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Akshada Redkar
Franklin HS
Iceland
Fighting Global Warming
Global Warming. It is a simple concept that has started a trend.
Suddenly, “going-green” is an everyday expression. Global warming has been
an issue for a long time, and, worldwide research is going around to keep the
“green scheme.” Ideas of environmentally friendly cars or even environmentally
friendly appliances have become popular. Apart from the trendy aspect,
experiments are conducted around the world to avoid global warming, or at least
to minimize the cost of it. The United Nations has created a separate
department, which is required to study about how to conserve the limited
resources of the planet, to confront global warming, and avoiding any further
damage to the Earth.
One of the major topics discussed in the UN is about preventing global
warming through sustainable development.
Out of the numerous discussions held within the United Nations, global
warming is a major topic. Sustainable development is the development that
meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of the future.
One of the best examples of sustainable development is oil usage. Since oil is a
limited resource, the earth will eventually run out of it, and the more oil and fuel
we use for everyday tasks the less we are leaving for future generations. In order
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to warn others about this danger, the UN has set up programs about the
improving Earth and its future.
Out of the many programs to fight global warming through sustainable
development is Earth Summit. This program takes place in Brazil. The idea for
this program was created decades after the first summit meeting about global
warming. The United Nations wanted to help countries and their governments to
thrive economically while preserving limited natural resources and decreasing the
pollution that causes harm to the world. As mentioned above, fuel is one of the
major resources that needed to be conserved. Under the roof of the Earth
Summit, alternative fuels and alternative energies are being researched and
governments are closely examining the amount of limited resources that
countries are producing and consuming. The Earth Summit has informed
millions that if global warming is not prevented or resources are not wisely used
forthcoming generations will be facing the consequences of it. To avoid this
foreseen disaster, one of the programs the UN is running is devoted to helping
countries to use the planet’s energy wisely. The organization decided to conduct
this program in Iceland.
Iceland joined the United Nations in 1946, and since then, has been
greatly productive in the organization. Within the UN, Iceland is home to the
Geothermal Training Programme. This program trains college graduates so that
they can help developing countries to discover their geothermal energy.
Geothermal energy is the natural heat inside the earth. Other than UN programs,
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Iceland has its own plans to slow or prevent global warming and help the
preservation of fossil fuels, and it has been praised by fellow UN countries.
Like the rest of the planet, Iceland has experienced the terrible effects of
global warming, but Iceland has taken this negative impact of global warming and
turned it into a method of “going green.” Due to global warming, the country’s
massive glaciers are melting and flooding the rivers and streams. Now, this
excess water has provided Iceland with hydroelectric energy. Astoundingly,
approximately two-thirds of Iceland’s flooded rivers count for 90% of the
electricity used by Icelanders. In fact, this alternative energy has helped the
country financially. Along with the hydroelectric energy, many countries are now
looking to Iceland for its renewable resource ideas and methods in which disaster
is converted into resource to energy without causing any damage to the planet.
Iceland has already taken a major step to a “greener” future by using
hydroelectric energy instead of the limited fossil fuels.
Today, the United Nation remains successful in educating the world about
global warming. The Earth Summit, Johannesburg Summit, and Brundtland
Document are all included in the numerous contributions made by the UN to cure
global warming. With major thanks to the United Nations for its continuous effort
to educate the world about the saving the earth, people’s awareness and
contribution to the cause has considerably increased. So, whether it may be
something as extreme as buying a brand new hybrid car or something as simple
as using energy saving light bulbs in homes, it is going to be one step closer to
saving the world.