1. Global Management Strategies to protect the Water Cycle
1.1. Forestry
1.1.1. Climate
1.1.1.1. Forests sequester 7.5 billion tonnes of carbon from atmosphere annually
1.1.1.1.1. Therefore presence of forests maintains climate stability with regards to greenhouse effect
1.1.2. Micro-climate
1.1.2.1. Presence of tropical rainforest generates up to a third of rainfall experienced due to transpiration
1.1.2.2. Presence of forest canopy increases humidity and decreases light levels
1.1.2.2.1. Disrupts run-off
1.1.3. How do forests influence global water cycle
1.1.3.1. Described as sponges as water capacity and storage of forests is really high
1.1.3.1.1. Studies suggest that a reduction in total water discharge to rivers following afforestation
1.1.3.2. Trees have higher leaf area index for other vegetation
1.1.3.2.1. Canopies more effective in intercepting rain and tempering its erosive force
1.1.4. Management Strategies
1.1.4.1. United Nations strategic plan for forests
1.1.4.1.1. Adopted by UN economic and social council on 20th April 2017 and general assemby on 27th
1.1.4.1.2. This is voluntary with NDC's
1.1.4.1.3. Many developing countries involved do not have the legislation nor funds to carry this out
1.1.4.2. Amazon Region Protected Areas Programme (ARPA)
1.1.4.2.1. Aims to improve conservation of Brazilian Amazon region
1.1.4.2.2. Brazil have a declining birth rate with the scheme protecting 150 million people not their 220 million population
1.1.4.2.3. The scheme has secured a large amount of funds
1.1.4.3. Locally or Globally?
1.1.4.3.1. Many schemes have the capacity to devised at a global scale by instutions like the UN as they have the funding
1.2. Water Allocation
1.2.1. Mini Case Study - Colorado Basin
1.2.1.1. Facts
1.2.1.1.1. 2,330 KM long and flows through 7 states (5 US, 2 Mexican)
1.2.1.1.2. Source in Rocky Mountains
1.2.1.1.3. Vital source of water to 40 Million people
1.2.1.2. Colorado River Compact
1.2.1.2.1. 1922 agreement which states allocations of water rights on river
1.2.1.2.2. Glen Canyon Dam serves as a large capacitator to ensure the agreement is met
1.2.1.2.3. Problems
1.2.2. Global Water Usage
1.2.2.1. Water Withdrawals
1.2.2.1.1. 70% for agriculture, 20% for industry
1.2.2.2. Water consumption
1.2.2.2.1. 93% agriculture, 4% industry
1.2.2.3. Techniques to manage water wastage
1.2.2.3.1. Drip irrigation helps to reduce agricultural wastage
1.2.2.3.2. Terraced ploughing to reduce downhill runoff
1.2.2.3.3. Might not be possible to recycle waste water or manage wastage in LIDC's
1.3. Drainage Basin Management
1.3.1. Why is water management most effective on a drainage basin scale
1.3.1.1. Feasible to adopt an integrated or hoistic management approach
1.3.1.1.1. Accommodates the often conflicting demands of different water users
1.3.1.2. Agriculture, industry and domestic use generate demands that impact the river and habitats
1.3.1.2.1. Targets for basins help by planning run-off, suface water storage and groundwater
1.3.2. England and Wales management strategies
1.3.2.1. EU's water directive framework
1.3.2.1.1. 10 river basin districts have been defined
1.3.3. Convention on the protecttion and Use of Transboundary Watercourses and international lakes
1.3.3.1. Adopted by Helsinki in 1992
1.3.3.1.1. Legally binding instrument promoting sustainable management of shared water resources
1.3.4. Mini Case Study - Mekong River Commission
1.3.4.1. What is it
1.3.4.1.1. Helps member countries manage lower mekong river basin and minimise harmful environmental effects
1.3.4.1.2. Promotes use and conservation of water in the mekong basing like irrigation, hydropower and flood control
1.3.4.1.3. Function of the MRC
1.3.4.2. What might limit its effectiveness
1.3.4.2.1. Mekong is not yet degraded in the basin, however trends for it to become so are alarming
1.3.4.2.2. Would be catastrophic for water cycle if mekong degrades to the extent of that in Europe or US
1.3.4.2.3. Not successful river basin management
2. Global Management strategies to protect Carbon Cycle
2.1. Wetland Restoration
2.1.1. Classified as Marine/coastal wetlands or inland wetlands (like peatland)
2.1.1.1. Wetlands have a disproportionate quantity of stored carbon relative to other ecosystems
2.1.1.1.1. Because Anaerobic decomposition due to waterlogged conditions leads to slow decomposition rates
2.1.1.1.2. Rate of carbon sequestration in wetlands is higher than other biomes whilst their area is much smaller
2.1.2. Management strategies
2.1.2.1. RAMSAR convention
2.1.2.1.1. Introduced in 1975, the olders intergovernmental modern day treaty to conserve wetlands
2.1.2.2. Blue Carbon Initiative
2.1.2.2.1. Blue carbon is carbon stored in coastal and marine ecosystems
2.1.2.2.2. A global programme to mitigate climate change through restoration and sustainable use of coastal and marine ecosystems
2.1.2.3. Peatland Restoration
2.1.2.3.1. Scottish Peatland Mini Case Study
2.1.2.4. Disadvantages of wetland restoration
2.1.2.4.1. Space requirement for locations which have high development potential
2.2. Afforestation
2.2.1. Management Strategies
2.2.1.1. UN-REDD
2.2.1.1.1. Aims to reduce forest emissions by 1 gigaton per year and has already mobilised $1 Billion
2.2.1.1.2. Aims to mobilise $5 Billion by 2025
2.2.1.1.3. How does it manage carbon cycle?
2.2.1.2. Chinas Great Green Wall programme
2.2.1.2.1. Expected to fix 270,000 tonnes of carbon from atmosphere
2.2.1.2.2. How does it manage carbon cycle?
2.2.1.3. African landscape restoration Initiative
2.2.1.3.1. Bring 100 million hectares of deforested African forest landscapres into restoration by 2030
2.2.1.3.2. How does it manage carbon cycle?
2.3. Agricultural Practices
2.3.1. Feeding the world releases up to 17,000 megatons of co2 annually - 29% of total emissions
2.3.2. Changes in agricultural processes being developed
2.3.2.1. USA
2.3.2.1.1. Reducing fertiliser inputs
2.3.2.1.2. Adjusting Livestock feed
2.3.2.1.3. Capturing methane emissions from manure
2.3.2.2. Vietnam
2.3.2.2.1. Smart Water Schemes, irrigation management and adoption of improved crop varieties
2.4. Cap and Trade
2.4.1. Where country is given set amount of carbon credits
2.4.1.1. Government distribute these credits to their largest emittors
2.4.1.1.1. If a company emits less carbon than alloted they can sell remaining credits to a company who has spent more than alloted
2.4.2. Problems
2.4.2.1. Only involves worlds biggest emittors, not individual behaviour
2.4.2.1.1. It also caused distortions between countries that had no cap and trade and those who had
2.4.2.2. When it first started there were too many carbon credits
2.4.2.2.1. Meant they were valued very little
2.5. Carbon Capture and Storage
2.5.1. 1.CO2 separated from powerstation
2.5.1.1. 2. CO2 compressed and transported by pipeline to storage
2.5.1.1.1. 3. CO2 injected into porous rock deep underground
2.5.2. Problems
2.5.2.1. Requires government support as it is too expensive for companies and it can only be done for stationary large scale emittors
2.5.2.1.1. Also it is geologically dependant on the area surrounding the plant
2.5.3. Drax
2.5.3.1. Reduce and lock away 8 million tonnes of CO2 by 2030
2.5.3.1.1. Exceeds governments 5 million tonne target
2.5.4. Peterhead powerstation
2.5.4.1. Government spend 100 million
2.5.4.1.1. Too expensive so cancelled the programme and the money was wasted
2.6. International agreements
2.6.1. UN Framework Convention on Climate Change
2.6.1.1. Held in 1992 for ongoing scientific researsh and regular meetings, negotiations and policies to allow ecosystems to naturally adapt to climate change
2.6.1.1.1. Also insured food production is not threatened
2.6.2. Kyoto Protocol
2.6.2.1. Held in 1997 and put into force in 2005
2.6.2.1.1. First legally binding agreement where 38 industrialised countries reduce their emissions by 5-2% before 2012
2.6.3. Paris Agreement
2.6.3.1. Took place in 2015 to encourage rich countries to subsidise poor countries to build green power
2.6.3.1.1. America would only take part if everyone contributed the same
2.6.3.1.2. NDC's meant every country could decide how much they would contribute
2.6.4. COP26
2.6.4.1. Took place in 2021 and reduced global warming limit to 1.5 degrees instead of 2
2.6.4.1.1. Put methane on the agenda as it is 125X more powerful than co2 as a greenhouse gas
2.6.4.1.2. Ongoing pressure to drive carbon production
2.6.4.1.3. Problems include how COP26 was not legally binding