Greenhouse Gases and the Environment
Introduction
The global population keeps increasing daily, causing both positive and negative effects in the world. Researchers state that the world population grows by more than eighty million people annually. The increase in the human population in the world has necessitated the massive consumption of natural resources, ultimately leading to the emission of greenhouse gases (Peters, 2017).). When, for instance, coal ignites, it produces carbon (IV) oxide, which is harmful not only to human beings but also to the environment. One of the significant effects of the emission of greenhouse gases is global warming, which has resulted in massive climate change in the world (Hardy, 2015).
Further, the constant need for consumption of natural resources by human beings has also led to the destruction of forests, farming, where the overturned dirt releases carbon (iv) oxide, and soil erosion. In this study, however, I shall focus on the detriment emission of greenhouse gases from the burning of fossil fuels. The first part of the study shall cover the definition of greenhouse gases and the contribution of greenhouse gases to global warming. The second part shall cover the economic, security, and political challenges of the emission of greenhouse gases. I shall also discuss how emissions of greenhouse gases cause problems in the developing world and shall examine the countries that emit the most greenhouse gases.
In the final part, I shall examine what causes greenhouse gases, and I shall discuss the possible solutions to problems caused by their emission. Besides, I shall discuss the relationship between population control and the emission of greenhouse gases. In this research, I shall focus on Kenya, a country listed as a lower-middle-class economy. I will concentrate on the causes of greenhouse gases by the burning of fossil fuels and through agricultural activities undertaken by human beings (Bryan, Ringler, Okoba, Koo, Herrero & Silvestri, 2013). To save humanity and the environment, I suggest that the environmental principle of Reduce, Reuse, and Recycle should be adopted as a solution to reduce the emission of greenhouse gases.
Section I: Background
Greenhouse gases are gases capable of absorbing heat energy, which is emitted from the surface of the Earth and re-radiates it back, causing the greenhouse effect. The greenhouse effect is the warming of the troposphere and the surface of the Earth due to the presence of greenhouse gases. These greenhouse gases include methane and water vapor, carbon (iv) oxide. These are the most important greenhouse gases. Ozone, fluorinated gases, and nitrous oxides can also trap, though to a less extent, infrared radiation hence causing the greenhouse effect to that extent. The concentration of these greenhouse gases in the atmosphere is determined between the emission of the gas and the removal of the gas as a result of the conversion of the gas into another chemical compound.
The ability of the greenhouse gases to trap the heat produced by the infrared radiation causes global warming. Even though the radiation may disappear, the greenhouse gases last for years in the atmosphere, eventually causing Earth to get hotter. Therefore, this results in an increase in global temperature over the years. Experts state that over the past fifty years, the global temperature has increased at a very high rate (Bolin, & Doos, 2015). This increase is linked to the rise in human activities on earth due to an increase in the global population, eventually leading to global warming. For instance, the burning of fossil fuels in the production of electricity is the largest source of greenhouse gases. Coal-burning plants are the most significant environmental pollutants.
As NASA explains, the occurrence of the greenhouse effect is caused by the massive amounts of radiation that the sun bombards the Earth with. The radiation strikes the surface of the Earth in the form of Infrared, Ultraviolet, visible light, and radiation which is invisible to the human eye. Approximately thirty percent of such radiation reflected by the clouds to space, and the other seventy percent is absorbed by the atmosphere, the land, and the oceans. The balance between the outgoing radiation and the incoming radiation keeps the average temperature of the earth at fifteen degrees Celsius (Bolin, & Doos, 2015). The exchange of the outgoing and incoming radiation, which results in the warming of the Earth is referred to as the greenhouse effect.
Section II: How Emissions Cause Problems for the Developing World
Greenhouse gas emissions have both health and environmental effects (Patz, Frumkin, Holloway, Vimont, & Haines, 2014). Developing countries have had to grapple with these effects amidst their other struggles. The trapping of heat by these pollutants has resulted in global warming, which in turn has led to climate change. Kenya is already faced with the threat of climate change. In Kenya, there have been droughts and recurrent floods, which have caused deaths and property being damaged. Developing countries are vulnerable to the effects of global warming due to a lack of technological and financial facilities.
Developed countries are known to emit the most greenhouse gases. These countries, being industrialized, consume a lot of natural resources in the production of energy. This is mainly because these developed countries have high populations meaning there is increased human activity contributing to the release of greenhouse gases into the atmosphere. China, having the world’s largest population, emits the highest amount of fossil fuels, followed by the USA, India, Russia Federation, and Japan. This is based on the carbon (iv) oxide emissions per capita
The emission of greenhouse gases has caused many economic challenges globally. Such discharge leading to global warming and, eventually, climate change, which has reduced the per-capita commercial production. In Kenya, for instance, the rampant flooding and desertification have led to the reduction of business opportunities as people are afraid to risk the adverse weather to transact business. As such, the cost of transacting companies has increased. The warming up of Lake Victoria in East Africa is in the western part of Kenya is a significant threat to fishermen who largely depend on selling fish to earn a living. Kenya also largely depends on tourism to boost its economy. However, the coral bleaching in the Indian Ocean resulted in the loss of a percentage of corals. This adversely affected tourism in Mombasa, the coastal town of Kenya.
The security implications of the effects of greenhouse gases have attracted international attention. This matter has, however, been politicized, leading to a deadlock. An increasingly hot planet may affect the security of the earth. Climate change in Kenya may cause scarcity of resources leading to competition over scarce resources (Misra, 2014). This eventually results in tensions if Kenya has not put in place measures to contain the stress and tension amongst its people. Security, in this case, also extends to food security in the world as every country is now pushing for food security for its citizens.
Having stated the security challenges, there is a high risk of political problems developing globally due to global warming. People in the world are quick to politicize matters they have an opinion on. For instance, the issue of planetary climate security was already politicized (Hardy, 2015). In Kenya, the political system is marred by tribal politics. For example, the deforestation of the Mau Forest continues as those who are destroying it have politicized the matter. In this instance, it is challenging to pass a law protecting these natural resources in Kenya.
Section III: Causes of Greenhouse Gases and Solutions to the Problems Greenhouse Gases Cause
As discussed above, greenhouse gases are caused by human activity. As such, the more the population, the higher the rate of emission of these gases. The common cause of such discharge is the burning of fossil fuels during the production of energy, which releases carbon (iv) oxide and methane. The other origin of the emission of greenhouse gases is deforestation. When trees are cut down to produce energy, they emit carbon(iv)oxide, which is stored in them for photosynthesis. Such emission released in the atmosphere contributes to global warming as the gas traps heat from radiation for decades.
However, there are safer practices to enable us to save the environment and reduce the emission of greenhouse gases. For instance, the most efficient method may be to plant trees. Most countries, for example, Kenya, have taken the initiative to plant two trees after cutting down one tree for the production of energy. Trees will help absorb the carbon (iv) oxide released into the atmosphere during respiration or burning of fossil fuel. (Watson, Rodhe, Oeschger, & Siegenthaler, 2018). In this way, we will be utilizing the environment sustainably for the benefit of the next generations.
Apart from planting trees, another solution is adopting the principle of reducing, reusing, and recycling. This method has been very efficient in the protection of the environment over the years. People are encouraged to recycle their household waste to buy products with less packaging to enable them to reduce waste. For instance, instead of buying a new water bottle, one can refill a water bottle at home. The use of plastic shopping and packaging bags should also be avoided, and environmentally friendly material be used instead to make these bags. This trend has been adopted in Kenya and Rwanda doing away with plastic bags.
What is the relationship between population control and greenhouse gas emissions?
Population and the emission of greenhouse gases are inextricably linked such that an additional person means more gas emissions. The more the people, the more the human activity, which results in the release of these gases into the environment. Researchers state that the least environmental pollution was recorded in China during the COVID-19 pandemic, where the government enforced a strict lockdown in the country. This shows that during this period, human activity was scaled down, and people were not burning fossil oils in the production of energy.
In light of the above, the more the people, the more the production of greenhouse gases. Humans need to use electricity, heat, and they need to travel. All these activities require energy and, therefore, the need to generate energy which process leads to the burning of fossil fuels and, ultimately, pollution. Countries like China are usually faced with environmental hazards, such as thick smog, as a result of climate change. China, having the world’s largest population the country has many human activities that result in the release of greenhouse gases in the environment. As such, when the population is controlled, the emission of these gases is massively reduced. The discharge of greenhouse gases is more eminent in developed countries, but the effects include the increase in victims of climate change in poorer countries.
Conclusion
It is worth noting that the state of the environment is deteriorating by the day globally. This is mainly because of human activities, which lead to the release of pollutants into the atmosphere. For instance, there are many companies producing plastic products that do not decompose biologically. When such plastics are burnt, they release carbon(iv) oxide, which is a greenhouse gas and has adverse effects on the environment. The use of chemical herbicides and pesticides in agricultural activities also contribute to the release of chlorofluorocarbons into the atmosphere (Bryan, Ringler, Okoba, Koo, Herrero & Silvestri, 2013).
Environmental law has put in place seven ecological management principles, which include; polluter pays, the user pays, the precautionary principle, the efficiency and effectiveness principle, the responsibility principle, the proportionality principle, and the principle of participation. These principles have been put in place to ensure that every country is held responsible for the use of the environment and help in the promotion of sustainable use of the environment.
The need for sustainable use of the environment has promoted the putting in place of measures to reduce the emission of greenhouse gases in the background. Many countries are slowing doing away with the use of plastic bags and moving on to woven bags, which can quickly decompose. The habit of reusing and recycling is also picking up in most countries, reducing the emission of greenhouse gases. Since fuel used in cars ignites emitting carbon (iv) oxide, car manufacturers have begun manufacturing electric vehicles. Even though the use of these electric cars has not picked up globally, it will reduce pollution as electric cars release zero direct emissions.
The world already suffers its fair share of the consequences associated with the emission of greenhouse gases. The most visible trend is global warming. Researchers have confirmed that the water levels of oceans and seas are rising because warm climate causes the ice on land, such as glaciers, to melt and thermal expansion. Further, the health of people is at risk considering that climate change has contributed to the outbreak of infectious diseases (Patz, Frumkin, Holloway, Vimont, & Haines, 2014). This is a call for all to observe the necessary measures to reduce the emission of greenhouse gases. Simple actions such as turning off lights, sockets, and taps contribute a great deal in such reduction. Encouraging others to conserve the environment is also a considerable step in such. The protection of the environment is the responsibility of every individual utilizing it.
References
Bolin, B., & Doos, B. R. (2015). Greenhouse effect.
Bryan, E., Ringler, C., Okoba, B., Koo, J., Herrero, M., & Silvestri, S. (2013). Can agriculture support climate change adaptation, greenhouse gas mitigation, and rural livelihoods? Insights from Kenya. Climatic Change, 118(2), 151-165.
Hardy, J. T. (2015). Climate change: causes, effects, and solutions. John Wiley & Sons.
Misra, A. K. (2014). Climate change and challenges of water and food security. International Journal of Sustainable Built Environment, 3(1), 153-165.
Patz, J. A., Frumkin, H., Holloway, T., Vimont, D. J., & Haines, A. (2014). Climate change: challenges and opportunities for global health. Jama, 312(15), 1565-1580.
Peters, R. L. (2017). The greenhouse effect and nature reserves. Bioscience, 35(11), 707-717.
Watson, R. T., Rodhe, H., Oeschger, H., & Siegenthaler, U. (2018). Greenhouse gases and aerosols. Climate change: the IPCC scientific assessment, 1, 17.