Lecture

The Seed Initiative: Impact of Sustainable Actions

Graph Chat

Chat with Graph Search

Ask any question about EPFL courses, lectures, exercises, research, news, etc. or try the example questions below.

DISCLAIMER: The Graph Chatbot is not programmed to provide explicit or categorical answers to your questions. Rather, it transforms your questions into API requests that are distributed across the various IT services officially administered by EPFL. Its purpose is solely to collect and recommend relevant references to content that you can explore to help you answer your questions.

Description

This lecture discusses 'The Seed Initiative' project, focusing on sustainable actions like traveling with a bike to reduce CO2 emissions and improve quality of life. It also covers a political communal change scenario with a landslide victory of the ecological party.

Official source

Related concepts (12)

Sustainability

Sustainability is a social goal for people to co-exist on Earth over a long time. Specific definitions of this term are disputed and have varied with literature, context, and time. Experts often describe sustainability as having three dimensions (or pillars): environmental, economic, and social, and many publications emphasize the environmental dimension. In everyday use, sustainability often focuses on countering major environmental problems, including climate change, loss of biodiversity, loss of ecosystem services, land degradation, and air and water pollution.

Politics of climate change

The politics of climate change results from different perspectives on how to respond to climate change. Global warming is driven largely by the emissions of greenhouse gases due to human economic activity, especially the burning of fossil fuels, certain industries like cement and steel production, and land use for agriculture and forestry. Since the Industrial Revolution, fossil fuels have provided the main source of energy for economic and technological development.

Sustainable development

Sustainable development is an organizing principle that aims to meet human development goals while also enabling natural systems to provide necessary natural resources and ecosystem services to humans. The desired result is a society where living conditions and resources meet human needs without undermining the planetary integrity and stability of the natural system. Sustainable development tries to find a balance between economic development, environmental protection, and social well-being.

Emissions trading

Emissions trading is a market-based approach to controlling pollution by providing economic incentives for reducing the emissions of pollutants. The concept is also known as cap and trade (CAT) or emissions trading scheme (ETS). Carbon emission trading for and other greenhouse gases has been introduced in China, the European Union and other countries as a key tool for climate change mitigation. Other schemes include sulfur dioxide and other pollutants.

Greenhouse gas emissions

Greenhouse gas emissions (abbreviated as GHG emissions) from human activities strengthen the greenhouse effect, contributing to climate change. Carbon dioxide (), from burning fossil fuels such as coal, oil, and natural gas, is one of the most important factors in causing climate change. The largest emitters are China followed by the US, although the United States has higher emissions per capita. The main producers fueling the emissions globally are large oil and gas companies.

Related lectures (64)

Circular Economy: Sustainable Transition and NetZero Solutions

Delves into sustainability, net-zero solutions, and the circular economy's role in reducing carbon emissions and achieving a sustainable future.

Circular Economy and Sustainability Strategies

Delves into sustainability strategies, circular economy, and the transition to a net-zero economy, emphasizing the role of key industries in reducing carbon emissions.

Sustainable Development Goals: Individual and Collective Actions

Emphasizes the role of individual and collective actions in achieving sustainability through the Sustainable Development Goals and the successes of the Millennium Development Goals.

Introduction & Global Warming

Addresses the major world challenge of primary energy consumption and the impact of CO2 emissions on global warming, local pollution, and loss of diversity.

Market-Based Instruments: Emission Reduction Strategies