Global Climate Change: The Problem of the New Millennium

The solution to the existing problem of global climate change destroying the world's environment remains fathomable through careful use of a combination of reduction of release of gases harmful to the atmosphere and reevaluating energy usage, improving efficiency accordingly. Global climate change remains dangerous to Earth's environment because organisms have all developed to the climate of the planet in its natural state. The natural state of Earth has nurtured growth within a specific range of variables, and when this delicate balance becomes upset even slightly, direct and indirect negative ramifications grow exponentially. One example of a natural state on the Earth remains the composition of elements in the atmosphere. If the amount of one element in the atmosphere becomes greater, the other elements must decrease in amount. Too little oxygen, for example, can kill certain animals and reduce the lifespan of humans. Too much oxygen could reduce carbon dioxide levels and could cause certain plants to die; in turn eliminating a part of the food chain. Eliminating any part of the food chain could eliminate numerous other parts as a result, potentially killing a multitude of species.

Subsequently, a higher average global temperature may result in melting of the polar ice caps because of temperatures above water's freezing point. Furthermore, the melted ice would become frigid water, changing average water temperatures which could reverse the flow of water currents. Reversing the flow of ocean currents would in turn reverse the temperatures of warm and cold ocean sections, bringing more warm water to Earth's Polar Regions, melting the ice caps further, thus sustaining the destructive cycle. This destructive cycle paired with the complete absence of polar ice caps would result in a massive increase in sea level, submerging any land masses within the margins of the rise. Most organisms cannot easily adapt to extreme new conditions. An example of poor adaptation remains the Little Ice Age, a period where global average temperatures dropped by only a few degrees Fahrenheit, but nearly 1/3 of Earth's population died as a result of the Bubonic Plague. The Bubonic Plague existed minimally until the Little Ice Age where organisms had to adapt and became weakened enough to contract the Plague. When oceanic currents become reversed, temperatures change drastically.

Moreover, the nature of global climate change includes a growing rate of increase in average global temperature. Gary Cook attests, Climate Change due to the greenhouse effect just might become the supreme environmental challenge to face the world in the 21^st century� (Cook 199) This statement describes a professional's opinion about the importance of global climate change. Greenhouse gases remain the exclusive variable affecting climate change. Extraneous theories have proposed alternatives to greenhouse gases causing this climate change such as solar energy increase, however, the sun has only decreased in energy output. Reducing the amount of greenhouse gases into the atmosphere does not definitively solve the problem of minimizing change in the global climate. Although the atmosphere has become quite different than the atmosphere of a thousand years ago, organisms have already begun to adapt. Forcing these organisms to revert to their previous states could likely result in devolution, which eliminates the progress of organisms and maybe leading some species to extinction. The only feasible method remains to level production of greenhouse gases so the current atmospheric composition remains the same.

Namely, industrialization remains closely intertwined with global climate change. As a result of industrialization, greenhouse gas production has risen immensely. This increase remains a result of the burning of fossil fuels and the destruction of greenhouse gas fixating plants such as trees. The most prevalent greenhouse gas remains carbon dioxide, however methane has become known as more harmful to the environment. David Bodansky explains, The other greenhouse gases will accelerate the temperature rise over that from CO₂ alone. (Bodansky 49) Bodansky describes in his quotation how, although carbon dioxide remains the primary greenhouse gas, the release of the other greenhouse gases do not become negligible.

Moreover, the release of environmentally harmful greenhouse gases remains divisible into sectors. The sector which controls the largest share of electricity, which in turn controls the largest output of greenhouse gases, remains the buildings sector. Leonard Wall affirms, The supply side of electricity is strongly driven by the demands of the buildings sector, which consumes 75% of all electricity. (Wall 443) Furthermore, the buildings sector remains divisible into the industrial sub-sector and the residential sub-sector. The industrial buildings sector consists of factories. Marc Ross asserts, Another critical element in understanding trends in energy use is that the manufacturing of bulk materials is roughly ten times as energy-intensive as the rest of manufacturing.� (Ross 418) Ross explains the largest area for efficiency improvement remains the manufacturing of bulk materials. The residential sub-sector of the buildings sector has become the secondary source of greenhouse gas production. The transportation sector immediately follows the entire buildings sector in greenhouse gas production. Chachich describes, We can improve efficiency by both advancing vehicular technology and optimizing our transportation system. (Chachich 357)

Consequently, the optimization of processes producing greenhouse gases remains essential for precluding the growth of greenhouse gases. Alan Chachich proclaims, A balanced energy analysis must consider end-use as well as generation. (Chachich 357) A process known to the economic community as self-optimization describes the supply-demand portion of processes which produce greenhouse gases as not necessitating any further assistance, but rather those in demand motivating suppliers with incentives. John Firor attests, We find that working on climate change implicates the entire economy and most of the environment. (Firor 179) However, a cost-benefit analysis of responding to global climate change now rather than a few decades from now when the benefits to eliminate average global temperature increase outweigh the costs of doing so, shows the costs and benefits both remain lower overall when humans take action before the economy shows a need for action. One method for optimizing energy usage remains to increase self-sufficiency throughout society. Self-sufficiency reminds one of the importances of efficiency. Firor concludes, Fossil Fuels lie at the heart of the world's industrial economy. (Firor 176) One can also gain the maximum efficiency of production through customized use of resources. There also remains an undistorted importance of efficiency related directly to the end-user.

Furthermore, the efficiency of the energy system can receive improvements in two forms. Wall describes, There are two kinds of energy conservation, the denial of services and comfort, and the doing of the same task better. (Wall 441) Improving on necessary tasks remains more beneficial to society and the environment. The denial of unnecessary comforts remains viable yet not appealing. A possible solution to climate change through a more efficient process exists in renewable resources. Janet Sawin asserts, Renewable technologies impose significantly lower social, environmental, and health costs than do conventional fuels and technologies. (Sawin 14)

Nuclear power remains a viable alternative to the combustion of fossil fuels for energy. Nuclear power remains virtually inexhaustible because the fuel contains one billionth the mass of coal per the same amount of energy produced. Nuclear power also only produces water as a byproduct into the atmosphere. Although nuclear power seems costly at approximately $80 million dollars per plant, there remains minimal cost throughout the long term since a nuclear power plant costs less than a coal power plant of equivalent power output after only ten years. Potential disadvantages to the utilization of nuclear power as an alternative fuel exist in the slight possibility of danger from the accidental release of stored radioactive chemicals. However, Sawin dismisses this risk by asserting, All conventional power plants face risks of conflict, sabotage, accidents, or even disruption of fuel supply. (Sawin 12) Potential danger of this scope does not remain limited to nuclear power plants.

Another alternative to fossil fuels as an energy source exists in photovoltaics. Photovoltaics convert light energy from the sun into electricity. This process produces absolutely no harmful materials or greenhouse gases. The principle problem with this solution remains the price of photovoltaics and the lack of power they provide for the price. Hydropower remains another feasible alternative to the combustion of fossil fuels. Although while used alone they have negative influence against the organisms which live in the water biomes, they produce no greenhouse gases and provide extra land for farming and expanded population growth.

The inherent complexity of climate change allows little predictability. The combination of the usage of assets must include renewable resource utilization, as well as increased efficiency within existing processes. To accurately solve this problem, one must continuously analyze and reevaluate the situation in order to properly solve the problem with the solution proposed. The technologies required and the costs to be incurred are not clearly predictable. (Bodansky 41) One must strive to become self-sufficient to nurture the Earth's climate and allow the climate to remain the same. The predicted necessary reduction in greenhouse gases remains steady at 25%. The cost of conservation, to the 25% reduction level, is estimated to be about $60 billion or an average of about $2.5 billion per 1% reduction. (Ross 421) $60 billion dollars remains a minimal amount of funding required to save the inhabitable planet in the present condition.

Works Cited

Bodansky, David Ed. Ruth Howes and Anthony Fainberg. "Overview of the Energy Problem." The Energy Sourcebook. New York: American Institute of Physics, 1991.

Chachich, Alan Ed. Ruth Howes and Anthony Fainberg. "Energy and Transportation."The Energy Sourcebook. New York: American Institute of Physics, 1991.

Cook, Gary Ed. Ruth Howes and Anthony Fainberg. "Photovoltaics." The Energy Sourcebook. New York: American Institute of Physics, 1991.

Firor, J., J. Jacobson. The Crowded Greenhouse. New Haven: Yale U.P., 2002.

Ross, Marc Ed. Ruth Howes and Anthony Fainberg. "The Potential for Reducing the Energy Intensity and Carbon Dioxide Emissions in U.S. Manufacturing." The Energy Sourcebook. New York: American Institute of Physics, 1991.

Swain, Janet L. Mainstreaming Renewable Energy in the 21^st Century. New York: Worldwatch Paper, 2004.

Wall, Leonard and David Hofemeister Ed. Ruth Howes and Anthony Fainberg. "Energy Conservation in Buildings and Appliances." The Energy Sourcebook. New York: American Institute of Physics, 1991.