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Abstract

Global warming poses a significant challenge to human progress. Human activities such as deforestation, industrial processes, and the burning of fossil fuels are the main causes of global warming (Causes and effects of climate change, n.d). In response to these challenges, the international community came together in Paris in 2015 to create the Paris Agreement, which aims to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and limit the temperature increase to within 2°C compared to the pre-industrial era (UNFCC, n.d). The United Kingdom, known for its substantial industrial heritage and its significant contribution to climate change, has set an ambitious goal of achieving net-zero emissions by 2050 (The UK’s plans and progress, 2023). The British government has introduced several measures to reduce these emissions, including the Net Zero Strategy, which is the government's primary policy document on climate change (HM Government, 2021). Additionally, the UK plans to phase out the sale of fossil fuel-based vehicles by 2030 and their use by 2035 (UK government, 2021). Furthermore, the government aims to ban gas and hydrogen-ready boilers by 2025 (The Guardian, 2023). Strategies to reduce the demand for carbon-intensive goods and services are also being actively pursued through various means, including infrastructure and service provision. These strategies have the potential to significantly mitigate climate change by reducing consumer reliance on carbon-intensive products, even though they have been largely neglected as a feasible lever for mitigation.

Course: Civil Engineering - MSc - C0618

Date Deposited: 2025-01-17

URI/permalink: https://library.port.ac.uk/dissert/dis14677.html