Global Warming & Sustainable Development

Transcription

1 Global Warming & Sustainable Development Dr. Anilkumar L. Rathod Associate Professor, Smt. L.R.T. College of Commerce,Akola Introduction: As early as 1896, the Swedish Scientist Svante Arrhenius had predicted that human activities would interfere with the way the sun interacts with the earth, resulting in global warming and climate change. His prediction has become true and climate change is now disrupting global environmental stability. The last few decades have seen many treaties, conventions and protocols for the cause of global environmental protection. Few examples of environmental issues of global significance are : Ozone layer depletion Global warming Loss of biodiversity One of the most important characteristics of this environmental degradation is that it affects all mankind on a global scale without regard to any particular country, region, or race. The whole world is a stakeholder and this raises issues on who should do what to combat environmental degradation. Before the Industrial Revolution human activities released very few gases into the atmosphere and all climate changes happened naturally. After the Industrial Revolution, through fossil fuel combustion, changing agricultural practices and deforestation, the natural composition of gases in the atmosphere is getting affected and climate and environment began to alter significantly. Over the last 100 years, it was found that the earth is getting warmer and warmer, unlike previous 8000 years when temperatures have been relatively constant. The present temperature is C warmer than it was 100 years ago "Global Warming can be described as the rise in the temperature of the earth due to excessive increase in the concentration of greenhouse gases. Global warming is also known as the green house effect. If global warming continues at the current rate, by the year 2100, the temperature of the earth is expected to rise by degrees celcius". Objective of the Study : 1) To know reasons of global warming. 2) To know impact of global warming. 3) To know how sustainable development reduce global warming. Hypothesis : Global warming is the undesirable aspect of the intensified greenhouse effect. Research Methodology : Secondary data is used in this study as well as general observation and experiences are used in this study. 41

2 Reasons of Global Warming : 1) Human Interference : Earth was formed about 4.6 billion years ago and it s temperature has changed through history. It had been warmer in the past than it is today, and sometimes much colder. But it is the speed at which earth is now heating up that is alarming. For the first time in history, humans, not nature are the main cause of earth's changing climate. 2) Fossil Fuels : When we burn fossil fuels we release large amount of carbon into the atmosphere. It is released naturally from sources such as volcanoes. 70% of the World's energy comes from buring fossil fuels. 3) Greenhouse gases : The greenhouse effect is a natural process discovered in It has kept our planet warm enough to support life for billions of years. But as the amount of greenhouse gases increases, more heat is trapped in the atmosphere. The natural process has speeded up and Earth is getting hotter. Methane 12% Ozone 7% Nitrous oxide 6% CFC 21% Carbon dioxide 54% % Share of Greenhouse Gases Carbon dioxide is released to the atmosphere when solid waste, fossil fuels and wood and wood products are burned. Methane is emitted during the production and transport of coal, natural gas and oil. Methane emissions also result from the decomposition of organic wastes in municipal solid waste landfills, and the raising of livestock. Nitrous oxide is emitted during agricultural and industrial activities, as well as during combustion of solid waste and fossil fuels. Very powerful greenhouse gases that are not naturally occurring include hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs), per fluorocarbons (PFCs) and Sulfur hexafluoride (SF6), which are generated in a variety of industrial processes. 25% amount of CO 2 levels have increased in the atmosphere since ) Increasing Population : The increasing number of people on Earth is one of the greatest factors in global 42

3 warming. The world's population grew nearly four times larger during the previous 100 years. 5) City Life : Life in larger cities is comfortable and convenient, but the energy this lifestyle requires has a high environmental cost. Almost all manmade CO 2 emissions come from three areas of modern living transportation, housing, and industry. Comparatively farming produces just 4% of emissions. Percentage Industry Housing Transportation Farming Impacts of Global Warming : 1) Melting Ice : Melting ice is perhaps the most obvious effect of global warming. The vast ice sheets of the Arctic are getting smaller every year. Many glaciers the huge rivers of ice that flow in slow motion down mountains are disappearing completely. Melting ice contributes to rising sea levels which could flood land and destroy homes in low - laying areas. 2) Wetter, Drier : Changes in weather patterns can cause both heavy rains and severe drought. We are already experiencing the effects of changing rainfall as it increases in some regions and decreases in others. Some scientists predict that global warming will make many wet regions even wetter and dry regions even drier. And as Sea temperatures rise, existing climate problems such as drought, desertification and flooding may become more common and more destructive. 3) Extreme Weather : Extreme weather is a big reason of global warming. Hurricanes (Cyclones and Typhoons), forest fires and other weather - related disasters have always occured. 4) Pollution Problems: Burning fossil fuels, the major cause of global warming, also causes air pollution. Exhausted gases from factories, cars and other vehicles contain greenhouse gases that trap heat in our atmosphere. Similarly some of these gases can create smog and acid rain. 43

4 5) Transmits diseases : A rise in temperature around the world is expected to cause an increase in diseases. Flooding could transmit diseases, such as typhoid and cholera, that spread in water. Also, the number of insects that carry diseases may increase, move to warmer areas, and spread sicknesses, such as malaria and encephalitis, to new places. 6) Disappearing world : Over the cause of Earth's history, plant and animals species have naturally died out. But we are now losing species at between 100 and 1,000 times the natural rate, and almost all of this increase is caused by humans. While hunting and habitat destruction play a major part, climate change and the problems it causes, such as higher temperatures, changing rainfall, and extreme weather, make the situation more serious. 7) Food Shortages and Hunger Water resources will be affected as precipitation and evaporation patterns change around the world. This will affect agricultural output. Food security is likely to be threatened and some regions are likely to experience food shortage and hunger. 8) India could be at more risks than many other countries : Models predict an average increase in temperature in India of 2.3 to C for the benchmark doubling of carbon dioxide scenario. Temperature would rise more in Northern India than in Southern India. It is estimated that 7 million people would be displaced, 5700 km 2 of land and 4200 km of road would be lost, and wheat yields could decrease significantly. 9) Loss of Biodiversity : Biodiversity referes to the variety of life on earth and its biological diversity. The number of species of plants, animals, micro organisms, the enormous diversity of genes in these species, the different ecosystems on the planet, such as deserts, rainforests and coral reefs are all a part of a biologically diverse earth. Biodiversity actually boosts ecosystem productivity where each species, no matter how small, all have an important role to play and that it is in this combination that enables the ecosystem to possess the ability to prevent and recover from a variety of disasters. Rapid global warming can affect ecosystems changes to adopt naturally. Over the past 150 years, deforestation has contributed an estimated 30% of the atmospheric build up of CO 2. It is also a significant driving force behind the loss of genes, species and critical ecosystem services. 10) Ozone Layer Depletion : In recent years, scientists have measured a seasonal thinning of the ozone layer primarily at the South Pole. This phenomenon is being called the ozone hole. The ozone depletion process begins when CFCs (used in refrigerator and air conditioners) and other ozone depleting sustances (ODS) are emitted into the atmosphere. Winds efficiently mix and evenly distribute the ODS in the troposphere. These ODS compounds do not dissolve in rain, are extremely stable, and have a long life span. After several years they reach the Stratosphere by diffusion. 44

5 Effects of Ozone Layer Depletion Effects on Human and Animal Health Effects on Terrestrial Plants Effects on Aquatic Ecosystems Effects on Bio-geo-chemical cycles Effects on Air Quality The Ozone layer, therefore, is highly beneficial to plant and animal life on earth filtering out the dangerous part of Sun s radiation and allowing only the beneficial part to reach earth. Any disturbance or depletion of this layer would result in an increase of harmful radiation reaching the earth s surface leading to dangerous consequences. The Problem of Climate Change Problem and Response : 1) The United Nations Frame work Convention on Climate Change, UNFCCC : In June 1992, the UNFCCC was signed in Riode Janeiro by over 150 nations. The climate convention is the base for international co-operation within the climate change area. The convention s overall objective is the stabilisation of greenhouse gas concentration in the atmosphere at a level that would prevent dangerous anthropogenic interference with the climate system. 2) The Kyoto Protocol As it became apparent that major nations such as the United States and Japan would not meet the voluntary stabilization target by 2000, Parties to the convention decided in 1995 to enter into negotiations on a protocol to establish legally binding limitations or reductions in greenhouse gas emission. It was decided by the Parties that this round of negotiations would establish limitations only for the developed countries. Negotiations on the Kyoto Protocol to the United Nations Framework convention on climate change (UNFCCC) were completed December on 11, 1997 committing the industrialized nations to specify, legally binding reduction in emissions of six greenhouse gases. The 6 major greenhouse gases covered by the protocol are carbondioxide (CO 2 ), Methane (CH 4 ), Nitrous Oxide (N 2 O), Hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs), Perfluorocarbons (PFCs) and Sulphur Hexafluoride (SF 6 ) 3) The Conference of the Parties (COP) : The COP held its first session in 1995 and will continue to meet annually unless decided otherwise. However, various subsidiary bodies that advise and support the COP meet more frequently. The convention states that the COP must periodically examine the obligations of the Parties and the institutional arrangements under the convention. 4) The Flexible Mechanisms : The Kyoto Protocol give developed countries who are more responsible for global warming, the option to fulfill a part of their commitments through three flexible mechanisms i) Emission trading : Article 17 of the Kyoto Protocol opens up for emissions trading between 45

6 countries that have made commitments to reduce greenhoue gas emissions. The countries have the option to delegate this right of emissions trading to companies or other organisation ii) Joint Implementation, JI : Under article 6 of Kyoto protocol, JI projects are an instrument for one industrial country to invest in another industrial country and in return obtain emissions reductions. These reductions can be used to help fulfill their own reduction, commitments at a lower cost than if they had to do the reductions in their own country. iii) Clean Development Mechanism (CDM) : Article 12 of the Kyoto Protocol define the CDM. The purpose of CDM is to Contribute to sustainable development in developing countries. Help developed countries under the Kyoto Protocol to meet their target. Global Warming Potentials : Although there are a number of ways of measuring the strength of different green house gases in the atmosphere, the Global Warming Potential (GWP) is perhaps the most useful. GWPs measure the influence of greenhouse gases on the natural greenhouse effect, including the ability of greenhouse gas molecules to absorb or trap heat and the length of time, greenhouse gas molecules remain in the atmosphere before being removed or broken down. In this way, the contribution that each greenhouse gas has towards global warming can be assessed. Each greenhouse gas differs in its ability to absorb heat in the atmosphere. HFCs and PFCs are the most heat - absorbent. Methane traps over 21 times more heat per molecule than carbon dioxide, and nitrous oxide absorbs 270 times more heat per molecule than carbon dioxide. Conventionally, the GWP of Carbon dioxide, measured across all time horizons, is 1. The GWPs of other green house gases are then measured relative to the GWP of carbon dioxide. Thus GWP of methane is 21 while GWP of nitrous oxide is 270. Other greenhouse gases have much higher. GWPs than carbon dioxide, but because their concentration in the atmosphere is much lower, carbon dioxide is still the most important greenhouse gas, contributing about 60% to the enhancement of the greenhouse effect. Sustainable Development : Sustainable development is concerned with the development of a society, where the costs of development are not transferred to future generations, or atleast an attempt is made to compensate such costs. It is the development that meets the needs of the present without compromising the needs of future generations to meet their own needs. The Objectives of Sustainable Development. 1) Economic Security and Prosperity 2) Social development and advancement 3) Environmental Sustainability Following are the activities or part of sustainable development which reduce global 46

7 warming. Working together : For a huge problem like climate change, we need big, global solutions. That means the whole world working together, with Scientists gathering and sharing information, and governments taking action to find solutions. International efforts, such as the Kyoto Protocol, are a good start, but there is still much more to be done. Cleaner Energy : If we want to stop climate change, rather than just slow it down, we need to do more than just reduce the amount of fossil fuels we burn. We must switch to alternative energies, ideally from sources that produces low amounts of greenhouse gas and that are renewable. Our supply of fossil fuels will one day be completely used up, but renewable energies are unlimited. They rely on sunlight and Earth s natural cycles and will never run out. Cleaner transportation : The exhaust gases from vehicles account for about a quarter of all the carbon dioxide we release. As more people buy cars and take cheap flights, transportations emissions are increasing. But by designing more efficient cars, buses, and airplanes, and moving toward new kinds of fuel, engineers are helping to clean up the future of travel. Eco homes : Almost a third of the greenhouse gas we produce comes from our homes. The good news is that there are many ways, ranging from how our homes are built to the way we live inside them, by which we can reduce the amount of greenhouse gas we create. Preserving forests and oceans : Forests and oceans remove and trap carbon as part of their natural processes. In turn, they can reduce the amount of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere and limit the power of the greenhouse effect. By damaging forests, polluting oceans, and burning fossil fuels, humans have upset Earth's natural balance, This is why we must work together to protect our precious trees and seas. In the last 40 years more than half of our planet s original forests have been lost. Recommendations and Suggesstions : Measure our carbon footprint : A carbon footprint is an estimate of how much carbon dioxide is released into the atmosphere as a result of someone's actions. By measuring the size of our footprint, and taking steps to reduce it, we and our family can start the battle against global warming at home. If we support programs that decrease or offset, carbon usage, we might even reduce our carbon footprint to zero. 6 tons is the current world average for carbon dioxide released per person, per year. Save energy : One easy way to shrink our carbon footprint is to conserve energy. Most of us waste energy when heating, cooling and lighting our homes, and when running 47

8 electrical appliances and gadgets. Small steps like changing lightbulbs and switching off gadget, might not seem important, but they can help to reduce greenhouse gas emissions e.g. 300 pounds (135kg) of CO 2 gas is saved each year by every Compact Fluorescent Lamps (CFLs) bulbs. Save Water : Saving water also save the energy used to collect, treat, and pump it. So not using as much water can help cut the amount of greenhouse gas released and fight global warming. Water use varies across the world, but we can all do our part to make sure that we are not wasting water. Household appliances guzzle hundreds of gallons of water each month, so use them sparingly. Less Waste : Most of our household waste ends up in solid waste landfills. These huge trash dumps release methane a greenhouse gas and there is one simple way to cut methane that is released. It is to reduce the amount of trash we produce, and recycle as much as possible of what is left. Garden Cutting 18% Glass and Plastic 15% Food 9% Paper 41% Trash Can Other 8% Metal 9% One greenday : Each one of us can help fight climate change by using less water and electricity. But if we really want to make a difference, we can go even further. The clothes we wear, the foods we eat and the products we use all contribute to our personal carbon footprint. Simple, everyday, decisions can make a huge difference to the amount of greenhouse gas that our lifestyle contributes to our atmosphere. Sustainable development demands that we seek ways of living, working and being that enable all people of the world to lead healthy, fulfilling, and economically secure lives without destroying the environment and without endangering the future welfare of people and the plan etc. Conclusions : With the fast development of science and technology, man has acquired the power to transform his environment in countless ways on an unbelievable scale. 48

9 Throughout the development of history, man has been trying to become master of nature. In the process,, he has destroyed nature and environment to a considerable extent. Environmental degradation is no more a local, regional or national issue but it has become a global issue. Number of development projects are responsible for air, water, noise pollution and generation of hazardous wastes, problems of water- logging etc. Some of the environmental problems we are facing at global level are Global Warming, Greenhouse Effects, Ozone Depletion, Acid Rains, Marine Pollution, Over - exploitation of resources. A proper understanding of physical interactions within living and non-living components is starting points for effective environmental management and sustainable development. Therefore, the role of environment manager is very much important. The Role of Environment Manager is as follows : Tackling environmental issues and problems, such as ecology, natural resources and pollution. Advising management about natural resources and environmental depletion and conservation policy. Conducting audit of energy consumption. Keeping informed about environmental legislations. Studying and desolving environmentals conflicts. Thus, environment management is process of balancing the socio-economic, technological and ecological forces in the development and allocation of resources in order to satisfy the needs and aspirations of the present and future generations. References : 1) Dr. Hemant Pednekar, Sachin Pendse and Prakash Dongre, (2009) : Enviroment Education, Sheth Publishers, Pvt. Ltd. 2) Sumitra Siromani, (2008) : Science Ahead, Orient Longman. 3) Douglas Long, (2005) : Global Warming, Viva Books Pvt. Ltd. 4) Glenn Murphy, (2008) : Global Warming, Weldon Owen Pvt. Ltd. 5) Training Material on Environmental concerns prepared by National Productivity Council. 6) Parivesh October 2002 Central Pollution Control Board. 7) 8) 9) 49