitigate the effects of climate change by providing habitats for the most threatened species,
and/or saving water by changing gardens to use plants which require less.
Adaptation through local planning occurs in two distinct modes. The first is strategic
planning, which is important but not unique to local governments. At the local scale it fosters
community vision, aspirational goals and place-making, along with defining pathways to achieve
these goals. The second form is land-use planning, and is focused on the allocation of space to
balance economic prosperity with acceptable living standards and the conservation of natural
resources. Although these two types of planning are quite different in practice, and in many cases
are managed by different departments, we propose that both are highly important to climate
change adaptation, and can contribute to achieving adaptation at the local scale. Significant
constraints are recognised to hinder adaptation through planning, including limited resources,
lack of information, competing planning agendas and complying with requirements from other
levels of government. Examples of adaptation include defending against rising sea levels through
better flood defenses, and changing patterns of land use like avoiding more vulnerable areas for
housing.
Planning for rising sea levels is one of the key challenges for local planning in response to
climate change. Many national governments around the world have attempted to address the
problem of rising sea levels through policy and planning reforms designed to increase adaptive
capacity. In the United States, many state and local governments are now assessing innovative,
locality-specific options for sea-level rise adaptation. Although adaptation planning occurs
through a variety of processes, local adaptation initiatives in the U.S. often pass through three
stages of adaptation planning:
1. building community awareness of sea level rise as a local risk,
2. undertaking a scientific assessment of these risks in the medium and long-terms, and
3. using a public process to develop an adaptation plan and supportive policies.

3.3 ENHANCING ADAPTIVE CAPACITY
In a literature assessment, Smit et al. (2001) concluded that enhanced adaptive capacity would
reduce vulnerability to climate change. In their view, activities that enhance adaptive capacity
are essentially equivalent to activities that promote sustainable development. These activities
include:
improving access to resources
reducing poverty
lowering inequities of resources and wealth among groups
improving education and information
improving infrastructure
improving institutional capacity and efficiency
Promoting local indigenous practices, knowledge, and experiences


3.4 AGRICULTURAL PRODUCTION
A significant effect of global climate change is the altering of global rainfall patterns, with
certain effects on agriculture. Rainfed agriculture constitutes 80% of global agriculture. Many of
the 852 million poor people in the world live in parts of Asia and Africa that depend on rainfall
to cultivate food crops. As the global population swells, more food will be needed, but climate
variability is likely to make successful farming more difficult. Extended drought can cause the
failure of small and marginal farms with resultant economic, political and social disruption.
However, such events have previously occurred in human history independent of global climate
change. In recent decades, global trade has created distribution networks capable of delivering
surplus food to where it is needed, thus reducing local impact

3.4.1 Drought tolerant crop varieties
Agriculture of any kind is strongly influenced by the availability of water. Climate change will
modify rainfall, evaporation, runoff, and soil moisture storage. Changes in total seasonal
precipitation or in its pattern of variability are both important. The occurrence of moisture
stress during flowering, pollination, and grain-filling is harmful to most crops and particularly so
to corn, soybeans, and wheat. Increased evaporation from the soil and accelerated transpiration in
the plants themselves will cause moisture stress. As a result, there will be a need to develop crop
varieties with greater drought tolerance.



3.4.2 More spending on irrigation
The demand for water for irrigation is projected to rise in a warmer climate, bringing increased
competition between agriculturealready the largest consumer of water resources in semi-arid
regionsand urban as well as industrial users. Falling water tables and the resulting increase in
the energy needed to pump water will make the practice of irrigation more expensive,
particularly when with drier conditions more water will be required per acre. Other strategies
will be needed to make the most efficient use of water resources. For example, the International
Water Management Institute has suggested five strategies that could help Asia feed its growing
population in light of climate change. These are:
modernising existing irrigation schemes to suit modern methods of farming
Supporting farmer's efforts to find their own water supplies, by tapping into groundwater
in a sustainable way
Looking beyond conventional 'Participatory Irrigation Management' schemes, by
engaging the private sector
Expanding capacity and knowledge
Investing outside the irrigation sector

3.4.3 Forest resources
The forestry resources are most crucial means of adaptation to forest dependent people whose
lives have been depending on it. If long duration of drought persist, definitely affect to rain-fed
agricultural system. In this situation, people can collect the edible fruits, roots and leaves for
their life survival. Similarly, forest resources provides not only goods but also services such as
regulation of ecosystem, maintain linkage of upstream-downstream through watershed
conservation, carbon sequestration and aesthetic value. These services become crucial part of life
sustained through increased adaptive capacity of poor, vulnerable, women and socially excluded
communities.


3.4.4 Rainwater storage
Providing farmers with access to a range of water stores could help them overcome dry spells
that would otherwise cause their crops to fail. Field studies have shown the effectiveness of
small-scale water storage. For example, according to the International Water Management
Institute, using small planting basins to 'harvest' water in Zimbabwe has been shown to boost
maize yields, whether rainfall is abundant or scarce. And in Niger, they have led to three or
fourfold increases in millet yields.

3.5 WEATHER CONTROL
Russian and American scientists have in the past tried to control the weather, for example
by seeding clouds with chemicals to try to produce rain when and where it is needed. A new
method being developed involves replicating the urban heat island effect, where cities are
slightly hotter than the countryside because they are darker and absorb more heat. This creates
28% more rain 2040 miles downwind from cities compared to upwind. On the timescale of
several decades, new weather control techniques may become feasible which would allow
control of extreme weather such as hurricanes.
The World Meteorological Organization (WMO) through its Commission for
Atmospheric Sciences (CAS) has issued a "STATEMENT ON WEATHER MODIFICATION"
as well as "GUIDELINES FOR THE PLANNING OF WEATHER MODIFICATION
ACTIVITIES" in 2007, stating among others that "Purposeful augmentation of precipitation,
reduction of hail damage, dispersion of fog and other types of cloud and storm modifications by
cloud seeding are developing technologies which are still striving to achieve a sound scientific
foundation and which have to be adapted to enormously varied natural conditions."

3.6 DAMMING GLACIAL LAKE
Glacial lake outburst floods may become a bigger concern due to the retreat of glaciers, leaving
behind numerous lakes that are impounded by often weak terminal moraine dams. In the past, the
sudden failure of these dams has resulted in localized property damage, injury and
deaths. Glacial lakes in danger of bursting can have their moraines replaced with concrete dams
(which may also provide hydroelectric power)

3.7 GEOENGINEERING
In a literature assessment, Barker et al. (2007) described geoengineering as a type of mitigation
policy. IPCC (2007) concluded that geoengineering options, such as ocean fertilization to
remove CO2 from the atmosphere, remained largely unproven. It was judged that reliable cost
estimates for geoengineering had not been published.
The Royal Society (2009) published the findings of a study into geoengineering. The authors of
the study defined geoengineering as a "deliberate large-scale intervention in the Earth's climate
system, in order to moderate global warming" (p. ix). According to the study, the safest and most
predictable method of moderating climate change is early action to reduce GHG emissions.
Scientists such as Ken Caldeira and Paul Crutzen, suggest geoengineering techniques, which can
be employed to change the climate deliberately and thus control some of the effects of global
warming. These include:
Solar radiation management may be seen as an adaptation to global warming. Techniques
such as space sunshade, creating stratospheric sulfur aerosols and painting roofing and
paving materials white all fall into this category.
Hydrological geoengineering - typically seeking to preserve sea ice or
adjust thermohaline circulation by using methods such as diverting rivers to keep warm
water away from sea ice, or tethering icebergs to prevent them drifting into warmer
waters and melting. This may be seen as an adaptation technique, although by preventing
Arctic methane release it may also have mitigation aspects as well.