GE 107 FINAL LESSONS Climate Change and Energy Crisis Lesson 1 Introduction Climate change is one of the fundamental challenges ever to confront humanityIts adverse effects being seen may intensify over time if nothing is done about it What Is Climate Change? Climate change refers to the change in global or regional patterns in particulara change apparent from the mid to late 20th century onwards and attributed largely to the increased level of atmospheric carbon dioxide by the use of fossil fuels. It is a catch-all term for the shift in worldwide weather phenomena associated with an increase in global average temperature. Climate change, also called global warming, refers to the rise in average surface temperatures on earth. NASA defines climate change as: "a broad range of global phenomena created predominantly by burning fossil fuels which add heat-trapping gasses to Earth's atmosphere. These phenomena include the increased temperature trends described by global warming, but also encompasses changes such as sea level rise, ice mass loss in Greenland, Antarctica, The Arctic and mountain glaciers worldwide, shifts in flower/plant blooming and all extreme weather events." What Are the Causes of Climate Change? Most climate scientists agree that the main cause of the current global warming trend is human expansion of the "greenhouse effect" - warming that Gagahha Hshshs hshsh results when the atmosphere traps heat radiating from Earth toward space. Life on Earth is dependent on an atmospheric "greenhouse" - a layer of gasses. primarily water vapor, in the lower atmosphere that traps heat from the sun as it's reflected back from the Earth, radiating A capable of supporting life. Human activity is currently genera an excess of longlived greenhouse gasses, that unlike water vapor, don't dissipate In a continuing buildup of heat in response to temperature increases, resulting Greenhouse gasses that contribute to the greenhouse effect include water vapor, carbon dioxide, methane and nitrous oxide. Water Vapor The most abundant greenhouse gas, but importantly, acts as a feedback to the climate. Water vapor increases as the Earth's atmosphere warms, but so does the possibility of clouds and precipitation, making these some of the most important feedback mechanisms to the greenhouse effect Carbon dioxide (CO2) A minor but very important component of the atmosphere, carbon dioxide is released through natural processes such as respiration and volcano eruptions and through human activities such as deforestation, land use changes, and burning fossil fuels. Humans have increased atmospheric carbon dioxide concentration by more than a third since the Industrial Revolution began. The main source of excess carbon GE 107 FINAL LESSONS dioxide emissions is the burning of fossil fuels, while deforestation has reduced the amount of plant life available to turn carbon dioxide to oxygen. Methane A hydrocarbon gas produced both through natural sources and human activities including the decomposition of wastes in landfills, agriculture and especially rice cultivation as well as ruminant digestion and manure management associated with domestic livestockOn a molecule for molecule basis, methane is a far more active greenhouse gas than carbon dioxide, but also one which is much less abundant in the atmosphere. Nitrous oxide A powerful greenhouse gas produced by soil cultivation practices especially the use of commercial and organic fertilizers, fossil fuel combustion nitric acid production, and biomass burning Chlorofluorocarbons(CFCs). Synthetic compounds entirely of industrial origin used in a number of applications, but now largely regulated in production and release to the atmosphere by international agreement for their ability to contribute to destruction of the ozone layer. They are also greenhouse gasses. Our warming climate is also creating a feedback loop as greenhouse gasses trapped in Arctic permafrost are released What are the Effects of Climate Change? The effects of anthropogenic humancaused) climate change ranged from more frequent and severe droughts to sims and extreme winter weather in temperate regions as a result of warming Arctic weather fronts. It's not only humans Mutare affected Warming ocean temperatures are Gagahha Hshshs hshsh increasing the frequency of cent rond zicaching; warmer drier weather means that forests in some regions are no Longer recovering from wildfires and wildlife habitats around the world are becoming less hospitable to animals. How Is Climate Change Affecting the Philippines? The Global Climate Risk tested the Philippines as the number one most affected country by climate change and the rise of its geography. The Philippines is located in the Western Pacific Ocean surrounded by naturally warm waters that will likely even get warmer as average sea-surface temperature continues to rise. To some extent, this is a normal pattern the ocean surface warms as it absorbs sunlightThe ocean then releases some of its heat into the atmosphere creating wind and rain clouds. However, as the ocean's surface increases over time from the effects of climate change, more and more heat is released into the atmosphereThis additional heat in the ocean and air can lead to stronger and more frequent stormsThis is what has happened to the Philippines. Five of the deadliest typhoons have occurred since 2006 affecting and displacing thousands of citizens every time. The deadliest storm on record in the Philippines is typhoon Yolanda which was responsible for more than 6300 lost lives, over 4 million displaced citizens, and 2 billion peso damages in 2013. The Philippines also lacks natural bamers; as a collection of over 7,000 islands there is almost nothing standing between them and the sea. In addition to their coral reefs, one of the best buffers against typhoons are the Philippine mangrove ecosystems. These mangroves help mitigate the impact of storm surge and stabilize soil but almost half of this have disappeared GE 107 FINAL LESSONS sce 1918 due to deforestation. Other natural factors, like regional risk of tropical storms. Sea levels in the average and when it rises to 15-20 feet wind patterns or currents, also increase the philippines are rising at about twice the global as what happened during typhoon Yolanda, millions of citizens in coastal communities in the Philippines have been displaced. In the Philippines, the effects of climate change and global warming cannot be denied. There used to be a clear delincuon between the dry and wet weather, or summer and rainy months. January to June have always been known as the dry months while the rest were wet months. Summer in the Philippines means hot, sunny days and temperatures are quite high. Wet months on the other hand are characterized by typhoons, windy days, and suspended dasses. During wet months, sunny days are unusual, and in fact unexpected. Nowadays, however, the wet and dry days occur anytime in the year. 1. More intense El Niño The El Nino phenomenon occurs when the surface of the ocean waters in the southern Pacific becomes abnormally warm. The energy created by this is so great that it can create an imbalance in the weather in different parts of the world. In Southeast Asia, it can lead to abnormally dry conditions. El Nino can also make weather events like storms highly unpredictable. Weather will have extreme highs and lows, making it "increasingly difficult to predict weather patterns for purposes of planning and normal business operations" , says a WWF-Philippine study. 2. Sea surface temperatures to rise By the end of the century, sea surface temperatures are expected to rise by 1 to 4 degrees CelsiusThis can lead to Gagahha Hshshs hshsh more powerful storms because storms get their strength from heat rising from the sea. In the Philippines, 4 and 5 degrees Celsius spikes above the normal sea surface temperature have been recordedWarmer seas kill coral reefs and can thus lead to a decline in fish catch, putting food security in danger. 3. Ocean acidification The shift in the Ph levels of our oceans can lead to widespread coral reef deathBecause of the imbalance shrimps are not able to develop skins, oysters cannot develop shells. Fish larvae may not be able to develop bones. This further endangers food security and livelihood. 4. Sea levels to rise by 4 to 6 meters Current data show an increase in sea surface heights. Scientists say this is due to the melting of ice sheets in the southern and northern portions of the globe like Antarctica and Greenland. Sea level rise by 4 to 6 meters can submerge low-lying communities like Tacloban City which stands only 3 meters. 5. Tropical cyclones to intensify The creation of tropical cyclones is a phenomenon that has never been close to being recorded in areas where the ed. Yolanda (Halyan), said to be the strongest in recorded history, devastated cities On November 8, 2013, Super Typhoon In Visayas. 6. Rainfall, river flow, and flooding to intensify Monsoon rainfall in the Philippines will reach new highs and lows. Some parts of the country will make it more difficult for agriculture and aquaculture sectors which are highly dependent on weatherPhilippine cities are already experiencing unprecedented increases by 25% from 1998 to 2011. More rainfall will lead to more flooding of rainfall. In GE 107 FINAL LESSONS Tacloban City, rainfall and can trigger landslides in upland communities old has increased 33.4% from just 30.3% in 2013. Climate change also impacts our country's ability to feed people. Karen Bermejo amounts (2017) wrote: The energy crisis in the pancem the world's demands on the limited natural resources that are used to power industrial These natural resources are in Omited supply While they do occur naturallyit can take hundreds of thousands of years to replenish the stores Governments and concerned Individuals are working to make the use of i the irresponsible use of natural supplies renewable resources a priority, and to lessen through increased conservation 1. Climate change is altering production ecosystems and compromising food security and nutrition for millions of people in the Philippines, according to the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization (UN FAO). According to Jose Manuel Fernandez, UN FAO's representative to the Philippines, due to climate change crop yields are expected to decline by 25% while catches of main fish species are expected to decline by 40% in tropical countries like the Philippines. 2. Climate change also affects farmers. Because of too much heat and too much rain, crops are ruined. An example of this is the 8-month drought which affected the Western Visayas region from October 2015 to May 2016 which damaged crops in more than 80,000 hectares of farmland and resulted in more than P2 billion pesos in losses. The drought has also affected farmers and crops in the provinces of Quezon, Camarines Norte, Samar, Laguna, and Mindoro. 3. Food security declines. The Global Food Security Index (GFSI) showed a decline in the Philippines' ranking. From 74it dropped to 79 among 113 countries based on the data released by the Economist Intelligence Unit (EIU), 4. Malnutrition increases. Based on the latest National Nutrition Survey of the Food and Nutrition Research Institute (FNRI) of the Department of Science and Technology (DOST), malnutrition rate in the Philippines is also increasing. The Philippines malnutrition rate or stunting among children under 5 years Gagahha Hshshs hshsh The energy crisis is a broad and complex topic. Most people don't feel connected to its reality unless the price of gas at the pump goes up or there are lines at the gas station. The energy crisis is an ongoing reason for this is that there is not a broad solution for the energy crisis. and getting worse despite many efforts. The understanding of the complex causes and solutions for the energy crisis. Causes of the Energy Crisis Some causes of the energy crisis were identified as follows: 1. Overconsumption The energy crisis is a result of many different strains on our natural resources, not just one. There is a strain on fossil fuels such as oil, gas and coal due to overconsumption - which then in turn can put a strain on our water and oxygen resources by causing pollution. 2. Overpopulation Another cause of the crisis has been the increase in the world's population and its demands for fuel and products. No matter what type of food or products you choose to use - from fair trade and organic to those made from petroleum products in a sweat shop - not one of them is transported without a GE 107 FINAL LESSONS significant drain in our energy resources 3. Poor Infrastructure Aging infrastructure of power generating equipment is yet another reason for energy shortage. Most of the energy producing firms keep on using updated equipment that restricts the production of energy. It is the responsibility of utilities to keep on upgrading the infrastructure and set a high standard of performance. 4. Unexplored Renewable Energy Options Renewable energy still remains unused in most countries. Most of the energy comes from non-renewable sources like coal. It still remains the top choice to produce energy. Unless we give renewable energy a serious thought, the problem of energy crisis cannot be solved. Renewable energy sources can reduce our dependence on fossil fuels and also help reduce greenhouse emissions. 5. Delay in Commissioning of Power Plants In few countries, there is a significant delay in commissioning of new power plants that can fill the gap between the demand and supply of energy. The result is that old plants come under huge stress to meet the daily demand for powerWhen supply doesn't match demand, it results in load shedding and breakdown. 6. Wastage of Energy In most parts of the world, people do not realize the importance of conserving energy. It is only limited to books, internet, newspaper ads, lip service and seminarsUnless we give it a serious thought, things are not going to change. Simple things like switching off fans and lights when not in use, using maximum daylight, walking instead of driving for short distanceusing CFL Gagahha Hshshs hshsh instead of traditional bulbs, proper insulation for leakage of energy can go a long way in saving energy 7. Poor Distribution System Frequent tripping and breakdown are the result of a poor distribution system. 8. Major Accidents and Natural Calamities Major accidents like pipeline burst and natural calamities like eruption of volcanoes, floods, earthquakes can also cause interruption to energy supplies. The huge gap between supply and demand of energy can raise the price of essential items which can give raise to inflation. 9. Wars and Attacks Wars between countries can also hamper supply of energy especially if it happens in Middle East countries like Saudi Arabia, Iraq, Kuwait, UAE or Qatar. Price of oil reached its peak causing global shortages and created major problems for energy consumers. 10. Miscellaneous Factors Tax hikes, military coup, political events severe hot summers or cold winters can cause sudden increase in demand of energy and can choke supplyA strike by unions in all-producing firms can definitely cause an energy crisis What are Possible Solutions to the Energy Crisis? Many of the possible solutions to the energy crisis are already in place, but they have not been widely adopted. They are: 1. Move towards Renewable Resources The best possible solution to the energy crisis is to reduce the world's dependence on non-renewable resources and to improve overall conservation efforts. Much of the industrial age was created using fossil fuels, but there is also known GE 107 FINAL LESSONS technology that uses other types of renewable energies such as steam, solar, and wind. The major concern isn't so much that we will run out of gas or oil, but that the use of coal is going to continue to pollute the atmosphere and destroy other natural resources in the process of mining the coal that has to be replaced as an energy source. This is not easy because many of the leading industries use coal, not gas or oil, as their primary source of power for manufacturing. 2. Buy Energy Efficient Products. Replace traditional bulbs with CFLs and LEDs. They use less watts of electricity and last longer. If millions of people across the globe use CFLs and LEDs for residential and commercial purposes, the demand for energy can go down and an energy crisis can be averted. 3. Lighting Controls There are a number of new technologies that make lighting controls much more interesting and help save a lot of energy and cash in the long runPreset lighting controls, slide lighting, touch dimmers, integrated lighting controls are few of the lighting controls that can help to conserve energy and reduce overall lighting costs. 4. Easier Grid Access People who use different options to generate power must be given permission to plug into the grid and get credit for power you feed into it. The hassles of getting credit for supplying surplus power back into the grid should be removed. Apart from that, subsidies on solar panels should be given to encourage more people to explore renewable options. 5. Energy Simulation Energy simulation software can be used by big corporations to redesign building units and reduce running Gagahha Hshshs hshsh business energy cost. Engineers, architects and designers could use the design to come up with the most energy efficient building and reduce carbon footprint. 6. Perform Energy Audit Energy audit is a process that helps to identify the areas where your home or office is losing energy and identify steps you can take to improve energy efficiency. Energy audit when done by a professional can help you to reduce your carbon footprint, save energy and money and avoid energy crisis. 7. Common Stand On Climate Change Both developed and developing countries should adopt a common stand on climate changeThey should focus on reducing greenhouse gas emissions through an effective cross border mechanism. With current population growth and overconsumption of resources, the consequences of global warming and climate change cannot be ruled out. Both developed and developing countries must focus on emission cuts to cut their emission levels to half from current trend levels by 2050.
