Changing Climate Change: Examining efficacy of community based initiatives and micro-scale climate action

Abstract

It is well established that global warming surpassing 1.5-2°C above pre-industrial levels will cause irreversible damage to our world. The adverse rise in global temperatures is accelerated by anthropogenic activity such as greenhouse gas emissions and environmental degradation. While certain scenarios have been projected to significantly lower global warming rates, most of these developments will require immediate global top-down policy shifts. Several international treaties and agreements have been created to combat climate change. Nonetheless, these remain ineffective at creating meaningful progress and cast doubt on how realizable a positive climate scenario is.

In this review, we analyze how regional policies and actions combat the climate crisis by examining how specific community initiatives impact climate indicators such as reforestation, greenhouse gas emissions reduction, and sustainable agriculture. Our findings conclude that local initiatives have shown more immediate success compared to their global counterparts. Thus, additional locally led climate initiatives is warranted.