What Needs to Happen in Order to Fix or Slow Down Global Warming - Article Example

Global Warming Order No. 250528 November “08 Global Warming One of the most serious problems facing the world today isthe problem of global warming. Unless some drastic measures are taken to stem the rise in global warming the problem may get worse and uncontrollable. As Michael Page (2007) has rightly said,” a firm and ever-growing body of evidence points to a clear picture: the world is warming, this warming is due to human activity increasing levels of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere, and if emissions continue unabated the warming will too, with increasingly serious consequences.” Global warming is the result of the average increase in the temperature of the earth. It takes place when there is excessive accumulation of greenhouse gases. The Kyoto Protocol has listed six greenhouse gases that can cause global warming. They are carbon dioxide, nitrous oxide, methane, perfluorocarbons, hidrofluorocarbons and sulphur hexafluoride. A rise in the temperature of the earth causes many changes. It may lead to changes in rainfall patterns, a rise in sea level. It also impacts humans, animals and wildlife. Global warming, scientists say, is caused mainly by human activities At present the increase in the earth’s temperature is 1/3 of a degree Celsius every ten years. This means we will see an increase of 3 degrees within the next 100 years, which is much faster than the increase that has taken place in the last 10.000 years. It is clear that the speed with which global warming is increasing; soon it will become difficult for human beings as well as ecosystems to adapt. This will be all the more difficult in developing countries. The earth is surrounded by an atmosphere. Sunlight entering the earth has to pass through the Greenhouse gases present in the atmosphere. On entering the earth the energy of the sunlight is absorbed by the land, water and biosphere of the earth. The greenhouse gases allow sunlight to enter but stop some of the consequent heat from radiating back to space. It is this trapped heat that keeps the earth warm enough for people to live. This is known as the greenhouse effect. However if this greenhouse effect increases it can make the Earth warmer than usual and cause the world to heat up more than required.. A little extra warming is enough to create problems for human beings, animals and plants. Now the question arises as to where these greenhouses gases come from? One is sending greenhouse gases into the air when one is doing the following activities such as watching TV, using electrical appliances like lights, air conditioners, dishwashers, driving a car, using microwave ovens and so on. All these need electricity. Electricity is obtained from power plants. These power plants mostly use coal and oil to produce electricity. Coal and oil when burnt produce greenhouse gases. Some other things we do also produce greenhouse gases. For instance, the garbage we send to landfills produces methane and the factories that make consumer goods for us also send greenhouses into the air. The effects of global warming are many. The main effect is climate change. Drastic climate changes may take place if global warming is not controlled. These climate changes may cause ecological disturbances. Global warming will make glaciers melt faster and there will a rise in sea levels and flooding. Other effects are air pollution and changes in food and water supplies. Global warming will also affect our health. Heat related health problems are caused directly by high temperatures. In many places, it is suspected that global warming will increase the number of very hot days in a year, increasing the possibility of heat related health problems. Again generally poor countries are going to be more affected than rich countries as the rich have the money and the resources to combat global warming. Some of the changes brought about by climate change caused by global warming may be advantageous. For instance, if you happen to live in a place where the climate is very cold, you may welcome a little bit of warming. In such conditions people may be able to grow different and perhaps even better crops. But it is a fact that apart from this global warming is going to cause more harm than good. Sir David King, British Governments chief scientist once said that global warming was a more serious threat than terrorism. Commenting on this James Lovelock (2004) said, “He may even have underestimated, because, since he spoke, new evidence of climate change suggests it could be even more serious, and the greatest danger that civilization has faced so far.” It is a known fact and one has to accept the fact that global warming cannot be stopped. It can only be slowed down. Everyone knows that climate change takes place because of the accumulation of greenhouse gases. Many actions have to be taken to reduce the speed of this accumulation. The key to this lies in alternative fuels for transportation, new rules and regulations to contain industrial pollution, new heating and cooling systems. All this will help to reduce the emission of greenhouse gases Apart from this there are many little things one can do to make a difference to the speed with which global warming is taking place. We can do our bit to reduce the amount of greenhouse gases that goes into the atmosphere. As we all know many greenhouse gases come from the activities we do every day. The focus, according to Laurie David, an environmentalist activist “is on the individual. Because what you eat, what you drive, how you build and furnish your home, can all make a difference in curbing global warming. Government doesnt change until people demand it. It has to start with the individual." Some of the small things we can do to combat global warming are: 1. Carpooling: Driving a car is not wrong. We have to find ways to conserve fuel. Carpooling will go a long way in ensuring this. 2. Save Electricity: Greenhouse gases are released whenever we use electricity. Switching off lights, television, computer, etc. when you are not using them will reduce greenhouse gas emission. 3. One can save energy by occasionally walking or taking the bus or cycling to work. 4. Create awareness amongst family and friends about climate change 5. Planting trees is great way to reduce greenhouse gases. Trees absorb carbon dioxide which is a greenhouse gas, from the atmosphere 6. Recycle plastic bags, bottles and newspapers. Recycling helps send less trash to the landfills and saves natural resources. To buy recyclable products is a step towards reducing global warming. 7. Always try and buy products that do not use much energy. There are certain products that are made specially to save energy. For instance there are certain cars that run longer on a small amount of gasoline and also cause less pollution. Many products like televisions, computers have special labels that indicate that the product consumes less energy. According to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), if every American household replaced 5 of their current light bulbs with 5 compact fluorescent light bulbs, it would save as much energy as if we took 8 million cars off the roads. 8. Using solar energy to heat water, buildings, and to make electricity Here what Lydia Houghton (2007) has to say about this is very relevant. She says “ Much discussion revolves around large corporations making changes but can just one individual actually make a difference? The answer is a resounding YES. There are many changes individuals can implement in their homes, at work and on the road that will also contribute to slowing down global warming, many of them requiring little effort or funds to practice. Should everyone make even just a few changes there would be a large combined impact and from the large to the small, there is something that everyone can and should do to improve our environment.” It is also extremely important that countries must contribute equally to slow down the process of global warming. Right policies and financial incentives provided by governments can contribute to the cause of confronting global warming. Many countries are putting in efforts to cut down the speed of global warming. The Kyoto agreement and the Montreal Protocol are examples of such efforts. The Montreal Protocol attempts to phase out the chlorofluorocarbon compounds used by refrigerators and sprays by replacing them with less harmful compounds such as hidrofluorocarbons. This is to stop the destruction of the ozone layer. However finding less harmful substitutes to CFC is not enough. We have to stop burning fossil fuels to reduce the emission of carbon di oxide and other greenhouse gases. Until we do that we will not be able to stop global warming. The Kyoto Protocol sets targets for reductions in emissions of greenhouse gases. Again, the drawback of this is that it does not foresee a phasing out or substitution of fossil fuels. As for global programs the U.N. Environment Program hopes to invest in zero-greenhouse energy about $1.9 trillion by 2020. New wind and solar power industries are being set up and half of them are in China alone. Brazil has a biofuel program in place. In Germany, investments in environmental technology in the coming years are expected to increase fourfold. It is very important that the world as a whole makes a concerted effort to tackle the problem of global warming. As Kalpana Sharma (2006) has rightly said “If there is one thing the debate on global warming should teach us it is that, ultimately, if you treat your environment carelessly in one part of the world, the consequences will catch up with you in another.” Many non profit organizations are also working towards this cause. U.S. politician and former vice president of United States, Al Gore has been foremost in warning us about the dangers of global warming through a documentary called "An Inconvenient Truth," his book and his speeches. There are many more solutions to the problem of global warming. Scientists have to conduct research to provide information about the expected climate change to governments and politicians, who can then formulate a joint international action plan. New technologies that can help ease the effects of climate change have to be developed. Incentives, subsidies and tax deductions have to be given to industries to implement emission reducing technology. Economists, scientists and politicians must work together. The public must be educated about the problems and the solutions through awareness campaigns. According to Ban Ki-moon, Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono, Donald Tusk and Anders Fogh Rasmussen (2008) “Today’s global financial crisis demands fresh thinking”….We need a clear work-plan with specific goals for reducing emissions and adapting to the adverse effects of climate change. We need an agreed institutional architecture, a serious commitment an Adaptation Fund and, above all, a willingness of both developing and developed nations to do their part. Financing will be the key. If developing nations lack the financial resources and technologies to “go green,” we cannot effectively fight climate change.” In conclusion it can be said it is in our hands to slow it down We cannot stop it, but the problem if not tackled seriously and if strong measures are not adopted it may turn out to be catastrophic. As Eileen Claussen (2004) rightly says, “It is not too soon for government at all levels and the private sector to begin taking climate change into consideration". References 1. Claussen Eileen (2004) quote retrieved from http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2004/06/15/tech/main623251.shtml on 12/11/08. 2. David Laurie, Quote retrieved from Ten Ways to Reduce Emissions and Slow Global Warming from http://www.stopglobalwarming.org/sgw_read.asp?id=516198172006 on 12/11/08 3. Houghton Lydia, (2007) Global Warming – Can just one individual make a difference? http://www.americanchronicle.com/articles/25984 4. Sharma Kalpana (2006), Should we care about global warming?http://www.hindu.com/2006/11/28/stories/2006112803331000.htm 5. King David Retrieved from http://www.yesmagazine.org/article.asp?ID=1065 on 12/11/08 6. Ki-moon Ban, Susilo Yudhoyono Bambang, Tusk Donald and Rasmussen, Anders (2008), Crisis is opportunity, The Hindu, dated 13/11/08 7. Lovelock James (2004), Nuclear Power is the Only Green Solution, The Independent, May 24, 2004 retrieved from http://www.yesmagazine.org/article.asp?ID=1065 on 12/11/08 8. Page Michael (2007), Climate change: A guide for the perplexed, Retrieved fromhttp://www.newscientist.com/article/dn11462 on 12/11/08 1. Page Michael (2007), Climate change: A guide for the perplexed, Retrieved from http://www.newscientist.com/article/dn11462 on 12/11/08 3. King David Retrieved from http://www.yesmagazine.org/article.asp?ID=1065 on 12/11/08 4. Ki-moon Ban, Susilo Yudhoyono,Bambang, Tusk Donald and Rasmussen, Anders(2008), Crisis is opportunity, The Hindu, dated 13/11/08 5 Lovelock James (2004), Nuclear Power is the Only Green Solution, The Independent, May 24, 2004 Retrieved from http://www.yesmagazine.org/article.asp?ID=1065 on 12/11/08 5. David Laurie, Quote retrieved from Ten Ways to Reduce Emissions and Slow Global Warming from http://www.stopglobalwarming.org/sgw_read.asp?id=516198172006 on 12/11/08 6. Houghton Lydia, (2007) Global Warming – Can just one individual make a difference? http://www.americanchronicle.com/articles/25984 7. Ki-moon Ban, Susilo Yudhoyono,Bambang, Tusk Donald and Rasmussen, Anders Crisis is opportunity, The Hindu, dated 13/11/08 8. Claussen Eileen (2004) Quote retrieved from http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2004/06/15/tech/main623251.shtml on 12/11/08. 9. Sharma Kalpana(2006), Should we care about global warming?http://www.hindu.com/2006/11/28/stories/2006112803331000.htm Read More