Toward an Integrated Forcing, Exergetic and Constructal Analysis of Climate Change and Definition of the Possible Mitigation Measures

The authors approach the scientific evidence for global warming from different points of view. It initially discussed the forcing methods adopted by IPCC and a large part of the scientific community to provide valuable tools for understanding the factors driving climate evolution. It evidences the main limit of the forcing method, which limits radiative heat exchanges according to the first law of thermodynamics. A more exhaustive thermodynamic analysis of the Earth system, considering both the first and second laws of thermodynamics, could offer insights into the energy fluxes and entropy generation associated with climate-related phenomena and better describe the Earth’s heat engine. The exergy analysis is a promising tool for assessing the quality and efficiency of energy utilization and identifying the directions and opportunities for sustainable energy development. It provides a complete evaluation of natural and human-induced climate change phenomena. The results have been analyzed in the light of constructal law, observing that human impacts and the fast-growing GHGs in the atmosphere are moving the planet’s development against this law.