Analysis of the Global Warming Issues and Their Solutions
In the last decade, humanity faced a new problem that has assumed the global character immediately. This problem is related to the intensive growth of the average temperature of Earth's atmosphere and ocean, that is why it was named global warming. In the last century, scientists were able to identify some of the causes of this problem and predict its consequences. To date, global warming has become a threat to the life of all humankind, as temperature rises. Thus, many processes and phenomenon assume a negative and even deadly character. In order to understand how it threatens humanity, it is enough to remember that 3 million years ago, the global sea level was 25 meters higher than today because the average temperature exceeded the current one by 2-3 degrees (Zedillo 36). Increase of the planet's temperature by one degree only would raise the World Ocean by 5-6 meters. Every day, glaciers of the Arctic and Antarctic are melting, which is one of the main reasons for raising the level of the World Ocean. Their melting bares soil and increases the water surfaces that absorb solar radiation stronger.
Humanity has the power to create technologies that will allow carrying out control over the factors that shape the problem of global warming. In many ways, the decision and the control of this problem depends on creating the right strategies worldwide. This problem involves organizations such as "the UNO, UNESCO, WHO, the World Meteorological Organization (WMO), the Global Observing System (GOS), the United Nations General Assembly", and others (Syed and Khan 40). The international public organizations as Greenpeace play an important role in finding possible solutions. It is found that the main cause of global warming is "the accumulation of CO2 in the atmosphere of the Earth" (Syed and Khan 38). Later, as a result of scientific developments and the experience of some countries, it has been revealed that the reduction of CO2 in the atmosphere could be achieved by the implementation of certain policies.
According to Urpelainen, one of the main strategies to reduce the level of carbon dioxide is to reduce the use of fossil fuels in industry and replace it by new forms of energy. The examples of the new forms of energy are "the nuclear, solar, wind, tides, and geothermal sources" (111). One of the main sources of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere is transport. Already today, there is a strategy for a liquidation of vehicles running on gasoline and other petroleum products. Instead, the electric motors will be used. Urpelainen states that the creation and development of non-waste production would reduce the need for waste management, which is also a cause of rising levels of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere (112). Therefore, there was developed a program that should lead to the achievement of a number of key objectives. Firstly, the entire planet should shift to "the rigid standards of energy saving" such as those of California in the United States (Amram and Kulatilaka 198). The UNO programs address the environmental problems in different areas, as well as problems of health and human welfare.
In addition, the UN has developed the programs for terrestrial ecosystems protection of the oceans, vegetation, and wildlife (Amram and Kulatilaka 200). These international organizations are engaged in various environmental and energy issues and developing of the environmental education. With the help of information technology, the global warming problem is amenable to publicity, and the more people would know about it, the more effective would be the struggle against it. "The prevention of this problem affects information, trade, economic, and technological aspects of human life" (Mendelsohn 728). For instance, the WHO program includes a special section on the environmental research and its impact on human health. Much attention is paid to "the possibility of incidence increase" (malaria and other natural focal infections) and "the possibility of the emergence of new infections" (Syed and Khan 73).
According to Zedillo, the WMO program involves the development of methods for "long-term forecasting of possible climate change" and its impact on human and the influence of various factors on the climate. The practical significance of the program is that it would help people to use climate data for planning and management of all aspects of human activity. The UN program summarizes the experience of all countries in the field of nature protection, defines the major environmental problems of our time, and provides a system of rational management practices of the biosphere. The GOS program coordinates the activities of the interested countries in the field of collection and exchange of meteorological information; "it has the three world centers in Washington, Moscow, and Melbourne" (115-116). Therefore, the global industry would move to the modern energy-saving technologies; in particular, it would be possible to "double the coefficient of efficiency of power plants on fossil fuels" by means of "a full use of the residual heat" (Amram and Kulatilaka 203). It is planned to implement one million wind generators. It is also planned to build "700 nuclear power plants", and "none of the existing would be closed" (Amram and Kulatilaka 203).
Over time, all cars would have hybrid engines that allow using the electric motors that receive power from the battery on short routes. According to Urpelainen, it is planned to expand sown areas for agricultural crops that can serve as a "raw material for the production of biofuels made of cellulose". Moreover, the states situated in the tropics will stop the process of deforestation and double the current rate of planting young trees with the help of the international community (118). Today, the strict environmental laws are implemented in many highly industrialized countries: i.e. the established requirements for emission purification, the development of new technologies to prevent pollution, the standards for emissions of exhaust gases, etc.
Historical basis of the problem. The problem of global warming is quite young compared to the other problems of humankind. At the same time, the development of knowledge about the problem began with the industrial revolution of the 18th century, which laid the foundation for "the rapid increase of the infrared radiation absorption" (Zedillo 19). According to Mendelsohn, during the past 250 years, "1.1 trillion tons of carbon dioxide" were emitted in the atmosphere, and a half of this amount falls on the last 35 years. In pre-industrial times, its concentration was 280 parts per 1 million; it reached the level of 315 parts per 1 million by 1960, and it amounted 380 parts per 1 million in 2005 (731-732). Now, the level of concentration increases faster, i.e. by about two points per year. According to paleoclimatic studies, the planet has not faced such rate of accumulation of atmospheric carbon dioxide over the last 650 thousand years (Syed and Khan 67). In 1824, Joseph Fourier discovered the greenhouse effect (Zedillo 15). It is a process in which the absorption of infrared radiation by atmospheric gases causes heating of the atmosphere and surface of the Earth. The Earth's principal greenhouse gases are "water vapor, carbon dioxide (CO2), methane (CH4), and ozone" (Syed and Khan 18). According to the latest researches, "the atmospheric concentrations of CO2 and CH4 have increased by 30% and 148% respectively" compared with the start of the industrial revolution in the 50s of the 17th century; such high level of concentrations has been achieved for the first time over the last 650 thousand years (Syed and Khan 91). About half of all greenhouse gases emitted by mankind remained in the atmosphere. Over the past 20 years, about "three-quarters of all greenhouse gases are caused by the use of oil emissions, natural gas, and coal" (Mendelsohn 731). Thus, it can be said that the existence and development of this problem is due to the scientific and technical progress. With the increasing threat of Global Warming, many global organizations have promoted their activities in order to reduce the damage from climate change.
Advantages and Disadvantages of the Proposed Strategies. The benefits of the existing policies to combat global warming have the long-term consequences substantially. This problem requires a deep analysis and a long-term preparation for its solution. The global warming influence affects all aspects of human life and the planet's existence; that is why the strategies have several stages. If emissions of carbon dioxide into the atmosphere would be stopped now, its concentration in the air would still have a negative impact on the environment for decades (Mendelsohn 733). It follows from this that the nature of all available solutions is mainly long-dated but the theoretical part of all policies has a short-term perspective. A change of the situation and an elimination of the global warming causes would provide benefits for both the society and the environment. The solution would improve the quality of life and provide more opportunities for the development of entirely new areas of human life. In addition, the elimination of this problem can change the entire world economy, since it is associated with the extraction and use of oil products. Moreover, it is possible to reduce the level of international terrorism in the world with termination of oil use and transition to the alternative energy sources of energy. Any strategy has both advantages and disadvantages, and therefore the strategies to address the problem of global warming also have their negative sides. First, one should consider the fact that the "transition to a different kind of fuel can lead to the economic transformation", which would take much time and affect most economies (Mendelsohn 737). Second, the use of alternative sources of energy would slow down many industrial processes around the world, which could result in an economic crisis. The most serious shortcoming of the existing strategies to address this problem consists in a "complete restructuring of the world economy, industry, and even the global political system" (Mendelsohn 737).
Conclusions
Undoubtedly, the planet's climate is changing. Moreover, it is changing so rapidly that it breaks the usual course of things. As already mentioned, the number of projections of climate change in the future is huge. Perhaps the only thing that is certain is that the processes of global climate change are close to a point at which they can become irreversible. They already threaten human health, food security, and can lead to flooding of coastal cities. In the future, humanity is expected to witness weather-related disasters that would entail billions in losses. It is the question of the destruction of vital ecosystems such as forests and coral reefs, the disappearance of sources of fresh water, or salt-water contamination. Climate change is not only an environmental problem; it is also a threat to the world and humankind's security, as it can cause economic and social disruption. Therefore, humankind must begin taking several strategies consentaneously in order to achieve positive results. The disadvantages of the existing strategies would also result in the certain consequences in the struggle against global warming but the benefits are able to exceed them.
Works Cited
Amram, Martha, and Nalin Kulatilaka. "The Invisible Green Hand: How Individual Decisions And Markets Can Reduce Greenhouse Gas Emissions." California Management Review 51.2 (2009): 194-218. Business Source Alumni Edition. Web. 6 Mar. 2016.
Mendelsohn, Robert. "Climate Change Demands We Change. Why Aren't We?: An Economic Perspective." Social Research 82.3 (2015): 727-747. Business Source Complete. Web. 6 Mar. 2016.
Syed, M.H., and M. M. Khan. Encyclopaedia of Global Warming, Volume 3. Mumbai, IND: Himalaya Publishing House, 2008. ProQuest ebrary. Web. 6 March 2016.
Urpelainen, Johannes. "A Model Of Dynamic Climate Governance: Dream Big, Win Small." International Environmental Agreements: Politics, Law & Economics 13.2 (2013): 107-125. Business Source Complete. Web. 6 Mar. 2016.
Zedillo, Ernesto. Global Warming. Washington, US: Brookings Institution Press, 2008. ProQuest ebrary. Web. 6 March 2016.
