Sources of Human-Caused Greenhouse Gas Emissions - Essay Example

Synthesis Paper Affiliation Global Warming What are the major sources of human-caused greenhouse gas emissions? Some ofthe major sources include the combustion of fossil fuels in vehicles, electricity production as well as factories. These sources emit a gas called carbon dioxide, which is responsible for the most global warming. Additionally, some other human contributors include nitrous oxide from fertilizers, lost of forest that would otherwise store carbon dioxide, gases used for industrial processes and refrigeration and methane emitted from landfills as well as agriculture. 2. The article offers examples of short-term consequences of global warming. What are they? In our view, which are the most important? Some examples of short-term consequences of global warming include first, the rise of the sea level that has become faster throughout the last century. Secondly, there is a worldwide ice melting more so at the earth poles. Thirdly, many butterflies as well as alpine plants are now quickly moving to the north where it is cooler. Fourthly, is the increase of precipitation across to globe. Fifthly, is the decline of the Adelie penguins on Antarctica where for instance their numbers have dropped significantly from 32000 breeding pairs to 11000 within the last thirty years. However, the most significant consequences are firstly, the booming of spruce bark beetles, which have chewed up to four million acres of spruce trees in Alaska. 3. The article offers Examples of long-term consequences of global warming. What are they? In your view, which are the most important? Firstly, the Ecosystem will change in that some species will end up moving to the north in order to survive. On the other hand, those species that would not be successful in moving to the north could become extinct because of the unfavorable living environments. Secondly, sea levels would rise between seven, twenty-three inches towards the end of the century, and if the trend continues at the poles, it could add four and eight inches. Thirdly, species that depend on one another could become discordant. For instance, plants could bloom a bit earlier that their pollinating insects’ active season. Conversely, the most significant consequences would be first, the increase of the hurricanes and other storms that would in turn become stronger. Secondly, there could be a spread of dangerous diseases such malaria that is carried by mosquitoes. Thirdly, there would be less fresh water available. For instance if Quelccaya ice cap in Peru would continue melting in that rate, by 2100 the ice cap would have gone and thousands of people who rely on it for drinking water as well as electricity would be left in jeopardy. Lastly, the high possibility of common droughts and floods would not be evaded. Research and Discussion Evidences from researches show that humans are the major contributors of global warming. However, the question of what can be done in order to reduce the causes is still controversial. Politics, economics and even sociology are all significant factors in planning for a future that is less “globe warmed.” Even if countries stopped emitting green house gases from today, the world or rather the earth would still warm by an additional degree Fahrenheit. However, what humans would do from now onwards would make a big difference (Hardy29; John 85). Based on human choices, researchers predict that the earth could eventually warm by as little as two degrees or as much as tend degrees Fahrenheit. According to scientists, the key factor that governments should put into consideration is to stabilize levels of greenhouse gases. The levels concentrations should be around 450 to 550 per million (PPM) or even twice pre-industrial levels. Many scientists believe that this is the point at which much damaging impacts can be prevented. Statistics show that the current concentration levels stand at 380 PPM and this means that there is not much time to waste. Accordingly, efforts should be in place to see a reduction of GHG emissions by fifty to eighty percent in order to be in a safe world by the next century. While governments are working very hard to cut the greenhouse gases, people are also encouraged to participate at an individual level. Two researchers, Pacala and Robert Socolow from Princeton University, suggest one approach called “stabilization wedges” in dealing with the greenhouse gases menace (Romm 124). Their approach is aimed at reducing GHG emissions with the use of technologies that are available in the in the coming few decades, rather depending on a huge change in a single area. These researchers suggest seven wedges that could each reduce emissions. Moreover, all of these seven wedges combined could hold the current emission levels for the next fifty years thus putting the globe on a potential course to stabilize around 500PPM. Additionally, some other possible wedges that can be used to reduce GHG emissions include increasing the solar and wind power, increase of hydrogen produced by renewable resources, increase in the use of biogas, increase in the use of natural gas, as well as the increase in the use of nuclear power. All these would improve the energy efficiency and the vehicle fuel economy in that less energy will be produced. Moreover, there is the capability of capturing the carbon dioxide emitted from fossil fuels and in turn storing them underground through a process known as “carbon sequestration”. In addition to that, natural means can also be initiated. Gases can be reduced from the atmosphere through the increase of the amount of gases people take out of the atmosphere. More trees could be planted in order to absorb carbon dioxide as they grow older thus sequestering carbon naturally. Ultimately, people should change their farming styles into ways that could encourage the increase for carbon they are storing. Who is “Most to Blame” for Global Warming? According to climate experts, there is enough excess CO2 in the atmosphere already to effect significant climate change, if all polluting stopped today. What in this article helps to explain the claim? This is true since carbon dioxide put into the stays there more than hundreds to come or even much longer. Statistics show that twenty-seven percent of carbon dioxide is still up in the atmosphere after a hundred years and seventeen percent after five hundred years and ultimately fourteen percent after a thousand years. In effect, during the industrial revolution Britain released a lot of carbon dioxide through the massive burn of coal thus the carbon dioxide is still at large since it takes centuries for nature t deal with manmade pollution. As Blakemore points out, no one intended to cause global warming, and until a few decades ago, the problem was not on the world’s mind, as it is for the most part now. Given this circumstance, in your view, who deserves blame now for not taking reasonable action to lessen the threat of global warming? The United Kingdom should take the blame for not taking action to lessen the threat of global warming since the Industrial Revolution started in the Great Britain and as such, they have been polluting loner. The United Kingdom should have kept the rest of the world alert since it started to develop early before any country. Accordingly, they had the scientific knowledge that would have let them know the effects of coal burning to the atmosphere and therefore warn the rest of the world on the same. If the United Kingdom had taken action even U.S, which is considered the country that has polluted most, could have stopped or rather controlled itself a long time ago. Research and convincing: US efforts to Reduce Greenhouse gas Emissions After the failure of the US senate to ratify the Kyoto protocol, the Clinton administration committed itself towards the Clean Development Mechanism in 1998. Later on in the Bush’s administration, a policy by the government to reduce the GHG emissions of U.S.A economy per unit of economic out was established. However, the U.S has been criticized overtime for not doing enough into reducing emissions because it did not sign on to the Kyoto protocol. Notwithstanding this criticism, the US has been the one of the leading countries trying to reduce greenhouse emissions (Harris 27). The country has largely done this through the development in the production of large-scale natural gas. This has been necessitated trough the use of hydraulic fracturing technology. Though not new, the Hydraulic fracturing technology combined with the horizontal drilling has increased efficiency simultaneously and tremendously making U.S.A the leader in both carbon emissions and natural gas productions (Kolstad 2232; Charles 2235). On the other hand, President Obama has recently announced the Federal Government’s intention to reduce greenhouse gas levels by twenty-eight percent by the end of 2020. This will foresee the Federal Governments setting examples in foreseeing the building of the clean energy economy. Actions taken under this pronouncement will spur clean energy investments that would create new private-sector employment opportunities. Moreover, agencies are making steps towards achieving energy and fuel efficiency. Some of these steps or actions include installing solar arrays at military installations, putting energy management systems in federal buildings. Tapping landfills for renewable energy and replacing older vehicles without much fuel-efficient hybrid models. Works Cited “Who’s ‘Most to Blame’ for Global Warming?” Bill Blakemore (new edition of “Aims”) Blakemore, Bill. "Whos Most to Blame for Global Warming?" Aims of Argument.8th ed. Ed. Timothy W. Crusius and Carolyn E. Channel. New York: McGraw Hill, 2015. 353358.Print. “Who’s ‘Most to Blame’ for Global Warming?” Bill Blakemore (new edition of “Aims”) Blakemore, Bill. "Whos Most to Blame for Global Warming?" Aims of Argument.8th ed. Ed. Timothy W. Crusius and Carolyn E. Channel. New York: McGraw Hill, 2015. 353358. Print. Hardy, John T. Climate Change: Causes, effects, and solutions. Wiley, 2003. Harris, Paul G. "Common but Differentiated Responsibility: The Kyoto Protocol and United States Policy." NYU Envtl. LJ 7 (1999): 27. Jacobson, Mark Z. "Review of solutions to global warming, air pollution, and energy security." Energy & Environmental Science 2.2 (2009): 148-173. Kolstad, Charles D. "The simple analytics of greenhouse gas emission intensity reduction targets." Energy Policy 33.17 (2005): 2231-2236. Romm, Joseph J. Hell and high water: global warming-the solution and the politics-and what we should do. New York, NY: William Morrow, 2007. Read More