The
United Nations Climate Change Conference is just being held in Nairobi (from 6-17 November) with the participation of the treaty parties of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (1992). Its ultimate objective is the
'stabilization of greenhouse gas concentrations in the atmosphere at a level that would prevent dangerous anthropogenic interference with the climate system.' Greenpeace
We know that the earth has become warmer over the last century. The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), a group established by the World Meteorological Organization (WMO) and the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), reports that the average surface temperature of the earth has increased during the twentieth century by about 0.6° ± 0.2°C. (The ± 0.2°C means that the increase might be as small as 0.4°C or as great as 0.8°C.) This may seem like a small shift, but although regional and short-term temperatures do fluctuate over a wide range, global temperatures are generally quite stable. In fact, the difference between today’s average global temperature and the average global temperature during the last Ice Age is only about 5 degrees C. Indeed, it’s warmer today around the world than at any time during the past 1000 years, and the warmest years of the previous century have occurred within the past decade.
We also know that human activities—primarily the burning of fossil fuels—have increased the greenhouse gas content of the earth’s atmosphere significantly over the same period. Carbon dioxide is one of the most important greenhouse gases, which trap heat near the planet’s surface.
The vast majority of climate researchers agree with these overall findings. The scientific disagreements that do still exist primarily concern detailed aspects of the processes that make up these largely accepted general themes.
source:Global Climate Change
We can already observe the alarming signs of the climate change, effecting our everyday life as a whole, in the long run threatening with disastrous consequences, if we dont start acting today!! Should the global warming increase indeed in the future, we can expect ever more intense
floods, hurricanes, droughts, magnetic field anomalies, change in the Gulf Stream... Walrus on ice floe, 13 July 1999, Chukchi Sea Russian Federation
Promoting the use of alternative and renewable energies is far from enough yet, more intense campaigns would be needed worldwide in order to accept and adopt this kind of culture. Certainly this faces many obstacles, like the growing threat of the energy-hungry huge Chinese economy, or the responsibility of the USA by not ratifying the
Kyoto Protocol (
Whole Text) - entered into force in February 2005, aside from the economical impacts, based on the argument that China has been granted exemption.
Awareness raising and education would be needed both at corporate and individual level.
We, as citizens can also do a lot to help to stop this ever accelerating process, by acting in a more environmental conscious way. You can pay attention to reduce your traditional energy consumption which emits carbon-dioxide into the air, by for example cut back on using your car. You can buy energy efficient appliances, simply turn off your electronic devices when not using them, and try to switch to solar energy when its applicable.
Heres an interesting example what I found, promoting the use of
nuclear power:
- Nuclear power only produces electricity, and thus only marginally deals with our need for services such as hot water and central heating, and doesn’t meet our energy needs for transport at all. Instead of focusing solely on electricity production, governments need to address the energy system as a whole.
- US researchers from the respected Rocky Mountain Institute have estimated that for the same investment, energy efficiency can achieve up to ten times more carbon savings than nuclear power.
- The IEA’s nuclear plan would require more than 200 new reactors in the next 24 years. Climate scientists warn we have ten years to act. Nuclear power plants that come on line in 2025 to 2030 will begin replacing coal and oil too late to meet the short term need for emission reductions.
- The capital and subsidies for such an unrealistic expansion would be so huge that they would strangle investment in renewables and energy-efficiency, which the world desperately needs. Nuclear would prevent the very change the IEA is calling for.
- The report grossly underestimates the ready potential of energy efficiency and renewable energy – which already play a larger role than the IEA projects for nuclear power in 2030.
source:IEA report
I would like to hear your opinions about climate change and its possible dangers, as well as what you can do personally to treat its root causes.
Climate Change TOTW [23.04.07 - 29.04.07] -
10th November 2006
