Global Warming: A Need for Change

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1 Abstract June 2013, Volume No: 2 Issue: 4 Global Warming: A Need for Change 1 Mr Harish N, Lecture 2 Mr Manjunatha K N, Lecture Department of MBA Shirdi Sai Engineering College, Banagalore. Id s: sohari.n21@gmail.com;manju0619@gmail.com 'Global warming' is a phrase that refers to the effect on the climate of human activities, in particular the burning of fossil fuels (coal, oil and gas) and large-scale deforestation, which cause emissions to the atmosphere of large amounts of 'greenhouse gases', of which the most important is carbon dioxide. Such gases absorb infrared radiation emitted by the Earth's surface and act as blankets over the surface keeping it warmer than it would otherwise be. Associated with this warming are changes of climate. The basic science of the 'greenhouse effect' that leads to the warming is well understood. More detailed understanding relies on numerical models of the climate that integrate the basic dynamical and physical equations describing the complete climate system. Many of the likely characteristics of the resulting changes in climate (such as more frequent heat waves, increases in rainfall, increase in frequency and intensity of many extreme climate events) can be identified. Substantial uncertainties remain in knowledge of some of the feedbacks within the climate system (that affect the overall magnitude of change) and in much of the detail of likely regional change. Because of its negative impacts on human communities (including for instance substantial sea-level rise) and on ecosystems, global warming is the most important environmental problem the world faces. Adaptation to the inevitable impacts and mitigation to reduce their magnitude are both necessary. International action is being taken by the world's scientific and political communities. Because of the need for urgent action, the greatest challenge is to move rapidly to much increased energy efficiency and to non-fossil-fuel energy sources. Key Words: Green House, Earth, fossil fuels, global warming 1

2 Introduction Global warming is the rise in the average temperature of Earth's atmosphere and oceans since the late 19th century and its projected continuation. Since the early 20th century, Earth's mean surface temperature has increased by about 0.8 C (1.4 F), with about two-thirds of the increase occurring since Warming of the climate system is unequivocal, and scientists are more than 90per cent certain that it is primarily caused by increasing concentrations of greenhouse gases produced by human activities such as the burning of fossil fuels and deforestation. These findings are recognized by the national science academies of all major industrialized nations. Causes for Global warming Global Warming is caused by many things. The causes are split up into two groups, manmade or anthropogenic causes, and natural causes Natural Causes Natural causes are causes created by nature. One natural cause is a release of methane gas from arctic tundra and wetlands. Methane is a greenhouse gas. A greenhouse gas is a gas that traps heat in the earth's atmosphere. Another natural cause is that the earth goes through a cycle of climate change. This climate change usually lasts about 40,000 years. Man-made causes Man-made causes probably do the most damage. There are many man-made causes. Pollution is one of the biggest man-made problems. Pollution comes in many shapes and sizes. Burning fossil fuels is one thing that causes pollution. Fossil fuels are fuels made of organic matter such as coal, or oil. When fossil fuels are burned they give off a green house gas called CO2. Also mining coal and oil allows methane to escape. How does it escape? Methane is naturally in the ground. When coal or oil is mined you have to dig up the earth a little. When you dig up the fossil fuels you dig up the methane as well. Another major man-made cause of Global Warming is population. More people mean more food, and more methods of transportation, right? That means more methane because there will be more burning of fossil fuels, and more agriculture. Now you re probably thinking, 2

3 "Wait a minute, you said agriculture is going to be damaged by Global Warming, but now you're saying agriculture is going to help cause Global Warming?" Well, have you ever been in a barn filled with animals and you smell something terrible? You're smelling methane. Another source of methane is manure. Because more food is needed we have to raise food. Animals like cows are a source of food which means more manure and methane. Another problem with the increasing population is transportation. More people mean more cars and more cars means more pollution. Also, many people have more than one car. Since CO2 contributes to global warming, the increase in population makes the problem worse because we breathe out CO2. Also, the trees that convert our CO2 to oxygen are being demolished because we're using the land that we cut the trees down from as property for our homes and buildings. We are not replacing the trees (an important part of our eco system), so we are constantly taking advantage of our natural resources and giving nothing back in return. Effects of Global Warming The planet is warming, from North Pole to South Pole, and everywhere in between. Globally, the mercury is already up more than 1 degree Fahrenheit (0.8 degree Celsius), and even more in sensitive Polar Regions. And the effects of rising temperatures aren t waiting for some farflung future. They re happening right now. Signs are appearing all over, and some of them are surprising. The heat is not only melting glaciers and sea ice, it s also shifting precipitation patterns and setting animals on the move. Some impacts from increasing temperatures are already happening. Ice is melting worldwide, especially at the Earth s poles. This includes mountain glaciers, ice sheets covering West Antarctica and Greenland, and Arctic sea ice. Researcher Bill Fraser has tracked the decline of the Adélie penguins on Antarctica, where their numbers have fallen from 32,000 breeding pairs to 11,000 in 30 years. Sea level rise became faster over the last century. Some butterflies, foxes, and alpine plants have moved farther north or to higher, cooler areas. Precipitation (rain and snowfall) has increased across the globe, on average. Spruce bark beetles have boomed in Alaska thanks to 20 years of warm summers. The insects have chewed up 4 million acres of spruce trees. Other effects could happen later this century, if 3

4 warming continues. Sea levels are expected to rise between 7 and 23 inches (18 and 59 centimeters) by the end of the century, and continued melting at the poles could add between 4 and 8 inches (10 to 20 centimeters). Hurricanes and other storms are likely to become stronger. Species that depend on one another may become out of sync. For example, plants could bloom earlier than their pollinating insects become active. Floods and droughts will become more common. Rainfall in Ethiopia, where droughts are already common, could decline by 10 percent over the next 50 years. Less fresh water will be available. If the Quelccaya ice cap in Peru continues to melt at its current rate, it will be gone by 2100, leaving thousands of people who rely on it for drinking water and electricity without a source of either. Some diseases will spread such as malaria carried by mosquitoes. Ecosystems will change-some species will move farther north or become more successful; others won t be able to move and could become extinct. Wildlife research scientist Martyn Obbard has found that since the mid-1980s, with less ice on which to live and fish for food, polar bears have gotten considerably skinnier. Polar bear biologist Ian Sterling has found a similar pattern in Hudson Bay. He fears that if sea ice disappears, the polar bears will as well. Precautions for Controlling Global Warming Individual Precautions 20 per cent of the energy consumed in the households are using for heating the water. Using the solar energy will save from electric energy. 90 per cent of the energy consumed in the washing machines are using for heating the water. Using water in 55C instead of 60C will provide 6.5per cent energy saving. If every family saves up 3 C for 24 hrs, it means saving up gallons of petroleum. Proper isolation in a house of 150 sqm may provide 60per cent energy save. Compact lucent bulbs are two times more expensive than the normal bulbs but when they are used 4 hours a day, they will last 6.85 years and they consume 5 times less energy than normal bulbs. 4

5 Government Precautions Renewable Energy Sources Nowadays, the old fashioned technology destroys both the environment and the living creatures' areas. With the use of renewable energy sources; Fossil fuels' usage will be reduced. It will decrease the amount of greenhouse gases. The decreasing ratio of greenhouse gases will minimize the environmental and health problems. The low costs of renewable energy sources will affect economical activity in a positive way. Wind Energy Wind energy is one of the most important energy sources in the world, but its ratio in the mass energy production is not enough. Besides, European countries are planning to construct centrals for developing the wind energy industry until Their capacities are going to reach approximately 40 thousand MW. In a few years, the cost of the electric power provided from this energy source will decrease. Wind energy projects are easily constructed and centrals' maintenance is cheap. On the other hand, the wind energy is not unlimited and it creates loud noises during the work. Solar Power The solar power is the right choice as a reliable energy source, because it's unlimited and harmless for the environment. The negative side of using it is that it is difficult to afford and impossible to store. Scenarios prepared by IPCC show that the increasing world population will be in need of solar power in the future. Biomass Energy 13 per cent of the mass energy is provided from biomass sources around the world. These sources mainly consist of stubbles from the fields, fences and woods. While the usage of raw materials is increasing, it is going to cause erosions. The variety of the ecosystem becomes plainer every year and it decreases the productivity. Another disadvantage of the biomass is that it can only be produced from large energy farms. 5

6 Hydroelectric Energy As a clean and cheap energy source in the past, hydroelectric energy was provided from large centrals. After 1990, countries preferred to build small hydroelectric centrals, because the large ones were destroying the environment and the human life. Large centrals did not help to reduce the global warming; on the contrary they affected it negatively, because the plant in the irremovable water of the dam creates methane. Small hydroelectric centrals are mainly preferred today, because of their economical. The Productivity of Energy Resources Energy Savings: The most effective way for proper energy savings is reducing energy losses that occur during the transfer and consuming processes. A definite adjustment and reducing of the usage is also important for savings. Energy Productivity: Improving countries are using 40per cent more electric energy than the improved ones. The reason of this difference is their unfinished energy production. substructures and their old fashioned technology. They are using half of their energy sources for industrial purposes. Cogeneration is to evaluate the heat that appears during the production of electricity. The usage of hot gases provides a saving of 90percent in industrial process and in buildings' central heating systems. Nuclear Energy It is the utilization of the energy that has been gained through the fusion of the atomic nuclei. Nuclear reactors utilize the energy derived from the various reactions that is gained from Uranium 235. To make it clear the magnitude of the nuclear energy, fusion provides 50 millions fold more than the carbon atom when it is burnt out. Nuclear reactors, in contrast with the thermo power plants, do not produce gases like CO2, sulfur or NO. In France, by utilization of nuclear energy for the electric production instead of other means, the pollution is reduced almost 80-90per cent. Although they promise very many advantages, it is a real public concern because of some disadvantages of this energy source. 6

7 International Precautions The greenhouse effect and global warming attracted the society's attention in the last twenty years, the researchers had commenced in the last century. The pioneer was the swedish, Nobel prized scientist S.Arrhenius. He discovered that the amount of CO2 gases in the atmosphere could cause climatic changes in After this research, there wasn't any noteworthy process until The World Meteorology Organization prepared the first World Climate Conference in The scientists were emphasized that; fossil fuels and CO2 directly affected global climatic changes. Recommendations & Conclusion The world is temporarily affected by hot and cold climate periods. The industrial revolution which started in 1875 changed weather conditions. The world has a tendency to warm up. The industrialization and the increasing population density are forcing governments to consume more fossil fuels and are affecting the artificial greenhouse gases' fluctuation. Even if the usage of fossil fuels could be prohibited, greenhouse gases extant in the atmosphere are going to remain for hundred years. The emission of greenhouse gases can't be stopped, but some precautions must be taken. 7