What can governments do to reduce global warming and climate change?

Answer 1

Global warming is being caused by too much carbon pollution in the atmosphere. We need to stop burning fossil fuels (coal, oil and natural gas) and move to renewable energy (wind, solar and others). One of the ways to do this is to make carbon polluters pay for a permit to pollute. The cost of this permit will encourage them to move to renewable energy.

Only governments can do this. People of good will can reduce their own carbon footprint, but the really big stuff has to come from governments.

Carbon polluters can compensate for their emissions by planting, or getting others to plant, billions of trees. Again, this can more simply be done through a system of trading carbon. Some governments have established a carbon permit scheme already.

Answer 2

The government can't stop the greenhouse effect per se, but they can levy"carbon taxes" or provide incentives for more "carbon neutral" energy sources. If not for the greenhouse effect, we would most likely freeze to death. The problem of climate change and global warming is partly due to carbon dioxide and other gases like methane (which is far more heat trapping than CO2 is). It's also due to a lot of other issues like solar activity and even the rotation of the earth.

I'm certainly all for using renewable energy, by the way.

Answer 3

(Another contributor wrote:)

We can reduce the effects of climate change if we act urgently. Governments have to

• legislate to reduce carbon dioxide, methane and other greenhouse gas emissions
• encourage research and development of renewable sources of energy (hydro, solar, wind, tidal, geothermal, biofuel) to replace our reliance on fossil fuels
• legislate to prevent destruction of forests and to encourage widespread planting
• encourage sustainable choices by households for energy conservation through smart meters, variable time energy prices etc.

Answer 4

Governments can ensure that the cost of carbon pollution is factored in when new power plants are being built. This will mean that renewable energy (solar, wind, water, hydro, tidal and wave, geothermal, ocean thermal, biomass, biofuel and hydrogen) is more likely to be used. This will mean a reduction in greenhouse gases into the atmosphere.

Answer 5

• Legislate a price on carbon emissions
• Close all fossil fuel power stations
• all new power stations to produce renewable energy
• replant the forests that have been destroyed
• Find a cleaner way of producing cement
• Mandate electric vehicles