Class Participation (Week 5: Climate Change) 17011899 Bishoy Wasef

Week 5: Climate Change

1.1.0 Causes of Climate Change: One of the devastating causes of climate change is Carbon Dioxide (CO2) emitting in the atmosphere. Given existing CO2 levels, the only way to stabilise global temperature at present day levels would be to reduce these emissions. Notably, underground coal mining also causes climate change. Such mining also degrades surrounding land. Coal burning is a major source of air pollution, emitting large amounts of oxides of nitrogen and sulphur, Motor vehicles emitting carbon monoxide, and toxic oxides of nitrogen also cause climate change. These emissions are the driving force of global warming through the release of greenhouse gases and burning of fossil fuels are threatening a major energy crisis in the near future. Water vapour is also a major contributor to the greenhouse effect. Importantly, there are predictions showing that the concentration of water vapour in the upper troposphere may increase due to the increasing concentrations of other greenhouse gases. Fossil fuel combustion accounts for four fifths of global greenhouse emissions, from energy production, industrial processes and transport, particularly burning coal to produce electricity and oil to power cars. The other fifth comes from land use changes, primarily the cutting down of forests for the purposes of agriculture, urbanisation and roads 1.2.0 Health Consequences According to Harvard Medical School doctors, recent outbreaks of malaria, hanta virus and similar diseases are due to climate change and the consequences of global warming. Also, underground coal mining is dangerous and unhealthy, with miners at high risk from respiratory diseases and from underground fires. Loss of access to fresh water in countries with a high ratio of relative use to available supply and regular droughts. It can be seen that there is a negative correlation between traffic noises and stress. In essence, car dependence leads to obesity and half the land area of urban centres are devoted to motor vehicles. Air pollution can harm lung development in children, and also cause early childhood asthma. Higher air pollution levels are also closely related to heart problems, including heart attacks, and toxic air pollutants can cause noncancer health effects, and can increase the risk of developing cancer. 1.3.0 Methods to tackle global warming The UN Framework Convention on Climate Change was created at the Rio Earth Summit in 1992 to try to negotiate a worldwide agreement for reducing greenhouse gases. Huge energy savings and greenhouse gas reductions are possible through effective insulation and draught exclusion from homes and offices, use of solar water heating systems, passive solar heating of buildings, electric heat pumps, energy efficient refrigeration and lighting.