Solutions to Climate Change
I had the idea that of the potential tasks,
if you grouped the 800 tasks into action-focused groups,
you might actually be able to apply really, really similar actions for achieving most or all parts of each group- you could apply the 800 climate change actions in bulk.
Please print off this resource if it is potentially useful- it might help to speed up climate change solutions considerably.
I created a number of groups below, where the focus is on finding similar actions that can each be applied for achieving most or all of the tasks within the group, and considerably simplifying how to apply the 800 Project Drawdown and 6 Sector Solution solutions.
In practice, this would mean sharing your allocated time within 0.5-4 climate hours between
things that you solve %s for or apply yourself, and
copying, pasting and printing out the following and, each week for the next 2000 weeks (before the most important tipping points in 2025, before the most important tipping points in 2030, and before the tipping points up to 2050)
each week for the next 2000 weeks, choosing a different 2 from these groups to, within your time above, to do %s for how to persuade the full 8 billion of these to get really motivated to complete the problem solving %s and application for these; and, equally important, to persuade the people who should wait with these, to wait (e.g. poorer people who are more focused on survival, or people who haven’t solved the price and profit %s yet, especially if poor)
however, only where and if safe enough- if its not safe enough for you, to not do it.
Only work on climate change if and where its safe enough. You could print out important information. But if not safe enough, don’t do.
So, to print out and choose 2 groups per week to optimally motivate… but please, safely, ethically, long-term…
1 Solving Energy Upscaling Challenges
Onshore Wind Turbines 143.56
Concentrated Solar Power 21.51
Geothermal Power 9.17
Nuclear Power- takes 9 years to build 3.64
Small Hydropower 3.21
Ocean Power 0.80
Biomass Power- worse for health than fossil fuels 3.59
Waste to Energy- worse for health than fossil fuels 5.24
Methane Leak Management 31.29
Methane Digesters 7.05
Landfill Methane Capture -1.48
Similar tasks:
Potential tasks that are similar- these are independent of the 650 solutions but can be based on them.
The main idea is how similar activities can be applied to all of the above/ the above can be implemented in bulk.
Figuring out which ones of these have the highest potential for countries… for example, one country or region might prioritize 7 of these
Understanding where these are stuck and why; this could be asking the electricity industry where they are stuck and what they need help with
Scaling up research on solving these, especially joint research with other countries
Figuring out how to solve these cheaply, safely, whether by research or other methods
Once solved, promoting these, potentially financial incentives for energy suppliers
Introduce policies that incentivize renewable energy, whether for suppliers or consumers
Introduce policies that promote energy efficiency, while protecting people
More similar tasks:
Commit to more ambitious Nationally Determined Contributions and energy transition strategies
Set national and sub-national decarbonization and net-zero carbon targets
Incentivize and mandate less emissions of greenhouse gases, including cutting methane leaks
Halt policies that support the fossil fuel industry, including subsidies that are too high
2 Solving What Farmers Need to Do, Cheaply, and Aware of Food Supply
Farming Industries: All
Reduced Food Waste 102.20
Plant-Rich Diets 103.11
Perennial Staple Crops 32.87
Tree Intercropping 24.40
Multistrata Agroforestry 23.94
Bamboo Production 19.60
Improved Rice Production 14.43
Composting 1.40
Farming Industries: Animal Farming
Silvopasture 42.31
Managed Grazing 20.92
Improved Cattle Feed 15.05
Nutrient Management 11.48
Farming Industries: Fishing and Sea
Seaweed Farming 4.72
Improved Fisheries 1.54
Improved Aquaculture 0.78
Similar tasks:
Potential tasks that are similar- these are independent of the 650 solutions but can be based on them.
The main idea is how similar activities can be applied to all of the above/ the above can be implemented in bulk.
Creating worldwide information sheets on the best ways to apply climate change methods and regularly improving them (e.g. writing, pictures… it’s a large % of climate change)
Telling farmers what the benefits are to climate change and to farmers
Promoting the above cheaply, effectively
Figuring out what percentage of farmers are doing these
Figuring out ways to help problem solve
More similar tasks could do:
Promote
Measuring food loss, creating waste baselines and implementing strategies to reduce food waste
Set and promote science-based targets to increase the availability and uptake of plant-rich diets, increase sustainable production and minimize food waste
Inform producers and consumers how to reduce food loss waste across supply chain and food choices
Align national diet recommendations with climate goals
Promote and support climate-smart and sustainable agriculture practices
Asking grocery stores, restaurants and hotels to tackle food loss and champion those who lead the way
Readings:
3 Solving Environmental Areas
Grassland Protection 4.25
Seafloor Protection 5.14
Similar tasks:
Potential tasks that are similar- these are independent of the 650 solutions but can be based on them.
The main idea is how similar activities can be applied to all of the above/ the above can be implemented in bulk.
Understanding how restoration of environments compares to removing current environmental features
For example, apparently a one hundred year old tree is the carbon dioxide equivalent to 16 (?) young trees- this is a much smaller land area
The most effective thing by far is to save environments that already exist, and especially so for trees
Understanding how to save the above
Could it be through maps of current and potential environmental areas, with priority 1 and 2 land areas for saving
Or you could colour code the maps with different information
Figuring out alternative income sources for people near environmental land
More tasks could do:
Goals
The UN Decade on Ecosystem Restoration is a rallying call for the protection and revival of ecosystems all around the world, for the benefit of people and nature. It runs through 2030, which is also the deadline for the Sustainable Development Goals and the timeline scientists have identified as the last chance to prevent catastrophic climate change.
Halve tropical deforestation by 2025 and stop net deforestation by 2030 globally
Restore 150 million hectares of forests and other landscapes by 2020 and 350 million hectares by 2030 – the two primary goals of the Bonn Challenge
Systematically monitor and evaluate the progress of conservation and restoration efforts
Methods
Stop policies and subsidies that incentivize deforestation and peatlands degradation and promote their restoration
Promote investments in deforestation and peatlands drainage-free supply chains.
Promote diets that reduce forest habitat loss, peatlands drainage and degradation by shopping locally and in season and purchasing products with deforestation-free and peatlands drainage-free ingredients, when possible.
Work with suppliers to find collaborative solutions to minimize ecosystem impacts across the supply chain
Invest in landscape conservation and restoration as part of net-zero emission efforts; investments must meet high social and environmental standards
The state of the world's forests: Forests, Biodiversity and People
4 Solving What Needs to be Solved for the Transport Industry
Efficient Trucks 10.77
Electric Cars 9.76
Efficient Aviation 5.82
Hybrid Cars 4.71
Electric Trains 3.25
Electric Bicycles 1.55
Similar tasks:
Potential tasks that are similar- these are independent of the 650 solutions but can be based on them.
The main idea is how similar activities can be applied to all of the above/ the above can be implemented in bulk.
Asking the transport industry what they are stuck with for problem solving these
Asking the transport industry what they need for solving these. For example, what is needed to make these cheaper, safer?
What is needed for promoting buying these by businesses and citizens? Is it more recharging stations?
More tasks could do:
Invest in and remove barriers to non-motorized mobility infrastructure, like protected bicycle lanes or paths for pedestrians
Incentivize a transition to zero-emission transportation, including for cars, taxis, buses, trucks and trains
Promote the significant public health benefits of low-carbon policies, including increased public transportation and non-motorized mobility
Switch fleets to electric vehicles
What are passenger cars made of? A key issue for climate change
5 Solving Retrofitting and Building
Easier to implement
Insulation 18.54 This is one of the most effective things you can do for heating and cooling your house
LED Lighting 15.69
Alternative Refrigerants 48.75
Smart Thermostats 7.25
Solar Hot Water 13.73
Low-Flow Fixtures 1.52
Medium
Refrigerant Management 57.15
High-Performance Glass 11.34
Dynamic Glass 0.54
Harder
District Heating 9.68
Walkable Cities 3.51
Green and Cool Roofs 0.99
Similar tasks:
Potential tasks that are similar- these are independent of the 650 solutions but can be based on them.
The main idea is how similar activities can be applied to all of the above/ the above can be implemented in bulk.
How to implement these
Figuring out the different needs that groups of people will have to implement these in their houses or businesses (e.g. different groups of citizens, different groups of businesses, industries)
How to promote these so everyone knows about them
Potential financial rebates (or the government bulk-buying 50% of these) so that the groups who need financial incentives can implement these
More tasks could do:
Promote
Promote and/or offer rebates to retrofit public buildings
Promote the installation of heat pumps, solar cells and heat storage technology
Promote the use of efficient and renewable heating and cooling
Incentivise
Incentivize the installation of central cooling and heating and the use of energy efficient lighting and appliances
Incentivize mini-grid solutions, district heating and cooling and waste to energy systems
Mainstream
Mainstream sustainable building within urban and rural planning
Integrate grey, blue and green infrastructure to manage resources and runoff with minimal impact to the environment
This might be really expensive for builders: Set carbon-neutral building standards for new construction
Plan cities for strategic density and mixed use of buildings and urban fabric, so that neighbourhoods have the services they need at the local scale
Invest in physical and market infrastructure to better link rural and urban producers and consumers
Develop smart systems to integrate buildings, mobility and energy systems, including traffic management, distributed EV-charging and integrated planning processes
6 Solving What Needs to be Promoted Among Businesses
Recycled Metals 12.34
Recycling 11.29
Reduced Plastics 5.40
Bioplastics 2.48
Recycled Paper 2.90
Recycled Plastics 1.69
Similar tasks:
Potential tasks that are similar- these are independent of the 650 solutions but can be based on them.
The main idea is how similar activities can be applied to all of the above/ the above can be implemented in bulk
Asking industries and businesses if they could treat these as climate change priorities and promote
Asking industries if they could do industry research into how to solve these
Asking industries to research what needs to be done for these, and where the problems are
Finding ways to help industries solve these
Impose and strengthen energy efficiency standards; however, to be careful of what businesses can and can’t afford with this
Price carbon — this will facilitate the drawdown of carbon-intensive technologies and promote more sustainable alternatives
Six-Sector Solution Business recommendations for what to promote among businesses:
For each country, location and region, these could be detailed information, all on one location on the internet, really easy to understand, and especially, prioritized in terms of what to implement first, for each of the promotion areas
It needs to be ethical, focuses on the +2 to +10 things people can do, prevents -10s to -2s
For it to continuously improve, in terms of information and presentation. Because climate change is so important, it is worth having people working on this full time, and especially, organizing talks with different industries for where they are stuck with climate change, what they need help with for climate change, and who to pass this information forward to
To promote this internet location really strongly to businesses and citizens that don’t know about it
To find ways to hear why businesses can’t implement it, so that can keep improving
To strongly encourage everyone to do 5 effective %s could do per week and to refer to these resources
For businesses that serve food or sell food
Reduced Food Waste 102.20
Plant-Rich Diets 103.11
Join Race to Zero global campaign that is rallying support from business, cities, regions, and investors for a healthy, resilient, zero carbon recovery.
Measure and report company food loss and waste
Adopt a corporate commitment to halve food loss and waste by 2030
Work with suppliers and clients to find solutions that reduce food loss and waste across the supply chain, targeting waste hotspots like weak links in the cold chain
Integrate corporate food loss and waste strategies across your company, including by making it easier for consumers and employees to limit their food waste
Repurpose extra-ripe foods in-store
Review packaging, provide clear storage and freezing guidance, remove ‘display until’ labels and clarify best before/use-by labels
Avoid ‘Buy One Get One Free’ food promotions if they are likely to cause customers to buy more than they can eat
Share excess with services who can distribute it to the needy
Set up processes for surplus food rescue to transfer healthy, uneaten food to services who can distribute it to those in need
All businesses: Travel
Join Race to Zero global campaign that is rallying support from business, cities, regions, and investors for a healthy, resilient, zero carbon recovery.
Embrace video conferencing for meetings and conferences
Arrange for flexible and staggered working arrangements
Switch fleets to electric vehicles
Switch to rail for the transportation of raw materials
All businesses: How your business operations interact with deforestation
Consider overlaps between making your supply chain climate resilient and restoring forests and ecosystems - and make it happen.
Promote investments in deforestation-free supply chains.
Work with suppliers to find collaborative solutions to minimize ecosystem impacts across the supply chain
Invest in landscape conservation and restoration as part of net-zero emission efforts; investments must meet high social and environmental standards
All businesses: Industrial practices
Audit the energy use and resource efficiency of your operations to identify cost-effective high-impact reductions
Be a leader in sustainable industrial practices
Scale up research and development to create new options for low-carbon industrial processes
Join Race to Zero global campaign that is rallying support from business, cities, regions, and investors for a healthy, resilient, zero carbon recovery.
All businesses: Energy suppliers and energy efficiency
Understand your exposure to climate risk and take precautions
Embrace the opportunities that a transition to renewable energy and resource efficiency will create within your business and across your supply chains
Divest holdings in fossil fuel companies
Monitor and reduce your company’s energy usage and strive for energy efficiency
Capitalize on government incentives designed to lower carbon emissions
Educate your consumers and clients about sustainability
Join Race to Zero global campaign that is rallying support from business, cities, regions, and investors for a healthy, resilient, zero carbon recovery.
Set decarbonization and net-zero carbon targets
Be a leader in sustainable and low-carbon practices
Make long-term sustainability a core facet of your business and investment practices
7 Solving What Needs to be Promoted Among Citizens
Plant-Rich Diets 103.11
Public Transit 15.42
Telepresence 4.43
Recycling 11.29
Reduced Plastics 5.40
Recycled Paper 2.90
Bioplastics 2.48
Recycled Plastics 1.69
Similar tasks:
Potential tasks that are similar- these are independent of the 650 solutions but can be based on them.
The main idea is how similar activities can be applied to all of the above/ the above can be implemented in bulk.
Understanding what these mean in more detail
How to promote them cheaply, effectively long-term
Asking civilians to practice these habits
Figuring out what percentage of people are doing these
Figuring out ways to help problem solve why might not be doing
Helping problem solve problems around these
Websites that really clearly explain what climate change tasks to prioritize, and how to apply them
More tasks could do:
Promotions for the good:
Food recommendations
Buy only what you can eat or save
Shift towards a more plant-rich diet
Eat a diet that reduces forest habitat loss, peatlands drainage and nature degradation by shopping locally and in season and purchasing products with deforestation-free and peatlands drainage-free ingredients, when possible
Eat seasonally and locally when possible
Plan meals, write shopping lists, use portion-sizing tools for rice and pasta and cook with leftovers, embrace ugly fruit and vegetables
Store food to maximize freshness, including by freezing food when appropriate if possible
Compost food scraps
Travel recommendations
Reduce your commute by working from home
Buy electric vehicles and cars that use cleaner fuels
Hold meetings over videoconference
Choose rail over air
Travel much less
Walk and cycle
Use public and shared transport
Join bike-, scooter- or car-sharing services, like ride-share services
Your house/apartment
Understand how much energy you use and try to consume less of it
Use energy that comes from renewable sources if possible
If possible, choose utilities and operators committed to decarbonization and energy efficiency
Find out where your home loses energy and take steps to address it
Understand a home’s energy efficiency before you buy or rent
Seal windows and doors
Stop thermal bridges through insulation
Switch to LED lighting
Install double-glazed windows
Invest in heat pumps
Regulate temperature by adding verandas, green roofs, high-inertia walls and bio-based insulation made from renewable or recyclable materials
Use curtains to keep homes cooler and reduce the need for air conditioning
Understand efficiency performance when buying new appliances, especially air conditioners.
Other
Divest from investments or pension funds investing in fossil fuels
Reduce, reuse, repair and recycle what you consume
Support companies that practice sustainable and circular practices; for example, patronize businesses that provide spare parts, offer take-back services to reclaim used goods and use recycled materials.
Ask companies and governments for information about how they produce and source both goods and services
Whenever possible, neutralize your carbon footprint through investments in natural carbon sinks, such as forests and peatlands.
Read up on companies and governments commitments to sustainable production and practices
Ask companies and government bodies for sustainable options
Whenever possible, neutralize your carbon footprint through investments in natural carbon sinks, such as forests
Advocacy for:
Nature-based agriculture
Food waste reduction
Waste reduction
Retrofitting
Carbon neutral buildings
Carbon neutral cities
Non-emission transport/e-mobility
Electrification of the transport sector
Public transportation
Support local government initiatives to introduce better mass transit and non-motorized mobility infrastructure
Energy efficiency
Clean, renewable energy
A price on carbon
Climate action
For nature restoration
Against deforestation
Supporting forest habitat conservation and restoration
Supporting peatlands habitat conservation and restoration
Methods of advocacy:
Social media
Talk to friends
Attend or arrange events or communities
Advocate in your organization
Urge your politicians for solutions
Push for and support real solutions
The solutions above are the 650 solutions from UNEP’s Six-Sector Solution and Project Drawdown, plus methods where these can be applied together.
