Climate change sucks. Let's fix it. If you answer "I agree, how can I help?" this talk is for you.

1. What can one person do about
climate change?
Kimberly Nicholas, PhD
Lund University Centre for Sustainability Studies
@KA_Nicholas kimnicholas.com
@KA_Nicholas
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2. @KA_Nicholas 2

3. Image:MarkVogel
@KA_Nicholas 3

4. Photo: Justin Sullivan, Getty Images
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5. Photo: Mason Trinca, SF Chronicle
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6. Henri Cartier-Bresson, 1932
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7. What you do really matters
(for the next 10,000 years)
• Congrats, you’re alive at the most important
time in human history
• What kind of person are you?
• Show the coral reefs photo side by side.
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8. What kind of world do you want to live in?
Hoegh-Guldberg et al., 2007, Science
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9. @KA_Nicholas
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10. @swimparallel, Flickr
Climate change sucks.
Let’s fix it.
I agree.
How can I help?
I’m not with you.
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11. @KA_Nicholas 11

12. @KA_Nicholas 12
Wait, what does it mean to fix it?

13. 1. We reach zero emissions of fossil CO2 by 2045.
2. We cut emissions in half in the next decade.
3. We do 1+2 while protecting people and nature.
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My definition of fixing climate change:

14. 1. We reach zero emissions of fossil CO2 by 2045.
2. We cut emissions in half in the next decade.
3. We do 1+2 while protecting people and nature.
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Why zero?

15. @KA_Nicholas 15
To stabilize temperature,
we must stop adding CO2 to the atmosphere

16. @KA_Nicholas 16
To stabilize temperature,
we must stop adding CO2 to the atmosphere

17. 1. We reach zero emissions of fossil CO2 by 2045.
2. We cut emissions in half in the next decade.
3. We do 1+2 while protecting people and nature.
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Why now?

18. There’s very little safe space left for
carbon in the atmosphere
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19. There’s very little safe space left for
carbon in the atmosphere
BBCNews,3November2006
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20. We need to go from
exponential emissions…
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Stocker et al., 2014, IPCC WG1 TS

21. @KA_Nicholas 21
Stocker et al., 2014, IPCC WG1 TS
…to zero
emissions in my
lifetime…
We need to go from
exponential emissions…
…and cut the first half in the next decade.

22. “That doesn’t leave much time for dilly-dallying.”
The Princess Bride, 1987
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23. “What are our liabilities?”
The Princess Bride, 1987
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24. A few prominent science deniers
“We certainly contribute…is there climate change? Yeah.
Will it change back, like this? Probably, that’s what I think.”
–Donald Trump, 4 Nov 2018
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25. Fossil fuel interests are rich & powerful
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_largest_companies_by_revenue
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26. Fossil interests defend +3°C world
Hannah Waters, Audubon.org, 2 Nov 2018
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Washington State’s
carbon tax lost yesterday

27. Government recommendations
don’t focus on high-impact actions
Wynes & Nicholas, 2017,
Environmental Research Letters
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28. “The Media”
Trump 60%
Climatechange 5%
Business 38%
Analysis of 1,500 US (7) + Canadian (1) hurricane stories over 2 weeks
by Prof. Jennifer Good, September 2017
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doesn’t talk about climate
change enough
Font size scaled to frequency of use,
with “Media” as baseline
“climate change” is 5%

29. Gapminder/Dollar Street
The world today is unequal and unsustainable
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30. “What are our assets?”
The Princess Bride, 1987
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31. We already have so many solutions!!
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http://www.kimnicholas.com/we-can-fix-it-world-cafe.html

32. http://www.mission2020.global/@KA_Nicholas 32

33. Sweden: Net Zero by 2045
(85% reduced emissions)
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Guardian, 3 Feb 2017

34. Gapminder/Dollar Street
We can cut emissions in half and maintain good quality of life
Top 10% income individuals* =
36% total global emissions
*$8405/pp/year;
6272 SEK/month
(Hubacek et al., 2017,
Energy, Ecology & Environment)
@KA_Nicholas

35. Where should I start?
@KA_Nicholas
Chen et al., 2018, Nature Communications

36. Where emissions are now high
Emissions reductions on any level are good
& different people can contribute in different ways & places
@KA_Nicholas
Personal
At work
Where we live
The system

37. What should I do in the world?
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What am I
good at?
What do I
like to do?
What
matters to
me?
Do this!
More free life advice! Kimnicholas.com/blog
FUNSKILL
MEANING

38. So what can I do?
1. Cut your own carbon footprint in half.
2. Work with others to cut your school,
neighborhood, … carbon footprint in half.
3. Work for system change.
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Photo: Paradis Photographs, Flickr
Image: NASA/JPL-Caltech

39. So what can I do?
1. Cut your own carbon footprint in half.
2. Work with others to cut your school,
neighborhood, … carbon footprint in half.
3. Work for system change.
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Photo: Paradis Photographs, Flickr

40. High-impact climate actions:
meat, car, & flight-free; 1 fewer child
Wynes & Nicholas, 2017, Environmental Research Letters
Graphic by Catrin Jakobsson
@KA_Nicholas

41. Budget for household emissions for <2° in 2050:
2.1 tons/person/year in 2050
(Girod et al., 2013)
Wynes & Nicholas, 2017, Environmental Research Letters
Graphic by Catrin Jakobsson
@KA_Nicholas

42. Daily choices on mobility, food &
energy save emissions today
Wynes & Nicholas, 2017, Environmental Research Letters
Graphic by Catrin Jakobsson
@KA_Nicholas

43. Look for ways to cut your family’s flying,
driving, meat in half (or more!)
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Sitra.fi “100 smart ways” (det finns även på svenska)

44. Reproductive choices today with rich
lifestyles have enormous carbon legacy
Wynes & Nicholas, 2017, Environmental Research Letters
Graphic by Catrin Jakobsson
@KA_Nicholas

45. So what can I do?
1. Cut your own carbon footprint in half.
2. Work with others to cut your school,
neighborhood, … carbon footprint in half.
3. Work for system change.
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Photo: Paradis Photographs, Flickr

46. @KA_Nicholas 46

47. Zero-emissions cities are healthier
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https://www.lu.se/article/minskade-avgaser-skulle-radda-malmobor

48. Make tasty plant-based food the norm
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49. Wynes & Donner, 2018, Action Plan, Pacific Institute for Climate Solutions report

50. Teach high-impact climate actions
@KA_Nicholas
http://www.kimnicholas.com/responding-to-climate-change.html
Developed by Seth Wynes, Lund MSc
student and high school chemistry
teacher
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51. So what can I do?
1. Cut your own carbon footprint in half.
2. Work with others to cut your school,
neighborhood, … carbon footprint in half.
3. Work for system change.
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Photo: Paradis Photographs, Flickr

52. Demand change from leaders

53. @KA_Nicholas 53

54. https://service.lund.se/Citizen/Proposal#proposal/346
Petition for Lunds kommun carbon budget

55. Prevent fossil fuel infrastructure
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Guardian, 8 November 2017

56. Legal cases are being heard- and winning
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57. Climate change sucks. Let’s fix it.
A choose-your-own-adventure story
@KA_Nicholas
Twine under development- beta testers wanted!
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58. So what can I do?
1. Cut your own carbon footprint in half.
2. Work with others to cut your school,
neighborhood, … carbon footprint in half.
3. Work for system change.
@KA_Nicholas 58
Photo: Paradis Photographs, Flickr
Image: NASA/JPL-Caltech

59. Thank you!
kimnicholas.com
@KA_Nicholas
@KA_Nicholas