Climate change and energy problems
Outline of the lecture 1) The impact of energy development on the environment. 2) Global climate change 3) Global warming, the Greenhouse effect and its consequences 4) Remedial actions for global climate change 5) Clean energy and climate change.
Definition of environment - the conditions that surround someone or something : the conditions and influences that affect the growth, health, progress, etc. , of someone or something; - the environment : the natural world; - the complex of physical, chemical, and biotic factors (as climate, soil, and living things) that act upon an organism or an ecological community and ultimately determine its form and survival; - the aggregate of social and cultural conditions that influence the life of an individual or community;
Climate change - a long-term change in the earth's climate, especially a change due toan increase in the average atmospheric temperature; - a change in global or regional climate patterns, in particular a change apparent from the mid to late 20 th century onwards and attributed largely to the increased levels of atmospheric carbon dioxide produced by the use of fossil fuels.
Industrial pollution
Burning oil pipelines
Burning of trash
Climate change is an important issue worldwide because of its attendant problems that are threatening to man and the environment. Climate change and its effects are becoming more severe in under developed and developing countries, It has become a reality, with grievous consequences. The impact of climate change includes floods, landslides, drought and famine. As weather becomes fiercer and storms increase in frequency and intensity, serious socioeconomic consequences result. The causes of climate change cannot be isolated without looking at greenhouse effect which is caused by the release of destructive gases by human action which in turn brings about the warming of the earth surface through increase in the earth’s temperature. The increase in temperature is the cause of global warming and the domino effect causes ice caps to melt in the Arctic which contributes to the rise in sea level and droughts among other disastrous consequences.
Greenhouse effect - a phenomenon in which the atmosphere of a planet traps radiation emitted by its sun, caused by gases such as carbon dioxide, water vapor, and methane that allow incomingsunlight to pass through but retain heat radiated back from the planet's surface; - warming of the surface and lower atmosphere of a planet (as Earth or Venus) that is caused by conversion of solar radiation into heat in a process involving selective transmission of short wave solar radiation by the atmosphere, its absorption by the planet's surface, and reradiation as infrared which is absorbed and partly reradiated back to the surface by atmospheric gases;
Ozone layer or shield - a layer of ozone in the upper atmosphere that prevents dangerous radiation from the Sun from reaching the surface of the Earth; - an atmospheric layer at heights of about 20 to 30 miles (32 to 48 kilometers) that is normally characterized by high ozone content which blocks most solar ultraviolet radiation from entry into the lower atmosphere;
Ozone hole - an area of the ozone layer where there is very little ozone; - any part of the ozone layer that has become depleted by atmospheric pollution, resulting in excess ultraviolet radiation passing through the atmosphere;
A rise in temperature of between 1. 4 to 5. 8°Csby 2100 according to Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, IPCC, will have serious negative effect on the ecology and socio-economic wellbeing of the country in the following ways: Increase in amount of rains and number of rainy days- flooding in the coastal areas, higher risk of 100 years flooding occurring at shorter intervals Landslides especially in erosion prone areas. High temperature in the north will cause increase health issues such as meningitis, cataracts, malaria and yellow fever etc.
Desertification will increase and more droughts which encourage locusts and white flies, which in turn will affect food and water supply. High cost of construction especially in the coastal areas. Deforestation as a result of relocating of people from the flood affected areas of the coast; Change in land use in the coast may have drastic effect on agricultural output and hence livelihood. Wildlife will also be affected with possible effect on the entire food chain.
What should be done?
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