Climate change

Study of this chapter will enable the reader to:

explain weather and climate;

know the meaning of the greenhouse effect;

know basic facts about CO₂;

use DECC emission data;

produce emission data trend graphs;

follow emission trends of any country;

observe emission trends for the whole world with IEA data;

observe what local climate means;

realize what emission targets mean to different parts of the world’s population;

know what the HM Government Carbon Plan, 2011 (DECC, 2011a) is;

follow the HM Government Carbon Plan, 2011 data trend into the future;

know how CO₂ emissions can be reduced;

identify alternatives to fossil fuel emissions;

use IEA country and world emission data to plot trends;

comment on global progress following the Kyoto Protocol agreement;

know how carbon capture and storage (CCS) functions;

know the various meanings for zero carbon buildings;

know about the Passivhaus principle;

know what is meant by green buildings;

know about BREEAM, LEED and NABERS;

know what star ratings for buildings signify;

use embodied energy data;

understand regulated demands;

calculate unregulated demands and compare with regulated ones;

know how the carbon tax works;

know how the EU ETS functions;

calculate the effect of the EU ETS on emission reduction projects.