KKKH4284

PERANCANGAN BANDAR LESTARI

TASK 6: GLOBAL WARMING

NAME : SYUHAIDAH HANI BINTI HUSSIN
MATRIC NO. : A133529
LECTURERS:
1) Prof. Ir. Dr. RIZA ATIQ ABDULLAH BIN O.K. RAHMAT
2) Puan NORLIZA BINTI MOHD AKHIR
3) Dr. MUHAMAD NAZRI BIN BORHAN











Supposed you are living in a coastal city. The city administrator has noticed that the mean
sea level has been rising for the past 50 years. The raising is small but over a long period of
time it may cause problems in the city centre as the level of that part of the city is quite low. If
you are hired as a consultant, write a plan of action on what can be done to reduce or
mitigate the problems. Your report must include Mitigation and Adaptation measures.
Introduction
Most of the worlds coastal cities were established during the last few millennia, a period
when global sea level has been near constant. Since the mid-19th century, sea level has been
rising, likely primarily as a result of human-induced climate change. During the 20th century,
sea level rose about 15-20 centimeters (roughly 1.5 to 2.0 mm/year), with the rate at the end
of the century greater than over the early part of the century . Satellite measurements taken
over the past decade, however, indicate that the rate of increase has jumped to about 3.1
mm/year, which is significantly higher than the average rate for the 20th century . Projections
suggest that the rate of sea level rise is likely to increase during the 21st century, although
there is considerable controversy about the likely size of the increase. As explained in the
next section, this controversy arises mainly due to uncertainties about the contributions to
expect from the three main processes responsible for sea level rise: thermal expansion, the
melting of glaciers and ice caps, and the loss of ice from the Greenland and West Antarctic
ice sheets.








Figure 1: Image from NASA




Mitigation
Mitigation of global warming involves taking actions aimed at reducing the extent of global
warming. Scientific consensus on global warming together with the fear of climate transitions
is leading to increased efforts to develop new technologies and sciences, to address the issue
of global warming. At the core of most proposals is the reduction in greenhouse gas
emissions by reducing energy use and switching to cleaner energy sources. Responding to the
challenges of controlling global warming requires fundamental changes in energy production,
transportation, industry, government policies, and development strategies around the world.
These changes would take time. The challenge today is to manage the impacts that cannot be
avoided while taking steps to prevent severe impacts in the future. Some of the mitigating
measure is appended below:
a. Forests provide many social, economic and environmental benefits. In addition to timber
and paper products, forests provide wildlife habitat, recreational opportunities, prevent soil
erosion and flooding, help provide clean air and water and contain tremendous biodiversity.
Forests are also an important defense against global climate change. Through the process of
photosynthesis, forests produce life-supporting oxygen and consume huge amounts of carbon
dioxide, which help the most in mitigation of global warming.
b. Hydro-electric power by means of dams is regarded as a relatively cleaner source of energy
because it emits fewer greenhouse gases than thermal power plants. Greenhouse gases
contribute to global warming and climate change, and for many environmentalists, the
buildup of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere is the most important environmental issue.
c. The scientific study of the physical, chemical, and biological aspects of the world oceans is
called oceanography. Greater knowledge of climatic variations can be attained to describe
how the biological productivity in the sea is controlled. A lot of carbon dioxide could be
removed from the atmosphere if significant amounts of carbon dioxide could be sucked up by
tiny floating marine plants in the vast oceans. Oceans receive considerable sunlight and have
an abundance of the nitrogen and phosphorus compounds that usually support the growth of
such plants in the greenish waters of the coastal ocean. In an experiment, sea-water
containing dissolved iron was pumped to a small area resulting in growth of small marine
plants.




d. One way to keep carbon dioxide emissions from reaching the atmosphere is to preserve
and growing more trees. Trees, especially young and fast-growing ones, soak up a great deal
of carbon dioxide from the atmosphere. Slowing the rate of deforestation and planting new
trees can help in neutralizing the expansion of greenhouse gases. In most cases, the process of
carbon capture would involve transporting the gas in compressed form to suitable locations
for underground storage. Deep ocean waters could also absorb a great deal of carbon dioxide,
although the environmental effects may be harmful to ocean life. The feasibility and
environmental effects of these options are under study by international teams.
e. The total worldwide consumption of fossil fuels is increasing by several percent annually.
Newer technologies for energy resources may help offset these effects. Significant reductions
in carbon dioxide emissions can only be achieved by switching away from fossil-fuel energy
sources.
i. Nuclear power plants release no carbon dioxide at all, but nuclear energy is controversial
for reasons of safety, security and the high costs of nuclear waste disposal.
ii. Solar Power, Wind Power and Hydrogen Fuel Cells can be alternative means of energy
emit no greenhouse gases. These energy sources can be practical and low-polluting
alternatives to fossil fuels. Other alternatives include fuels made from plants, such as
biodiesel (made from used and new vegetable oil) and ethanol (a plant-based gasoline
additive). Use of these fuels can help reduce total carbon dioxide emissions from
automobiles. The hybrid electric vehicle (HEV), which uses both an electric motor and a
gasoline or diesel engine, emits less carbon dioxide than conventional automobiles.
f. Urban planning also has an effect on use of energy. Inefficient use of land practices have
increased infrastructure costs as well as the amount of energy needed for transportation,
community services, and buildings. Efficient planning will serve to reduce energy usage and
greenhouse gas emissions. Planning and the concentration of housing within walking distance
of town centers and transport will reduce greenhouse gas emissions.
g. Emissions from housing are substantial. New buildings using passive solar building design
can be made more efficient through the use of insulation, high-efficiency appliances
(particularly hot water heaters and furnaces), double or triple glazed gas-filled windows,
external window shades, and building orientation and site. Renewable heat sources such as




geothermal power and passive solar energy reduce the amount of greenhouse gasses emitted.
This saves energy because it cools buildings and reduces the urban heat island effect thus
reducing the use of air conditioning.
h. Development of new technologies, such as hydrogen cars, may reduce the consumption of
petroleum and emissions of carbon dioxide. A shift from air and transport to electric rail
would reduce emissions significantly. Increased use of bio-fuels will also reduce emissions.
For electric vehicles, the reduction of carbon emissions will improve further.
i. The population explosion is a fundamental factor that has led to global warming. Proposed
measures include improving access to family planning and reproductive health care and
information, public awareness about the consequences of continued population growth, and
improving access of women to education and economic opportunities.
j. There is a requirement to launch a media campaign at national level through print and
electronic media for awareness of the masses regarding hazards of Global Warming and
importance of growing trees.
k. Rules and regulations regarding setting up and operation of industries already exist. There
is a dire need that industrial sector be forced by the concerned agencies, to follow the rules
with letter and spirit regarding environment friendly policies.
There is a need to secure our future from the hazards of environmental changes faced
by the present world. The mitigation efforts for the reduction of Global Warming would help
in making prosperous nation besides a healthy atmosphere for our next generations. The most
basic question as to who would take the first step is now beyond discussion due to obvious
scenery of consequences. So pro-active policy at each tier is mandatory and should become
our moral obligation towards better and prosperous future.
Global Warming is resulting in increased temperatures, drying up water sources,
sudden and unpredictable natural calamities; resulting in loss of millions of lives every
decade, which should act as a wake-up call and as a group or at an individual level we all
must try to adopt applicable mitigation measures and this is only possible if we understand
the core issue and severity of its far reaching implications.





Adaptation
Adaptation to global warming is a response to climate change that seeks to reduce the
vulnerability of social and biological systems to climate change effects. Even if emissions are
stabilized relatively soon, climate change and its effects will last many years, and adaptation
will be necessary. Climate change adaptation is especially important in developing countries
since those countries are predicted to bear the brunt of the effects of climate change.
Adaptation measures aim to reduce the impacts of global warming by adapting society
and the economy to a warmer climate, based on the recognition that a certain amount of
global warming will be inevitable. Those measures could be described as "treating the
symptoms" --symptoms like rising temperatures and sea levels.
The examples of realistic and effective adaptation measures include designing and
constructing buildings with future warming in mind, for example, by including balconies, sun
shades and natural ventilation systems. As well, in anticipation of decreases in available
water resources due to drought and other impacts of global warming, precautionary measures
can be taken against water shortages by introducing water-saving devices and water-loss
control systems.
Adaptation will not necessarily help society cope with all of the projected effects of
climate change. However, given the fact that global warming is already upon us, it is essential
to step up such measures in order to sustain our society and economy in warmer climates. For
instance, when designing new buildings, it is important for us to take into consideration the
higher temperatures and other foreseeable impacts of global warming. There is no doubt that
the need and demand for adaptation measures will grow, as the impacts of global warming
become increasingly apparent.
When considering these matters, it soon becomes clear that adaptation measures will
be expensive, as in the case of raising the height of coastal dikes, for example. It is all the
more important, therefore, to strike a balance between adaptation and mitigation. Humanity
must carefully allocate its resources--measured in terms of money, human resources, public
attention, and so on not only into the obvious solutions but also into greater efforts to cut
greenhouse gas emissions, as those are the ultimate steps needed to mitigate global warming.





Adaptation can consist of a wide variety of actions by an individual, community, or
organization to prepare for, or respond to, climate change impacts. Many of these measures
are things we are already doing but could be stepped up or modified to prepare for climate
change. Some examples include:
a) Agriculture and Food Supply
Breed crop varieties that are more tolerant of heat, drought, and water logging from
heavy rainfall or flooding
Protect livestock from higher summer temperatures by providing more shade and
improving air flow in barns
b)Coasts
Promote shore protection techniques and open space preserves that allow beaches and
coastal wetlands to gradually move inland as sea level rises.
Identify and improve evacuation routes and evacuation plans for low-lying areas, to
prepare for increased storm surge and flooding.
c)Ecosystems
Protect and increase migration corridors to allow species to migrate as the climate
changes.
Promote land and wildlife management practices that enhance ecosystem resilience.
d)Energy
Increase energy efficiency to help offset increases in energy consumption.
Harden energy production facilities to withstand increased flood, wind, lightning, and
other storm-related stresses.
e)Human Health
Implement early warning systems and emergency response plans to prepare for
changes in the frequency, duration, and intensity of extreme weather events.
Plant trees and expand green spaces in urban settings to moderate heat increases.





f)Water Resources
Improve water use efficiency and build additional water storage capacity.
Protect and restore stream and river banks to ensure good water quality and safe guard
water quantity.