GETM

Global Warming

The earth’s temperature is steadily on the rise. For the world over, 2005 was not only another warm year; it was the warmest in history.

The earth’s temperature is steadily on the rise. For the world over, 2005 was not only another warm year; it was the warmest in history. It is estimated by the United States Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA) that an average increase of upto 1 0F has happened since the late 19th century. By the next century a further increase of 2.2 to 10 0F will occur http://yosemite.epa.gov.

What does this mean for our planet? The implication is a change in the earth’s atmosphere itself. Higher levels of greenhouse gases like carbon dioxide result in the warming of the earth’s surface. This leads to drastic temporal and spatial changes such as changed weather patterns, rise in sea levels, warming of the North and South Poles, heat waves, increase in the occurrences of storms, hurricanes and flooding. These have a grave impact on human and animal life, property and the environment. The causes of global warming are well documented. Vehicular and industrial emissions from the burning of fuels contribute to carbon di oxide and other gases that trap the sun’s heat close to earth’s surface, producing a greenhouse effect. Livestock gas emissions (pun not intended!) are also a major contributor to global warming ‘greenhouse’ gases. In 2005, it is estimated that 6500 million metric tons of carbon equivalent emissions were released to the atmosphere, a 25% increase since the industrial revolution 150 years ago http://www.eia.doe.gov.

Measures aimed at mitigating greenhouse gas emissions on a global scale include international emissions trading as per the Kyoto Protocol. Around thirty-five industrialized countries have agreed, under the Protocol, to reduce their greenhouse gas emissions to 5% of their 1990 levels between 2008 and 2012 http://unfccc.int. Yet to emerge sustainable development technologies include carbon capture and sequestration (CCS), the use of ‘cleaner’ fuels like hydrogen or ethanol and tapping into winds, solar or geothermal energy. CCS involves the trapping of the carbon di oxide gas (produced when coal is burned) deep inside the earth’s surface for permanent storage http://www.nrdc.org. The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) has published a full report on CCS, available at http://www.ipcc.ch. The use of cleaner fuels from biomass is still in the nascent stages of production, but show promise as alternate sources of fuel for generations to come. Cost effectiveness will play a major role in deciding the fate such greenhouse gas reducing measures supporting the principles of sustainable development. Practices already in place include use of energy efficient appliances and vehicles, while hybrid cars (electricity-fuel combination) have carved a small but steadily growing niche in the car market.

According to USEPA you, as an individual, can change what happens to about 4800 pounds of carbon equivalent (which is roughly 32% of the emissions per person) in three key areas: electricity you use in your home, waste you produce and personal transportation http://yosemite.epa.gov. Something as simple as using a compact fluorescent light bulb instead of an incandescent bulb can help reduce around 700 pounds of carbon emissions per bulb, besides saving your money on energy bills http://www.nrdc.org. Food for thought!

Sincerely,
Chitra Gowda, Editor

Posted by Moderator on March 2nd, 2006 filed in editorial Discuss now »