GLOBAL WARMING DEMANDS MORE GOBAL ACTION

Environmental problems are global in nature. These problems are Greenhouse effect, Global warming, Acid rains, Flood, Famines, Air, Water and Noise Pollution etc. The quality of environment has become detrimental and reached the critical stage due to interference of man in shaping the environment. Excess population, over industrialization and over urbanization are major cause of environmental deterioration. The so-called development has become a double-edged weapon.

The two major environmental threats faced by us globally are-

a) Abnormal increase in temperature of the earth due to anthropogenic introduction of greenhouse gases has resulted into greenhouse effect, global warming and climatic changes

b) Abnormal increase in ultra-violet(U.V) radiation on the surface of the earth due to depletion of ozone-layer in the ozonosphere.

Both the problems are inter-related and are caused mainly due to human activities.

What Is global Warming?

Rise in Average temperature of the atmosphere and surface of the earth due to greenhouse gases is called global warming.

FACTORS RESPONSIBLE FOR GLOBAL WARMING

1) Greenhouse gases emitted from industries, vehicles and households are the major factors for global warming. They make a layer around the earth in the atmosphere as like the layer of greenhouses. They allow to come the ultraviolet rays of sunlight but also absorbed infrared radiation emitted by the surface of the earth. So they are increasing temperature of the earth.

GREENHOUSE GASES PERCENTAGE

1. Carbon dioxide (CO2) 60%

2. Methane 20%

3. Chlorofluorocarbons 14%

4. Nitrous oxide 6%

2) Deforestation i.e. cutting of trees on mass scale is responsible for global warming. Every year the trees are cutted about the size of Greece all over the world carbon dioxide is utilized during photosynthesis but due to deforestation it does not happen so. The carbon dioxide percentage instead of decreasing is rather increasing.

3) Carbon dioxide emission by vehicles, industries and households. CFCs are produced from commercial refrigerators, aerosol cans, shaving creams and cleaning agent for electronic goods. Methane is produce from marshy areas, paddy fields logged with water and from decaying substances under water of dams.

4) Excessive population directly or indirectly enhances global warming. For increasing population there is need of more agricultural fields, urbanization, industrialization which lead to deforestation

IMPACTS Of GLOBAL WARMING

Global warming is causing climatic change. It is raising atmosphere

temperature and seriously upsetting ecological balance.

Following are the impacts of global warming-

1) Icebergs are melting. Due to this people living at coastal areas are threaten for their homes, environment, culture and livelihood.

2) The glaciers around Mount Everest, Mount Alps, etc. are also melting. Owing to this, there is flood in rivers, loss of public properties and life. Increased water in river are raising the sea-level and probability of submerging of coastal areas and low laying areas has increased. e.g. Bangladesh, Maldives, etc. Due to increase in global mean temperature the global sea level has raised about 10 to 20 cms. over the past few years.

3) The Polar ice caps are melting at the alarming rate of 9% per decade. This is the report of NASA(National Aeronautic Space Administration). The thickness Arctic ice has decreased about 38% since 1960. scientists estimate that the sea-level will rise by an additional 7.1 inches by 2010, 13 inches by 2050,51 inches by 2100 and as much as 80-160 inches by 2200.

4) The melting of glaciers and irregular rainfall is causing less amount of water in most of river basins. This is resulting into less water recharge of ground water. The inter-state and inter countries conflicts are all over the world. Water bodies are facing paucity of water.

5) Global warming enhances the rate of disease in humans, plants and livestock.

6) The agriculture productivity is also adversely affected due to it. Therefore, it results in economic decline.

7) Decline in agricultural productivity due to higher temperature and greater aridity and proneness to diseases results in malnutrition, changed behaviour, disrupted social institutions, like family, school, weaken the tax bases of any country, migration of the people, disrupted labour market. Thus, the political, legal, economic is challenged due to global warming.

8) The biodiversity is threatened all over the world due to global warming. Many species have became extinct and many others are on the verge of extinction.

9) Due to global Warming the tropical areas will become drier resulting in spread and formation of deserts.10) Due to global warming there will be more rainfall in higher latitudes i.e. temperate and sub temperate areas of the earth, resulting in floods 11) The upper layers of atmosphere will become cooler due to less passes of long wave radiations like infrared radiation. There will be shrinking of the atmosphere

NEED FOR URGENT GLOBAL ACTIONS TO CONTROL GLOBAL WARMING

• A number of global actions have already been taken at international level and still a number of steps are being taken to overcome this problem:-

1) We know that nature of the earth is self- correcting body. Carbon dioxide is utilized by plants during photosynthesis. Hence it is a simple and useful method of plantation to conserve the nature and reduce carbon dioxide percentage. This is possible by actions taken by united nations, Non governmental Organizations and governments of various countries and states.

Percentage Year

0.0230% 1750

0.0368% 2000

0.0391% 2011

2) The earth summit (1992) at Rio-de-Jenerio, Brazil. International community signed agreement for reducing the emission of greenhouse gases.

3) Kyoto protocol (1997) at Kyoto(Japan)- The understanding to reduce emission of greenhouse gases were signed by 141 countries. This impacts came into force from 16th Feb. 2005(but U.S.A and Australia like developed countries refused it. The Endeavour should be in 12.5% on 1990 level and must be reduced up to 20% by 2020.

4) Delhi declaration (November 2002)- The conference of parties to the united nations framework convention on climate change advocated adoption implementation of clean development technologies for sustainable development.

5) Strategic Planning is essential particularly for developing countries to mitigate the problem of global warming because to much reduction and control of greenhouse gases may effect their industries, increase poverty, backwardness, economic crisis and may become colony of developed countries.

6) Pollutants emission norms for vehicles should be strictly followed and environment protection laws must be implemented7) Public awareness is very helpful in controlling global warming.

MAHATMA GANDHI, Father of the nation, once said, “The earth provides

enough to satisfy every man’s need, but not every man’s greed”

References1) N.C.E.R.T biology of class ix.2) Times of India, Patna 20053) Google Images4) Delta commission report 2008