Mitigation Strategies for Global Warming, Research Paper Example

Introduction

The implication of the environmental crisis that has gripped our globe in the 21st century sends chills down the spine of each individual. Global warming has become the talk of the global institutions, with reference to ‘who is doing what, when and where’. This is a result of the nature of the aspect. Each activity we do is bound to have an impact on the environment: it all depends on whether it is positive or negative. As a result, it is imperative to recognize the effects of our actions on the environment to enable us make informed decisions.

Global Warming: The Issue

Rohli & Vega (2007) posited that the interaction between human beings and nature has in the past, produced contestable results. Because of the progressive civilizations, refuted evidence has proven that the sustained increase in the surface temperatures is directly related to the activities of human beings. The debate about global warming has taken centre stage in most international conventions with eventualities that leave humanity both baffled and confused. In spite of the long-standing debate and discussions, which have dotted the past decade, it as clear as the blue skies that human as part of nature have their left their footprint in the ecological cycle of the earth.

Global warming is described as the increase in standard warmth of the earth’s surface air and oceans. This change in temperature became evident in the mid-20^th century. Because of that discovery, the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) concluded that the most probable cause of global warming was the amplified concentration of greenhouse gases emanating from deforestation and use of fossil fuels (Oxlade, 2006). Such views were sanctioned by numerous scientists, who concurred with the postulation that the increase in carbon dioxide concentration was the main contributing factor in the retention of heat.

Positive or Negative Human Impacts

The activities of human beings are the pointed-out as the main contributors to global warming. Green houses effect has existed since the emergence of the earth (Faust, 2008). The composition of the atmosphere contributes to the level of greenhouse effect experienced. The greenhouse effect describes the process through which absorption and emission of radiation by gases in the earth’s atmosphere warms causes warming near the surface. During the industrial revolution, the substantial increase in certain gases, especially carbon dioxide and methane, is attributable to the increase in the process of warming.

The increase in population has necessitated human encroachment into land that was previously under forest cover (Zedillo, 2008 & Silverstein, 2003). The increased need for food has contributed to invention of new methods of farming and equipment that make life easier. The industrial revolution saw a significant increase in heating and subsequent use of fossil fuels, which emit carbon dioxide. As a result, human activities have greatly influenced the environment.

However, a process called global dimming, through which the effect of global warming are partially cancelled has been a subject of interest. The impact of aerosols and atmospheric pollution actually leads to reversal of the increase in temperature through increasing in the capacity of the atmosphere to reflect a considerable amount of radiation from the sun (Faust, 2008). Overall, the impact of global warming has been the erratic and unreliable weather patterns that have adversely affected the economic capacity of certain individuals. The unreliability of rains as well the increase in temperature has rendered some agricultural lands unusable, thereby leaving the inhabitants without any source of livelihood. Global food insecurity has increased at the backdrop of reduced productivity and a growing population (Oxlade, 2006).

Industrialization has seen major strides in the livelihoods of most citizens of earth. Silverstein (2003) is of the view that economic giants have emerged based on industrialization with scientific knowledge coming in to solve most of the issues that affected man in the 19^th and 20^th century. Numerous inventions regarding health and physiological aspects of life on earth have helped the earthlings to unravel some of the most baffling mysteries. However, industrialization is also posited as the main source of the amplified greenhouse emissions that have fostered global warming.
Evaluation of Current Sustainability Strategies and Solutions

The global institutions are still in debate about the existence of global warming. Most view global warming as a normal process whose course of progress cannot be changed by actions of human beings, while others propose that global warming is non-existent. However, most global leaders agree on the need to lay a foundation for regulation of global temperatures. Actions of the global community are the best way forward in combating global warming. The contribution to the greenhouse gases has resulted from the actions of the global citizen so the solution should come from their concerted effort. According to Faust (2008), the IPCC has however outlined that there are sectors whose efforts should occupy center stage in the fight. Industries like energy-supply, transportation, manufacturing and farming contribute most to the global greenhouse levels and are thus the focus.

More than half the global population is covered by the Kyoto Protocol, which outlines the strategies to reduce the emissions of greenhouse gases. However, the US has refused to endorse the treaty that is set to expire in 2012. As postulated by Zedillo (2008), the Kyoto Protocol is based on reducing industrial emissions by 5.2% from the levels experience in 1990 for each nation through measures implemented by the host nations. The impact on economic activities of each nation is bound to be monstrous.

Similarly, the global business fraternity has also instituted measures to reduce the emissions by settling for alternative forms of energy. Emphasis on cleaner fuels and renewable sources of energy has contributed to change in strategy by most energy providers (Silverstein, 2003). The European Union and Australia have set the pace in combating the emissions through rewarding companies whose emissions are within the acceptable limits.

The global citizenry is also more aware of the impact of the emissions on the climate and the models through which they can reverse the damage as outlined by Faust (2008). As a result, individual are more aware of the kind of products to use and more so, ways of reducing consumption of energy. Each aspect of the contemporary world is hinged on the impact on the environment as well as the contribution to the climate.
Management and Containment Plan to Mitigate Global Warming

The plan to mitigate global warming is hinged on reduction of emission as well as models to environmental degradation. The efforts directed towards the plans are significantly local although the applicability is on a global scale. Implementation of the plan on a global scale would greatly combat the impact of global warming without imposing huge economic impact on the world economies.

The Plan

Benefits and Challenges of Your Plan

The plan is bound to appeal to those individual who are aware of the adversity of global warming. Since the plan is devoid of huge sacrifices on the part of the individuals, the alternatives offered are feasible with the contemporary world. Through use of renewable energy for most appliances, energy from fossil fuels will only be reserved for minimal instances thereby reducing the emission of carbon dioxide (Zedillo, 2008).

Similarly, tree planting contributes to a cooling effect in addition to absorbing excess carbon dioxide. The cooler climate will reduce the need for air conditioning, which is a major energy-consumer. Use of biodegradable implements is appropriate since the user will not have to worry about the disposal after use as suggested by Silverstein (2003). However, in the absence of biodegradable objects, the society could engage reusable materials. Packaging contributes to the largest portion of pollution owing to the characteristics of the material make up.
Required Government, Societal, And Global Support

The support of the government and society is key to success of any mitigation process for global warming. Support from all quarters is required in two phases: active and passive. Active support is that their actions should contribute to reduction in the emissions and passive in that their actions should not contradict the efforts.

The government the government and global institutions have the resource capacity to support any mitigation plans. As a result, government institutions should contribute to the campaign for switch to use of safer products in the category of renewable energy, biodegradable substances as well as tree planting campaigns. Government support fosters cooperation from most citizens unlike the efforts of a single individual.

Financial assistance is required for strategic partners to invest in the capital consuming renewable industry. As a result, the government should develop a plan for commission of such a project and support the efforts of private sector in instituting such projects. The unreliability of natural sources of energy obliges the users to have a backup plan hence the amplified costs involved. The state should also address the issue of waste disposal and composition of the materials used within the borders. As a measure of curbing inorganic waste disposal, packaging should be biodegradable, and in the least, reusable. Since the largest polluter originates from packaging, the use of synthetic inorganic material for packaging should be discouraged.

Buildings should also be designed in such a way that they conserve energy. As observed from the cities, skyscrapers create a microclimate characterized by slightly high temperature owing to the increased surface area of the building compared to the original landscape. As an approach to reducing this impact, the buildings ought to be more energy conservative and designed to reduce the reflective characteristics to reduce the impact on climate.

Conclusion

The actions of the global village have resulted into a crisis of a monstrous magnitude that calls for the efforts of all individuals in solving. The turnaround strategies are bound to have social, political and economic implication. However, failure to act on the problem is tantamount to sentencing the earth to the wrath of Mother Nature. The process of reversing the damage is marked with huge sacrifices by both political and social organizations. However, the gains accruing from the activities which promoted emergence of the problem are best put into good use.

References

Faust, D., R. (2008). Global Warming: Greenhouse Gases and the Ozone Layer, New York: The Rosen Publishing Group

Oxlade, C. (2006). Global Warming: Our Planet in Peril, Minnesota: Capstone Press, 2006

Rohli, R., V. & Vega, A., J. (2007). Climatology, Massachusetts: Jones & Bartlett Publishers

Silverstein, A. (2003). Global Warming Science Concepts, Connecticut: Twenty-First Century Books

Zedillo, E. (2008). Global Warming: Looking Beyond Kyoto. Washington DC: Brookings Institution Press