unit 6: environmental policies & practices
TRANSCRIPT
Unit 6: Environmental Policies & Practices
• Climate change, global warming, ozone layerdepletion, acid rain and impacts on humancommunities and agriculture
• Environment Laws: Environment Protection Act; Air(Prevention & Control of Pollution) Act; Water(Prevention and control of Pollution) Act; WildlifeProtection Act; Forest Conservation Act. Internationalagreements: Montreal and Kyoto protocols andConvention on Biological Diversity (CBD).
• Nature reserves, tribal populations and rights, andhuman wildlife conflicts in Indian context.
Introduction� Climate is the pattern of variation in
temperature, humidity, atmosphericpressure, wind, precipitation, atmosphericparticle count and other meteorologicalvariables in a given region over longperiods.
� Climate can be contrasted to weather,which is the present condition of thesevariables over shorter periods.
� Weather change quickly from hour to hour,day to day, season to season and year toyear at a given location or region, evenwithin an unchanging climate.
� There are six major controls of theclimate of any place. They are:
� Latitude� Altitude� Pressure and wind system� Distance from the sea� Ocean currents� Relief features
� Relief plays a major and importantrole in determining the climate ofthe place, neither a high mountainsnor the deep sea.
Climatic Controls
• Climate change is a significant change in thedistribution of weather patterns over periodsranging from decades to millions of years.
• It may be a change in average weather conditions,or in the distribution of weather around the averageconditions.
• Climate change is caused by factors that includeoceanic processes (such as oceanic circulation),biotic processes, variations in solar radiationreceived by Earth, plate tectonics and volcaniceruptions, and human-induced alterations of thenatural world.
• "climate change" is often used to describe human-specific impacts.
Climate change
Plate Tectonics
Plate tectonics helps to carry the carbonate rocks into the mantle,which are then released again by volcanic activities.– Earth’s lithosphere is broken into pieces (the plates).– These plates float on top of the mantle, interacting with each
other to produce the geological features we see and feel today.
Global warming
Human Activities
Green House Effect• The greenhouse effect is a naturally
occurring process that aids in heating theEarth's surface and atmosphere.
• It results from the fact that certainatmospheric gases, such as carbondioxide, water vapor, and methane, areable to change the energy balance of theplanet by absorbing longwave radiationemitted from the Earth's surface.
• Without the greenhouse effect life on thisplanet would probably not exist as theaverage temperature of the Earth wouldbe a chilly -18° Celsius, rather than thepresent 15° Celsius.
Climate change• Climate is average weather of an area• Control temperature, evaporation rate,
seasons, moisture content.• Conditions if prevail for 30 years…its said
to be the climate of an area• Currently Climate is Changing
Climate change Evidence• Intergovernmental Panel On Climate
Change.• Published evidence of climate change• Observed that earth’s climate has
changed over years.• Average temperatures have
fluctuated by 0.5 to 1 0 C.• Anthropogenic activities are affecting
climate• Its not uniform in all places. Poles will
be more warmer
Global warming� Over the 20th Century, the
global average SurfaceTemperature has increasedby 0.6 + 0.2°C (IPCC, 2001)(Where most of the warming hasoccurred between 1976 and 2000)
� Further it is projected toincrease by 1.4 to 5.8 °Cover the period of 1990 -2100.
GLOBAL WARMING• Overall increase in temperature by a
few degrees.• It happens when greenhouse gases
(carbon dioxide, water vapor, nitrousoxide, and methane) trap heat andlight from the sun in the earth’satmosphere, which increases thetemperature.
• This hurts many people, animals, andplants.
• Many cannot take the change, sothey die.
Effects• Change in Wind current patterns• Ocean currents will change• Hydrological cycle will intensify• Sea level rise: submergence of areas.• Changed agricultural production• Cases of flood, droughts, cyclones on a
rise.
Solutions
• Renewable energy• Biofuels• Afforestation• Reduce the current rate of CFCs use• Trap methane for fuel• Potential of algae in Carbon dioxide
utilization• Sustainable agriculture
� Conservation› Reduce energy needs› Recycling
� Alternate energy sources› Nuclear› Wind› Geothermal› Hydroelectric› Solar› Fusion?
1. Depleted oil and gas reservoirs2. CO2 in enhanced oil and gas recovery3. Deep saline formations – (a) offshore (b) onshore4. CO2 in enhanced coal bed methane recovery
1. Depleted oil and gas reservoirs2. CO2 in enhanced oil and gas recovery3. Deep saline formations – (a) offshore (b) onshore4. CO2 in enhanced coal bed methane recovery
Adapted from IPCC SRCCS Figure TS-7
3a3a 223b3b 11 44
Yes, it is possible. Houses have already gone tosolar power. They put solar panels on their roofto collect sunlight and have batteries in theirbasement to store the reserve power. Somehave even put up solar panels in their yards.
Solar lantern
Each solar lantern:§ Saves about 40-60 litres of
kerosene per year§ Mitigates 145 kg CO2emissions per year
Alternately:§ Saves about 182.5 kWhr of
electricity per year§ Mitigates 157 kg CO2
emissions per year
Reduction ofPlasticsProducts
The Kyoto Protocol - background
1992: UN Framework Convention on Climate Change http://unfccc.int/
- recognized there is a problem: CO2 emissions are warming the planet
- stabilize CO2 at "at a level that would prevent dangerousanthropogenic (human induced) interference with the climate system.“
goals: 1) ensure that ecosystems can adapt to climate change2) make sure that food production not threatened3) allow sustainable economic development
- requires precise and regularly updated inventories of greenhouse gasemissions from industrialized countries
-"Parties to the Convention“ agree to develop national programsto slow climate change; meet at “Conference of Parties” (COP’s);where binding international treaties (i.e. Kyoto) can be made
- establishes a "framework" document -- something to be amendedor augmented over time
The Kyoto Protocol - background1992: UN Framework Convention on Climate Change http://unfccc.int/
- places the heaviest burden for fighting climate change on industrialized nationsAnnex 1: industrialized economies and economies in transitionAnnex 2: the richest Annex 1 countries(aka the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD))
- general target: collectively reduce emissions to 1990 levels by 2000(but no mechanisms, enforcement proposed)
- support developing countries’ climate change activities (granting body)
- developing countries’ emissions will grow before they shrink
- developing countries will have largest climate change impacts; work to mitigate
Dec 1-11, 1997: representatives from 160 countries agreed to enter intobinding limits on emissions of greenhouse gases
TARGETS:Total: reduce developed nation emissions to 5% below 1990 levels during
“commitment period” 2008-2012(most countries need -18% reduction in BAU by 2008)
37 industrialized nations and the EU subject to binding emissions targets
Greenhouse gases: CO2, CH4, N2O, HFCs, PFCs, and SF6
PENALTY:Non-compliant countries will have to reduce emissions by 1.3 units forevery unit of emissions “overshoot” in subsequent commitment period.
Ex: if your emissions target is 7Gtons per year by 2012, and you endup at 10Gtons/yr, in the next commitment period (2013-2020) youwill have to reduce by 4Gtons/yr (in addition to any new targets) to becompliant
The Kyoto Protocol
Natural sunscreen: Ozone layer
• The production and emission ofCFCs, chlorofluorocarbons, is by farthe leading cause.
• CFCs in the stratosphere. There, thechlorine atom is removed from theCFC and attracts one of the threeoxygen atoms in the ozonemolecule. The process continues,and a single chlorine atom candestroy over 100,000 molecules ofozone.
• In 1984, ozone layer hole wasdiscovered over Antarctica
HAZARDS OF OZONE DEPLETION
Ø Human - Skin cancer & premature aging, cataracts, andweakened immune systems
Ø Plants developmental processes of plants are affectedwhich reduce crop yield.
Ø Marine Ecosystems - affect both orientation mechanismsand motility in phytoplankton.
Ø Change the atmospheric life times of gases such asmethane
Ø Production of particulates as cloud condensation nucleifrom the oxidation and subsequent nucleation of sulphur
Ø Increased level of solar UV radiation produce adverseeffects on synthetic polymers, naturally occurringbiopolymers and other materials of commercial interest
Ø Global warming
• MONTREAL PROTOCOL• Phase out the use of CFC’s• Increase risk of Skin cancer• Loss of phytoplankton: they are
sensitive to UV.• Fair people at higher risk
• Rainwater typically has a below pH value of 5.6, due to the presenceof dissolved carbon dioxide (forming carbonic acid).
• Acid rain results from the emission into the atmosphere of variouspollutant gases, in particular sulphur dioxide and various oxides ofnitrogen, which originate from the burning of fossil fuels and fromcar exhaust fumes, respectively.
• These gases dissolve in atmospheric water to form sulphuric andnitric acids in rain, snow, or hail (wet deposition). Alternatively, thepollutants are deposited as gases or minute particles (drydeposition).
• Both types of acid deposition affect plant growth – by damaging theleaves and impairing photosynthesis and by increasing the acidityof the soil, which results in the leaching of essential nutrients.
ACID RAIN
• "Acid rain" is a broad term referring to amixture of wet and dry deposition(deposited material) from theatmosphere containing higher thannormal amounts of nitric and sulfuricacids.
• Acid rain occurs when these gases reactin the atmosphere with water, oxygen,and other chemicals to form variousacidic compounds. The result is a mildsolution of sulfuric acid and nitric acid.
• When sulfur dioxide and nitrogen oxidesare released from power plants andother sources, prevailing winds blowthese compounds across state andnational borders, sometimes overhundreds of miles. pH less than 5.6
• If The acid chemicals in the air are blown intoareas where the weather is wet, the acidscan fall to the ground in the form of rain,snow, fog, or mist.
• As this acidic water flows over and throughthe ground, it affects a variety of plants andanimals.
• The strength of the effects depends onseveral factors, including how acidic thewater is.
• In areas where the weather is dry, the acidchemicals may become incorporated intodust or smoke and fall to the ground throughdry deposition, sticking to the ground,buildings, homes, cars, and trees.
• Taj Mahal in Agra
ENVIRONMENTAL LEGISLATION
• India first country to have made provisions forenvironment protection in its constitution
• After Stockholm Conference , 1972, Many laws andrules have been made
• Article 48- A : The state shall endeavour to protect andimprove the environment and to safeguard forests andwildlife of the country.
• Article 51 A (g): - It shall be the duty of every citizen ofIndia to protect and improve the natural environmentincluding forests, lakes, rivers and wildlife and to havecompasion for living creatures
Environmental Legislation• The Environment (Protection ) Act 1986• The Air (Prevention and Control of Air
Pollution) Act, 1981• The Water (Prevention and Control) Act, 1974• The Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972• The Forest (Conservation) Act, 1980
• The Wildlife Protection Act, 1972 isan Act of the Parliament ofIndia enacted for protection of plantsand animal species.
• the Act established schedules ofprotected plant and animal species -hunting or harvesting these specieswas largely outlawed.
• It extends to the whole of India,except the State of Jammu andKashmir which has its own wildlifeact.
• It has six schedules which givevarying degrees of protection
The Wildlife Protection Act (1972)
• Schedule I and part II of ScheduleII provide absolute protection - offencesunder these are prescribed the highestpenalties.
• Species listed in Schedule III andSchedule IV are also protected, but thepenalties are much lower.
• Schedule V includes the animals whichmay be hunted. The plants in ScheduleVI are prohibited from cultivation andplanting.
• Up to April 2010 there have been 16convictions under this act relating to thedeath of tigers.
The Wildlife Protection Act (1972)
• The Forest Conservation Act 1980 wasenacted to help conserve the country'sforests.
• It strictly restricts and regulates the de-reservation of forests or use of forestland for non-forest purposes without theprior approval of Central Government.
• The Act lays down the pre-requisites forthe diversion of forest land for non-forestpurposes.
• It extends to the whole of India exceptthe State of Jammu and Kashmir.
• Based on the Section 2, offender shallbe punishable with simple imprisonmentfor a period which may extend to fifteendays.
The Forest Conservation Act 1980
� Aims and objectives:1. Prevention, control of air pollution
2. Maintaining the quality of air
3. Establishing of the Boards to preventand to control the air pollution
� Aims and objectives:1. Prevention and control of
water pollution2. Maintaining and restoring
the wholesomeness ofwater
3. Establishment of Boards ofprevention and control ofwater pollution
� Penalty is imprisonment for a period ofthree months or a fine up to Rs. 10,000or both