A Project Study Report On Contemporary Issues

GLOBAL WARMING

Submitted in partial fulfillment for the Award of degree of

Master of Business Administration

Submitted By: HANISHA GUPTA MBA 2nd SEM . 2010-2012

Submitted to:MS. NISHA GOYAL

LECT.MBA DEPT.

PREFACE

MBA is the one of the most reputed professional coures in the field of Management.It include theory as well as its practical knowledge. Report on contemporary issue is an integral part of MBA programe, as through this students acquire knowledge of real happenings of the surroundings. So in second semester each student at ARYA

COLLEGE OF ENGG.&RESEARCH CENTER, JAIPUR need to submit a report on contemporary issue.

This knowledge serves the purposes of acquainting the student with economic environment of an organisation in which student have to work hard in future .Only theoretical knowledge is not enough but its practical knowledge is also required to be learned. I was fortunate enough to have an opportunity of submitting report on the topic GLOBAL WARMING. In this report,all the important concept relating to GLOBAL WARMING are included, and few graphs &images related to the global warming are also given.At this time global warming is a serious issue.the true cause of global warming is our thoughtless attitude to nature.so to stop the global warming -Not the others need to change, we must change ourselves.

ACKNOLDGEMENT
I express my sincere thanks to my project guide, Ms.Nisha goyal, faculty Deptt of management studies, for guiding me right form the inception till the successful completion of the project. I sincerely acknowledge him/her/them for extending their valuable guidance, support for literature, critical reviews of project and the report and above all the moral support she had provided to me with all stages of this project.

I would also like to thank the supporting staff of arya group of colleges, for their help and cooperation throughout our project.

(Signature of Student) HANISHA GUPTA

TABLE OF CONTENTS

INTRODUCTION

CAUSES/FACTORS

EFFECTS

MEASUREMENT

FACTS

RECENT ISSUES

FUTURE EFFECT

SOLUTIONS

CONCLUSION

BIBLIOGRAPHY

INTRODUCTION
The term "global warming" refers to the increase in the average temperature of global surface air and oceans since about 1950, and to continuing increases in those temperatures. Another term for "global warming" is "climate change." "The global surface temperature is an estimate of the global mean surface air temperature. However, for changes over time, only anomalies... are used, most commonly based on the area-weighted global average of the sea surface temperature anomaly and land surface air temperature anomaly." Per Wikipedia, "The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) concludes that... greenhouse gases are responsible for most of the observed temperature increase since the middle of the twentieth century, and that natural phenomena such as solar variation and volcanoes probably had a small warming effect from pre-industrial times to 1950 and a small cooling effect afterward. "These basic conclusions have been endorsed by more than 40 scientific societies and academies of science, including all of the national academies of science of the major industrialized countries.

global warming is the observed and projected increases in the average temperature of Earth's atmosphere and oceans.

The Earth's average temperature rose about 0.6 Celsius (1.1 Fahrenheit) in the 20th century, see temperature graphs below

Advocates of the man-made global warming theory are convinced that rising temperatures will take a toll on human health and economic security, further damaging an environment rendered fragile by pollution, water shortages, and overpopulation. One effect of global warming that is of particular concern to climate forecasters is the growing prevalence of massive hurricanes, floods, and droughts. Scientists and environmentalists believe that these types of extreme weather events will become increasingly common in a world undergoing rapid warming. Many fear that humanity, particularly in poorer nations, remains unprepared to deal with consequences such as famine and displaced populations. Explains Molly OMeara, a staff researcher at the environmental research organization the Worldwatch Institute, Climate change would likely increase the number of people in developing nations at risk of hunger. ... But if climate change causes famine in one part of the world, then other countries will feel the pain too, as environmental..... Global warming is the warming near the earth's surface that results when the earth's atmosphere traps the sun's heat. The earth is getting warmer. The changes are small, so far, but they are expected to grow and speed up.

CAUSES/FACTORS

1.HUMAN ACTIVITIES
Evidence that human activities influence the global climate system continues to accumulate. Data indicate that Earth's surface temperature is rising. This increase can be attributed, in part, to human-caused increases in greenhouse gases such as carbon dioxide. It is becoming apparent that these climatic changes are negatively affecting physical and biological systems worldwide.

NREL

Carbon dioxide and other pollutants result from the burning of coal to produce electricity.

The burning of gasoline

What Human Activities Contribute to Climate Change?

The burning of coal, oil, and natural gas, as well as deforestation and various agricultural and industrial practices, are altering the composition of the atmosphere and contributing to climate change. These human activities have led to increased atmospheric concentrations of a number of greenhouse gases, including carbon dioxide, methane, nitrous oxide, chlorofluorocarbons, and ozone in the lower part of the atmosphere. The relative importance of these gases is shown in Figure .

Relative importance of the various greenhouse gases and small particles currently in the atmosphere. Bars extending above the horizontal line indicate a warming effect. Bars extending below the horizontal line indicate a cooling effect. The impacts of tropospheric ozone, stratospheric ozone, and particles are quite uncertain. The range of possible effects for these gases is indicated by the red bar; i.e., the effect is in the range of one end of the red bar to the other. Carbon dioxide is produced when coal, oil, and natural gas (fossil fuels) are burned to produce energy used for transportation, manufacturing, heating, cooling, electricity generation, and other applications. The use of fossil fuel currently accounts for 80 to 85% of the carbon dioxide being added to the atmosphere.

Land use changes, e.g., clearing land for logging, ranching, and agriculture, also lead to carbon dioxide emissions. Vegetation contains carbon that is released as carbon dioxide when the vegetation decays or burns. Normally, lost vegetation would be replaced by re-growth with little or no net emission of carbon dioxide. However, over the past several hundred years, deforestation and other land use changes in many countries have contributed substantially to atmospheric carbon dioxide increases. Although deforestation is still occurring in some parts of the northern hemisphere, on the whole, re-growth of vegetation in the north appears to be taking some carbon dioxide out of the atmosphere. Most of the net carbon dioxide emissions from deforestation are currently occurring in tropical regions. Land use changes are responsible for 15 to 20% of current carbon dioxide emissions.

Carbon dioxide emissions from the burning of coal, oil, and natural gas are shown for the period 1860 to 1992 for three groups of countries. Methane (natural gas) is the second most important of the greenhouse gases resulting from human activities. It is produced by rice cultivation, cattle and sheep ranching, and by decaying material in landfills. Methane is also emitted during coal mining and oil

drilling, and by leaky gas pipelines. Human activities have increased the concentration of methane in the atmosphere by about 145% above what would be present naturally. Nitrous oxide is produced by various agricultural and industrial practices. Human activities have increased the concentration of nitrous oxide in the atmosphere by about 15% above what would be present naturally. Chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs) have been used in refrigeration, air conditioning, and as solvents. However, the production of these gases is being eliminated under existing international agreements because they deplete the stratospheric ozone layer. Other fluorocarbons that are also greenhouse gases are being used as substitutes for CFCs in some applications, for example in refrigeration and air conditioning. Although currently very small, their contributions to climate change are expected to rise. Ozone in the troposphere, that is, in the lower part of the atmosphere, is another important greenhouse gas resulting from industrial activities. It is created naturally and also by reactions in the atmosphere involving gases resulting from human activities, including nitrogen oxides from motor vehicles and power plants. Based on current data, tropospheric ozone is an important contributor to the enhanced greenhouse effect. However, in part because ozone is also produced naturally, and because of its relatively short atmospheric lifetime, the magnitude of this contribution is uncertain. Human activities, such as the burning of fossil fuels and changes in land use, have increased the abundance of small particles in the atmosphere. These particles can change the amount of energy that is absorbed and reflected by the atmosphere. They are also believed to modify the properties of clouds, changing the amount of energy that they absorb and reflect. Intensive studies of the climatic effects of these particles began only recently and the overall effect is uncertain. It is likely that the net effect of these small particles is to cool the climate and to partially offset the warming of increasing concentrations of greenhouse gases.

2. GREEN HOUSE EFFECT

Life on earth depends on energy from the sun. About 30 percent of the sunlight that beams toward Earth is deflected by the outer atmosphere and scattered back into

space. The rest reaches the planet's surface and is reflected upward again as a type of slow-moving energy called infrared radiation. The heat caused by infrared radiation is absorbed by "greenhouse gases" such as water vapor, carbon dioxide, ozone and methane, which slows its escape from the atmosphere. Although greenhouse gases make up only about 1 percent of the Earth's atmosphere, they regulate our climate by trapping heat and holding it in a kind of warm-air blanket that surrounds the planet. This phenomenon is what scientists call the "greenhouse effect." Without it, scientists estimate that the average temperature on Earth would be colder by approximately 30 degrees Celsius (54 degrees Fahrenheit), far too cold to sustain our current ecosystem.

How Do Humans Contribute to the Greenhouse Effect?

While the greenhouse effect is an essential environmental prerequisite for life on Earth, there really can be too much of a good thing. The problems begin when human activities distort and accelerate the natural process by creating more greenhouse gases in the atmosphere than are necessary to warm the planet to an ideal temperature.

Burning natural gas, coal and oil -including gasoline for automobile enginesraises the level of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere.

Some farming practices and land-use changes increase the levels of

methane and nitrous oxide.

Many factories produce long-lasting industrial gases that do not occur

naturally, yet contribute significantly to the enhanced greenhouse effect and "global warming" that is currently under way

Deforestation also contributes to global warming. Trees use carbon dioxide and
give off oxygen in its place, which helps to create the optimal balance of gases in the atmosphere. As more forests are logged for timber or cut down to make way for farming, however, there are fewer trees to perform this critical function.

Population growth is another factor in global warming, because as more people

use fossil fuels for heat, transportation and manufacturing the level of greenhouse gases continues to increase. As more farming occurs to feed millions of new people, more greenhouse gases enter the atmosphere.

Ultimately, more greenhouse gases means more infrared radiation trapped and held, which gradually increases the temperature of the Earth's surface and the air in the lower atmosphere.

Effects Of Global Warming

The effects of global warming are many and are interrelated. Global warming affects the environment and therefore human health also. After all, although it seems this truth has been largely forgotten, people do form a part of nature.

There is no doubt that the effects of global warming are felt in many ways now and this will worsen. Effects are, and will, be increasingly noticeable in these areas

Extreme weather Rising oceans Food and water resources Human health Economic War and conflicts and Further global warming

Todays average surface temperature is up by about 0.5C since 1890. It is expected that global mean temperature will increase by between 1.4 and 5.8C, or 2.5 to 10F. Of course it is difficult to link global warming with specific events. But we do know such events have increased while carbon dioxide (CO2) levels and temperatures have risen at the same time. For example, between 1950 and 1959 there were 20 great natural disasters worldwide. Between 1990 and 1989, 89 were counted - wildfires, cyclones, flooding, drought and mudslides among them. There are many, many factors that combine in their effects of global warming, and many of them are not predictable with certainty. Here are some that most scientists think are now happening or are likely to happen

weather
More extreme weather is already occurring. Cyclones have gained in strength since 1970. Rainfall associated with such weather has increased by 7% in the USA for example. Heavily populated, low-lying coastal areas in cyclone-prone areas are particularly vulnerable. "Hurricane Katrina" which hit New Orleans was a case in point. Cyclone Nargis in Burma is another among demonstrations of the devastating nature of some effects of global warming. Also a case in point in who would suffer first and most from climate change: the poor, elderly and disabled. Up till 2004 hurricanes were strictly a North-Atlantic affair. Until Hurricane Catarina struck Brazil that year from the South Atlantic. Already, in some African countries droughts and floods occur more frequently, and outside of previously known cycles. Higher evaporation rates will cause more rainfall in

some areas, causing soil erosion and desertification of areas. In the future, Africa, the poorest continent, will be particularly hard hit by droughts and floods while having few resources to combat these. Transport will be affected by cracking road surfaces, rupturing pipelines, railway lines and runways. Melting permafrost presents risks of road and railtrack subsidence. The new Beijing Tibet railway across the Himalayas was built to account of this. Permafrost in Alaska, Russia and Canada is already melting. Billions of tonnes of methane gasses, now locked in huge frozen peat bogs in Siberia will be released in this thaw. Imagine if you can, the size of this frozen peatbog. It is the size of France and Germany combined!

Effects of global warming - oceans

Between 1880 and 2000 a 20cm rise in ocean levels has been recorded now occurring at 0.2mm per year. This is due to ocean water expansion through its warming and water from melting glaciers and polar ice. However only land-based polar ice can be blamed for this as floating ice takes up the same volume as melted water. Oceans have absorbed about half the human-made CO2 emissions since 1800. A higher CO2 content makes the oceans more acid. This has adverse effects on coral, fish and plankton. Warmer ocean water and volumes of fresh water from melting glaciers could disrupt the Gulfstream which influences Northern European weather. A cooling effect could occur. Rising oceans could swallow low-lying islands and coastal areas. My homeland, the Netherlands is such a vulnerable country as much of it lies below sea level. But the Dutch have plans, including for floating cities.

Effects of global warming ecosystems

All ecosystems are affected by global warming. The UN Environment Program predicts that by 2075 few locally endemic species will survive. Twenty five percent of the Earths mammals and 12% of bird species will be extinct within the next 30 years. In a Triffid-like appearance, grass has established itself on Antarctica for the first time in millions of years. Polar bears are stressed through loss of habitat. Many species are steadily moving their ranges towards higher northern and southern latitudes, including butterflies, frogs, and birds. They breed earlier and plants flower earlier in the season. The IPCC's summary of part of its 2007 report (p.5) states that "eleven of the last twelve years (1995 -2006) rank among the 12 warmest years in the instrumental record of global surface temperature (since 1850)." And "The linear warming trend over the last 50 years (0.13 [0.10 to 0.16]C per decade) is nearly twice that for the last 100 years.

Effects of global warming - polar ice and glaciers

Since 1900 global glacier surface area has decreased by half and glacial retreat is occurring on every continent. The effects include landslides, glacial lake overflow and flash floods as regular, seasonal patterns of snowfall and some melting are destroyed. Less glacier meltwater in summer means the drying up of rivers and streams, needed for drinking water, irrigation and many other processes. Just imagine the effects from an

accelerated melting of Himalayan glaciers. The Ganges and other major rivers are the lifeblood for the huge populations of India, China and other parts of Asia. The icesheets of Greenland and the West Antarctica are also melting at rapid rates. Since 99% of ice resides in polar regions, these huge amounts of fresh water will have noticeable impacts, contributing to rising ocean levels and disruption of the Gulfstream mechanism. Fisheries will be affected, including of wild salmon, trout and ocean fish, as many rely on the cold water for breeding and food.

Effects of global warming - water availability Reduced rainfall, droughts, and vanishing glaciers will severely reduce the availability of drinking water.

Effects of global warming - human health

Human health will suffer as a result of climate change. The 2003 European heat wave killed some 30,000 people. But warmer winters may reduce deaths from cold weather. Some infectious, vector-borne diseases will spread as malaria already has. There are many other health effects too including effects of food shortages.

Effects of global warming - further global warming

Melting glaciers and permafrost may be at a stage where there is no turning back. As they contribute their fresh water to the oceans and as methane gas is released these events will further accelerate global warming. This is called the positive feedback effect. It is a scenario climate scientists have feared since first identifying "tipping points" delicate thresholds where a slight rise in the Earth's temperature can cause a dramatic change in the environment that itself triggers a far greater increase in global temperatures. Huge deposits of methane are trapped in ice crystals under the oceans. If these would be released the atmosphere would experience sudden and significant further warming.

Effects of global warming war and conflict

Dwindling resources will increase competition between nations in order to survive.

The US Pentagon, not known for its Green credentials, warned of global conflict in a leaked secret report, in 2004. It predicts nuclear war and conflicts over water, energy and food resources on a scale that eclipses its concerns over international terrorism. If thats the most conservative assessment were in real trouble Mass migration of environmental refugees, up to 150 million of them by 2050, will also increase risks of violent conflicts. Obviously among alternate energy sources that of our genuine care and goodwill towards others and our environments is crucial.

Effects of global warming - economic effects

The insurance industry is already facing increased costs from global warming. By 1992 this industry knew that since 1960 economic losses from disasters worldwide had grown three-fold and insured losses four-fold. One study suggests that of these about 3540% are related to climate change. In 2001 the UN estimated the cost of increased disasters due to global warming at more than US$300 Billion per year by 2050. Effects of global warming include a wide range, not all strictly bad in themselves. There will be economic opportunities among the losses. Both are hard to quantify. And part of estimating economic costs depends on what is regarded to have a monetary value, and how much. For example, can we cost extinct species, and loss of human life as easily as we can cost land and agricultural crop losses? Of course the alternate energy sector is already booming in terms of activity and investment. But so is oil, being more deserving of its "black gold" tag as it defies traditional economic wisdom that price determines demand. Oil demand is still growing including its environmental cost.

Perhaps oil running out is a far greater economic threat than global warming is in itself, but thats another story. As northern permafrost melts it may be possible to open shipping lanes thus far blocked between Europe and Asia. This would shorten the existing trade route by 9000km and this may present economic opportunities.

IN SHORT EFFECT OF GLOBAL WARMING

Green house gases stay can stay in the atmosphere for an amount of years ranging from decades to hundreds and thousands of years. No matter what we do, global warming is going to have some effect on Earth. Here are the 5 deadliest effects of global warming. 1. Spread of disease As northern countries warm, disease carrying insects migrate north, bringing plague and disease with them. Indeed some scientists believe that in some countries thanks to global warming, malaria has not been fully eradicated.

2.Warmer waters and more hurricanes As the temperature of oceans

rises, so will the probability of more frequent and stronger hurricanes. We saw in this in 2004 and 2005.

3.Increased probability and intensity of droughts and heat waves Although some areas of Earth will become wetter due to global warming, other
areas will suffer serious droughts and heat waves. Africa will receive the worst of it, with more severe droughts also expected in Europe. Water is already a dangerously rare commodity in Africa, and according to the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, global warming will exacerbate the conditions and could lead to conflicts and war.

4. Economic consequences Most of the effects of anthropogenic global

warming wont be good. And these effects spell one thing for the countries of the world: economic consequences. Hurricanes cause do billions of dollars in damage, diseases cost money to treat and control and conflicts exacerbate all of these

5. Polar ice caps melting The ice caps melting is a four-pronged danger.
it will raise sea levels. There are 5,773,000 cubic miles of water in ice caps, glaciers, and permanent snow. According to the National Snow and Ice Data Center, if all glaciers melted today the seas would rise about 230 feet. Luckily, thats not going to happen all in one go! But sea levels will rise. melting ice caps will throw the global ecosystem out of balance. The ice caps are fresh water, and when they melt they will desalinate the ocean, or in plain English - make it less salty. The desalinization of the gulf current will "screw up" ocean currents, which regulate temperatures. The stream shutdown or irregularity would cool the area around north-east America and Western Europe. Luckily, that will slow some of the other effects of global warming in that area!

temperature rises and changing landscapes in the artic circle will endanger several species of animals. Only the most adaptable will survive. global warming could snowball with the ice caps gone. Ice caps are white, and reflect sunlight, much of which is relected back into space, further cooling Earth. If the ice caps melt, the only reflector is the ocean. Darker colors absorb sunlight, further warming the Earth.

MEASUREMENT OF GLOBEL WARMING

The first question is what are we measuring? From the very start there is little agreement....

Surface temperatures versus complete atmospheric temperatures Land temperatures versus ocean temperatures Ocean surface temperatures versus ocean heat content to 700m.

How are temperatures to be measured AND UNDER WHAT CONDITIONS?

Satellite readings 6 ft. above ground thermometers [calm, windy, sunny, cloudy, rainy, dry] Ocean surface buoys [current conditions/direction] Ocean buoys at various depths [circulating versus non-circulating water]

What constitutes a measurement?

1 time per day, 2, 24, continuous readings per day randomly or evenly dispersed readings geographically [grid vs. sporadic]

What quality control/calibration variances/accuracies are acceptable?

Daily, monthly, quarterly, annual calibration > 0.1, >0.5, >1.0, >3.0 Electronic vs. manual readings

For what reasons will measurements be adjusted and in what manner?

Disagreement with nearby sites Time of day for readings Artificial heat sources Relocation of a site Specific adjustment versus general formula

What is the definitive metric?

High temperature/average of high temperatures/record high temperatures Low temperatures/average of low temperatures/record low temperatures Daily average of maximum/minimum/record daily average Average of continuous readings/record average [per period] Variance from historical average [variable 30-year period/all recorded history]

What is an appropriate time period for determining significant change?

The last 30-years [to establish normal?] Since 1880 [why start in a recognized cold period?] Since the last ice age [what are the bases for measurement and how can they be made consistent?]

Geological eras [does trend variability over a century that is less than annual average temperature variability mean anything significant?]

What constitutes record temperatures?

Maximum/minimum for a day Maximum/minimum for a month Average monthly temperatures [max/min or continuous?] Average annual temperatures [max/min or continuous?]

Fig. 1. Atmospheric Carbon Dioxide Concentration

Fig. 2. Sea-surface Temperature.

Fig. 4. Extent of Sea Ice.

FACTS

The earth is a natural greenhouse and is kept warm by water vapors, carbon dioxide (CO2), and other gases in the atmosphere, which absorb the suns energy and radiate it back toward the earth. This type of warming is called natural greenhouse effect. Enhanced greenhouse effect, on the other hand, causes global climate change due to excessive levels of CO2 in the atmosphere. 1. Without the atmosphere to create a greenhouse-type effect, the average temperature on Earth would be just 5 Fahrenheit (F). 2. Natural levels of CO2 in the atmosphere have varied throughout history between 180 and 300 parts per million (ppm). Todays CO2 levels hover around 380 ppm, representing a 25% increase over the highest recorded natural levels. 3. In the year 1997 alone, the concentration of CO2 in the atmosphere increased by 2.87 ppm; this increase is more than any other year on record. 4. The year 2005 was the warmest on record, and the years 1998 and 2007 are tied for the second warmest. The eight warmest years on record have all occurred since 1998.a 5. Scientists expect a 3.5 F increase in average global temperatures by the year 2100, resulting in the warmest temperatures in the past million years. During the Pliocene epoch 1.8 million years ago, when the earths temperatures were roughly equivalent to today, sea levels were 12-18 feet higher. 6. Geologists believe sea levels could rise between seven and 23 inches by the end of the century if current warming trends continue. 7. Worldwide, one hundred million people live within three feet of sea level, and much of the worlds population is clustered in coastal areas.

8. The polar bear, while surviving in drastically reduced numbers, is already effectively extinct in its natural habitatand no amount of change can save it. Scientists estimate that just 20,000 to 25,000 polar bears still survive in the wild. 9. The first forced relocation due to the effects of Fewer than 25,000 polar bears currently survive in the wild

climate change occurred in 2007 when 100 residents of Tegua Island in the Pacific Ocean were evacuated due to rising sea levels and subsequent flooding. 10. For the past million years, cool climate conditions have primarily prevailed throughout the world. It was under these conditions that the human species evolved. 11. The earth has always experienced cyclical bouts of climate change. Recorded temperatures throughout history display graphs of peaks and valleys with occasional extreme periods, such as the Little Ice Age of the seventeenth and eighteenth century and the Medieval Warm Period of the eleventh century. 12. According to NASA studies, average temperatures around the world have increased 1.4 F since 1880, with most of the change occurring in recent decades. 13. During the twentieth century, the earth experienced two warming trends. The first was a burst in temperature from 1900-1930, and the second is a continuing increase in temperature beginning in the 1970s. 14. The last two decades of the twentieth century were the hottest decades in more than 400 years and may have been the hottest decades for several thousand years. 15. Climate models predict the loss of Arctic sea ice earlier and more rapidly than the loss of Antarctic land ice if warming trends continue.

16. Climate models predict the loss of Arctic sea ice earlier and more rapidly than the loss of Antarctic land ice if warming trends continue. 17. Since the 1950s, Arctic sea ice has declined by 15% and the average annual duration of northern lake and river ice has decreased by two weeks. 18. As Arctic ice rapidly disappears, scientists believe the Arctic will experience its first ice-free summer as early as the year 2040.f 19. Average temperatures in the Arctic climates of Alaska, Canada, and Russia have risen at twice the global average in the last century. 20. The effects of global warming could destroy the habitats of and threaten extinction for over one million species of plants and animals. 21. Between the years 1961 and 1997, the worlds glaciers lost 890 cubic miles of ice. 22. In 1910, Glacier National Park in Montana boasted 150 glacierstoday there are just 27. 23. Deserts worldwide are increasing as a result of warmer temperatures. At the end of the year 2007, Australia lost 25% of crop production due to desertification. 24. Swedish scientist Svante Arrhenius realized as early as 1896 that human industrial activity was already surpassing the earths ability to reabsorb CO 2.

RECENT ISSUES ON GLOBAL WARMING

International Trade May Offset Reported Carbon Emission Reductions

ScienceDaily (Apr. 26, 2011) An increasing share of global emissions is from the production of internationally traded goods and services, according to a new study published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. Due to current reporting practices, this has allowed some countries to increase their carbon footprints while reporting stabilized emissions.

Democrats and Republicans Increasingly Divided Over Global Warming, Study Finds
ScienceDaily (Apr. 23, 2011) Despite the growing scientific consensus that global warming is real, Americans have become increasingly polarized on the environmental issue, according to a first-of-its-kind study led by a Michigan State University researcher.

Earth Recovered from Prehistoric Global Warming Faster Than Previously Thought
ScienceDaily (Apr. 21, 2011) Earth may be able to recover from rising carbon dioxide emissions faster than previously thought, according to evidence from a prehistoric event analyzed by a Purdue University-led team.

 Melting Ice on Arctic Islands a Major Player in Sea Level Rise

ScienceDaily (Apr. 21, 2011) Melting glaciers and ice caps on Canadian Arctic islands play a much greater role in sea level rise than scientists previously thought, according to a new study led by a University of Michigan researcher.

 Japan greenhouse gas emissions hit record low in 2009/10

Japan's greenhouse gas emissions hit a record low in the year to March 2010, data showed on Tuesday, but emissions may rise this fiscal year despite an expected economic slowdown if the country turns to fossil fuels to make up for lost nuclear power in the wake of last month's devastating earthquake and tsunami.

FUTURE EFFECTS

* Even the minimum predicted shifts in climate for the 21st century are likely to be significant and disruptive. Scientific understanding and computer models have improved recently and many projections can now be made with greater certainty. * The matter is serious. Predictions of future climate impacts show that the consequences could vary from disruptive to catastrophic. The minimum warming forecast for the next 100 years is more than twice the 0.6 C increase that has occurred since 1900. . . and that earlier increase is already having marked consequences. *Extreme weather events are striking more often and sea levels have already risen by 10 to 20 cm over pre-industrial averages. Sea level rise will continue for centuries due to the time scales associated with climate processes and feedbacks. In its Fourth Assessment Report, the IPCC states that the contraction of the Greenland ice sheet is projected to continue to contribute to sea level rise after 2100. If this contraction is sustained for centuries, that would lead to the virtually complete elimination of the Greenland ice sheet and a resulting contribution to sea level rise of about 7m. *Projections also point to continued snow cover contraction, as well as widespread increases in thaw depth over most permafrost regions *A future of more severe storms and floods along the world's increasingly crowded coastlines is likely, and will be a bad combination even under the minimum scenarios forecast. Furthermore, extra-tropical storm tracks are projected to move poleward, with consequent changes in wind, precipitation, and temperature patterns, continuing the pattern observed over the last half century. The IPCC also points to very likely increases in the amounts of precipitation in high latitudes, as well as likely precipitation decreases in most sub-tropical land

regionsAlthough regional and local effects may differ widely, a general reduction is expected in potential crop yields in most tropical and sub-tropical regions. Midcontintental areas -- such as the United States' "grain belt" and vast areas of Asia -- are likely to dry. Where dryland agriculture relies solely on rain, as in sub-Saharan Africa, yields would decrease dramatically even with minimal increases in temperature. Such changes could cause disruptions in food supply in a world is already afflicted with food shortages and famines. Salt-water intrusion from rising sea levels will reduce the quality and quantity of freshwater supplies. This is a major concern, since billions of people already lack access to freshwater. Higher ocean levels already are contaminating underground water sources in Israel and Thailand, in various small island states in the Pacific and Indian Oceans and the Caribbean Sea, and in some of the world's most productive deltas, such as China's Yangtze Delta and Vietnam's Mekong Delta. Most of the world's endangered species -- some 25 per cent of mammals and 12 per cent of birds -- may become extinct over the next few decades as warmer conditions alter the forests, wetlands, and rangelands they depend on, and human development blocks them from migrating elsewhere. * Higher temperatures are expected to expand the range of some dangerous "vector-borne" diseases, such as malaria, which already kills 1 million people annually, most of them children. Environmental damage -- such as overgrazed rangeland, deforested mountainsides, and denuded agricultural soils -- means that nature will be more vulnerable than previously to changes in climate. In any case, when climate shifts occurred thousands and tens of thousands of years ago, they generally took place more gradually. Natural systems had both more space and more time to adapt. * Similarly, the world's vast human population, much of it poor, is vulnerable to climate stress. Millions live in dangerous places -- on floodplains or in shantytowns on exposed hillsides around the enormous cities of the developing world. Often there is

nowhere else for them to go. In the distant past, man and his ancestors migrated in response to changes in habitat. There will be much less room for migration this time around. * Global warming almost certainly will be unfair. The industrialized countries of North America and Western Europe, along with a few other states, such as Japan, are responsible for the vast bulk of past and current greenhouse-gas emissions. These emissions are a debt unwittingly incurred for the high standards of living enjoyed by a minority of the world's population. Yet those to suffer most from climate change will be in the developing world. They have fewer resources for coping with storms, with floods, with droughts, with disease outbreaks, and with disruptions to food and water supplies. They are eager for economic development themselves, but may find that this already difficult process has become more difficult because of climate change. The poorer nations of the world have done almost nothing to cause global warming yet are most exposed to its effects

SOLUTIONS

Burning fossil fuels such as natural gas, coal, oil and gasoline raises the level of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere, and carbon dioxide is a major contributor to the greenhouse effect and global warming. You can help to reduce the demand for fossil fuels, which in turn reduces global warming, by using energy more wisely. Here are 10 simple actions you can take to help reduce global warming. 1.Reduce, Reuse, Recycle

Do your part to reduce waste by choosing reusable products instead of disposables. Buying products with minimal packaging (including the economy size when that makes sense for you) will help to reduce waste. And whenever you can, recycle paper, plastic, newspaper, glass and aluminum cans. If there isn't a recycling program at your workplace, school, or in your community, ask about starting one. By recycling half of your household waste, you can save 2,400 pounds of carbon dioxide annually.

2. Use Less Heat and Air Conditioning Adding insulation to your walls and attic, and installing weather stripping or caulking around doors and windows can lower your heating costs more than 25 percent, by reducing the amount of energy you need to heat and cool your home. Turn down the heat while you're sleeping at night or away during the day, and keep temperatures moderate at all times. Setting your thermostat just 2 degrees lower in winter and higher in summer could save about 2,000 pounds of carbon dioxide each year.

3. Change a Light Bulb Wherever practical, replace regular light bulbs with compact fluorescent light (CFL) bulbs. Replacing just one 60-watt incandescent light bulb with a CFL will save you $30 over the life of the bulb. CFLs also last 10 times longer than incandescent bulbs, use two-thirds less energy, and give off 70 percent less heat. If every U.S. family replaced one regular light bulb with a CFL, it would eliminate 90 billion pounds of greenhouse gases, the same as taking 7.5 million cars off the road.

4. Drive Less and Drive Smart

Less driving means fewer emissions. Besides saving gasoline, walking and biking are great forms of exercise. Explore your community mass transit system, and check out options for carpooling to work or school. When you do drive, make sure your car is running efficiently. For example, keeping your tires properly inflated can improve your gas mileage by more than 3 percent. Every gallon of gas you save not only helps your budget, it also keeps 20 pounds of carbon dioxide out of the atmosphere.

5. Buy Energy-Efficient Products

When it's time to buy a new car, choose one that offers good gas mileage. Home appliances now come in a range of energy-efficient models, and compact florescent bulbs are designed to provide more natural-looking light while using far less energy than standard light bulbs. Avoid products that come with excess packaging, especially molded plastic and other packaging that can't be recycled. If you reduce your household garbage by 10 percent, you can save 1,200 pounds of carbon dioxide annually.

6. Use Less Hot Water

Set your water heater at 120 degrees to save energy, and wrap it in an insulating blanket if it is more than 5 years old. Buy low-flow showerheads to save hot water and about 350 pounds of carbon dioxide yearly. Wash your clothes in warm or cold water to reduce your use of hot water and the energy required to produce it. That change alone can save at least 500 pounds of carbon dioxide annually in most households. Use the energy-saving settings on your dishwasher and let the dishes air-dry.

7. Use the "Off" Switch

Save electricity and reduce global warming by turning off lights when you leave a room, and using only as much light as you need. And remember to turn off your television, video player, stereo and computer when you're not using them. It's also a good idea to turn off the water when you're not using it. While brushing your teeth, shampooing the dog or washing your car, turn off the water until you actually need it for rinsing. You'll reduce your water bill and help to conserve a vital resource.

8. Plant a Tree
If you have the means to plant a tree, start digging. During photosynthesis, trees and other plants absorb carbon dioxide and give off oxygen. They are an integral part of the natural atmospheric exchange cycle here on Earth, but there are too few of them to fully counter the increases in carbon dioxide caused by automobile traffic, manufacturing and

other human activities. A single tree will absorb approximately one ton of carbon dioxide during its lifetime.

9. Get a Report Card from Your Utility Company

Many utility companies provide free home energy audits to help consumers identify areas in their homes that may not be energy efficient. In addition, many utility companies offer rebate programs to help pay for the cost of energy-efficient upgrades.

10. Encourage Others to Conserve

Share information about recycling and energy conservation with your friends, neighbors and co-workers, and take opportunities to encourage public officials to establish programs and policies that are good for the environment. These 10 steps will take you a long way toward reducing your energy use and your monthly budget. And less energy use means less dependence on the fossil fuels that create greenhouse gases and contribute to global warming

CONCLUSION

Global warming appears to have been occurring for the last 30-50 years.

This warming may only be a short-term fluctuation but could be a longer-term Evidence is still inconclusive whether man is causing the warming.

No "natural" causes for global warming have been confirmed.

One possible new theory is that galactic cosmic radiation (GCR) modulated by solar activity affects low-level cloud cover and is causing the warming.

Global warming may affect some parts of our society negatively but would likely benefit others. In fact, the current warming trend may be returning our global climate closer to that prevalent in the Garden of Eden. Compared to climate changes which have occurred in earth history, a temperature rise of a few degrees is a small fluctuation which will not lead to a complete melting of the polar caps or another ice age. Earth has a stable environmental system with many built-in feedback systems to maintain a uniform climate. It was designed by God and has only been dramatically upset by catastrophic events like the Genesis Flood. Catastrophic climate change will occur again in the future, but only by God's intervention in a sudden, violent conflagration of planet Earth in the end times

BIBLIOGRAPHY
website
www.sciencedaily.com www.globalissues.org www.climatechangeeducation.org www.siemenc.com www.about.com www.globalwarming.com www.Ico2n.com