Adaptation and Mitigation to climate change

Two examples of the Netherlands efforts towards preparing to adapt to future impacts of climate change are Sustainable Heat and CO2 Emissions Performance Standard.  Sustainable Heat uses subsidies to start including large-scale implementation of solar heat, heat pumps, and micro-CHP (combined heat and power) since 2011 in the existing built environment.  This means that buildings will use less CO2 emissions as they use the newest technologies and also reuse the heat that would normally be emitted into the environment.  The potential of CO2 emissions is said to be substantial by 2020 (http://unfccc.int/resource/docs/natc/nld_nc5.pdf).  The 2nd example is called the CO2 Emission Performance Standard (EU) and was established and regulated in 2009.  The regulation made all newly registered cars to have a set emission-performance standards on newly purchased passenger cars and light duty vehicles.  The fleet average CO2 emission to be achieved by all vehicles registered in the EU was set at 130 grams per kilometer.  In 2012, 65% of each manufacturer's newly registered cars had to comply with the limit.  This year the percentage of vehicles is set to 75% and by next year the percentage of vehicles will be 80%.  By 2015 and onward, 100% of the vehicles will have to meet the regulations set by the legislature.  A target of 95 grams per kilometer is specified for the year 2020.  These two examples, out of many, show that the Netherlands are thinking ahead and adapting to help for potential future impacts from climate change.

The slowing or full shut down of the Atlantic Ocean’s meridional overturning circulation (MOC) on Europe’s western margin would affect Europe including the Netherlands.  The slowing or shut down will likely not occur in our lifetimes but there is potential for it to happen after 2100.  It is recognized that it is unlikely but if an MOC shutdown should occur, it would have potential socio-economic impacts on Europe.  Major increases in snowmelt could produce flooding in Western Europe and increased sea-level rise would likely occur on western European and Mediterranean coasts adding to the problem.  Predictions also say that reductions in crop production would lead to consequent impacts on food prices.  Changes in temperature would effect ecosystems in Western Europe and the Mediterranean including such things as biodiversity, forest products, and food production. (http://www.ipcc.ch/publications_and_data/ar4/wg2/en/ch12s12-6-2.html)

The Netherlands signed the Kyoto Protocol on April 28th 1998 to help reduce the emissions of CO2 into the environment.  On May 31st 2002 the ratification was accepted by the Kingdom of Europe.  On Feb 16th 2005 the Netherlands were included in the entrance of force which means they abide by the regulations of the Kyoto Protocol.  The Netherlands is said to produce 1.2% of total CO2 emissions (http://unfccc.int/kyoto_protocol/status_of_ratification/items/2613.php)

In 1990 the Netherlands only produced about 1% of renewable energy.  In 2010, renewable energy produced only accounted for a total of 4%.  The country does mitigate to lower their emissions but at this rate it does not appear the country will meet their targeted amount of 16% by the year 2020.  They do have incentives for companies and new innovations in technology who use and produce renewable energies but it lacks in comparison to Europe as a whole.  The countries main renewable energy resources are wind and biofuels.  

Source: http://www.deingenieur.nl/nl/nieuws/18857/van-oord-bouwt-offshore-windpark-eneco.html
http://www.government.nl/issues/energy/sustainable-energy

The country is mostly flat and has a lot of coastal winds which sweep through the countryside, so its onshore wind farms have the most future potential to produce an inexpensive and effective renewable resource.  The country has many offshore wind turbines but they are said to still be too expensive to produce to be cost effective as a renewable energy resource.  The offshore wind farms are there to help pumping stations operate to keep water out of the low lying country.  Biomass/fuels are another major renewable used in the country for energy and they would like to increase the amount produced in the future to help with the renewable resources used in the country.  The cultural feeling of the Netherlands is that they have to prepare for the future of increasing sea levels now because there has always been an issue with sea level in the country as two thirds of the population lives below sea level. (http://blogs.worldwatch.org/sustainabilitypossible/the-dutch-prepare/)  The country has always fought with the sea level and have spent billions on levies and dikes and other methods to protect the area from flooding.  Because they have spent so much money already and the area is developed they are willing to spend more to help protect the safety of their lands.  They know the area is in danger because of sea level rise and are on board in mitigation efforts to protect from future disasters because of increasing sea levels. 

I believe the country already is and should continue to mitigate for climate change as the country will be greatly effected by this occuring in the future as sea levels are predicted to continue to rise and the country is at a great risk with most of it below or so close to sea level.

Impacts of Climate Change

Impacts of Climate Change

According to the International Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), the annual temperatures in Europe are likely to increase more than the global mean.  The predictions are only listed for northern, central and southern areas in Europe so the Netherlands was categorized as one of the central countries.  Looking at Europe as a whole, the northern countries lower temperatures are predicted to be higher than average during the winter months and in countries like the Netherlands in central Europe the temperatures are predicted to have higher average temperatures than averages in the summer months.  Netherlands’s annual precipitation is predicted to increase during winters but decrease during summers.  The warming climate during the summer is also predicted to cause an increase in summer droughts throughout central and southern Europe in the future.

"Nearly all European regions are anticipated to be negatively affected by some future impacts of climate change, and these will pose challenges to many economic sectors" (IPCC).  Natural resources in Europe (including the Netherlands) will more than likely face some difficulties in the future  due to climate change which will likely cause an increase of inland flash floods, increased occurrences of coastal flooding, and increased erosion due to increased storms and sea-level rise.  Most organisms and ecosystems will struggle while trying to adapt to climate change.  (IPCC)  Water stress in Central Europe is projected to increase in relation to the decreasing summer precipitation and increasing heat waves will likely cause greater health risks.  Forest productivity is expected to decline and the frequency of fires to increase (IPCC 2).

(IPCC 2). (http://www.ipcc.ch/publications_and_data/ar4/wg2/en/spmsspm-c-10-europe.html)

Source: http://www.ipcc.ch/publications_and_data/ar4/wg2/en/ch12s12-4.hStudieSome 

Projections are predicting a rise in sea level being a major concern for coastal areas of the Netherlands along with inland areas as well.  "Coastal flooding related to increasing storminess and sea-level rise is likely to threaten up to 1.6 million additional people annually." (IPCC) coastal areas are predicted to be affected with loss of land and increased flooded areas along the coast with land that sits below sea level having the most impact.  Increasing sea level in the future could cause future destruction of structures and properties during storms or from tsunamis.  that are close to the coast and that will or are sitting below sea level.  Increased storms are also predicted to cause inland and coastal flooding.

Netherlands Contribution to Climate Change

Source: http://rowdy.mscd.edu/~kschuene/mtr1600/summer/Keeling.xlsx

This map is a Keeling curve showing the exponential increase of carbon dioxide concentrations in parts per million throughout approximately the last 60 years.

Source:http://cdiac.ornl.gov/trends/emis/nth.html

When WW2 was in effect up until in 1945 trading and other factors contributed to the sharp decrease in total co2 emissions.  Once the war ended there began the restructuring and heavy trading times which greatly contributed the the huge increase in total CO2 emissions.  In 1979 the CO2 emissions were the highest they have ever been in Netherlands history.  Suriname became independent around this time and a flood of these immigrants came into the Netherlands.  This spike was caused by having to build, transport, and provide for all of the immigrants  such as with housing supplies, water, food and other goods.

The spike in the 70s seems to have been caused by the Suriname people as they immigrated into the country and better CO2 technology being used seems to have caused the decline in the 80s.