Oceans Are Affected By Global Warming!!!

Next to overfishing and coastal pollution, global warming is causing great damage to the oceans. The damage is greater since the last 60years or so. The earth’s ecosystem is very fragile to withstand this onslaught by mankind. These revelations are brought out by two environmental organizations, the World Wildlife Fund (WWF) and the Marine Conservation Biology Institute. These reports clearly highlight the impact of global warming on tropical reefs, polar-ice edges, zooplankton, polar bears, and other marines.

A two-degree rise in temperature is sufficient to wipe out almost all the existing coral reefs, say the experts. It is authoritatively reported that the loss of Australia’s Great Barrier Reef due to global warming would cost a whopping $37.7 billion during the next century. The climate scientists predict that this reef could lose 95% of its living coral by 2050 if ocean temperature rises by 1.5 degrees Celsius.

The latest finding on greenhouse gases is startling indeed. Choking oceans due to rising greenhouse gases cause elimination of marine ecosystem thus affecting the food chain of millions of people. And the damages are irreversible. This affects the natural marine habitats and marine food supply in addition to changing the ocean chemistry. Migration of the marine life along the east and west coasts as also the extinction of some organisms are also happening now. Also the ocean circulation changes due to global warming would be disastrous for the marine fisheries.

Kelp forests, marine life and coral reefs decline. Disease among the marine life is on the rise.

Yes, such changes that have not occurred for millions of years are now happening due to global warming. Fossil records reveal a similar ocean warming about 50 million years ago and it was only after 100,000 years that the oceans recovered from this.

Can we prevent this and save the marine life? Yes of course, if only we implement some simple suggestions provided by experts.

These are: Eat eco-friendly fish. Avoid or at least restrict the use of plastics, disposables and single-use projects. Adopt energy-efficient measures. Do not release balloons, which are a danger to wildlife. Do not leave the fishing lines into the water as it takes about 600 years to degrade thus endangering marine life for 600 years.

And finally, try to take part in marine conservation efforts.


Image: Google

Source: Google

LET US JOIN HANDS TO SAVE OUR EARTH

Global warming. Heed the warning. No procrastination, Concrete measures please.

Global temperature is forecast to rise 4 degrees by 2100 Around 200 million people are likely to be displaced from their homes by 2050 due to environmental reasons. The clear warning is that unless carbon emission is brought down drastically, global warming will become more hazardous endangering the world’s habitat and economy. As per NASA satellite images, nearly 94%of Rwanda’s Gishwati forest has disappeared mainly due to subsistence harvesting and cultivation by refugees after the notorious 1994 genocide now leaving only 600 hectares out of its original 100,000 hectares!!!

What is urgently required is a political goal to reduce carbon emissions 80% by 2050, but this needs to be transferred into quick results. Also the high level of carbon emissions does call for tougher law to reduce it to safer levels. Various studies do clearly emphasize the need for the nations to agree on this issue in order to avoid a rise of more than 2C in average temperature. Having agreed upon the urgency of the situation, you have to have appropriate technology and regulatory authority in place to assess and monitor carbon emissions from various sources.

While China, a rousing giant of global warming seems willing to limit its carbon emissions, this Asian giant may accord first priority to developing its economy. But it is considering imposing a pro rata carbon tax on coal and fossil fuels such as gasoline, jet fuel, and natural gas. Interestingly, China is committed to making the upcoming Copenhagen Climate Change Conference later this year a success.

Japan plans to cut its carbon emission by a modest 8%. Australia may postpone its planned carbon emissions trading scheme due to possible pressure from the opposition and industry though it is likely spend huge sums on tackling carbon emission issues.

Two billion tons of carbon generated by the US coal power plants constitutes about 27% of all its greenhouse gas emissions, and frighteningly this level is likely to go up by third by 2025!!!.

India can well cut 227 million tonnes of carbon dioxide emissions in its power sector by reducing transmission and distribution losses as well as closing down the low-efficiency coal plants.

Source: Google

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Substitute for aviation fuel

Global warming is assuming dangerous proportions necessitating quicker remedial measures by various nations and the alarm bell is ringing, but there is hope. Research by a Michigan Tech University-based team highlights a whopping 84% reduction in carbon emission can be achieved by the use of Jet fuel from camelina seeds from the Mediterranean , which provides an ideal alternative to quickly reduce carbon emission by aviation with no loss of fuel performance. This was once used as industrial oil after the industrial revolution. The camelina seeds naturally contain a high quality edible oil content and low saturated fat. Also this plant requires very little water and less fertilizer and is a good rotation crop with wheat. Jatropha is another alternative crop in this direction. The State of Montana expects to provide its entire crop of 2009 for aviation fuel. Algae and switchgrass are already being considered as biofuel crops.

Source: Google

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