Saturday, September 14, 2019
Global Warming Essay
Introduction            Speaking in simple terms, the environment basically means the immediate surroundings that human beings and other living things live in. Naturally speaking, the environment comprises animate and the inanimate, the flora and fauna, water bodies, land, vegetation, air and the composition thereof, and the atmosphere. This means that the need to conserve the environment is an issue very sacrosanct since, all the forces of nature that support both animal (human), and plant life exist and function under the aegis of the environment.            The importance of thereof is testified of by the fact that the world in its entirety has come together in one accord to ensure environmental safety. To this effect, sundry and almost all countries have come together to institute polices and frameworks that will ensure that matters touching on environmental safety are upheld. This means that there are stipulations that have also been placed so that any member state that breaches these policies can be punished. This international confederation of nation states makes up the United Nations Environmental Program (UNEP) as an umbrella body of the United Nations (UN). The UNEP organ has its headquarters in Nairobi, Kenya. General concepts of the environment  The importance of the environment is reiterated by the fact that there are several underpinnings that the environment has on general life. This principle is referred to as environmental interrelationships. The principle has it that the manner in which the environment is managed and its subsequent quality is directly proportional to the quality of life of the organisms that live in and on it. The corollary to the above principle is that man, as the highest order of organisms in the environment, has seen not only the importance of conserving his environment, but has also come up with rules and policies to safeguard it, both at the national and international level. These rules are known and referred to by Cunningham and Cunningham (2008) as environmental ethics. The expedience of conserving the environment is supported by the fact that all lives are totally dependable on the environment. This means that the destruction of the environment is tantamount to the detriment of all sorts of life in the planet. The principle of interrelatedness of species and environmental ethics            Within the environment, there are two sets of relationships that living things have. The first relationship is that all living things are mutually and incorrigibly dependent on one another. It is because of this concept that elements such as food web and food chain are a reality. For this, relationships can be symbiotic or parasitic.            The second relationship has it that all species share from one central pool of environmental resources. This means that the destruction of one component in the environment even if there is no correct nexus between the destroyer and the victim, the former will be adversely affected also. For instance, the continual cutting away of trees and vegetation cover immediately exposes the lives of wild animals. In the long run, man is bound to loose in a double way as he is deprived of rain, and as such is in danger of becoming ensnared by famine due to drought. Secondly, because the habitat of the wild will have been destroyed, the animals will have to come out in the open to contend with man over the remaining resources. Environmental interactions and organisms            According to Weart (2004), ever since the appearance of man 200,000 years ago, man has tried to manipulate the environment so that it benefits him whereas other species have merely tried to rely on it. It is against this backdrop that technological development is quantified pegged on man’s capacity to harness forces of nature and nature itself so that the quality and longevity of life can be enhanced. Unfortunately, with the desire to make ameliorations on the longevity and quality of life, man has interrupted the course of the environment. These facts will be dealt on at length in the essay. Global warming            With the increase of technology and technological skills, there has sprung up machines and industries that are completely dependent on fuel. This means that these machines and industries have to release gaseous wastes which are normally toxic. Global warming occurs when there is the continual emission of carbon dioxide. In turn, the build up in the amount of carbon dioxide (CO2) in the atmosphere causes the depletion of the ozone layer (O3) so that it is punctured. This leaves (tiny) gaps through which the ultraviolet rays of the sun can now penetrate to reach the earth.            Because of the above condition, there is the resultant rise in temperature on the earth. This rise in temperature leads to overheating of the earth, causing drought. At the same time, one of the rippling effects of this overheating is that it leads to the melting of the ice caps. The melting of the ice caps in the other end leads to the disappearance in the landmass.            From the above juncture, it can be easily and rightly surmised that a myriad of problems will kick in. For instance, the economic implications that man will face just because of the attenuated land mass, will be staggering. This will mean less space for economic production (industrial premises), domicile, among others. Again, the thought of man missing on enough space for agrarian activities is sobering, as this means that the concept of realizing food security is a matter that will be a mere mirage. Besides, the erratic weather patterns are bound to compromise crop farming. Species extinction            Among the issues that climatologists, geographers and biological scientists are worried about in relation to environmental degradation, is that the resultant global warming is responsible for the demise of different species. This happens as the resultant change in climate in the other end, having led to the disappearance of landmass, leaves other species with their habitats compromised.            For instance, in June 30th 2008, a study of species reveals that penguins that live in the arctic have having their numbers diminished because of their gradually disappearing habitat. This is because, on top of their vast numbers, these animals have to contend with the limited resources for the survival. The UN Climate Scientists Association pointed out that at the moment, the population of penguins has depreciated by 7.9 % from 2005 to 2007 alone. It is not surprising that this body accredited the above condition to the melting of the ice caps Overpopulation            It is estimated by the United Nations Development Programs (UNDP) that at the moment, the earth hosts 6.7 billion people. This UN umbrella body points out that the ideal number of world population should not exceed 6 billion meaning that the earth and her resources are inundated. The UNDP, in conjunction with the UNEP posits that there is no way in which the earth is able to replenish her resources that are being dispensed at a very high rate. It is on this premise that virtually all governments, together with UNEP are overtly concerned with diminishing forest reserves and natural resources. At the heart of the matter is that there lies an anthropocentric question and that of the environmental welfare. If it is proscribed of human beings by the UNEP to encroach on forest reserves, how shall he live? This question is going to be grappled with hard, in the near future, as melting ice caps is going to deprive man of an ideal land mass. Water and Air Pollution            Water and air pollution are concepts that Houghton (2004) touches in a comprehensive scope. This is because the two are highly concomitant and highly dictatorial on the quality of human life. Houghton (Ibid) postulates that the prevention of these forms of pollution is the starting point of the extirpation of global warming. Houghton elucidates his opinion, saying that the most tenable recourse will be to place international standards that will regulate the maximal volume of carbon dioxide that will have been released in the atmosphere. At the same time, this UN Climate Scientists continues that the UNEP should have more powers vested on it so that it can be able to sanction the countries that compromise these stipulations.            Houghton (2004) continues that the same principle should be ratified in all countries so that all UNEP member states must ensure that all their industries or factories are totally compliant with the UNEP Drainage of Industrial Wastes Act. To this effect, no UNEP member should at all tolerate factories that empty their wastes in water bodies. Similarly, Cunningham and Cunningham (Op ct) continues that it is an opportune time all countries followed the example of the US that has its Industrial Hazard Act totally in force. This means that all the factories in the US have pipes that transport wastes labeled. By reading the labeling, the reader is able to know the nature of the wastes whether liquid, solid, gaseous, flammable or toxic. At the same time, the manner and the place of disposal of the wastes will be predictable. This makes it easier to detect culprits who do not adhere to environmental ethics.            More light seems to be flickering at the end, due to the fact that the UNEP, the World Health Organization (WHO) and the UNDP now requires that all its member states hand over, after every five years, their water and air management policies. The deployment of inspectors from these three UN bodies for the sake of carrying out impromptu inspections on factories and other corporate entities is also a measure that seems to be propelling international policies of water management and air quality issues into safe directions. Sustainable Development and Energy Sources            Gore (2006) says that while there is no problem with technological development, there is need for clear cut policies that regulate the sources of energy that are to be used in a country’s industrial base. To this effect, it is taken as important, the fact that there is to be the limitation set for the amount of carbon dioxide wastes that are to be released into the atmosphere. It is because of the above situation that developing economies are being encouraged to work towards speeding up of the electrification process.            This is because, it has been found that the ratio of atmospheric pollution to that of the industrial output in developing countries is not favorable compared to the developed economies. This situation is so since developed countries have comprehensive electric connections and tend therefore to use electric power that is environment friendly. Solid Waste Management The UNEP and WHO also continues to push its member states into ensuring that there are fine tuned policies on the solid wastes disposal regulations. In a very positive and encouraging move, the UNEP unearthed a program in which it was to release funds out of its financial gallery to ensure that the developing economies are all serviced with waste baskets. Since, 2003, the UNEP, WHO and other developed countries have been contributing funds to the developing economies so that the latter can realize decent toilets that have well drained sewage systems. Conclusion: If society is to act so as to forestall Global Warming            In order to catalyze the process of extirpating cases of global warming, it is incumbent that the rank and file of each society be involved in the war against environmental degradation. This may portend, apart from taking some of the above measures to forestall global warming, informing and educating the entire human society of the importance and the ways of taking care of the environment.            At the same time, it is needed that developing countries totally subject their activities and status to the UN member bodies, despite the fact that they settle over 90% of the UN budget. It is because of the above situation for instance that the US always blackmails the UN, by threatening to pull out of the UN, whenever policies that are anti-American are recalled. The US and Canada on April 1st 1965 refused to suspend heavy use of industrial coal. US threatened to pull out of the UN, since she knew clearly that the UN could not afford to loose her as she settles over 75% of the UN budget. This sets up a bad precedence for other member states in reneging UNEP environmental policies. Work Cited Cunningham, W. and Cunningham, M. (2008). The Principles of Environmental Science:         Their Inquiry and Applications (4th Ed.). New York: McGraw-Hill. Gore, A. (2006). Global Warming: Planetary Emergencies and Proposals. Colorado:    Bloomsbury. Houghton, T. (2004). A Complete Briefing on Global Warming. Cambridge: Cambridge            University Press. Weart, S. (2004). Global Warming. Harvard: Harvard University Press.
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