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Global Threats to Environmental Stability
S. M.
Strayer University
SOC 450: Solutions to Global Issues
Dr. Gwendolyn Royal-Smith
June 10, 2021
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Global Threats to Environmental Stability
Among the eight millennium development goals set by the United Nations in 2000, one priority was to ensure environmental sustainability. This development goal was aimed at curbing the rapid environmental degradation following rampant industrialization in the middle and late 20th century (Fan et al., 2019). Unregulated human activities result in environmental pollution which destroys ecosystems and habitats and brings about deleterious effects on human beings. For development to be sustainable it must not only be inclusive but also environmentally friendly. Although various efforts have been made internationally to deal with environmental pollution, satisfactory results are yet to be realized. The failure to achieve the set global goals has resulted from differences in priorities between the developed and the developing countries.
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SAMPLE ONLY Globally, environmental stability is threatened by several factors. Two of the most important among them are the use of fossil fuels to generate energy and a deficiency of crucial technology in developing countries. The combustion of fossil fuels in machinery and domestic stoves accounts for the largest portion of greenhouse gases emitted (Ritchie & Roser, 2020). Greenhouse gases from human activities have been the most important players in the observed climate changes especially beginning from the second half of the 20th century. The main consequence of the buildup of these gases, mostly carbon dioxide, in the atmosphere is global warming. Developing countries lack the more advanced technology that reduces or eliminates greenhouse gas emissions. This paper discusses the relevance of these factors in determining environmental stability, analyzes the contribution of humans in aggravating these threats, and suggests strategies to address them.
Fossil fuels are an efficient source of energy for a wide range of human activities. More than 90% of the fuels used for transportation are petroleum products, usually diesel and gasoline (Ritchie & Roser, 2020). Fossil fuel combustion for transportation is the most important single source of greenhouse gases. In 2019, the transport sector contributed 29% of all emissions in the United States (Richie & Roser, 2020). These fuels are also used in electricity generation, powering industries, and commercial and domestic heating.
Regardless of the mode, burning fossil fuels emits copious quantities of CO2 into the atmosphere. Internal combustion engines also release nitrogen oxide and carbon monoxide. Coal-fired power plants release hazardous mercury emissions, sulfur dioxide, and soot. The most serious effect of these gases is global warming which in turn results in many adverse effects on life and the ecosystem. On average, the global surface temperature has been rising by 20C since the pre-industrial period between 1880 and 1900 (Li et al., 2020). Despite the small figure, this is a huge increase in accumulated heat because most of it is absorbed by the vast water bodies on the earth’s surface. Water has a high heat capacity and the combined capacity of world oceans is tremendous. Effects of this global warming are witnessed when some regional and seasonal temperatures rise to extreme levels, reduction in snow cover and sea ice, occasional intense rainfall, and changes in the habitat ranges for some plants and animals, whereby some get reduced while others are expanded.
The graph above compares the average annual global temperature between 1880 to 2020 with a long-term average of between 1901 and 2000. The average temperature for the long term is indicated by the zero line while the colored bars show the variation below and above the average for every year. Generally, the average global temperature has been rising steadily. The 2020 Global Climate Report provided by NOAA National Center for Environmental Information, 2020 was the second warmest year in the last 141 years for the combined ocean and land surface temperatures and was the hottest on record for land surface temperatures alone (Abidin et al., 2021). The average rate of temperature rise was 0.080C for each decade since 1880, but this rate doubled for the period between 1981 and 2020 (Abidin et al., 2021). Global warming results in extreme weather changes, disruption of food supply, and frequent wildfires. Greenhouse gases have also been associated with some respiratory diseases due to smog and air pollution.
Besides releasing greenhouse gases, fossil fuels use contributes to environmental degradation during the process of their extraction and processing. Big infrastructural projects are carried out by fossil fuel mining industries including pipelines, access roads, railways, and wells. They also set up additional facilities for processing, waste storage, and disposal. Often, the location of fossil fuel deposits necessitates the destruction of natural plant cover to build these structures. Accidental spillages over water bodies during offshore mining have occasionally resulted in water pollution and loss of marine life. When strip mining for coal, large tracts of land including any vegetation on them are scrapped and blasted away. After depletion of the deposits, the abandoned nutrient-deprived land does not return to its original state and usually lacks any profitable use.
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SAMPLE ONLY Even before combustion, fossil fuels emit several toxic pollutants. Benzene and formaldehyde are released from active gas and oil mines, as well as the transport and processing systems for these fuels. Benzene is a known toxin associated with childhood leukemia and other blood disorders while formaldehyde is a carcinogen linked to lung cancer. Miners are also exposed to toxic airborne particles, especially in coal mining. These are associated with a debilitating lung disease called anthracosis. Mining operations occasionally release carbon dioxide trapped naturally underground. This is particularly common in coal strip mining in Canada’s Boreal Forest.
Technological advancements have enabled the development of new methods of operation that prevent air pollution to reduce the negative effects on the environment and health. Various devices have been introduced including electrostatic precipitators, incinerators, cyclone separators, gravitational settling chambers, selective catalyst reduction systems, etc. The automobile industry is also making considerable progress towards making vehicles that utilize clean sources of energy. Unfortunately, the technical expertise required to adopt these methods for widespread use is largely inexistent in developing countries.
There is a high demand for processes and technologies that are conducive to the environment and their alternatives in the developing world. However, barriers such as trade policies and regulations regarding intellectual property cause procuring of these technologies too costly. Some efforts have been made to eliminate a number of tariffs on techniques that focus on combating environmental degradation and climate change to enhance the transfer of critical skills and experience throughout the world. These efforts, however, have been largely unsuccessful as developing countries which are the majority of the recipients of these technologies consider the moves a strategy to increase exports from the developed world, hence opposing them.
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SAMPLE ONLY The adverse effects of fossil fuels on the environment and health are well known across most societies. Nevertheless, the widespread use of alternative sources of clean energy as opposed to fossil fuels is still a long way away. The use of these fuels has many advantages. They are cheaper sources of energy being found freely in the environment. Having been used to power industries and machines for almost three centuries, there is a ready infrastructure dedicated to their utilization. Even when their supply occasionally dwindles, the established infrastructure that relies on them encourages their exploration and exploitation even in hostile environments albeit at higher costs. Fossil fuels are abundant in the environment and are not expected to run out soon. In addition, they have some useful byproducts used to make plastics.
Human activities have the largest contribution to the global rise in atmospheric greenhouse gas levels mostly from the use of fossil fuels. This has been on a steady rise since 1900. Emissions of carbon dioxide per person globally increased by 90% between 1970 and 2011 (Ritchie & Roser, 2020). Fossil fuel use and several processes in industries accounted for about 78% of this rise (Ritchie & Roser, 2020). Carbon dioxide emission is generally higher in developed than in developing countries. Wei et al. (2016) compared the contribution of the developed and the developing countries in the global climatic changes due to greenhouse gas emissions. Applying the Community Earth System Model, they found that between 1850 to 2005 the developed world contributed between 53 and 61 % while the developing world contributed between 39 and 47%.
Humans have aggravated the shortage of relevant technology regarding environmental conservation in several ways. Firstly, there are have not been properly established international programs for the exchange of technological developments focused on environmental stability. Consequently, developing countries, which are in more need to import these techniques, do not have the information about the availability of technologies that fit their requirements and where to obtain them. The imposition of tariff and intellectual property rights also hinders the transfer of technical knowledge and skills to other countries which forces them to rely on outdated technology which does not conserve the environment.
Secondly, means to finance the transfer of technology to underdeveloped countries have not been formulated. Transfer of technology involves a host of procedures that have to be paid for, often amounting to high costs. Returns on these projects may not be expected to be immediate which discourages developing countries from investing in them and instead focus on more pressing issues. Often, there is a reluctance in the adoption of technologies in developing countries due to higher costs of operation associated with the newer techniques. Barriers to improved technology and environmental stability may also be threatened by a general lack of available global technologies. Despite steady advancement in science and innovations, total reliance on clean sources of energy is not yet achievable in fields such as aviation. The available technology cannot be economically applied in all forms of air transport and, therefore, planes have to continue using fossil fuels (Fan et al., 2019).
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SAMPLE ONLY The threats of environmental degradation and climate change caused by fossil fuels can be mitigated by encouraging the use of alternative sources of energy or the adoption of new means of operation. To avoid a 20C rise in the global temperature and its subsequent adverse effects on human life, the global average carbon footprint needs to be reduced by 50% by 2050 (Wakeland et al., 2012). One of the potential areas that can be targeted for the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions is the transport sector. Personal vehicles are a major contributor to the carbon footprint. In the United States, cars and trucks account for about a fifth of the total emissions. Bicycle riding as a substitute for cars as the preferred means of travel whenever possible will go a long way in reducing this burden. Currently, bikes and e-bikes contribute only 6% of miles traveled in major cities across the world (Fan et al., 2019). An overall reduction of the global average carbon footprint by 11% can be easily achieved if bikes make up 14% of miles traveled in the cities (Fan et al., 2019). Bike riding reduces carbon dioxide footprint in various ways. The amount of CO2 released in production is 16g for a bike which is much better compared to 313g for a car (Keall et al., 2018). The amount of CO2 released by each cyclist per km varies according to diet. On average, European cyclists release 16g which again is more environmentally friendly than the 271g released by a car per person (Keall et al., 2018).
To increase the global adoption of bike use, several changes need to be made. A large-scale network of bicycle infrastructure needs to be developed across all cities. Governments should be advised to incentivize bike-share schemes to encourage their establishment and maintenance. The public should be educated on the benefits of cycling in environmental conservation and policymakers should review laws to protect cyclists and pedestrians. Regional land-use planning should also be coordinated to ensure all developments are done with provisions for bike transport in mind.
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SAMPLE ONLY To reduce over-reliance on fossil fuels, innovations in clean energy should be encouraged by policymakers. For the local government, encouraging innovation in clean energy will become both a pathway to a cleaner economy and an effective tool for promoting the local economy. More effort should also be made to adopt the innovations as soon as they arise. For instance, more homes should be encouraged to use solar panels and wind energy as recent innovations have led to a reduction in the cost of producing electricity through these means to levels comparable to the use of fossil fuels (Popp, 2020). Additionally, to promote the transfer of available technology to developing countries, international technology exchange programs should be established to avail information on existing technologies. Multiple unnecessary protocols in the transfer of technology can be avoided by encouraging direct private sector associations between the developed and developing countries. The shortage of finance in developing countries can be addressed through offering loans and grants, cost-sharing and removal of institutional barriers.
Discussion
In conclusion, it is evident that environmental conservation is critical for sustainable development. Despite its inclusion in the United Nations sustainable development goals, efforts to conserve the environment globally have not been satisfactory. Two of the most serious threats to environmental stability are the continued use of fossil fuels to produce energy and a lack of environmentally friendly technology, especially in the developing world. Fossil fuels contribute the largest proportion of greenhouse gases released from human activities, which are responsible for most of the recent climate changes. Mining and processing also cause significant environmental degradation. Adoption of new technology focused on environmental protection is costly which limits its transfer to developing countries. To combat the threats to environmental stability, collective effort is needed to promote innovation, technology transfer, and adoption of the environmentally friendly practices available.
References
Abidin, M. R., Nur, R., Mayzarah, E. M., & Umar, R. (2021). Estimating and Monitoring the Land Surface Temperature (LST) Using Landsat OLI 8 TIRS. International Journal of Environment, Engineering & Education, 3(1), 17-24.
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SAMPLE ONLY Fan, A., Chen, X., & Wan, T. (2019). How have travelers changed mode choices for first/last mile trips after the introduction of bicycle- sharing systems: An empirical study in Beijing, China. Journal of Advanced Transportation, 2019.
Keall, M. D., Shaw, C., Chapman, R., & Howden-Chapman, P. (2018). Reductions in carbon dioxide emissions from an intervention to promote cycling and walking: A case study from New Zealand. Transportation Research Part D: Transport and Environment, 65, 687-696.
Li, Q., Sun, W., Huang, B., Dong, W., Wang, X., Zhai, P., & Jones, P. (2020). Consistency of global warming trends strengthened since 1880s. Science Bulletin, 65(20), 1709-1712.
Popp, D. (2020). Promoting Clean Energy Innovation at the State and Local Level. Agricultural and Resource Economics Review, 49(2), 360-373.
Ritchie, H., & Roser, M. (2020). CO₂ and greenhouse gas emissions. Our world in data.
Wakeland, W., Cholette, S., & Venkat, K. (2012). Food transportation issues and reducing carbon footprint. In Green technologies in food production and processing (pp. 211-236). Springer, Boston, MA.
Wei, T., Dong, W., Yan, Q., Chou, J., Yang, Z., & Tian, D. (2016). Developed and developing world contributions to climate system change based on carbon dioxide, methane and nitrous oxide emissions. Advances in atmospheric sciences, 33(5), 632-643.
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