Enviromental Issues of Global Warming - Essay Example

?Running head: GLOBAL WARMING There have been a great number of environmental problems that have had negative impact on plants, animals, environment, air and even land and water resources. Some of these problems are global warming, high population. Global warming especially has had a control of the worst outcomes in the world today. Global can be defined as the increase of the planet’s over the surface average temperature due to the absorption of the infra- red radiation by the atmospheric gases including carbon dioxide, methane. Nitrous gas, ozone and water vapor. This is called the greenhouse effect where the short wavelength radiations are allowed to pass through the gases but the long wavelength radiations reflected by the earth’s surface are blocked from penetrating by these gases and are reflected back to the earth. This raises the over the surface temperature above the average and this has had major affects on different aspects in the world. Effects of global warming on: Plant life; global warming and climatic change have become the major cause of the change in the functioning and the distribution of plant life. This change has led to the problem of speciation and extinction of plants. The plants thrive under certain conditions which when altered my reverse or terminate the process while their physiological functioning like that of their life cycles is defined. The way the plants synthesize is affected in that there is increased water intake efficiency, increased growth of these plants and also increased capacity to photosynthesize the result of this is the thickening of the plant community structure and functioning. North Gerald R J Schmandt Jclarkson eds. (1995) ni their book, the impacts of global warming, highlighted that, depending on the environment, there are different responses which may result to competition among different species of plants. In addition to this, there may result to a change in the herbivore nutrition due to the variation in the Carbon Nitrogen ratio. The rise in the climate has increase the rate of pests and disease multiplication. The organisms have shifted their range forward to higher elevations. The butterflies, dragons, beetles and moths are now living at higher latitudes and altitudes where survival was previously not possible due to the cold that infested these regions. More so, they arrive earlier in the spring season and take longer than usual to depart. These insects have terrorized the plants found in the world as heir multiplication and survival has been favored. The changes in the climatic conditions for example the temperature shifting may cause the phenology of the plants to change like the flowering of the plants. J.T Houghton.L.G.MJ FilhoD.J GriggsK. Maskell. (1997) observed that the flowering annual plants have been seen to flower earlier than the perennials while the insect pollinated plants flowering before those which are pollinated by wind and this will have an ecological effect. The change in the climatic conditions has had a tendency of altering the species composition in certain regions. While other place species fail to thrive under these changed conditions, other s may find it favorable and start developing in these regions. The result is an inevitable relative abundance in the composition of species. On animals: The animals have suffered an adverse effect due to global warming. Most of these effects are like those of the plants but the animals may face a worse deal as the extinction of some plants may also cause the animals to cease in existence. The major effects of this problem is that the climatic change may change the composition and distribution of the animal species, a variety of stresses including the destruction of food sources like for polar bears and the polar ice melting plus the destruction of the glaciers may result to the fish which is its food to lack, thus leading to the polar bear extinction. The other result of stress is that the animals may be forced to migrate to other regions. This may be as a result of unfavorable climate where higher temperatures are experienced of which prove to be unbearable to the animals. This may also be due the extinction of their food source The animals suffer from having some of their paths blocked by human and natural barriers. This hinders their movement from one place to the other. Some of these movements happen due to species interdependence which may no longer work if the paths are blocked. The food chain therefore is destroyed and some of the species involved may no longer survive as the conditions have become very hostile On human societies: the greatest perspective of this is the effect on human health and the risks that are associated with the climatic change. There have occurred intense storms and hurricanes. There have been increased speeds of storms and rainfall due to the rise in the temperatures. The result has been floods which have drowned many, caused injuries, displaced others and led to the destruction of the infrastructure. The number of deaths has increased with increased risks and illnesses. As the heat increases, the heart is unable to function normally due to heat exhaustion and this leads to heatstroke, kidney disease and even cardiovascular disease. J.T Houghton.L.G.MJ FilhoD.J GriggsK. Maskell. (1997) added that due to heat waves, major upsets hit the elderly and he young plus those in the urban areas due to the elevated temperatures where this effect is known as urban heat island effect. Also, in some areas there occurs increased ground level smog that causes respiratory problems that result to cardiac infections and pulmonary affections. In addition to all these effects on the human species, there will be increased droughts and this will result to reduced food supply and malnutrition cases will be rampant and this will increase the death rates. The insects and pests will spread more rapidly. It has over the years been observed that the high temperatures have favored the development of pathogens which are transmitted through insect carriers and the diseases like malaria have spread fast through the increased rainfall. On water resources: these water resources have ended up being warm and inhabitable by some of the aquatic life. This has occurred due to the rise in the temperatures on the surface of the earth. Also, the change in the climate has increased the water level but the problem has become that much of this water is polluted due to the surface runoff and reaction of it with the acidic gases. On land: much of the land has ended up being infertile due to its modification to being acidic in nature. The precipitation has been of the acidic rain brought about by the reaction of the rain with the carbon in the atmosphere to form carbon dioxide gas. This has reached the land in the same manner and has destroyed some of the organisms that make the soil to be well aerated for agricultural purposes. The ice that melts causes the erosion of the soil and thus the top productive layers are washed away. This is also brought about by the faster moving winds. The productive land has been undated by the increased methane and carbon gas and thus the sea level rise comes sooner than predicted The air has become polluted and is almost unbearable as these gases which inhabit it are poisonous. The ozone layer has become thicker and darker and with very unwelcoming results to the environment. Many solutions have been attempted in developing the solutions to this menace which is to reduce the effect and the causes of the greenhouse effect and the gases which cause it, which has brought about devastating losses and a fearful future for all that is to come, either in living form or not. Its survival has greatly been threatened to a great extent. Some of these achievements have to a certain extent succeeded but some of them fell before they could even kick off. The several achievements that have been in force are the Kyoto protocol and the biodiversity protocol The Kyoto protocol conference occurred in Kyoto Japan where the countries agreed that they would work to reduce the emission of these greenhouse gases. Some of the countries like the US agreed to stabilize the gases whereas others agreed to have their reduction as a percentage but the specifics would be detailed over the few years that would follow. This however did not have much success as the industries like that of coal and oil opposed the Kyoto protocol stating that it was subjective in its conclusions. In addition to this, some of the famous scientists were funded to oppose it by commercial groups’ stating that it was just rumors and not true. This furthered the failure of the agreement. In the year 2001, the US president refused to sign the agreement stating that countries like china and Japan were excluded from the cut on emission of these gases. The global climate coalition was formed and comprised of major gas emitting like shell, Bp, DuPont, Texaco and General Motors. Some of these have pulled out of these agreements and have stated their reasons to be that their images have been tarnished under these agreements and there this has resulted to the weakening of the policies set to reduce emissions by these companies .they state that they will take independent measures to the same thing of dealing with these greenhouse gases. Suggested solutions The changing of the environment and the reduction of the emissions needs to start with personal initiative as North Gerald R J Schmandt Jclarkson eds. (1995) have noted, before it reaches the state level. This, they have said will help to reduce the gases that are emitted to the atmosphere to a certain extent. it will involve partial eradication, substation and reduced usage of the processes that emit the gases. Less consumption will lead to less purchase of the materials that would have otherwise been produced and fuels emitted. This will lead to lesser fossil fuels being emitted during production and extraction. To substitute for this, reusable materials like sacks are used and this will cut back on consumption. In addition to this, the society can have the initiative of buying in bulk to reduce the packaging material production that would otherwise have been required. The workers can move closer to the work places to cut back on the needed fuel for transportation. The workers can alternatively walk, use mass transit or even cycle where only human energy is required or telecommuting can also be an alternative Efficiency in use of energy can lead to a reduced emission of the gases. This can help as much will be done through using less. The engines should not be over speeded, the tires should have enough inflation or even do more work during the day and less at night as well as not leaving the lights on after sleeping. Similarly, appliances like generators which are used should have the recommendation of being efficient and proven so. The windows of the rooms in the job places and homes should be weather proofed to reduce heating and cooling bills. Planting trees will reduce the energy bills during summer and will help to regulate the temperatures in the surrounding. This will save on the coal or electricity fuel. The people should be educated about what global warming is and its effects on the environment. This will have an internal long lasting self initiative to reduce the inflation rates that have affected the planet The motor vehicles that are used should be in good working conditions and their engines should be able to support motion at a very minimal trigger. This will ensure that there is minimal emission of the gases from these cars. There should be an active law by the government to follow up and ensure that the gas emissions are minimal and are adhered to as per the laws. Measures to oversee this might be like the formation of taxes levy on the emission of these gases. This will help to give discipline economically to those who are involved. References: Campbell-LendrumD.H., CorvalanC.F., Ebi, K.L., Githeko, A., Scheraga, J.DMcMichael, A.J. (2003). World Health Organization (WHO)-Climate change and human health - risks and responses. J.T Houghton.L.G.MJ FilhoD.J GriggsK. Maskell. (1997). intergovernmental panel on climatic change. GEneva: cambridge university press. North Gerald R J Schmandt Jclarkson eds. (1995). The Impacts of Global Warming on Texas. Texas: University of Texas Press. Austin. Read More