Environmental Engineering for the 21st Century Addressing Grand Challenges (2019) / Chapter Skim
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Grand Challenge 2: Curb Climate Change and Adapt to Its Impacts
Grand Challenge 2: Curb Climate Change and Adapt to Its Impacts
Pages 26-43
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From page 26... ...
-- a level that last occurred about 3 million years ago when both global average temperature and sea level were significantly higher than today.98 At the same time, the production of fossil fuels and agricultural and industrial processes also have emitted large amounts of methane and nitrous oxide, both powerful greenhouse gases, into the atmosphere. The heat trapped by the sharp rise in greenhouse gases has increased Earth's global average surface temperature by about 1.8°F (1.0°C)
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zones already vulnerable to storm surges and other causes of temporary coastal flooding, along with sea-level rise.100 In other areas, prolonged dry periods and droughts are increasing the risk of destructive wildfires and water shortages. If greenhouse gas emissions continue to rise in the 21st century, Earth is expected to warm by an additional 4.7°F to 8.6°F (2.6°C to 4.8°C)
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Given that future climate changes likely hold surprises, it will be important to remain nimble, incorporate new knowledge, and work to address uncertainty as environmental engineers develop, test, and implement solutions. Reducing the Rate and Magnitude of Climate Change A sharp reduction in emissions of greenhouse gases to the atmosphere is needed to slow climate change and prevent some of the most severe impacts.
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energy use by 30 percent, slashing greenhouse gas emissions along with other air pollutants, while also saving money.112 Curb Climate Change and Adapt to Its Impacts | 29
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Retiring existing nuclear plants will exacerbate the challenge of reducing CO2 emissions from the power system, because large increases in renewable and other zero-emitting energy sources will be needed simply to replace zero-emitting nuclear energy. To support continued nuclear capacity, working in combination with renewables, research is needed on advanced nuclear technologies for next generation reactors designed to significantly improve performance and safety.119 Moving to electrically powered transportation with increased renewable energy generation would substantially reduce fossil fuel use, because more than 90 percent 30 | ENVIRONMENTAL ENGINEERING IN THE 21st CENTURY: ADDRESSING GRAND CHALLENGES
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Advancing Climate Intervention Strategies Even if human-caused carbon dioxide emissions were to cease today, it would take millennia for natural processes to return Earth's atmosphere to preindustrial carbon dioxide concentrations.124 To avoid the worst impacts of warming, it is no longer enough to reduce emissions. Deploying negative-emission technologies that remove carbon dioxide from the atmosphere and reliably sequester it will also be needed.125 Some carbon dioxide removal strategies focus on accelerating natural processes that take up carbon dioxide.
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Methane, for example, is about 28 times more potent as a greenhouse gas compared to CO2, making it particularly important to prevent or capture methane leaks from oil and gas systems, coal mines, shale gas extraction, and landfills.133 To that end, there is a need for better systems and methodologies to measure and track methane leakage throughout those systems.134 Agriculture is one of the largest sources of non-CO2 greenhouse gases. Methane is produced when livestock digest their food and also is emitted in large quantities 32 | ENVIRONMENTAL ENGINEERING IN THE 21st CENTURY: ADDRESSING GRAND CHALLENGES
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What Can Environmental Engineers Do to Curb Climate Change? Environmental engineers have an opportunity to be leaders in developing technologies that will help slow warming through alternative energy development, green infrastructure, carbon capture and sequestration, and monitoring and measurement, as summarized in Box 2-1.
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Develop technologies and approaches to reduce greenhouse gas emissions from agriculture. • Identify the largest sources of black carbon and develop low-cost strategies to reduce these • emissions.
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In addition to flooding, sea-level rise causes erosion and saltwater encroachment, which kills forests near the coasts, reshapes marshes and wetlands, and renders aquifers along the coast unusable for human consumption without desalination technology. Curb Climate Change and Adapt to Its Impacts | 35
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warmer than the surrounding natural environment.142 36 | ENVIRONMENTAL ENGINEERING IN THE 21st CENTURY: ADDRESSING GRAND CHALLENGES
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recover from, and more Improved local projections of flood risk based on changes in climate and land use successfully adapt to are needed to inform such planning and decision making; advanced GIS technologies adverse events.146 are offering flexible tools that engineers and communities can use toward this goal. In a departure from past strategies, which emphasized centralized flood control management with levees and dams that have severe impacts on river and floodplain ecosystems, communities are increasingly turning to natural systems to manage flood risks while enhancing habitat, water quality, and other environmental services.
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, could reduce the severity of climate impacts and prevent species extinctions. Other adaptation strategies include habitat restoration, assisted migration, active management of invasive species, and updated management strategies for fisheries.147 38 | ENVIRONMENTAL ENGINEERING IN THE 21st CENTURY: ADDRESSING GRAND CHALLENGES
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Adaptation strategies include ensuring that critical infrastructure and systems such as water supply, wastewater, and solid waste management systems, electricitygenerating facilities, hospitals, and transportation systems are resilient to expected heat, storm, and flooding stressors. With projections of 1 to 4 feet of sea-level rise by the end of the century,151 engineers are developing ways to hold back the sea where possible or to buy time until more transformative adaptation strategies, including managed retreat, are developed.
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40 | ENVIRONMENTAL ENGINEERING IN THE 21st CENTURY: ADDRESSING GRAND CHALLENGES
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. Curb Climate Change and Adapt to Its Impacts | 41
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Using modeling and decision support tools, environmental engineers can work with diverse interdisciplinary teams to synthesize information, analyze adaptation alternatives, and weigh the costs, benefits, and risks. Environmental engineers have skills in uncertainty analysis and can support iterative risk management approaches to analyze climate adaptation strategies for effectiveness and lessons learned in the context of an evolving understanding of climate science.
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• Use green infrastructure, vegetation, and other methods to reduce urban heat island effects while improving water quality in vulnerable communities. • Participate in formulation and implementation of innovative strategies to reduce the risk of transmission of vectorborne, zoonotic, foodborne, and waterborne diseases.
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