The report presenting the Fifth National Communication from the Netherlands includes supplementary information of the Kyoto Protocol. The Netherlands is a constitutional monarchy. It is a densely populated country containing 16.4 million people in 2008. An additional important demographic factor influencing the pressure on the environment is a decrease in the number of persons per household. As the Netherlands is a low lying country situated in the delta of the rivers Rhine, IJssel, and Meuse, with around 24% of the land below sea level, an increase of around one degree has been measured over the last 100 years, with the warmest summers concentrated over the past 10-12 years. This is important as the population per house hold is decreasing.
Furthermore, as the Netherlands are apart of Europe, together they care very much about climate change and have made many developments and plans on present and future emission impacts. I have narrowed down two, of many, interesting examples of efforts the Netherlands is pursuing towards preparedness to adapt to future impacts of climate change. Prior to explaining these examples, I want to note that the Netherlands currently uses a national system for estimating anthropogenic emissions by sources and removals by sinks as meant of the Kyoto Protocol. The Netherlands estimated an emission-reduction targeted to 6% below the emissions level in the base year, for the period 2008-2012.
To reach the targeted emission goal, the Netherlands came up with many plans. One plan stipulated firm targets reducing greenhouse gas emissions, while increasing both energy efficiency and renewable energy sources in the ambitious working program, entitled: New Energy for Climate Policy: The Clean and Efficient Program. This program is aimed at setting a trend change. The policy target is reducing emissions of greenhouse gases, especially CO2, by 30% in 2020, compared to the 1990 level. An important element is a long-term policy agenda for sustainability and energy.
Another plan for the Netherlands is education, training, and public awareness. The program's general communication approach includes the following steps: to inform and raise awareness among the relevant target groups; offer specific options for actions, relevant and suitable for the target groups; provide inspiring examples; and demonstrate the exemplary function of the government.
The below image is the Netherlands' historic and projected emissions of GHG provided by the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC).
Adaption
In addition to the heat wave which occurred in Europe, 2003, possible impacts of rapid change in Meridional Overturning Circulation (MOC), also known as the thermohaline circulation (THC), in the North Atlantic are now being updated. The IPCC indicates that model stimulation's of an abrupt shut-down of the Atlantic MOC indicate that this is unlikely to occur before 2100 and the impacts on European temperatures of any slowing in circulation before then are likely to be offset by the immediate effects of positive radiative forcing under increasing greenhouse gases. Any slowing or full Atlantic MOC shut-down, temperatures on Europe's western margin would be most affected, as well as, further rises in sea level on European coasts. Because the Netherlands (and most of Europe) is currently under sea level, this indication is very frightening to this continent. More, this will not only affect Europe, this will affect most countries in relation to the Atlantic ocean.
Below is an image of the characteristics of the summer 2003 heatwave temperature anomaly, observations, present climate stimulation, and future climate stimulation prepared by the IPCC.
Kyoto Protocol
The Kyoto Protocol is the international treaty to reduce carbon dioxide emissions. Under the declaration, "The European Community and its Member States will fulfill their respective commitments of the Protocol jointly in accordance with the provisions." The Netherlands is included to be a State of the European Community. The European Community has the following obligations to contribute to the Protocol:
- preserving, protecting and improving the quality of the environment;
- protecting human health;
- prudent and rational utilization of natural resources;
- promoting measures at international level to deal with regional or world wide environmental problems.
Europe's quantified emission reduction commitment will be fulfilled through the Community and its Member States. Europe will provide information on relevant Community legal instruments on a regular basis.
The below image indicates the Kyoto Protocol by country given by the Climate Change Guide.
Parties; Annex I & II countries with binding targets
Parties; Developing countries without binding targets
States not Party to the Protocol
Signatory country with no intention to ratify the treaty, with no binding targets
Countries that have denounced the Protocol, with no binding targets
Parties with no binding targets in the second period, which previously had targets
Mitigating Climate Change
The present concentration of carbon dioxide (CO2) in the atmosphere is higher ever, and continues to rise. Human activities, especially our world-wide increased population, have caused an increase in atmospheric concentrations of greenhouse gases. The primary causes are fossil-fuel emissions and land use change, like deforestation. Today, most countries are mitigating the CO2 causing climate change issue.
The Netherlands is making alternatives for fossil fuel combustion, such as bio-energy and offshore wind energy, which have distinctively larger spatial claims compared to conventional energy resources. Recent research aims to contribute to land use and water management in the Netherlands that is emission-low and contributes to our energy supply via multifunctional land use.
Below is an image reiterating bio-energy.
Mitigate, Adapt, or Both?
Overall, I think we should mitigate while we adapt to climate change. Reducing our greenhouse gas emissions means attempting climate change mitigation, trying to reduce the impact we must expect. This will include new policies, innovative technologies, and a change in lifestyle for most of us, all of which will certainly come at a price. We also need to go flat out at the same time on a quite different strategy, climate adaption, preparing to cope with the inevitable changes ahead. Climate is neutrality is a way to mitigation which will help to reduce the likely damage. This will lessen the need for adaption and alleviate the cost of adapting. Adaption and mitigation can complement each other and together reduce the consequences of anthropogenic climate change caused by human activities.
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