Economic issues of global warming are the most controversial and crucial nowadays.
In the nineteenth century, the volume of CO2 in the air was much less than today. Recently in the world rate of accumulation of this gas in the atmosphere has become unprecedentedly high. The majority of scholars consider that this problem is directly connected with economic growth. The inevitability of a number of difficulties that arise in connection with this process is the main problem along with the need for a relatively short period of time to adapt many economic activities to a rapidly changing climate and other components of the environment.
Pessimistic forecasts the possible effects of anthropogenic global warming are based on the notion of the existence of a dynamic equilibrium between all components of the environment and dangers due to the violation of this balance. In particular, the anthropogenic global warming and the associated with it reduction and then consequently disappearance of the masses of snow and ice at high latitudes and the poles of the Earth has significantly weakened the meridional atmospheric circulation and, consequently, moisture continents. Whatever the consequences of increasing CO2 in the air, their positive effects are nothing in comparison with the negative (melting of continental glaciers and degradation of permafrost), which are inevitable in the case of human overheating of the Earth.
So the sooner action is taken countering to the increased concentration of atmospheric CO2, the better it would be for the biosphere and mankind.
The reasons for increasing concentration of carbon dioxide are the following:
Until recently, most researchers believed that the use of fossil fuels is hardly the only reason for the growth of CO 2 in the air in the nineteenth and twentieth century.
Today, among the processes that violate the reduction of land cover are such as: deforestation; emissions of greenhouse gases; agriculture activities; overgrazing and other violations of natural ecosystem life
Deforestation in the construction of new industries, especially the creation of reservoirs and conversion of forest land to agriculture is considered to be the most important process that leads to the loss of non-renewable organic material of the biosphere.
Destruction of forests also happens in the process of the excessive use for leisure and tourism, the air pollution and in some other cases (flooding areas, draining the surrounding marshes, etc.). Observations have found that even a small time stress causes changes in land cover, compared to those that occur with prolonged use. Soil compaction that occurs in woodlands, nature reserves degrades very fast after deforestation and new forests will not exist in these areas.
Very noticeable degeneration of forests is associated with significant air pollution. Flying ash, coal and coke dust clog the pores of the leaves, reducing access of light to the plants, and weaken the process of assimilation. Soil contamination, dust emission with fragments of metals, arsenic dust in combination with superphosphate or sulfuric acid poisoning root system of plants, are delaying the process of natural clarification of soils. The outcomes of economic growth cause extraction of materials which are toxic for plants like sulphurous anhydride. Completely destroyed vegetation under the influence of fumes and gases copper complexes in close proximity to them. The loss of vegetation, and especially the woods, put a roll of acid rain due to sulfur spacing hundreds and thousands of kilometers. Regional destructive effect on forest soil is the ultimate reason for acid rains. Significant reduction of forest biomass is, perhaps, because of the fires.
Agriculture nowadays is a powerful process leading to the rapid depletion of humus in the soil and release of CO 2. Most of humus is lost due to severe erosion and deflation.
In developed countries nowadays nitrogen soil depletion is compensated by application of mineral nitrogen fertilizers and crops legumes. But in developing countries the situation is drastically worse.
Excessive use of areas in tundra, forests, grasslands and arid lands leads to their destruction. Currently particularly great damage has made the overgrazing in the lands of Africa, Eurasia, Latin America and Australia. Along with desertification those areas are gradually moving away from its soil organic matter.
Drainage leads to oxidation of the accumulated organic matter in peat. In addition, when you remove the meter layer of marsh waters from the area of 1 hectare additionally released and oxidized tens of tons of dissolved organic matter.
Irrigation in some cases leads to loss of soil due to irrigation erosion. At the same time correct poor reclamation of desert land, on the contrary, a measure which increases the resources of organic matter in the soil. Currently annually 0.2-0.3 mln of irrigated land is converted to wasteland by salinization and water logging. Then these lands are been often quickly destroying (Nepis.epa.gov, 2016).
Finally, the construction and urban growth, creation of communications and mining development are usually the complete destruction of land cover, but then the processes of the areas covered by these established cultural soil and vegetation. This is only partly compensates the loss of organic material.
What measures are taken to stop global warming? The international community, recognizing the dangers associated with the continued growth in greenhouse gas emissions has developed a number of approaches in order to improve the situation
Wider use of renewable energy sources: solar and wind energy, biomass and geothermal energy, tidal energy. Today the use of alternative energy sources is likely to become a key factor for long-term sustainable development of mankind (“Renewable Energy and Electricity”).
Halting of the destruction of ecosystems: all attacks on intact ecosystems must be stopped. Natural ecosystems absorb CO2 and are an important element in maintaining the balance of CO2. Particularly well to cope with this are forest. But in many parts of the world's forests continue to be destroyed at an alarming rate.
Reduce energy losses in the production and transportation of energy: the transition from large-scale power plants (HPP, TPP, NPP) to small local power plants would reduce energy loss. When transporting energy over a long distance can be lost in transit to 50% of energy (Carbon and the city: Tracking emissions from megacities).
Using new energy-efficient technologies in industry; at present, the efficiency of the majority of the technologies used is about 30%! It is necessary to introduce new energy-efficient technology.
Reduce energy consumption in the construction and housing sector. Provision shall be made regulations prescribing the use in the construction of new buildings energy-efficient materials and technologies that will reduce energy consumption in homes several times.
Introduction of laws and regulations subject to higher taxes on businesses should be taken in excess CO2 emission limits, and providing tax credits to producers of energy from renewable sources and energy-efficient products. Redirection of financial flows for the development of these technologies and industries is also necessary.
Today, in large cities motor vehicle emissions are 60-80% of all emissions. It is necessary to encourage the use of new environmentally friendly modes of transport, to support public transportation, to develop the infrastructure for cyclists (“Carbon and the city: Tracking emissions from megacities”).
Promote and encourage energy efficiency and careful use of natural resources, residents of all countries. Another direction on the way to reduce anthropogenic pressure may be to develop measures to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, providing large climatic effects (nitrogen oxides, tropospheric ozone, carbon black), including methane, which has an independent energy value, making it a collection and recycling economically viable. Cost-effective small-scale installations could be involved in industrial processing and refinery gases passing in high volume (up to 4-5%).
World production of natural gas emitted into the atmosphere or is flared at the modern hydrocarbon production and processing technology. Methane emissions can be significantly reduced due to agricultural activities such as the production of rice - one of the major anthropogenic sources of this gas. At the same time, apparently, it is necessary to analyze possible measures to adapt the world economy for the forthcoming climate change that may be more rational and realistic than trying to prevent is not well understood global climate protsessy.It the long run, the measures taken to limit greenhouse gas emissions still are not able to eliminate a serious man-made contribution which increase the surface temperature of the planet - an inevitable consequence of the development of civilization. Switching to energy sources that are not related to greenhouse gases, will not stop the growth of the flow of energy to be dissipated into the environment by civilization. If we proceed with the scenario of democratic development of society, excluding the forcible suppression of one part of the world's population by the other, the relative stabilization of the energy consumption is only possible after reaching of all levels of consumption achieved by developed countries countries.
Attempts to limit artificially the increase in the intensity of energy conversion streams of humanity, probably equivalent to attempts to halt the course of progress, and can lead to the degradation of society. It is time to recognize that the ecological stabilization of the world is essentially impossible without reducing the anthropogenic load on the biosphere, ie the world's population, at least an order of docking. Finding ways worthy of this task is the greatest challenge to human civilization in the history of its existence.
The warming of the past took place in the world, but never before the pace was not so swift because of human activities. For example, in just six years in the Arctic, there have been shocking changes. To keep global temperature rise below 2 degrees as possible, if you start acting today. It is essential that all countries and all sectors of society act now - this is in the interest of everyone. It's possible. Adoption of action against climate change is economically feasible at this time. The longer we delay, the higher the price we have to pay. By acting now, we will be able to stimulate economic growth, eradicate extreme poverty and improve the health and well-being of people. Nevertheless I am optimistic and believe that due to the scientific progress and development of apprehencion of the fact that the Earth is our home mankind would be able to keep economic development without having to destroy our planet.
References
Earthmagazine.org,. (2016). Carbon and the city: Tracking emissions from megacities | EARTH Magazine. Retrieved 21 February 2016, from http://www.earthmagazine.org/article/carbon-and-city-tracking-emissions-megacities
Nepis.epa.gov,. (2016). Document Display (PURL) | NSCEP | US EPA. Retrieved 21 February 2016, from http://nepis.epa.gov/Exe/ZyPURL.cgi?Dockey=20005E3G.TXT
World-nuclear.org (2016). Renewable Energy and Electricity | Sustainable Energy | Renewable Energy - World Nuclear Association. Retrieved 21 February 2016, from http://www.world-nuclear.org/information-library/energy-and-the-environment/renewable-energy-and-electricity.aspx
