INTRODUCTION
Our world was
once referred to as a “Green Earth”. However in ages past; this has
more than declined; putting our once known “Green Earth”; into a
slowly darkening and harmful one. This is as a result of global warming.
Industrialization, as well as the accelerated production of harmful green house gases; have almost, if not completely depleted our only protective shield; the atmosphere, allowing the sun’s ‘Ultra Violet’ radiation to warm, if not set ablaze our now defenseless Earth.
The international community must set up an organized front to restore our heating Earth. We also, as individuals should in diverse ways, support the campaign against Global Warming to see our planet as Green as ever; again. This project seeks to address and educate all, on the accelerating surface warming of the Earth; its effect on our present atmosphere and the dangers it threatens to pose in the near future. It also aims at giving a fore-view of how to reduce; if not stop, the main causative factors by giving well researched and ecological solutions which will free our heating Earth and restore it into the once known “Green Earth” and as well make it a life friendly one to live in.
There is a lot to learn from our research. Just relax and find out more about Global Warming.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
UNDERSTANDING
GLOBAL
WARNING
DEFINITION FOR GLOBAL WARNING
Global Warning is a term simply denoting the accelerated Warning of the earth’s surface due to anthropogenic (human activity-related) releases of greenhouse gases due to industrial activity and deforestation.
The earth has its own systems by which it operates. The atmosphere contains a number of gases (Greenhouse gases) which are transparent to sunlight and opaque to heat. This was first proposed in 1800’s by a French mathematician and Physicists, Jean- Baptist Joseph Fourier (1768-1830). Fourier compared the function of the atmosphere to the glass in a “hot house” or greenhouse, even though he did not propose any mechanism by which it works. Since insolation reaches the earth surface in long waves but changes to short waves when it hits the earth’s surface and is converted from light energy to heat energy, the greenhouse gases prevent them from penetrating the earth’s atmosphere back into space. John Tyndall (1820-1893) also came out with proofs to support Fourier’s proposals. He experimentally demonstrated that CO2 and water vapor absorb heat radiation. The issue of Global warming, unlike the greenhouse effect is quite a recent one. Most scientists agree that green house gases have increased since the beginning of the industrial era. This has therefore increased the warming effect of the greenhouse gases, bringing about Global warming.
Since the mid
1980’s the ozone layer over
The present state of the atmosphere
Satellite data would have revealed the ozone hole sooner by the British Antarctic survey, but the data processing algorithm had been set to reject low values as mistakes in the satellite instrument.
However, the unfortunate inability to realize this growing distress, has led to the present deformations, in our atmosphere.
The atmosphere is a
mixture of gases, water vapour and particles, held to
the Earth by gravity. To its natural ingredients have been added man-made
chemicals such as CFC’s. The density and character of
the atmosphere changes with attitude. The lowest part of the atmosphere
is called the troposphere. It is the layer in which plants and animals live and
where the weather takes place. The troposphere separate it from the
stratosphere above where there are no clouds and temps are steady. The height
of this boundary alters with the time of day, the seasons and latitude. Over
the
By absorbing ultraviolet
radiation, ozone was the stratosphere which becomes warmer than the top of the
troposphere. The stratosphere acts as a lid to rising-air currents in the
troposphere which dare the origin of the earth’s weather systems.
Presently the destruction of the ozone, is leading to a global increase in
warmth. Most tropical countries in
CAUSES OF GLOBAL WARMING
Greenhouse gases and human activities
What are greenhouse gases?
These are gases containing hazardous element which deplete and destroy the
ozone cover surrounding the earth, thereby allowing the perpetration of harmful
Ultra Violet radiation from the sun into earth. There is the general increase
in the earth’s atmospheric conditions since,
this radiation cannot escape out into space.
The picture at left
shows how the greenhouse effect occurs
How it occurs
Radiation, from the sun passes through the earth’s atmosphere and heats up
the earth. This heat is re-radiated Back into the atmosphere, where some of it
escapes into space and the remainder is left in
atmosphere to maintain normal temperatures. However, when these greenhouse
gases are released our planet’s atmosphere, the earth’s “blanket” is depleted, making it
impossible for the trapped ultra-violet radiation to escape, heading to a
general temperatures rise Globally.
However, the earth tries hard to maintained an energy balance – that is, when a lot of the earth’s re-ordination bounces back to the earth’s surface, it gets absorbed mainly by water vapour and CO2, and a few other mirror gases act like a “blanket”. The balance is secured as follows.
Incoming Solar
Radiation: + 340Wm – 2 Reflected from clouds, the earth’s surface,
etc. ÷ -100Wm-2
Net incoming radiation absorbed by the earth = +240Wm-2
Outgoing radiation: -
420Wm-2
Greenhouse effect: +180Wm-2
Net outgoing (thermal) radiation = -240Wm-2
However, a large release of toxic greenhouse gases into the atmosphere makes it impossible for the earth to efficiently regulate climatic temperatures.
GREENHOUSE
GASES
Not all greenhouse gases found in our atmosphere are
really harmful. In fact, some of the gases are useful in the maintenance of the
earth’s energy balance, an example being Water Vapour.
Indeed, the greenhouse effect is very beneficial for the existence of life on earth, however, the problem arises due to the addition to
the effect by increasing the amounts of the destructive greenhouse gases in the
atmosphere.
The notable ones which will be talked about include:
(1) Carbon (IV) oxide (CO2)
(2) Methane (CH4)
(3) Nitrous oxide (N2 O)
(4) Freon and CFCs.
Other equally
destructive gases include
(i) Hydro fluorocarbons (H F Cs)
(ii) Hydro chlorofluorocarbons (H C Fs)
(iii) Hydrocarbon
(i) Carbon-dioxide
Atmospheric CO2 has increased from
280ppm(in 1750) to 367ppm(in 1999) this being a 31% increase. Today’s concentrations of CO2 has not been exceeded during thee past
420000 years and likely not during the last 20 million years. The rate of
increase over the past century is unprecedented.
The CO2 isotopic composition and the observed decrease in Oxygen demonstrates
that the observed increase in CO2 is
predominantly due to oxidation of Organic Carbon by
fossil fuel combustion and deforestation. Compared to the relatively stable CO2
concentrations(280+/- 10ppm) of the proceeding several
thousands of years, the increase during the industrial era is dramatic. The
average rate of increase since 1980 is 0.4% per year. Most of the releases
during the next 2 decades after this year are due to burning of fossil fuels
and the change in land usage(deforestation,
construction of buildings and roads) . Carbon dioxide is a dominant human
influenced greenhouse gas. In the 1990’s, the annual rates of CO2
increase in the atmosphere varied from 0.9 to
2.8ppm per annum.
(ii) Methane
Methane comes from a wide variety of sources. Most of them are natural but they
have been magnified by human activities. An example is that methane is a major
component of natural gas, but due to oil extraction, it has increased its
amounts. Recent estimations suggest that about half of Global warming may be
attributed to compounds other than CO2. Methane(CH4),
is approximately 20 times more effective than CO2 in its infrared trapping
characteristics. The atmospheric concentrations is relatively low but its
current level of 1.7ppm is more than twice that
before the industrial revolution. Data gathered since 1979 indicates an
annual increase of about 1%.
Methane has some of its sources from decaying
vegetable matter. Its early name is marsh gas. Activities like clearing
of forests and decaying of organic matter in landfills also generates CH4.
Methane from most landfills simply escape into the atmosphere
,creating considerable harm to our ozone. Another major source of CH4 is cultivating rice paddies. The rearing of animals have also contributed additional methane as the number of
cattle and sheep have increased. The digestive systems of these ruminants
contain bacteria that breaks down cellulose. In the
process CH4 is formed and released through belching and flatulence,i.e about 500 litres per
cow per day.
Methane has a relatively short atmospheric lifetime of between 7 and 10
years compared to that of CO2. There is a
possibility that global warming may increase the release of methane from
permafrost of North latitudes, peat lands and
ocean mud.
(iii) NITROUS OXIDE
Nitrous oxide is a greenhouse gas with an atmospheric lifetime of approximately
120yrs. Nitrous oxide is about 310 times more effective in trapping heat in the
atmosphere than CO2 over a 100-year period. The primary sources of
human-influenced emissions of nitrous oxide are agricultural soil management,
animal manure management, sewage treatment, mobile and stationery fuel
combustion, adipic acid production, and nitric acid
production. Nitrous oxide is also emitted naturally from a wide variety of
biological sources. Nitrous oxide is used for dental and medical purposes, but
in the atmosphere, it is less useful. There is a typical N2O molecule will
persist for about 150 years, absorbing and emitting infrared radiation. Major
sources, are artificial fertilizers and the burning of biomass.
At the lower part of the atmosphere, the reactions of
Nitrogen oxides and hydrocarbons lead to the production of stratospheric
ozone.
Release of harmful Greenhouse gases from vehicles
and other motor vehicles.
Petroleum based fuels contribute significantly to global warming Vehicle
exhausts release CO2 and Hydrocarbons which are both effective greenhouse
gases.
How
an increase in greenhouse gases increase causes global warming
Taking for an instance, there is an increase in C02. The effect would be to
increase the radiation bouncing back to the earth and reducing radiation
leaving the top of the atmosphere. For a doubling in CO2 concentrations, the
reducing atmosphere radiation would be about 4Wm-2. But the system is now out
of balance: 240W/m-2 is coming in but 236W/m-2 (240W/m-2 – 4W/m-2) is
going out. In order to balance, something must change, and what changes is the
temperature of the earth’s surface. If it increases, outward radiation
will also increase. This will happen until the 240:240 balances is restored.
But while the balance is restored, the Earth has basically got hotter. For each doubling of CO2 concentration, the temp.
Increase is expected to
be about 1.20C. Various complicating factors intervene to enhance or reduce
this figure. Water vapour might increase and this
would make the enhanced greenhouse effect stronger still. Other
factors of relevance are changes in cloud formation, changes in surface
vegetation, the melting of the tundra (which would release methane), changes in
ocean circulation, the cooling effects of sulphur
aerosols, and so on. The end result is some uncertainty about projected climate
change but an average temp. Change of about 20C
by 2100 might be expected.
(1) Carbon(IV) oxide
(2) Methane(CH4)
(3) Nitrous Oxide
(4) Chlorofluorocarbons
(Freon)
Chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs), along with other chlorine- and
bromine-containing compounds, have been implicated in the accelerated
depletion of ozone in the Earth’s stratosphere. CFCs were developed in
the early 1930s and are used in a variety of industrial, commercial, and
household applications. These substances are non-toxic, non-flammable, and
non-reactive with other chemical compounds.
These desirable safety characteristics, along with their stable thermodynamic
properties, make them ideal for many applications—as coolants for
commercial and home refrigeration units, aerosol propellants, electronic
cleaning solvents, and blowing agents. Production and Use of
Chlorofluorocarbons experienced nearly uninterrupted growth as demand for
products requiring their use continued to rise.
Not
until 1973 was chlorine found to be a catalytic agent in ozone
destruction. Catalytic destruction of ozone removes the odd oxygen species
[(atomic oxygen (O) and ozone (O3)] while
leaving chlorine unaffected. This process was known to be potentially damaging
to the ozone layer, but conclusive evidence of
stratospheric ozone loss was not discovered until 1984. announcement of polar ozone depletion over
A primary objective for researchers in addressing this issue has been analysis of Measurements and Trends in Ozone and Chlorofluorocarbons Levels. Global monitoring of ozone levels from space by the Total Mapping Spectrometer (TOMS) instrument has shown statistically significant downward trends in ozone at all latitudes outside the tropics. Measurements at several ground-based stations have shown corresponding upward trends in CFCs in both the northern and southern hemisphere. Despite rapid phase out of CFCs, ozone levels are expected to be lower than pre-depletion levels for several decades due to the long troposphere lifetimes of CFCs. These compounds are carried into the stratosphere, where they can undergo hundreds of catalytic cycles involving ozone before being scavenged by other chemical species.
Replacement compounds
for CFCs have also been evaluated for their Ozone Depletion Potential (ODP).
Hydro chlorofluorocarbons (HCFCs) still contain
chlorine atoms, but he presence of hydrogen makes them
reactive with chemical species in the troposphere. This greatly reduces the
prospects of the chlorine reaching the stratosphere, as chlorine will be
removed by chemical processes in the lower atmosphere. Hydroluorocarbons
(HFCs), potential replacements for CFCs that contain
no chlorine, have been evaluated for pontential
effects of fluorine compounds on ozone destruction. McFarland and Kaye give an
overview of the CFC-ozone issue in the 1992 paper “Chlorofluorocarbons
and Ozone”.
ROLE OF MAN
How They are
Produced(Industrialization-Man’s major contribution)
The endless effort of man to improve economic stability, modernize our
environment and to provide a more sophisticated means of making
work easier has led to an up rise in industries of all kinds.
Research has proved that man is one of the major contributing factors in the production of harmful greenhouse gases. In the efforts provide a better means of transportation, Housing and other manufacturing Industries, man has however forgotten to turn their minds to the notable damage they are causing to our planet. The fact that they come from economic activities that are so pervasive to hum society largely explains why global warming control is so complicated and so controversial Co2 as an example is
emitted from the burning of fossil fuel like Diesel and
Petrol,
mostly used in vehicles, so that most electricity production and most
industrial activity contribute to global warming.
Since gasoline, kerosene and diesel are fossil fuels, they too contribute, which means that the entire transport sector is implicated.
The burning of fossil fuels also emit methane, which is as well emitted into the atmosphere through gas pipeline leaks and from decomposing vegetation.
Methane emissions are therefore associated with livestock and with rice growing. Nitrous Oxide comes from fossil burning and fertilizers.
Smoke billowing from industrial smoke stacks. The components of smoke from industries include CO2 and SO2, which contribute substantially to the greenhouse effect and acid respectively.
The burning of forests also contributes significantly to CO2 emissions. The earth as spoken of earlier on, has the tendency to naturally make-up for the destruction caused by these gases. The Earth also significantly produces some of these gases, but man, through the industrial age has more than contributed substantially to the release of these gases such that, the earth has become almost impacitated.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Trees play a unique role in the global carbon cycle. They are the largest
land-based natural mechanism for removing CO2 from the air (CO2 is also removed
by the oceans and ocean organisms). Trees are able to store a large amount of
CO2 in their structures. An acre of forest will absorb about 10 times the CO2
amount absorbed by an acre of crop land or grassland. One tree absorbs about 13
pounds of CO2 per year, and each one acre of forest absorbs about 2-8 tons of
CO2 .e. However, when trees are burned, the carbon locked in the structure is
released into the air in the form of CO2. Today, the
shrinking world forests are not able to absorb all the CO2 created by human
beings while burning fossil fuels. Everyday over 5500 acres of rain forest are
destroyed and over 50 million acres are destroyed every year. Global CO2 levels
rise approximately 0.4% each year, to levels not experienced on this planet for
millions of years. Planting more trees and reducing timber cuts world-wide will
help restore the imbalance and perhaps buy time as ways are found to reduce
world greenhouse gas emission.
POPULATION
GROWTH
The intellectual powers that we enjoy has enabled us
to make effective use of technology and thereby changed the environment.
Technology is party responsible for explosive population growth and responsible
for the resulting damage to Earth’s resources.
The industrial
revolution caused a rapid increase in the population growth, as oil and gas
fuels were exploited for use. There is a clear link between the problems of
global warning and overpopulation, as increases in CO2 levels follows growth in
population. Presently, we have too many people on Earth. We cannot continue to
grow, and make use of limited natural Resources.
1994 research in
RESULTS
EFFECTS OF GLOBAL WARMING
Effects on life
(i) How it affects Man
Apart from our own Earth and its natural endowments being exposed to grave danger,
the life on it, significantly man; has suffered and is likely to suffer even
more if nothing is done about it.
Though humans however, have the capacity to adapt to some of the expected changes, there and two stages to impact assessment: this, predicting what the consequences will be for the ecosystem and human health. Global warning has also created natural irregularities which in effect are causing havoc to the existence of man.
The sun’s ultra-violet
radiation has heart-breaking effects like slim bury, heat stress skin cancers
and has the tendency of destroy and deforming body cells. All these pose a
major health risk to most tropical countries like
In the event of extreme
cases, hurricanes become intensified. Summer monsoons especially in Asia could
become heavier, but summer raining in
Global warning significantly
contributes to a rise in sea levels due to thermal expansion of the oceans.
Low-laying areas in
Significantly, the pattern
of the World’s diseases may also change, diseases such malaria, which is
still a major concern in
(ii) Effects on Vegetation
Apart from the dangers that the greenhouse gases pose on the earth by
rising its surface temperatures, these gases also tend to have an effect on
vegetation through reactions to form acid rain which in turn endangers the
vegetation.
The acid rain may lead to the burning and bleaching
of useful plant parts, thereby reducing the rate of photosynthesis since the
green parts of the leaves might be weared off.
Apart from this, subsequent fall of these rains on the soil can
neutralize the pH of the soil. This goes a long way to turn the soil into
acidic form. This creates an unsuitable atmosphere for the
soil living organisms which enrich the soil through the boring of the
soil and conversion of atmospheric Nitrogen into Nitrates.
Also, the plants subsequent absorption of these
acidic water into their system can pollute them and hinder their normal
functions. Ultra violet rays the sun also gets
to the earth’s surface and its harmful nature destroys the tissues of
these vegetation.
In a nutshell, all the above mentioned points will lead to desertification. The
increase in global temperatures might also provide a good
breeding grounds for Plant destroying insects.
(iii)
Effects on Soil organisms and aquatic life
The fact that most people are possibly unaware of
the distress being caused by Global Warning, calls for
great alarm. The effects of Global Warning is so wide spread that, out once
known “green” Earth could be in shambles in not so long a time. The
emission of toxic gases like CO2 and sulphur- dioxide
are well reacted with other components in our atmosphere, leading to acid
rainfalls. Acid rainfall is absorbed by the soil, water bodies and is
eventually transferred to plants and aquatic life, examples being fishes,
aquatic plants, e.t.c. useful soil organisms like the
earthworms, ants, and other terrestrial insects play a beneficial role in the
soil, provide holes through their boring and moving activities, which allows
the easy see page of water into the soil; to aid in plant growth. However, the
presence of acid rain in the soil destroys most, if not all of these soil
organisms, hence resulting in a decrease in plant production. Taking this
effect on large scale would mean, reduction food commodities around the world,
leading to famine and other related problems. Our Aquatic bodies, which are as
well susceptible to these rains cause water pollution. As a result, our aquatic
organisms, considerably fishes, and other aquatic plants, may suffer death,
leading to extinction of some species and might as well lead to a worldwide
pandemic of poisoned sea foods and more.
Fresh water resources
could also be affected by saline intrusion as sea levels change. Agricultural
out put may change adversely in some regions, particularly farming communities
like
(iv) Effect on wildlife
We cannot rule out the immense importance of our
Wildlife on this planet. This gives cause for the fervent efforts of
The effect is equally disastrous, when plant food and leaves intoxicated with these chemicals. Unfortunately, A considerable, percentage of our wildlife is gone due to the consistent feeding of such plants.
Global warning has more than given enough prone to ascertain the fact that there is the need to work worldwide to help in solving.
EFFECTS ON
NON-LIVING THINGS
(i) Effects on buildings and monuments
Global warming is on the ascendancy and has already caused many
destructions on this earth. This could have effects on buildings and
monuments and some of these effects are under listed below.
First and foremost, it makes the Carbon- dioxide concentration in the
atmosphere intense. It forms acidic rain with rainwater through the reaction
below:
CO2+ H2O----------- HCO3
This water when it falls on buildings and monuments causes the wear and
solubility of the CaCO3 composition of the buildings. Continuously, this wear
can eventually lead to the collapse of the buildings.
(ii) Effects on the
Climate and Sea Levels
By absorbing Ultraviolet
radiation, Ozone warms the Stratosphere which becomes warmer than the top of the
Troposphere which are the Origin of the Earth’s weather systems.
The ozone layer is therefore important in
determining the climatic and weather patterns of the world. Some Scientists are
worried about what will happen to the climate if the greenhouse effect
continues to warm the lower atmosphere, while the upper atmosphere becomes
cooler with the depletion of ozone thereby
rectifying the state of the atmosphere.
Globally, surface temperatures are expected to rise to either
0.6+0.2 degrees Celsius or 0.6-0.2 degrees Celsius. Studies
proved that the 1990’s is likely to have been the warmest decade
with 1998 as the warmest year. However recent studies have proved that 2005 was
the warmest year recorded.
More research has revealed that ice in permanently frozen state(Permafrost) have started melting over the
poles—that is the
Also, since water expands when it heats, an increase in average
temperatures is expected to cause an increase in the volume of the sea and
consequently, sea levels would rise. This would lead
to the flooding of low lying coastal areas. For instance the flooding of
coastal areas in southeastern
Possible effect of global of Global warming. As the sea levels rise,
the risk of flooding of coastal lands, especially low lying areas become
higher. This poses a threat to inhabitants of such areas.
SOLUTIONS
(1) Kicking the ozone
back into action
(i)
Man’s efforts to solving
Many possible solutions have been proposed to stave off global warming. Some
are very practical, while others are grandiose, to say the least. The world as
we all know is continually developing, as a result, the
world's need for space and energy will continue to grow. The need for space
will accelerate deforestation. The need for energy will almost certainly
increase the rate of fossil fuel burning. Listed below are a number of proposed
"solutions" to combat global warming.
The number one solution is conservation:
Each gallon of gasoline releases 8.64 kg of CO2 into the atmosphere (source
USEPA). Each kilowatt of electricity generated by a coal-fired plant produces
about 1.4 kg of CO2 (source USEPA). Using less will simply mean emitting
less. The USEPA estimates that energy-saving appliance standards in the
Secondly , at least a tree can be planted after each
one is cut: Research has proved that forests cover 10 billion
acres worldwide and sequester 1 trillion tons of carbon. The IPPC estimates
that 850 million acres could be made available for planting trees. These trees
would take up 60 to 90 billion tons of carbon by the year 2050. Unfortunately,
this is only 12 to 15% of projected emissions during this period. Moreover,
trees mature and stop rapidly consuming carbon. They are cut down, burned, or
decay, which releases their stored CO2. So trees are a temporary partial
solution at best. However, if these trees were used for lumber or paper
products, their carbon would be stored for much longer periods of time. This
might give the next solution time to work.
The Seas and Oceans:. The oceans already hold 36
trillion tons of carbon and absorb an additional 10 GtC from the ocean surface
components each year .The ocean surface currently absorbs 2.5 GtC from the
atmosphere, or roughly 40% of anthropogenic emissions. Given time, the oceans
will probably absorb human-induced emissions, just not as fast as we are
currently producing them. Proposals have been made to pump power plant
emissions directly into the deep ocean. It would probably work, but would be
extremely expensive.
John Martin, a scientist at Moss Landing Marine Laboratories in
Reduce the amount of incoming solar radiation: This can be done in several ways.
I Cloud cover can be increased through shooting sulfur into the stratosphere
like volcanic eruptions do. The National Academy of Sciences estimates it would
cost the
Resort to cleaner means of producing electricity: Solar cells,
hydropower, wind power, nuclear power are typical
measures to do so. These relatively cleaner methods will drastically reduce the
rampant emissions of dangerous greenhouse gases into the atmosphere.
(ii) The international
response
Global warming as its name implies, has established a far stretched effect,
which is why the subject has to be dealt with at an international level .
As a result, a number of industrialized countries have realized the
urgency to bring down the growing distress. The
Critics of the
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Interview with Mr.
Samuel Mensah
(an experienced Geography professor at
1. Team:
How much risk is
Samuel: “
It lastly affects the water cycle due to evaporation and if this is not
compensated for, water levels in lakes and lagoons will reduce.”
2. Team: What is the Geographical Effect of this Global warning
on our part of the World?
Samuel :
“ Simply, global warning is leading to a change in the climate,
meaning our rainfall pattern will be changed. There is also the problem of
desertification, the regular occurrence of natural bush fires.”
3. Team: What are some of the things that show that Global
warning has started affecting our part of the World?
Samuel: “The major determinant factor is the increased effect
of wave action. For example, the sea is eating deeper into the land from time
to time. A lot of land which 20 years ago was not flooded is now covered up by
the sea.”
4. Team: Is it possible the ozone layer will be able to recover?
Samuel: “Naturally, the earth has the ability to restore itself. If
only we reduce the rate at which certain chemicals are produced and released
into our atmosphere, restoration can take place. Also, if we are able to put in
measures to control this, there is the possibility to help our atmosphere to
recover.”
5. Team: How can we as individuals help to solve the
problem?
Samuel: “ We can all do this in our own small ways. We need to
know firstly, what the causative factors are. A lot of people in
Interview with EPA
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Interview of with the director of the Environmental Protection Agency
(E.P.A), Mr. Francis Mbawini
(
1. Team: Can
you please give us a brief history about the E.P.A. in
Francis: “E.P.A. was born in 1994, but before E.P.A, there was
E.P.A council established by NRC Degree 239 in 1974, under Champing. People
were concerned about the environment so there was a conference in 1972 in
2. Team: What
help do you receive from the government in maintenance of the environment?
Francis: “ Well, the government help us
mainly in the finance sector. We receive support when there is any difficulty.
We prepare a budget to the government which they use to allocate moneys to the
ministry concerned.
We also receive directives as to what to do and undertake.
They link us with international bodies by signing the protocols
concerned.”
3.
Team: What have you been able to achieve since your Establishment?
Francis: “E.P.A has achieved a lot,
between 1993 and 1998, we implemented GERMP (Ghana
Environmental Research Management Project). It has 3 major components
i. Water and soil conservation component
ii. Coastal and water management
iii. Environmental resource management.
E.P.A has been able to do enforcement on Environmental impact assessment
through the act of Environmental Assessment regulation 1999 (legislative
instrument 1662). With this act, we develop regulation giving us power to
assess all environmental projects before they are put up, thus helping to
maintain the environment. Education has been our major success, because through
radio, TV, road shows, and important day celebrations like world water day,
etc. These enable us to get all to know about the projection of their
environment.”
4. Team: What
is
Francis: “
5. Team: Has
it had any considerable effect on
Francis: “In
terms of Agriculture, our production has fallen, temperatures are increasing and
people, because of desertification is now approaching, people are now spending
more on cooling. The rise in sea levels also, for example Keta in
6. Team: What
are the solutions to this?
Francis: “First of
all, we need as a country, to implement all the Protocols and laws. We should
adapt more scientific and Environmental free methods. Education should be
intensified to get people to know more about this. Instead of cutting forest
trees, we can resort to Liquefied Petroleum Gas (L.P.G). We need to implement
waste management technologies which eradicate the releases of Methane.”
PREDICTIONS AND PROJECT NARRATIVE
Future
Predictions
Global effects of the greenhouse effect
cannot be directly predicted simply because we do not have enough knowledge I
the subject. However, scientists studying the growing effects are trying hard
to put our atmosphere back into shape.
However, if things are not quick enough, our earth will face serious in the
near future. Global warming will have great
effects on crops and weather conditions around the world. Also, climate models
predict faster heating over the northern hemisphere than the global average. In
addition to this, there is expected to be faster temperature increases at
higher latitudes. If the Global warming trend continues, higher temperatures in
the
Even more dangers are expected to result from Global warming, but both
our local and international allies are striving hard to protect our planet.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
ABOUT US
Name:
Class: S.S.S 2
Course: General Science
Age: 16 years
Contribution: I was poised to handle the causes as well as the effects of Global warming. I worked on part of the introduction as well as the solutions. I had sleepless nights sorting out information, gaining access to computers and a whole lot. It was real tough time finding information but in the end, I was able to meet the desired goals
Name: Emmanuel Arthur (secretary)
Class: S.S.S 2
Course:
Age: 17 Years
Contributions: I researched on the introduction and effects of the Project. I
also Contributed in the conductions of the interviews
and in the assembling of the information gathered. It was not very easy. It
seemed impossible to get the information needed, yet I think that the project
is very educative and informative.
Coach: Harry Konnor Tetteh/Anne Lambert
BIBLIOGRAPHY
CONTENT:
1. Chemistry in context—by
the American Chemical Society(1997)
2. Annual Edition—Environment 1997/1998—by
Dushkin and McGraw Hill
3. Times Magazine weekly editions—September 4
2000
4. Climate Change 2001—The scientific
basis by
5. Encarta Encyclopedia
6. Google Search engine
7. WWW.Ciesin.Org
8. WWW.geocities.com
9. Ghana Environmental protection Agency
10. Unimax Macmillan( Senior secondary atlas)
11. WWW.Scienceacross.com
12. WWW.forestsoils.org
13. WWW.digitalblasphemy.com
14. Garden sheds website
15. WWW.terapass.com
PICTURES:
16. [Greenhouse gases building] Source: digital blasphemy and garden sheds
websites.
17. [How greenhouse effect occurs] Source. Encarta
encyclopedia 2003.
18. [Release of harmful greenhouse gases from vehicles] Source. Encarta Encyclopedia 2003.
19. [Smoke billowing from industrial smoke stacks] Source. Encarta
Encyclopedia 2003
20. [
21. [Statues damaged by the effect of acid rain] Source
Science across and forest soils websites.
22. [Possible effect of global of Global warming] Source: Macmillan Atlas for
senior secondary schools.
Project Narrative
Our doors to diplomacy team is made up of Daniel and Emmanuel. Our ages are sixteen(16) and seventeen(17) years respectively. Information on the doors to diplomacy project was sent round the various classes in our school. Interested boys were to converge at the school’s computer centre. Not knowing each other yet, we all met at the computer centre to meet our coach. When we had our first meeting, I( Emmanuel) was then in the computer centre and the opportunity to join. We chose some topics on which we were to research. After this ,the individuals interested in each particular topic came together to form a team is how we got to know each other.
We realized that the project would make a positive impact on society and since we both shared a common goal, we joined together to research and present the Global warming project. Work was set to begin the next day and considering the bulk of work ahead of us, there had to be ‘ division of labor.’ We first prepared our outline to guide us and each member was to tackle two major headings under the outline and as well conduct an interview each. We set deadlines for the presentation of our individual work.
Our only adult coach was Mr. Harry K. Tetteh, who contributed in diverse ways to the success of our project. He first provided us with the necessary materials like books. He also gave us information on the construction of the outline and on how to go about the whole project. On a few cases, he provided financial support.
We had no internet connection in the school and no computers in our houses.
There were a lot of problems me and my students overcame on this project. The major problems were computer access and internet access. The school’s computer lab had only three working computers which need to be shared by seven teams. There school had no internet connection so I (the coach) always save the students work and later send it on their behalf through the internet café.
We used desktop computers for the presentation of our project. We scanned pictures that we had attained. Microsoft word and windows picture manager were the major software we utilized .most of our information was obtained from library books and from websites on internet.
Project Summary
Our world was once referred to as a “Green Earth”. However in ages past; this has more than declined; putting our once known “Green Earth”; into a slowly darkening and harmful one- this is as a result of global warming.
Industrialization, as well as the accelerated production of harmful green house gases; have almost, if not completely depleted our only protective shield; the atmosphere, allowing the sun’s ‘Ultra Violet’ radiation to warm, if not set ablaze our now defenseless Earth.
The international community must set up an organized front to restore our heating Earth.
We also, as individuals should in diverse ways, support the campaign against Global Warming to see our planet as Green as ever; again.
This project seeks to address and educate all, on the accelerating surface warming of the Earth; its effect on our present atmosphere and the dangers it threatens to pose in the near future.
It also aims at giving a fore-view of how to reduce; if not stop, the main causative factors; by giving well researched and ecological solutions which will free our heating Earth and restore it into the once known “Green Earth” and as well make it a life friendly one to live in.
We made sure that our doors to diplomacy project addressed all the major headings under our prepared outline. The project was able to fit perfectly into our school particularly since the topic we were to discuss was well related to what we are to do in Geography and other Subjects. Through this project, we learnt to put together bits of information , how to work together as a team, plan and as well be able to meet deadlines. Knowing that we needed to be efficient enough to do the work, we strategize a few techniques which would see us through without any delays. Each team member was to research into details, on two major headings under the outline. Members were also to find any little information which he deemed could benefit the other in his research. A deadline was then set to access the information gathered before submission. Deciding on specific ideas was not much of a problem. Each team member was allowed to give his own idea of a topic, after which the floor was open to any comments. Any member who was able to support his idea more convincingly would then have his idea accepted by both of us. We discovered that though the topic we were treating fell under the school’s curriculum, it was not being discussed into details and as a result we play a major role in giving other students more knowledge and information concerning the topic. The internet has been more effective for teaching and learning since it provides a more detailed and global perspective on several issues hence making it easier to get information, and improving understanding.
It
is obvious that our project will make a difference. It
provides a lot of information on Global warming, and hence any one
who visits our website will not only gain a broader insight into the problem,
but will also be incited to do something in an attempt to protect his
environment. We have been able to establish good working relationships with
local agencies like the Environmental Protection Agency (E.P.A) in
We
extend our gratitude and appreciation to the Central
regional branch of the Environmental Protection Agency(E.P.A),
See our Project Narrative 4187.