It is time to act now to save this beautiful planet for future generations. Just as every drop makes the ocean, every ton of GHG emissions removed can save our Earth
CLIMATE CHANGE
Climate change is the increase in the Earth’s atmospheric temperatures, which is causing severe weather phenomenon. Historically, the temperature has changed due to natural cycles such as variations in the solar cycle. But, in the last two centuries Industrialisation and human activities increased the use of fossil fuels like coal, oil and gas, leading to increased the effect of climate change.
Burning fossil fuels generates greenhouse gas emissions that act like a mirror in the Earth’s upper atmosphere, which traps the heat reflected from the Earth surface towards the outer space.
What Is the Greenhouse Effect?
The greenhouse effect is a process that occurs when gases in Earth’s atmosphere trap the Sun’s heat. This process makes Earth much warmer than it would be without an atmosphere. The greenhouse effect is one of the things that makes Earth a comfortable place to live. (Nasa)
How are humans impacting the greenhouse effect?
Human activities are changing Earth’s natural greenhouse effect. Burning fossil fuels like coal and oil puts more carbon dioxide into our atmosphere.
NASA has observed increases in the amount of carbon dioxide and some other greenhouse gases in our atmosphere. Too much of these greenhouse gases can cause Earth’s atmosphere to trap more and more heat. This causes Earth to warm up.
Greenhouse gases (GHG) are primarily carbon dioxide, methane, Nitrous oxide and Sulphur di oxide. Human activities such as automobile transport, power generation, building heating, agriculture, land framing, and animal farming releases Green House Gases.
Currently the GHG concentrations are at their highest levels in 2 million years and emissions continue to rise. The Earth is now about 1.1°C warmer than it was in the late 1800s. The last decade (2011-2020) was the warmest on record.
For example, The primary sources of greenhouse gas emissions in the United States are:
Transportation: (29 percent of 2019 greenhouse gas emissions) – The transportation sector generates the largest share of greenhouse gas emissions. Greenhouse gas emissions from transportation primarily come from burning fossil fuel for our cars, trucks, ships, trains, and planes. Over 90 percent of the fuel used for transportation is petroleum based, which includes primarily gasoline and diesel.
Electricity production (25 percent of 2019 greenhouse gas emissions) – Electricity production generates the second largest share of greenhouse gas emissions. Approximately 62 percent of our electricity comes from burning fossil fuels, mostly coal and natural gas.3
Industry: (23 percent of 2019 greenhouse gas emissions) – Greenhouse gas emissions from industry primarily come from burning fossil fuels for energy, as well as greenhouse gas emissions from certain chemical reactions necessary to produce goods from raw materials.
Commercial and Residential (13 percent of 2019 greenhouse gas emissions) – Greenhouse gas emissions from businesses and homes arise primarily from fossil fuels burned for heat, the use of certain products that contain greenhouse gases, and the handling of waste.
Agriculture (10 percent of 2019 greenhouse gas emissions) – Greenhouse gas emissions from agriculture come from livestock such as cows, agricultural soils, and rice production.
Land Use and Forestry (12 percent of 2019 greenhouse gas emissions) – Land areas can act as a sink (absorbing CO2 from the atmosphere) or a source of greenhouse gas emissions. In the United States, since 1990, managed forests and other lands are a net sink, i.e., they have absorbed more CO2 from the atmosphere than they emit. (source: US EPA)
HOW DOES THIS AFFECT THE EARTH AND THE PEOPLE LIVING HERE?
An IPCC report summarized the severe effects expected to occur when the global temperature warms by 1.5°C:
Heat waves. Many regions will suffer more hot days, with about 14 percent of people worldwide being exposed to periods of severe heat at least once every five years.
Droughts and floods. Regions will be more susceptible to droughts and floods, making farming more difficult, lowering crop yields, and causing food shortages.
Rising seas. Tens of millions of people live in coastal regions that will be submerged in the coming decades. Small island nations are particularly vulnerable
Ocean changes. Up to 90 percent of coral reefs will be wiped out, and oceans will become more acidic. The world’s fisheries will become far less productive.
Arctic ice thaws. At least once a century, the Arctic will experience a summer with no sea ice, which has not happened in at least two thousand years. Forty percent of the Arctic’s permafrost will thaw by the end of the century.
Species loss. More insects, plants, and vertebrates will be at risk of extinction.
Many coastal countries and island nations are and will be directly affected by the climate change impact. At 2 Deg C, many of these nations may cease to exist and they will need to adapt or re-locate creating “climate refugees”.
Key temperatures:
1.1°C – Current Global temperature increase above preindustrial levels.
1.5°C – We can avoid the worst effects of climate change and save the planet from disasters. For this, about half of emissions cuts must be in place by 2030 and net zero emissions by 2050.
2.0 °C – The mission of the Paris Agreement is to keep global temperature rise below 2°C.
4.4°C – We will reach this temperature if current GHG emissions are continued.
The Earth’s atmosphere
Earth is the only planet in the solar system with an atmosphere that can sustain life. The blanket of gases that surrounds our home planet not only contains the air that we breathe but also protects us from blasts of heat and radiation emanating from the sun. It warms the planet by day and cools it at night.
Earth’s atmosphere is about 300 miles (480 kilometers) thick, but most of it is within 10 miles (16 km) of the surface. Air pressure decreases with altitude.
Earth’s atmosphere is divided into five main layers: the exosphere, the thermosphere, the mesosphere, the stratosphere and the troposphere, according to NASA. The atmosphere thins out in each higher layer until the gases dissipate in space. There is no distinct boundary between the atmosphere and space, but an imaginary line about 62 miles (100 kilometers) from the surface, called the Karman line, is usually where scientists say atmosphere meets outer space. (space.com).
It is the entrapped Greenhouse Gases (GHG) in this thin atmosphere that we are focusing on.
The Carbon Cycle:
There are four main reservoirs of carbon that are all interconnected by pathways of change:
Air – Carbon exists within the atmosphere in the form of carbon dioxide.
Water – Carbon dioxide dissolves in water. It returns to the atmosphere through the hydrologic cycle.
Plants – Through photosynthesis, plants absorb carbon and convert it to organic compounds (their food).
Animals – Animals, including humans release carbon dioxide into the air after breathing in oxygen.
Plant and Animal Decay – Decomposition of plants and animals releases carbon dioxide back into the air
Fossil Fuels – Carbon is also stored in fossil fuels (ex: coal, petroleum, natural gas). When fossil fuels are burned, carbon dioxide is released into the air. The largest pool of carbon that is close to the earth surface is trapped in the ocean, but is not involved with rapid exchange with the atmosphere. Carbon movement or cycling in the atmosphere occurs as a result of various chemical, physical, geological and biological processes.
HOW CAN YOU HELP TO SAVE THE EARTH FROM THIS DISASTER?
YES YOU CAN!
Watch this space and keep reading….