report of the project- glbal warming

8/6/2019 Report of the Project- Glbal Warming

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REPORT OF THE PROJECT

TITLED

Global Warming

Submitted By:

Sijo Jose

ENROLMENT NUMBER - 063606817

Submitted To:

SCHOOL OF SOCIAL SCIENCESINDIRA GANDHI NATIONAL OPEN UNIVERSITY

MAIDAN GARHI

NEW DELHI.


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Programme Code- BTS

Course Code - PTS 5

Enrolment Number - 063606817

Study Centre Code - 07102

Regional Centre -07

Global Warming

Project Report Submitted to the Indira Gandhi National Open University in partial

fulfillment of the requirements for the award of the Degree in Bachelors in Tourism

Studies. I hereby declare that this is my original work and has not been submitted

elsewhere.

Name of the Candidate: Sijo Jose

Year: BTS (3rd year)

Signature


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INTRODUCTION

The term Global Warming refers to the increase in the average

temperature of the Earth in recent years and its projected continuation.

Scientists made an alarming discovery in the 1980s: The average surface

temperature on Earth is slowly increasing. This trend is known as global

warming. It is believed to be caused by an increase in the amounts of

certain gases in the atmosphere. Glaciers are melting, sea levels are rising,

cloud forests are drying, and wildlife is scrambling to keep pace. It's

becoming clear that humans have caused most of the past century's

warming by releasing heat-trapping gases as we power our modern lives.

Called greenhouse gases, their levels are higher now than in the last650,000 years. We call the result global warming, but it is causing a set of

changes to the Earth's climate, or long-term weather patterns, that varies

from place to place. As the Earth spins each day, the new heat swirls with

it, picking up moisture over the oceans, rising here, settling there. It's

changing the rhythms of climate that all living things have come to rely

upon. Global warming is when the earth heats up (the temperature rises). It

happens when greenhouse gases (carbon dioxide, water vapor, nitrous

oxide, and methane) trap heat and light from the sun in the earthsatmosphere, which increases the temperature.

Earth has experienced periods of gradual warming and cooling throughout

its existence due to natural causes, such as volcanic eruptions and

variations in the Suns output. However, scientists have attributed the

current increase in global temperatures to human causes-primarily the

release of certain gases into the atmosphere as a result of industrial

activity. These gases-collectively termed greenhouse gases-absorb and

trap heat emitted from Earths surface through a phenomenon known asthe greenhouse effect. Global warming has become perhaps the most

complicated issue facing world leaders. On the one hand, warnings from

the scientific community are becoming louder, as an increasing body of

science points to rising dangers from the ongoing buildup of human-related

greenhouse gases produced mainly by the burning of fossil fuels and


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forests. On the other, the technological, economic and political issues that

have to be resolved before a concerted worldwide effort to reduce

emissions can begin have gotten no simpler, particularly in the face of a

global economic slowdown.


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OBJECTIVE OF STUDY

To study the global warming on Earth.

To identify the causes of global warming.

Expected effects

Feedback


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RESEARCH METHODOLOGY

In order to accomplish the objectives of the study, it is essential to articulate

the manner in which it is to be conducted, i.e., the research process is to be

carried-out in a certain framework. The Research Methodology, which

follows, is the backbone of the study.

Research part was divided into following steps: -

Data Sources:All the secondary data was collected from various sources

like books and Journals on Global warming.

Analysis: Collected information has been analyzed under the light of the

Survey.


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CAUSES OF GLOBAL WARMING

Greenhouse Gases :

The greenhouse effect is the process by which absorption and emission ofinfrared radiation by gases in the atmosphere warm a planet's loweratmosphere and surface. Existence of the greenhouse effect as such is notdisputed, even by those who do not agree that the recent temperatureincrease is attributable to human activity. Human activity since theIndustrial Revolution has increased the amount of greenhouse gases in theatmosphere, leading to increased radiative forcing from CO

2, methane,

tropospheric ozone, CFCs and nitrous oxide. The concentrations of CO2and methane have increased by 36% and 148% respectively since 1750.[29]These levels are much higher than at any time during the last 650,000years, the period for which reliable data has been extracted from icecores.[30][31][32] Less direct geological evidence indicates that CO2 valueshigher than this were last seen about 20 million years ago. The destructionof stratospheric ozone by chlorofluorocarbons is sometimes mentioned inrelation to global warming.

Aerosols and soot :

Global dimming, a gradual reduction in the amount of global directirradiance at the Earth's surface, has partially counteracted global warmingfrom 1960 to the present.The main cause of this dimming is aerosolsproduced by volcanoes and pollutants. These aerosols exert a coolingeffect by increasing the reflection of incoming sunlight. In addition to theirdirect effect by scattering and absorbing solar radiation, aerosols have

indirect effects on the radiation budget. Sulfate aerosols act as cloudcondensation nuclei and thus lead to clouds that have more and smallercloud droplets. These clouds reflect solar radiation more efficiently thanclouds with fewer and larger droplets. This effect also causes droplets to beof more uniform size, which reduces growth of raindrops and makes thecloud more reflective to incoming sunlight. Soot may cool or warm,depending on whether it is airborne or deposited. Atmospheric soot


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aerosols directly absorb solar radiation, which heats the atmosphere andcools the surface. In isolated areas with high soot production, such as ruralIndia, as much as 50% of surface warming due to greenhouse gases maybe masked by atmospheric brown clouds.When deposited, especially onglaciers or on ice in arctic regions, the lower surface albedo can alsodirectly heat the surface. The influences of aerosols, including blackcarbon, are most pronounced in the tropics and sub-tropics, particularly in

Asia, while the effects of greenhouse gases are dominant in theextratropics and southern hemisphere.

Solar Variation :

Variations in solar output have been the cause of past climate changes, butsolar forcing is generally thought to be too small to account for a significantpart of global warming in recent decades.Greenhouse gases and solarforcing affect temperatures in different ways. While both increased solaractivity and increased greenhouse gases are expected to warm thetroposphere, an increase in solar activity should warm the stratospherewhile an increase in greenhouse gases should cool the stratosphere.Observations show that temperatures in the stratosphere have beencooling since 1979, when satellite measurements became available.Radiosonde (weather balloon) data from the pre-satellite era show cooling

since 1958, though there is greater uncertainty in the early radiosonderecord.

A recent study concluded that the influence of cosmic rays on cloud coveris about a factor of 100 lower than needed to explain the observed changesin clouds or to be a significant contributor to present-day climate change.


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EFFECTS OF GLOBAL WARMING

a) On the Environment and Weather Pattern- an increase in globaltemperatures may in turn cause other changes, including glacial retreat andworldwide sea level rise. Changes in the amount and pattern ofprecipitation may result in flooding and drought. There may also bechanges in the frequency and intensity of extreme weather events. Othereffects may include changes in agricultural yields, reduced summer streamflows, species extinctions, and increases in the range of disease vectors.

b) On the Economy- It is believed that the increase in frequency, intensity,and unpredictability of Natural Disasters is due to Global Warming. TheNatural Disasters has cost the Governments of the World billions of dollarsin repair and compensation, which definitely has a negative effect on theeconomy.

c) Food supply- Climate change will impact agriculture and food productionaround the world due to: the effects of elevated CO2 in the atmosphere,higher temperatures, altered precipitation and transpiration regimes,increased frequency of extreme events, and modified weed, pest,and pathogen pressure.

d) Health- Human beings are exposed to climate change through changingweather patterns (temperature, precipitation, sea-level rise and morefrequent extreme events) and indirectly through changes in water, air andfood quality and changes in ecosystems, agriculture, industry andsettlements and the economy.According to a literature assessment by

Confalonieri, the effects of climate change to date have been small, but areprojected to progressively increase in all countries and regions.

e) Water resource- In a literature assessment, Kundzewicz concluded, with

high confidence, that:


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the negative impacts of climate change on freshwater systems outweigh

the benefits. All of the regions assessed in the IPCC Fourth Assessment

Report (Africa, Asia, Australia and New Zealand, Europe, Latin America,

North America, Polar regions (Arctic and Antarctic), and small islands)

showed an overall net negative impact of climate change on waterresources and freshwater ecosystems.

Semi-arid and arid areas are particularly exposed to the impacts of

climate change on freshwater. With very high confidence, it was judged

that many of these areas, e.g., the Mediterranean basin, western USA,

southern Africa, and north-eastern Brazil, would suffer a decrease in

water resources due to climate change.

f) Migration and conflict- Rising ethnic conflicts may be linked tocompetition over natural resources that are increasingly scarce as a resultof climate change (Wilbanks).According to a literature assessment byWilbanks , other factors need to be taken into account. It was suggestedthat major environmentally-influenced conflicts in Africa have more to dowith the relative abundance of resources, e.g., oil and diamonds, than withresource scarcity.

g) Aggregate impacts- Aggregating impacts adds up the total impact ofclimate change across sectors and/or regions.The impacts of climatechange across world population will not be distributed evenly found that forincreases in global mean temperature of less than 1-3 C above 1990levels, some impacts were projected to produce benefits in some placesand sectors, and produce costs in other places and sectors.

h) Regions- Some regions are likely to be especially affected by climate

change :

The Arctic, because of high rates of projected warming.

Africa, especially in the sub-Saharan region. This is due to the

continent's low capacity to adapt to climate change and projected

impacts.


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Small islands, due to high exposure of population and infrastructure at

risk to sea-level rise and increased storm surge.

Asian megadeltas, due to large populations and high exposure to sea-

level rise, storm surge and river flooding.

Within other areas, some people are particularly at risk, such as the poor,

young children and the elderly.

Climate Change in India

The effects of global warming on the Indian subcontinent vary from the

submergence of low-lying islands and coastal lands to the melting

of glaciers in the Indian Himalayas, threatening the volumetric flow rate of

many of the most important rivers of India and South Asia. In India, such

effects are projected to impact millions of lives. As a result of

ongoing climate change, the climate of India has become increasingly

volatile over the past several decades; this trend is expected to continue.

Greenhouse Gases in India:

Elevated carbon dioxide emissions contributed to the greenhouse effect,causing warmer weather that lasted long after the atmospheric shroud of

dust and aerosols had cleared. Further climatic changes 20 million years

ago, long after India had crashed into the Laurasian landmass, were severe

enough to cause the extinction of many endemic Indian forms. The

formation of the Himalayas resulted in blockage of frigid Central Asian air,

preventing it from reaching India; this made its climate significantly warmer

and more tropical in character than it would otherwise have been.

Recently, the Prime Minister's Office issued directives to formulate a plan tomitigate the effects of global warming and climate change. The plan is

being prepared on a national level. Firstly, we have to accept the fact that

India is contributing to global warming and to Green House Gas (GHG)

emissions. We have been in denial mode so that we are not forced to

reduce emissions and achieve targets. Developed countries like USA and


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other European nations argue that India is the fourth largest contributor to

GHG and therefore should work to achieve emission control targets.

According to me, India is the harshest sufferer of global warming. The

government's objective is to work for coordinated efforts of all the

stakeholders to reduce GHG. Formulation of a plan to study impact andefforts to mitigate effects of global warming and climate change has already

started.


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Climate change mitigation

Climate change mitigation are measures or actions to decrease the

intensity of radiative forcing in order to reduce global warming. Mitigation is

distinguished from adaptation, which involves acting to minimize the effectsof global warming. Most often, mitigations involve reductions in

the concentrationsof greenhouse gases, either by reducing their sources or

by increasing their sinks. Scientific consensus on global warming, together

with the precautionary principle and the fear of abrupt climate change is

leading to increased effort to develop new technologies and sciences and

carefully manage others in an attempt to mitigate global warming.

Unfortunately most means of mitigation appear effective only for preventing

further warming, not at reversing existing warming.

The Stern Review identifies several ways of mitigating climate change.

These include reducing demand for emissions-intensive goods and

services, increasing efficiency gains, increasing use and development of

low-carbon technologies, and reducing non-fossil fuel emissions.

The energy policy of the European Union has set a target of limiting the

global temperature rise to 2 C [3.6 F] compared to preindustrial levels, of

which 0.8 C has already taken place and another 0.5 C is

already committed. The 2 C rise is typically associated in climate

models with a carbon dioxide concentration of 400-500 ppm by volume; the

current level as of January 2007 is 383 ppm by volume, and rising at 2 ppm

annually. Hence, to avoid a very likely breach of the 2 C target, CO2 levels

would have to be stabilised very soon; this is generally regarded as

unlikely, based on current programs in place to date. The importance of

change is illustrated by the fact that world economic energy efficiency is

presently improving at only half the rate of world economic growth.

At the core of most proposals is the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions

through reducing energy use and switching to cleaner energy sources.

Frequently discussed energy conservation methods include increasing

the fuel efficiency of vehicles (often through hybrid, plug-in hybrid,

and electric cars and improving conventional automobiles), individual-

lifestyle changes and changing business practices. Newly developed

technologies and currently available technologies including renewable


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energy (such as solar power, tidal and ocean energy, geothermal power,

and wind power) and more controversially nuclear power and the use

of carbon sinks, carbon credits, and taxation are aimed more precisely at

countering continued greenhouse gas emissions. More radical proposals

which may be grouped with mitigation include biosequestration ofatmospheric carbon dioxide and geoengineering techniques ranging

from carbon sequestration projects such as carbon dioxide air capture,

to solar radiation management schemes such as the creation

of stratospheric sulfur aerosols. The ever-increasing global population and

the planned growth of national GDPs based on current technologies are

counter-productive to most of these proposals.

Energy efficiencyand conservation:

Reducing fuel use by improvements in efficiency provides environmental

benefits and as well as net cost savings to the energy user. Building

insulation, fluorescent lighting, and public transportation are some of the

most effective means of conserving energy, and by extension, the

environment. However, Jevons paradox poses a challenge to the goal of

reducing overall energy use (and thus environmental impact) by energy

conservation methods. Improved efficiency lowers cost, which in turnincreases demand. To ensure that increases in efficiency actually reduces

energy use, a tax must be imposed to remove any cost savings from

improved efficiency.

Energy conservation is the practice of increasing the efficiency of use of

energy in order to achieve higher useful output for the same energy

consumption. This may result in increase of national security, personal

security, financial capital, human comfort and environmental value.

Individuals and organizations that are direct consumers of energy may

want to conserve energy in order to reduce energy costs and promote

environmental values. Industrial and commercial users may want to

increase efficiency and maximize profit.

On a larger scale, energy conservation is an element of energy policy. The

need to increase the available supply of energy (for example, through the


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creation of new power plants, or by the importation of more energy) is

lessened if societal demand for energy can be reduced, or if growth in

demand can be slowed. This makes energy conservation an important part

of the debate over climate change and the replacement of non-renewable

resources with renewable energy. Encouraging energy conservationamong consumers is often advocated as a cheaper or more

environmentally sensitive alternative to increased energy production.

The energylandscape:

Residential buildings, commercial buildings, and the transportation of

people and freight use the majority of the energy consumed by the United

States each year. Specifically, the industrial sector uses 38 percent of totalenergy, closely followed by the transportation sector at 28 percent, the

residential sector at 19 percent, and the commercial sector at 16 percent.

On a community level, transportation can account for 40 to 50 percent of

total energy use, and residential buildings use another 20 to 30 percent.

In developed nations, the way of life today is completely dependent on

abundant supplies of energy. Energy is needed to heat, cool, and light

homes, fuel cars, and power offices. Energy is also critical for

manufacturing the products used every day, including the cement, concrete

and bricks that shape our communities.

While the U.S represents only five percent of the world's population, it

consumes 25 percent of its energy and generates about 25 percent of its

total greenhouse gas emissions. U.S. citizens, for example, use more

energy per capita for transportation than do citizens of any other

industrialized nationwhich in part, reflects the greater distances traveled

by Americans compared with citizens of other nations.

Urbanplanning:

Urban planning also has an effect on energy use. Between 1982 and 1997,

the amount of land consumed for urban development in the United States

increased by 47 percent while the nation's population grew by only 17


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percent. Inefficient land use development practices have increased

infrastructure costs as well as the amount of energy needed for

transportation, community services, and buildings.

At the same time, a growing number of citizens and government officials

have begun advocating a smarter approach to land use planning. These

smart growth practices include compact community development, multiple

transportation choices, mixed land uses, and practices to conserve green

space. These programs offer environmental, economic, and quality-of-life

benefits; and they also serve to reduce energy usage and greenhouse gas

emissions.

Approaches such as New Urbanism and Transit-oriented

development seek to reduce distances travelled, especially by private

vehicles, encourage public transit and make walking and cycling moreattractive options. This is achieved through medium-density, mixed-

use planning and the concentration of housing within walking distance

of town centers and transport nodes.

Smarter growth land use policies have both a direct and indirect effect on

energy consuming behavior. For example, transportation energy usage, the

number one user of petroleum fuels, could be significantly reduced through

more compact and mixed use land development patterns, which in turn

could be served by a greater variety of non-automotive basedtransportation choices.

Building design:

Emissions from housing are substantial, and government-supported energy

efficiency programmes can make a difference.

New buildings can be constructed using passive solar building design, low-

energy building, or zero-energy building techniques, using renewableheatsources. Existing buildings can be made more efficient through the use

of insulation, high-efficiency appliances (particularly hot water

heaters andfurnaces), double- or triple-glazed gas-filled windows, external

window shades, and building orientation and siting. Renewable heat

sources such asshallow geothermal and passive solar energy reduce the


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amount of greenhouse gasses emitted. In addition to designing buildings

which are more energy efficient to heat, it is possible to design buildings

that are more energy efficient to cool by using lighter-coloured, more

reflective materials in the development of urban areas (e.g. by painting

roofs white) and planting trees. This saves energy because it coolsbuildings and reduces the urban heat island effect thus reducing the use of

air conditioning.

Transport:

Modern energy efficient technologies, such as plug-in hybrid electric

vehicles, and development of new technologies, such as hydrogen cars,

may reduce the consumption of petroleum and emissions of carbon

dioxide.

A shift from air transport and truck transport to electric rail transport would

reduce emissions significantly.

Increased use of biofuels (such as biodiesel and biobutanol, that can be

used in 100% concentration in today's diesel and gasoline engines) could

also reduce emissions if produced environmentally efficiently, especially in

conjunction with regular hybrids and plug-in hybrids.

For electric vehicles, the reduction of carbon emissions will improve furtherif the way the required electricity is generated is low-carbon

(from renewable energysources).

Effective urban planning to reduce sprawl would decrease Vehicle Miles

Travelled (VMT), lowering emissions from transportation. Increased use

of public transport can also reduce greenhouse gas emissions per

passenger kilometer.

Alternative energy sources:

Nuclear powercurrently produces over 15% of the world's electricity.Due to its low emittance of greenhouse gases (comparable to windpower[24]) and reliability it is seen as a possible alternative to fossilfuels, but is controversial for reasons of capital cost and


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possible environmental impacts. Also, there are political impacts insome countries.

Life- cycle greenhouse gas emissions comparisons - Most

comparisons of life cycle analysis (LCA) of carbon dioxide emissions

show nuclear power as comparable to renewable energy sources. Alife cycle analysis centered around the Swedish Forsmark Nuclear

Power Plant estimated carbon dioxide emissions at 3.10 g/kWh and

5.05 g/kWh in 2002 for the Torness Nuclear Power Station. This

compares to 11 g/kWh for hydroelectric power, 950 g/kWh for

installed coal, 900 g/kWh for oil and 600 g/kWh for natural gas

generation in the United States in 1999. The Swedish

utility Vattenfall did a study of full life cycle emissions of nuclear,

hydro, coal, gas, solar cell, peat and wind which the utility uses toproduce electricity. The net result of the study was that nuclear power

produced 3.3 grams of carbon dioxide per KW-Hr of produced power.

This compares to 400 fornatural gas and 700 for coal (according to

this study). The study also concluded that nuclear power produced

the smallest amount of CO2 of any of their electricity sources.

Enrichment - The bulk of CO2 emission from nuclear power plants

can be eliminated if nuclear power plants themselves generate the

electricity required during the uranium enrichment process (already

being done in France and to some extent by the Tennessee Valley

Authority's many nuclear units in the U.S.). In addition, gas

centrifuge technology has/will greatly reduced the energy required for

enrichment, thus reducing the LCA carbon emissions per kilowatt-

hour.

Nuclear fuel reserves Current uranium production is expected tobe adequate at current consumption rates for about a century

(from uranium mining, see also peak uranium).There are a number of

alternative nuclear fission technologies, such as breeder reactors,

(see generation IV reactors) which could vastly extend fuel supplies if

successfully developed and utilized. Lower-risk thorium cycles have

been demonstrated in the past. Nuclear fusion is another variant of

providing nuclear energy, but it will not provide any immediate


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mitigation to global warming as the time horizon for its commercial

deployment is expected to be after 2050.

Renewable energy -One means of reducing carbon emissions isthe development of new technologies such as renewable energy suchas wind power. Most forms of renewable energy generate noappreciable amounts of greenhouse gases except for biofuels derivedfrom biomass, as well as some biofuels derived from fossil fuelsources. Helioculture is a newly developed process which is claimedto be able to produce 20,000 gallons of fuel per acre per year, andwhich removes carbon dioxide from the air as a feedstock for the fuel.Generally, emissions are a fraction of fossil fuel-based electricitygeneration. In some cases, notably with hydroelectric dams--oncethought to be one of the cleanest forms of energythere are

unexpected results. One study shows that a hydroelectric dam in theAmazon has 3.6 times larger greenhouse effect per kWh thanelectricity production from oil, due to large scale emissionof methane from decaying organic material. This effect applies inparticular to dams created by simply flooding a large area, withoutfirst clearing it of vegetation. There are however investigationsinto underwater turbines that do not require a dam.Currentlygovernments subsidize fossil fuels by an estimated $235 billion ayear. However, in some countries, government action has boostedthe development of renewable energy technologiesfor example, aprogram to put solar panels on the roofs of a million homes hasmade Japan a world leader in that technology, and Denmark'ssupport for wind power ensured its former leadership of that sector. In2005, Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger promised an initiative toinstall a million solar roofs in California, which became the CaliforniaSolar Initiative. n June 2005, the chief executive of BT allegedlybecame the first head of a British company to admit that climatechange is already affecting his company, and affecting its business,and announced plansto source much of its substantial energy use

from renewable sources. He noted that, "Since the beginning of theyear, the media has been showing us images of Greenland glacierscrashing into the sea, Mount Kilimanjaro devoid of its ice cap andScotland reeling from floods and gales. All down to natural weathercycles? I think not."


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Eliminating waste methane - Methane is a significantly more powerfulgreenhouse gas than carbon dioxide. Burning one molecule of

methane generates one molecule of carbon dioxide. Accordingly,

burning methane which would otherwise be released into the

atmosphere (such as at oil wells, landfills, coal mines, wastetreatment plants, etc.) provides a net greenhouse gas emissions

benefit. However, reducing the amount of waste methane produced in

the first place has an even greater beneficial impact, as might other

approaches to productive use of otherwise-wasted methane.In terms

of prevention, vaccines are in the works in Australia to reduce

significant global warming contributions from methane released by

livestock via flatulence and eructation.


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CONCLUSION

Global warming is a h ighly cont rovers ia l debate wi th avar iety of d i f ferent factors inf luencing people 's th ink ing andviews on i t .

Clear ly par t of the argument in terms of g lo bal warming is inthe terms used. Analys is appears to show that whi le g lobalwarming as a phenomenon is widely ( i f grudgingly, by some)accepted, i t is the l inks of g lobal warming to g lobal c l imatechange, and of the enhanced greenhouse ef fect to g lobalwarming, that some consider tenuous.

I t is b l indingly obvious that many opin ions are inf luenced by

people 's posi t ions, inc luding thei r professions, bel iefs andpersonal moral v iews on the envi ronment , and i t is th is thatcauses such c l imate cont rovers y. On the one hand, evidenceis mount ing that the greenhouse ef fect , g lobal warming andglobal c l imate change are l inked, and that potent ia l lossesare in the t r i l l ions of pounts. Conversely, there are manywho are unwi l l ing to pay the cost of deterr ing g lobal warmingin terms of l i festy le and energy use, which creates a greatdeal of conf l ic t .

In g lobal terms, i t is LEDCs that appear to los e out the most ,as thei r voice in the g lobal com muni ty is not as resonant ascountr ies such as Amer ica and other MEDCs, who re ly on anoi l based economy. Furthermore, a problem is presentedwi th countr ies such as China, an NIC which is fast becomingan MEDC. China is now the largest g l obal emi t ter , however i tis a content ious issue for countr ies such as the UK toenforce emissions rest r ic t ions o n a nat ion that is us ingnatural resources and is producing emissions to grow

economical ly in the same mann er as the UK in the indust r ia lrevolut ion.

Wi th th is mul t i - faceted issue there is no r ight answer andmany v iewpoints, however to re i terate an ear l ier point : dataclear ly shows global sur face temper atures r is ing tounprecedented levels, whic h for a var iety of reasons poses a


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threat to the ent i re p lanet . However content ious the issuesmay be, i t is c lear that now is the t ime that we need to act insome way to e i ther adapt to g lobal wa rming or mi t igate i tsef fects. The most l ike ly way for th is to be come a real i ty isthrough the adopt ion of c leaner energy sources for a l l our energy uses, however the scale of th is task is daunt ing whenconsider ing our economic dependance on fossi l fuels.

At any rate, the ke y point is th is ; we must act no w to reduceour footpr int on th is p lanet , which appears to be having anef fect on the very c l imate that a l lows us t he r ight condi t ionsto exist . I f we cannot mi t igate the potent ia l ef fects no w,regardless of the cost , then our surv ival as a species looskto be d i rect ly threatened by the consequences of our own

act ions.

Who wi l l care i f i t warms up a few de grees? The answer, iseverybody. W e wi l l a l l be af fected, and for most of us, for the worst .


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2. Daly JL (2000) The Surface Record: Global Mean Temperature and how it isdetermined at sea level

3. Folland, CK, DE Parker 1995 Quarterly Journal Royal MeteorologicalSociety121:319-367.

4. Gray VR (2000) The Surface Temperature Record.5. Hansen J and S Lebedeff 1987 Global Trends of measured surface

temperature J Geophys Res 92:13345-133726. IPCC 1990 Climate Change (J.T. Houghton. G.J. Jenkins, J.J. Ephraums, Eds )

Cambridge University Press7. Karl, T.R. 1998 Annexe A Regional Trends and Variations of Temperature and

Precipitation in The Regional Impacts of Climate Change. IPCC WGII,

Cambridge University Press8. Mann, ME, RS Bradley 1999 Northern Hemisphere Temperatures During the

Past Millennium: Inferences, Uncertainties and Limitations. Geophys ResLetters :26 (6) 759-762

9. Naurzbaev, MM, EA Vaganov 2000. Extraordinary Warmth in the20th Century? J. Geophys Res 105:7315-7326

10. Parker, DE, M Gordon, DPN Cullum, DMH Sexton, CK Folland, N Rayner,1997 A new gridded radiosonde temperature data base and recent temperaturetrends Geophys Res Letters :24 (12) 1499-1502

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