Managing Water and Carbon Cycles

The management of water and carbon cycles is one of the defining challenges of the 21st century. Human activities have disrupted both cycles — through fossil fuel combustion, deforestation, urbanisation, and water abstraction — and the consequences include climate change, water insecurity, flooding, drought, and ecosystem degradation. This lesson examines the strategies available for managing these cycles, evaluating their effectiveness, sustainability, and the political and economic barriers to implementation. Management approaches must address both mitigation (reducing the causes of change) and adaptation (adjusting to the consequences).

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Managing the Carbon Cycle: Mitigation Strategies

1. Reducing Fossil Fuel Emissions

The single most important mitigation strategy is reducing the combustion of fossil fuels.

International Agreements