The government of India has made a detailed action plan to combat climate change and its effects.In this post I have made an attempt to explain climate change and its effects in a simple comrehensible manner.
The climate change is caused by golbal warming. Global warming is a result of greenhouse effect. Greenhouse gases cause greenhouse effect.Greenhouse gases are carbon dioxide, methane, nitrous oxide, water vapor and chlorinated fluorocarbons (CFCs).The earth's atmosphere has a blanket cover of gases.These gases trap sufficient heat to sustain life on earth.They also control other environmental conditions such as rainfall and evaporation.
The naturally occuring greenhouse gases in the earth's atmosphere performs two functions.In the first place it allows the ultra vilet rays of sun light to pass to the earth .After falling on earth,there will be an out going terrestrial radiation of infra red rays of the sunlight.These outgoing rays are absorbed by the greenhouse gases and re-emitted back to earth.This natural process increases earth's temperature from -18 degree Celsius to + 20 degree celsius. This temperature is required to sustain life on earth.
Greenhouse effect refers to the thickening of the concentration of the atmospheric gases.Increase in concentration of greenhouse gases is caused by the burning of fossil fuels.Coal,Oil and Natural Gas are the three major fossil fuels.This results in trapping of more heat on the earth's surface. Thus increasing the global temperature on earth. This is called Golbal warming.This upsets the global climates natural balance.
The current problem is there is excessive accumulation of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere.Greenhouse gases has been increasing beyond their natural levels.This results in an enhanced greenhouse effect,causing increase in temperatures called global warming.The sum of all these changes are refered to as climate change.
Increase in greenhouse gases in atmosphere are mainly due to burning of fossil fuels for energy generation and transport.Fossil fuels are non-renewable resources and requires millions of years to form a fresh resource.Available resources are getting depleted on one side .This depletion is faster than generation of new resources.Thus comes the need for renewable energy .
Real estate boom and construction activities have resulted in indiscriminate tree felling.Trees naturally absorb carbon di oxides released in atmosphere.Deforestation is another cause for excessive release of Co2 in atmosphere.In the absence of sufficient green cover the cO2 is released to atmosphere.Hydro fluro carbons released from industires are also another greenhouse gas that contributes to greenhouse effect.Toxic chemicals pollute rivers,airand oceans.
IPCC (International panel on climate Change) says if greenhouse gas emissions continue at present levels,extreme weather conditions,heat waves and floods are immediate threats.Rise in sea levels and decrease in agriculture productiona are also predicted by scientists.Extinction of existing species and biodiversity losses are also predicted.Natural ecosystems would be threatened.Heat spells and loss of human life is already common in India.Scientists have also predicted decline in summer rainfalls.Already there is a change in the monsoon patterns.Water resource problems will have an adverse cascading effect on agriculture,drinking water and hydro electric power generation.Flash flood risks are also predicted.Rise in sea level could inundate low lying areas,erode beaches,increase salinity of rivers.Temperature change could result in extinction of some vegetation types.Increased dry spells could increase forest fires.Change in temperature and humidity could adversely affect human health.Heat stress could result in cramps,exhaustion and heat stroke.A decade ago air conditioner was considered a luxury .Now it has become a necessity.Need of the hour is greenpeace activism,newer green technologies and green solutions to tackle hazardous emissions.
The Kyoto Protocol to the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) was designed to reduce greenhouse gas emissions The government of India has made a National Action Plan on Climate Change (NAPCC).The draft action plan was released on June 2008.The NAPCC has focussed on eight National missions. They are
1.Increasing the share of solar energy in the total energy mix.2.Implementation of energy efficiency measures.3.Launching sustainable habitats4.Effective water resource management.5.safeguarding Himalayan glacier and mountain eco systems6.Making agriculture more resilient to climate change7.Enhancing eco system services8.Seting up a strategic Knowledge Mission for focussed research in this area.
An urgency is required in implementing the mission statements.The safe level of atmospheric CO2 is 330PPM.(parts per Miliion).Our current level is 387 PPM .This level was reached this year.The scientific community and greenpeace activistsfeel the government's action plan has no deadlines and is not time bound.Critics also feel NAPCC has failed to recogoniseconservation of existing forest cover.
China has already made major investments towards reducing greenhouse gas emissions.China has invested in clean coal technology and carbon capture.They have also invested in low carbon innovation zones.Another Asian giant India should not lag behind and initiate steps in right earnest to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.
The climate change is caused by golbal warming. Global warming is a result of greenhouse effect. Greenhouse gases cause greenhouse effect.Greenhouse gases are carbon dioxide, methane, nitrous oxide, water vapor and chlorinated fluorocarbons (CFCs).The earth's atmosphere has a blanket cover of gases.These gases trap sufficient heat to sustain life on earth.They also control other environmental conditions such as rainfall and evaporation.
The naturally occuring greenhouse gases in the earth's atmosphere performs two functions.In the first place it allows the ultra vilet rays of sun light to pass to the earth .After falling on earth,there will be an out going terrestrial radiation of infra red rays of the sunlight.These outgoing rays are absorbed by the greenhouse gases and re-emitted back to earth.This natural process increases earth's temperature from -18 degree Celsius to + 20 degree celsius. This temperature is required to sustain life on earth.
Greenhouse effect refers to the thickening of the concentration of the atmospheric gases.Increase in concentration of greenhouse gases is caused by the burning of fossil fuels.Coal,Oil and Natural Gas are the three major fossil fuels.This results in trapping of more heat on the earth's surface. Thus increasing the global temperature on earth. This is called Golbal warming.This upsets the global climates natural balance.
The current problem is there is excessive accumulation of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere.Greenhouse gases has been increasing beyond their natural levels.This results in an enhanced greenhouse effect,causing increase in temperatures called global warming.The sum of all these changes are refered to as climate change.
Increase in greenhouse gases in atmosphere are mainly due to burning of fossil fuels for energy generation and transport.Fossil fuels are non-renewable resources and requires millions of years to form a fresh resource.Available resources are getting depleted on one side .This depletion is faster than generation of new resources.Thus comes the need for renewable energy .
Real estate boom and construction activities have resulted in indiscriminate tree felling.Trees naturally absorb carbon di oxides released in atmosphere.Deforestation is another cause for excessive release of Co2 in atmosphere.In the absence of sufficient green cover the cO2 is released to atmosphere.Hydro fluro carbons released from industires are also another greenhouse gas that contributes to greenhouse effect.Toxic chemicals pollute rivers,airand oceans.
IPCC (International panel on climate Change) says if greenhouse gas emissions continue at present levels,extreme weather conditions,heat waves and floods are immediate threats.Rise in sea levels and decrease in agriculture productiona are also predicted by scientists.Extinction of existing species and biodiversity losses are also predicted.Natural ecosystems would be threatened.Heat spells and loss of human life is already common in India.Scientists have also predicted decline in summer rainfalls.Already there is a change in the monsoon patterns.Water resource problems will have an adverse cascading effect on agriculture,drinking water and hydro electric power generation.Flash flood risks are also predicted.Rise in sea level could inundate low lying areas,erode beaches,increase salinity of rivers.Temperature change could result in extinction of some vegetation types.Increased dry spells could increase forest fires.Change in temperature and humidity could adversely affect human health.Heat stress could result in cramps,exhaustion and heat stroke.A decade ago air conditioner was considered a luxury .Now it has become a necessity.Need of the hour is greenpeace activism,newer green technologies and green solutions to tackle hazardous emissions.
The Kyoto Protocol to the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) was designed to reduce greenhouse gas emissions The government of India has made a National Action Plan on Climate Change (NAPCC).The draft action plan was released on June 2008.The NAPCC has focussed on eight National missions. They are
1.Increasing the share of solar energy in the total energy mix.2.Implementation of energy efficiency measures.3.Launching sustainable habitats4.Effective water resource management.5.safeguarding Himalayan glacier and mountain eco systems6.Making agriculture more resilient to climate change7.Enhancing eco system services8.Seting up a strategic Knowledge Mission for focussed research in this area.
An urgency is required in implementing the mission statements.The safe level of atmospheric CO2 is 330PPM.(parts per Miliion).Our current level is 387 PPM .This level was reached this year.The scientific community and greenpeace activistsfeel the government's action plan has no deadlines and is not time bound.Critics also feel NAPCC has failed to recogoniseconservation of existing forest cover.
China has already made major investments towards reducing greenhouse gas emissions.China has invested in clean coal technology and carbon capture.They have also invested in low carbon innovation zones.Another Asian giant India should not lag behind and initiate steps in right earnest to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.
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