We Must Start Adapting Now, to the Manifestations of Global Warming in the Future

We must start adapting now, to the changes that will inevitably take place because of Global Warming in the future.

Global Warming is killing millions of people every year through the severity and increased frequency of storms and natural disasters. There is an elephant in the corner and it’s telling us that regardless of how hard we fight, things will get worse before they get better.

Environmentalist’s, and environmental websites specifically, like to tell us things like The 10 Best Ways to Cut Carbon our of Your Lifestyle.  These things are important, as they are the contributors to global warming.  But we need to start planning for the future, now. We don’t , after all, decide to do away smoke detectors and fire departments because we educate ourselves on fire safety.

I think that we all realize that we need to reduce CO2 levels to secure long-term human survival. This knowledge is being backed up by the Institution of Mechanical Engineers.

While on a conference call with Capitol Climate Action,  Dr. James Hansen said that in order to stop the irrevocable effects coal has on our ecosystems, the world will have to completely give up utilizing it by the year 2030. China is a burgeoning economy with a lot of coal at it’s disposal, and India is not far behind. Even with all the fighting that we are doing, I don’t think that there is anyone who can definitively say that Governments will be able (or willing) to completely give up coal in that period of time.

So what do we do? We must prepare. Why do I say we must prepare? Where is the conclusive proof that Climate Change is not only inevitable, but that it is is causing harm and will cause greater harm?

According to the Institution of Mechanical Engineers, by 2050, the world’s temperature will have increased by, on average, 2 degrees C – 35.6 degrees F relative to the pre-industrial climate. This is considered to be the maximum temperature increase we can allow before catastrophic and irreversible climate changes begin to occur.

The report continues by saying that even with significant global commitment to avert climate change, it could take many centuries before we can stabilize average temperatures – and that could be up to 8 degrees C – 46.4 degrees F above pre-industrial levels.

Fossil Fuel CO2 emissions have grown by more than 30% since the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change was agreed in 1992. Utilizing a mathematical model that shows that in 2000, total CO2 emissions were 7 Gtc per year, moving forward at the current rate, by the year 2100, CO2 emissions will be at 28.9 Gtc per year. This also takes into consideration that global leaders will begin to reduce the use of coal by 2050.

The report is very detailed, and utilizing the above mathematical model, it projects both what the world will look like moving forward and what we must do in preparation for that world.

• The United Kingdom will see an increase in flooding, resulting from a rise in sea levels and overall wetter climate. Summer droughts will effect water supplies and high temperatures in urban areas during the summer months will result in temperature increases between 7 and 13 degrees C or 44.6 to 55.4 degrees F. A 2m sea level rise is projected to occur and could threaten the entire viability of London as well as key ports and power station sites such as Sizewell in Norfolk.

• If carbon rates continue past the middle of the 21st century, a 7m increase in sea level rise will completely cover portions of Eastern China, to include the city of Shanghai.

• The population of the world is predicted to rise to 8.9 billion by 2050. This will place increased strain on resources and coupled with climate change, large tracts of land will be unable to sustain populations due to sea level rise, increased temperature or drought. This will result in large-scale population migration.
  

How do we mitigate this? Our Governments must look at and plan for, a number of key areas.

• Assuming that energy generation and distribution will remain primarily based on electricity, and coal will be the main source of this electricity until 2050 in China and India, Carbon Capture and Storage technologies must be instituted immediately.
• Power stations, which are normally built on coastal shores due to access to coal delivered ships and shipping lanes, will need to be closed and new facilities will need to be built further inland because of rising sea levels.
• Renewable energy programs must continue to be initiated and enforced. A resilient generation and distribution network must be realized, as a matter or course, thereby making power generation more adaptable to climate change.
• To cope with volatile weather, the relocation of transmission lines to under the ground may be appropriate in some areas.
• Increased rainfall in some areas could actually lead to a decrease in the available amount of ground water, as soils can absorb water only at a certain rate while the rest runs off.  The desalination of sea water, at present, is energy intensive. Energy-free solar desalination is a possibility although it does require space, a commodity that may be equally as scarce as water or energy.
• Governments must consider the viability of adjusting street layouts to respond to prevailing winds to maximize ventilation and cooling in metropolitan areas.
• Locating new developments on flood plains must not occur.
• Transport networks such as underground rail located in cities like New York, Washington DC and London may have to be abandoned because of flooding. Alternate modes of transportation should be planned.

I believe that we can slow the trends of Global Warming, but I also know that we can not completely stop them, and as much as I hate to say it, we must do two things.

• We must continue to change our habits in an attempt to stop the worst of the damage, and
• We must prepare ourselves and our future generations for the havoc we have wrought on our planet.

I will go so far as to say that to continue on at our present course of consumerism and use of fossil fuels and disregarding our environment is both criminal and murderous.

Your thoughts on this subject are welcome.

Adam Shake

photo credit: Caveman 92223

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3. Al Gore on CNN – Economic and Global Warming Crisis Intertwined (Video)