Carbon Dioxide - Report Example

Carbon Emissions Name Course title Date Introduction Carbon dioxide is an important element in the atmospheric composition as well as in the carbon cycle. It plays a key role in biogeochemical cycle due to its contribution of different processes in plants, rocks, and water bodies among others. This shows that carbon dioxide is important for sustainable living in a world that is balanced. Moreover, carbon is only harmless to the atmosphere at controlled levels that do not exceed its percentage proportion in the atmospheric composition. However, various human activities escalate carbon dioxide levels in the atmosphere, posing dangers to the environment (Charles, & Varma, 2010, p.13). Furthermore, the first claims of carbon dioxide effects on environment were raised by Svante Arrhenius who was a Swedish scientist. In his papers that he published in 1896, he claimed that high carbon dioxide levels had the capacity to increase temperatures globally. Many science departments and scientists opposed this claims stating that carbon dioxide composition in the atmosphere is very little to cause such significant effects. His assertions were rejected up until late 1930s when researches started showing otherwise (Gordon, 2011, p.14). Guy Callendar who was a British researcher in Ministry of Supply during his research on weather realized that carbon dioxide levels had temperatures effects in different regions. In addition, it is worth noting that there are various carbon dioxide sources resulting from human activity but its significant increase was noted after Industrial Revolution. Increased industrial carbon dioxide emissions as well as greenhouse activities have contributed to the current high levels of carbon dioxide levels (Kasting, & Siefert, 2002, p.1067). Therefore, accepting the reality of environment change in the current times is inevitable; climatic change has been experienced globally and its effects are adverse. Global warming is among its greatest impacts that threaten sustained survival for living organisms and environment (Barnett, Adam, & Lettennaier, 2005, p.305). This paper critically evaluates the current political and technological drivers associated with mitigating carbon dioxide emissions in the United Kingdom. Impacts of Carbon Dioxide Environment is the most significant element in survival of living organisms as well as non-living things. It supports life, growth and development in a sustained manner if it’s preserved with little or no pollution. Hence, it is worth noting that pollution is the greatest threat to sustained environment and its impacts are detrimental. Environment is a complex combination of the systems associated with natural, social, biological, and physical factors. Eco-friendliness to support environmental composition and sustainable living determines the success of any existing system (Blewitt, 2008, p.29). However, pollution has become a greater challenge in the society as well as global issue that needs to be addressed thoroughly. There are various mitigations to pollution in a bid to reduce the risks and disasters associated with carbon dioxide pollution. It is responsibility of individuals and governments to ensure that their practices support sustainable living in additional to environmental conservation (Manning, et al., 2011, p.24). Currently implementing the mitigations towards pollution will save economies much that waiting to address these issues later. Reacting to carbon dioxide emission now will cost 11 trillion dollars and damages worth 8 trillion will have been incurred. However, delaying to respond up until by 2100 will increase the damages to 30 trillion dollars while more delay up to 2200 will see economies suffer cumulative damages worth 70 trillion dollars. This calls for global economies to react as soon as possible by developing strategies, policies and practices as mitigation towards pollution. The damages of increased carbon dioxide levels results to global warming, decreased food productivity, increased risks of human health, adverse weather conditions and polluted environment among others (Shah, 2015). Global Mitigations Policies Some of the global mitigations towards pollution include increased usage of nuclear energy than fossil-powered energy. This ensures that overreliance on fossil fuels in production of energy is reduced significantly. Fossil fuels are the major contributor to carbon dioxide emissions into the environment. This pollution mostly comes from industrial emissions and car exhaust emissions that directly inject carbon dioxide into the atmosphere. Hence, if fossil fuels usage can be reduced by utilization of eco-friendly nuclear sources, emissions can be significantly decreased (Pielke, 2007, p.305). Furthermore, another strategy is through utilization of renewable and eco-friendly sources like solar, biogas, wind, and geothermal. This can help generate required energy as an alternative to fossil fuel energy. These modern and renewable sources of energy preserve environments given that they do not emit carbon dioxide. Most industries across the globe have embraced these sources and have significantly reduced their rate and intensity of emissions. Moreover, elimination of vehicles that are not roadworthy from operating helps reduce vehicle emissions by a considerable extent. Production of electric cars will also contribute to reduced reliance on fossil fuels (Stern, 2007, p.34). In addition, another strategy to pollution mitigation is raising awareness of the effects carbon emissions through governmental bodies associated with environment. This helps educate population about how the contribute towards pollution, the adverse effects of pollution and how they can reduce pollution and conserve the environment. This helps to reduce some human activities that that the population ignorantly practices like charcoal burning, and deforestation. Reducing human practices that significantly add to carbon dioxide emission has a positive effect in the fight towards pollution. Moreover, governments have carried out programs that enforce on planting of trees to reduce deforested areas so that the trees can help balance the carbon cycle (Steven, 2010, p.46). Increased tillage of productive lands is encouraged to ensure that plantation covers larger portion of the bare land. This helps to increase utilization of the available atmospheric carbon dioxide as a strategy to reduce it. Studies claim that if carbon dioxide emissions can be reduced by approximately 1 billion tons annually, by 2060 the level of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere can be manageable (Charles, & Varma, 2010, p.21). Furthermore, globally reduced usage of greenhouses has been discouraged due to their heavy emission of carbon dioxide. China and United States are the greatest emitters of carbon dioxide through greenhouses. This is due to their increased economic expansion, industrial processes and huge population. Reduced greenhouse gas emissions can help regulate the existing pollution remarkably. Moreover, using modern strategies to improve productivity in agricultural areas can help increase food production as an alternative to reduce overreliance on greenhouses for food production (Manning, et al., 2011, p.38). Economic, Social and Environmental Impacts of CO2 There exist economic, social and environmental impacts associated with carbon dioxide emissions. It is inevitable to stay without carbon dioxide emission in the society because industries and vehicles are useful in daily operations while earning a living. Pollution has a huge burden on the economy because it impacts that require cost to be incurred when dealing with them. Pollution is an economic cost that individuals, organizations and governments face; it creates need to restore the environment (Van den Bergh, 2010, p.341). Given that pollution affects sustainable living in a society the cost of health, food, and clean water increases. This eats into the budget allocation in economies slowing down the rate of growth and development. Likewise, it eats into personal resources in a bid to live healthy and address diseases; this reduces the rate of development in economy building. Moreover, food productivity is significantly reduced due to destroyed environment. This results to buying more food to sustain consumption. Clean water also being a basic necessity whenever it is populated it adds to the cost of purification or buying consumable clean water. These are some economic costs that the society faces due to carbon emission (Tanner, & Mitchell, 2008, p. 29). On the other hand, the social costs of carbon emission include uncertainty in climate. This affects the human activities carried in a region, affecting the sustainability of their living. Activities associated with rainfall are affected for example agriculture, and livestock rearing. It introduces uncertainty because people cannot predict what weather will be experienced a certain period. Moreover, carbon pollution increases air borne diseases like cancer, skin diseases and respiratory diseases such as asthma that affect their social wellbeing. The presence of recurring disease reduces productivity, performance and interaction of people in a society (Changnon, 2009, p.478). Additionally, carbon dioxide emission has adverse effects on the environment. Increased concentration of carbon dioxide due to emission affects the carbon cycle and it results to acidic rains. This acidic rains fall into the ground and increase soil acidity, kills living organisms and depletes the available soil layers. This result to reduced productivity of the land and during escalated impacts increases the bare ground exposing it to erosions. Besides, when the acidic rains fall into the seas and oceans, it kills aquatic life as well as destroying their habitats. This leads to extinction of aquatic species, reduced sea food production and polluted water. When the acidic water flows into the sources of clean water, they contaminate them. This destroys natural sources of clean water that is useful for sustained living in the society (Barredo, 2009, p.99). Still, carbon emission leads to global warming that generally increases the environmental temperatures making them high for survival. Studies claims that it has contributed to increase in temperatures by 3 degrees from the normal conditions. This can result to droughts, famine or even floods that are destructive to the existing environment. The combination of all these soci0-economic and environment effects of carbon pollution makes sustainable living difficult within a polluted society (Barnett, Adam, & Lettennaier, 2005, p.307). Global Policies and Technologies for Minimizing CO2 Responding to the global challenge of carbon emission is the responsibility of every individual and government. There are policies and technologies that help reduce significantly the emissions that can be used in different places. Firstly, it is worth noting that there are negotiations for international climate treaties with the most famous ones being United Nation’s Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCC) and Conference of Parties (COP). Most countries are signed to these treaties that set acceptable policies that are aimed at conserving the environment and addressing pollution. These policies act as the standard for countries in finding the solution for this global challenge. Its shows mutual responsibility and contribution towards ensuring that pollution is significantly reduced for realization of improved standards of living. Furthermore, every country has its set policies that regulate local operations that are in line with the agreement of the international policies (IPCC, 2014, p.32). Secondly, many economies are shifting their energy sources to modern clean and renewable sources that do not have harmful carbon emissions. Studies state that hydrocarbon plants produce power that is approximately 70% of the power used globally. Shifting usage by utilization of modern clean and renewable sources can reduce this reliance on hydrocarbon plants. These modern technologies for power generation include biogas, wind, solar, geothermal and nuclear power production. They are known to produce electricity that is as effective as the hydroelectric. Besides, these modern sources are portable and cut large cost of transportation. There is increased push for families to embrace use of the modern sources of energy and this will significantly reduce fossil fuel emissions (Barredo, 2009, p.101). Thirdly, another global policy that has been embraced in most European countries is encouraging cycling, reduced usage of private transport means, and walking. Vehicles are the second greatest carbon dioxide emitters from industries; the usage of carbon fuels requires the engines to emit the smoke into the atmosphere. Hence, reducing the activity of transportation by utilizing fuel efficient public vehicles helps reduce the amount of cars emitting harmful gases. Cycling is an effective strategy to reduce pollution because bicycles do not emit gases (McKibben, 2012, p.73). If most countries embrace the act of cycling regularly rather than always driving, it can help reduce pollution. Governments are encourages to reform their public means such as trains, buses, bikes so that they can be convenience to users are reduce the burden of pollution through decreased private cars in roads. Investing in public means to improve their standards can earn recognition from most people who prefer private vehicles. Besides, the young generation can be encouraged to cycle and walk so as to reduce increased pollution by cars (Bouwer, & Aerts, 2006, p.55). In addition, recycling is another strategy that has been embraced to reduce pollution by reducing the industrial activity of repetitive production of other recyclable products. Recycling saves a lot of energy used in industries during production, reduces waste in the environment that contributes to pollution and saves cost of production. Sustainability is achieved through utilization of available resources to achieve the maximal benefits (O’Brien, & Read, 2005, p.358). Recycling achieves this and when people recycle and repair broken items rather than buying new ones they reduce the burden of production that contributes to more emissions. Moreover, recycling of papers reduces deforestation that is among the significant contributors of pollution due to reduced trees to balance the carbon cycle. Recycling saves natural forest and gives time for the manmade forests to grow. Therefore, people should be educated about the need for recycling, sensitizing them about how it can help achieve sustainable living. Governments and organizations have the responsibility to arise awareness of how recycling helps save the environment through reduced destruction of trees (Marland, Boden, & Andres, 2007, p. 19). Another modern technology used in the fight against emission is carbon dioxide capture and storage (CCS) technology that aims at harvesting carbon dioxide and storing it rather than releasing it into the atmosphere. It is done from large plants where there is large carbon dioxide emission. In 2000 this concept was used in Weyburn and in Schwarze Pumpe in Germany in 2008. The CCS technology is aimed at reducing emission into the atmosphere by about 80%. However, the long-term use of the stored carbon is yet to be discovered. The storage reservoirs are built underneath in geological areas with tightly sealed containers to prevent any leakage into the atmosphere (IPCC, 2014, p.45). The European Situation Among the most popular protocols is the Kyoto protocol that requires countries to commit themselves to significantly reducing greenhouse emissions. Countries set targets for a period and they work to hitting the targets and surpassing them. The Kyoto protocol requires European Union members to reduce greenhouses emissions by 20% by the year 2020. Since 1990s the EU economies grew by approximately 45% and managed to reduce their emission by almost half. They had committed to reducing greenhouse emission by 8% and thy surpassed that mark. This shows that growth and development can be achieved without increased emissions. Kyoto protocol has helped European countries to attain sustainable development; this can be borrowed by other regions in the world to solve the carbon dioxide emission challenge (McKibben, 2012, p.68). Furthermore, it is worth noting that in since 1995 UK appended its sign to Kyoto protocol and has been signed to adhering to it. Still, in 2008 The Climate Change Act was passed to strengthen the framework to emission reduction. This also strengthened its global leadership role in advocating for immediate action in response to climatic changes. The 2008 Act requires UK to build a low-carbon economy by committing itself to reduce its emission by a target of 80% by the year 2050. Also, the act requires UK to set carbon budgets that will measure the carbon dioxide emitted in a period of 5 years. This is breaking down the long-term commitment into attainable goals that progressively demonstrate focus towards the set target. This act provides a committee that advises the UK government on effective programs on climate change as well as analyzing and reporting progress on emission reduction to parliament. This is to involve the leaders in designing strategies that ensure that environment is conserved and maintained. In addition, the act requires UK to have National Adaptation Plan that requires assessment of climatic change risks and develop strategies to counter them as well as involving relevant organizations. Involvement of businesses, civil societies, organizations from public and private sector as well as local governments will assist the Government in developing policies and programs aimed at environmental preservation. Moreover, Department of Energy has the responsibility of delivering secure and efficient energy in additional to enforcing ambitious action towards climate changes both locally and globally (Committee on Climate Change, n.d). UK Acts and Mitigation Techniques Given that UK is a member of the European Union, it is supposed to embrace all the policies employed to handle climate change risks that include emission targets, renewable energy and efficiency levels. Hence, it is important to state that EU has 3 commitments on targets by 2020. First, to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 20%, to accomplish 20% power supply from renewable technologies and to improve efficiency of energy by 20% compared to its 2007 energy levels. Another endorsement by EU is its 85-90% emission reduction by 2050; it has a strategy to achieving the targets (IPCC, 2014, p.33). Some of the implementations by EU that UK is supposed to comply with are Emissions Trading System that utilizes a cap-and-trade initiative to allow power plants and industries to trade emission allowances in their approach to effectively reducing emissions. Besides, a Renewable Energy Directive was established to accomplishing renewable utilization target. The renewables are solar power, wind power, geothermal and biomass energy. The greatest reduction should be noted from the transport sector; UK’s target for the Renewable Energy Directive is 15%. New vehicles are supposed to have mechanisms to reduce pollution form the current status. This will help in monitoring and controlling pollution from the transport sector. Finally, European Environmental Agency has set to develop a scoreboard for its members to measure climate adaptation preparedness in various sectors namely fisheries, agriculture and cohesion policy. This will require member states to have comprehensive strategies to respond to emerging issues in those sectors (Committee on Climate Change, n.d). Conclusion It can be concluded that carbon dioxide emission is a serious global challenge that individuals, businesses, organizations and governments should commit to addressing for sustained living achievement. Increased carbon dioxide concentration has adverse effects on the environment and greatly degrades it. Moreover, the issue can be addressed through establishment of protocols, regulations as well as utilization of modern technologies in production processes. Besides, the United Kingdom has its role to play in reduction of emissions, responding to climatic change and improving energy efficiency in bid to mitigate pollution. Utilization of various bodies associated with environment and pollution will play a significant role in achieving its targets. Furthermore, EU has its mandate to reduce emission, improve energy efficiency in additional to increasing renewable energy usage. These require UK to have working policies, strategies and practices that will see it achieve its set goals and targets. Therefore, the fight to mitigate pollution caused by carbon dioxide emission is a challenge that all economies should work to finding solutions towards. Collaborating and working from the same perspective will help developed and developing economies to comprehensively find solutions that will lead to preserved environment and sustainable living. ` References Barnett, T.P., Adam, J.C. & Lettennaier (2005) Potential Impacts of Warming Climate on Water Availability in Snow Dominated Regions. Nature Journal, 438(7066): 303- 309. Barredo, J. I. (2009) No Upward Trend in Normalized Windstorm Losses in Europe: 1970– 2008. Natural Hazards Earth System Scientific Journal, 10: 97–104. Blewitt, J. (2008). Understanding Sustainable Development. London: Earthscan. ISBN 978-1-84407-454-9. Bouwer, L. M., & Aerts, J,H. (2006) Financing Climate Change Adaptation. Disasters Journal, 30: 49–63. Changnon, S. A., (2009) Temporal and Spatial Distributions of Wind Storm Damages in the United States. Climatic Change, 94: 473–483. Charles, C. & Varma, S., (2010) Abundance to Scarcity and How to Solve the World Water Problems, New Jersey: FT Press. Committee on Climate Change (n.d) Climate Change Legislation in the Eu, Accessed from < www.theccc.org.uk/tackling-climate-change/the-legal-landscape/european- union- legislation/ > [7th April 7, 2015]. Committee on Climate Change (n.d) The Climate Change and UK Regulations, Accessed from < www.theccc.org.uk/tackling-climate-change/the-legal-landscape/global-action- onclimate- change > [7th April 7, 2015]. Gordon, V. G. (2011) Welcome to the Greenhouse: New Science Fiction on Climate, New York: OR Books ISBN 9781935928270 IPCC (2014). Summary for Policymakers: Climate Change 2014, Mitigation of Climate Change. Contribution of Working Group III to the Fifth Assessment Report of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change. Cambridge University Press, Cambridge, United Kingdom and New York, NY, USA. Routledge. Kasting, J.F. & Siefert J.L. (2002) Life and Evolution of Earth’s Atmosphere, Science Journal, 296(5570): 1066-1068. Manning, S., Boons, F., Von Hagen, O., & Reinecke, J. (2011). National Contexts Matter: The Co-Evolution of Sustainability Standards in Global Value Chains: Ecological Economics Forthcoming. New York: Prentice Hall. Marland, G., Boden, T.A. & Andres. R. J. (2007) Global, Regional, and National Fossil Fuel CO2 Emissions. In Trends: A Compendium of Data on Global Change. Carbon Dioxide Information Analysis Center, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, U.S. Department of Energy, Oak Ridge, TN. McKibben, B. (2012) The Global Warming Reader: A Century of Writing About Climate Change, London: Penguin Books, ISBN 9781935928. O’Brien, G. & Read, P. (2005) Future UK emergency management: new wine, old skin?, Disaster Prevention and Management. 14(3): 353–361. Pielke, R. A., Jr., (2007) Mistreatment of the Economic Impacts of Extreme Events in the Stern Review Report on the Economics of Climate Change. Global Environment. Change, 17: 302–310. Shah, A. (2015) Action on climate change is cheaper than inaction. Global Issues.. Accessed from. < http://www.globalissues.org/article/806/action-cheaper-than-inaction > [7 April, 2015]. Stern, N., (2007) The Economics of Climate Change. Cambridge University Press. Steven, S. (2010) Water: The Epic Struggle for Wealth, Power and Civilization. New York: Harper Publishers, ISBN 978-0-06-054830-8. Tanner, T. & Mitchell, T. (2008), Entrenchment or Enhancement: Could Climate Change Adaptation Help Reduce Chronic Poverty? : Poverty in a Changing Climate, University of Sussex, Brighton, IDS Bulletin 39(4). Van den Bergh, J. C. (2010) Safe climate policy is affordable—12 reasons. Climatic Change, 101: 339–385. Read More

However, pollution has become a greater challenge in the society as well as global issue that needs to be addressed thoroughly. There are various mitigations to pollution in a bid to reduce the risks and disasters associated with carbon dioxide pollution. It is responsibility of individuals and governments to ensure that their practices support sustainable living in additional to environmental conservation (Manning, et al., 2011, p.24). Currently implementing the mitigations towards pollution will save economies much that waiting to address these issues later.

Reacting to carbon dioxide emission now will cost 11 trillion dollars and damages worth 8 trillion will have been incurred. However, delaying to respond up until by 2100 will increase the damages to 30 trillion dollars while more delay up to 2200 will see economies suffer cumulative damages worth 70 trillion dollars. This calls for global economies to react as soon as possible by developing strategies, policies and practices as mitigation towards pollution. The damages of increased carbon dioxide levels results to global warming, decreased food productivity, increased risks of human health, adverse weather conditions and polluted environment among others (Shah, 2015).

Global Mitigations Policies Some of the global mitigations towards pollution include increased usage of nuclear energy than fossil-powered energy. This ensures that overreliance on fossil fuels in production of energy is reduced significantly. Fossil fuels are the major contributor to carbon dioxide emissions into the environment. This pollution mostly comes from industrial emissions and car exhaust emissions that directly inject carbon dioxide into the atmosphere. Hence, if fossil fuels usage can be reduced by utilization of eco-friendly nuclear sources, emissions can be significantly decreased (Pielke, 2007, p.305). Furthermore, another strategy is through utilization of renewable and eco-friendly sources like solar, biogas, wind, and geothermal.

This can help generate required energy as an alternative to fossil fuel energy. These modern and renewable sources of energy preserve environments given that they do not emit carbon dioxide. Most industries across the globe have embraced these sources and have significantly reduced their rate and intensity of emissions. Moreover, elimination of vehicles that are not roadworthy from operating helps reduce vehicle emissions by a considerable extent. Production of electric cars will also contribute to reduced reliance on fossil fuels (Stern, 2007, p.34). In addition, another strategy to pollution mitigation is raising awareness of the effects carbon emissions through governmental bodies associated with environment.

This helps educate population about how the contribute towards pollution, the adverse effects of pollution and how they can reduce pollution and conserve the environment. This helps to reduce some human activities that that the population ignorantly practices like charcoal burning, and deforestation. Reducing human practices that significantly add to carbon dioxide emission has a positive effect in the fight towards pollution. Moreover, governments have carried out programs that enforce on planting of trees to reduce deforested areas so that the trees can help balance the carbon cycle (Steven, 2010, p.46). Increased tillage of productive lands is encouraged to ensure that plantation covers larger portion of the bare land.

This helps to increase utilization of the available atmospheric carbon dioxide as a strategy to reduce it. Studies claim that if carbon dioxide emissions can be reduced by approximately 1 billion tons annually, by 2060 the level of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere can be manageable (Charles, & Varma, 2010, p.21). Furthermore, globally reduced usage of greenhouses has been discouraged due to their heavy emission of carbon dioxide. China and United States are the greatest emitters of carbon dioxide through greenhouses.

This is due to their increased economic expansion, industrial processes and huge population.

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