Sociology Paper?

Greenhouse Gases

Greenhouse Gases

Tamika Brown

Lucy Rabenda-Bajkowska

SOC 450: Solutions to Global Issues

July 28, 2019

Greenhouse Gases

The following paper addresses the critical issue regarding the production of energy that is used in cooking fuels, heating, vehicles, and the generation of electricity through the burning of hydrocarbons (fossil fuels) comprising natural gas and coal oil. The essay will cover three areas, including the definition of greenhouse gases and their contribution to global warming. The second section will address the problems faced by the developing world as a result of the greenhouse gas emissions, and lastly, the paper will expound on the causes and the solutions of the radiation of greenhouse gases. The essay will consider Cambodia, which is a developing nation in addition to exploring several greenhouses gases, including carbon dioxide, nitrous oxide, and methane. Lastly, the paper will expound on various solutions to greenhouse gas emissions comprising planting trees, the use of renewable energy and energy-efficient home appliances, and recycling of household wastes.

Section I. Background

Greenhouse gases comprise the gases within the atmosphere of the earth that generate the greenhouse effect. Most of the greenhouse gases may either have a human-made or a natural source. The gases impact on the balance of energy on the earth, which results in the greenhouse effect. Greenhouse gases consist of carbon dioxide, nitrous oxide, and methane and may be naturally found in low proportions within the atmosphere. Nevertheless, the percentage has significantly risen over the years, owing to numerous artificial sources (Shurpali, Agarwal and Srivastava). Water vapor is also another constituent of the greenhouse gases, which plays a significant function concerning the natural greenhouse effect as the water vapor absorption capacity in the atmosphere is directly associated with temperature. Thus, water vapor has an insignificant impact on climate change caused by human-made activities.

Greenhouse gases can be likened to a heavy warm blanket that encloses the earth and regulates climate. The emission of these gases helps in heating the surface of the planet and maintaining ecological balance. Although some of this heat dissolves into space, some of the heat burns along with the air and another proportion of heat penetrates the air finding its path on the surface of the earth as well as on the lower atmosphere. This consequently increases the earth’s average temperature. As such, the rise in the heat of the surface of the planet as a result of the increase of the proportion of the greenhouse gases results in global warming (Shurpali, Agarwal and Srivastava). Global warming leads to changes in the climatic patterns of the earth, which has significant effects on the ecosystems and oceans.

CO2 is responsible for fifty-three percent of the global warming levels. Carbon dioxide is produced through various processes consisting of the manufacture of cement, the use of fuel, and deforestation. The presence of CO2 within the atmosphere differs, however, it is very high throughout as eighty percent of carbon dioxide may last for up to two hundred years, and twenty percent of remaining CO2 may take approximately thirty thousand years to dissolve. Methane is accountable for fifteen percent of global warming. This gas is produced by activities comprising agriculture, the treatment of sewage, livestock production, and the distribution of oil and natural gas. Methane can last for up to twelve years within the atmosphere. Nitrous oxide contributes around eleven percent of the levels of global warming (Barker and Crawford-Brown). NO2 is generated from the production of chemicals, fuel use, sewage treatment, as well as the application of fertilizers. Nitrous oxide may last up to one hundred and fourteen years.

Section II. How Emissions Causes Problems for the Developing World

The countries which produce the most significant proportion of greenhouse gases consist of China, the United States, India, Russia, and Japan. China generates 27% of the global emission comprising 3.22% of the industry-related emissions, 1.6% agricultural emission, and 0.45% of waste emissions. The United States generates 14.36 % of the greenhouse gas emissions. The economic issues that arise from the emission of greenhouse gases include a combination of losses and gains devoid of any strong assumption of the substantial net economic damages. Even though economic activities are the primary source of the emission of greenhouse gases, incentive and information issues make it hard to interpret the concern of global warming into economic policy and behavior suitable to the reduction of these emissions (Mani, Bandyopadhyay and Chonabayashi). As such, investment in the creation of innovative fossil fuel technologies will significantly prevent incentive and information challenges that presently hinder economically sustainable greenhouse policy.

Studies have revealed that decreased labor productivity owing to fatigue and slow working rate amongst workers as a result of increased temperatures will be the primary cause of the loss in GDP in Cambodia which will be responsible for 57% of the economic damage and loss caused by greenhouse gas emissions in 2050. Present adaptation activities misjudge the necessity of heat stress on the agricultural, manufacturing, and construction industries in which air-conditioning is rare, and the personnel is highly susceptible (Mani, Bandyopadhyay and Chonabayashi). The Cambodian government also needs to put more concentration on the reduction of the emission of greenhouse gases by proving proper incentives to investors within the private sectors. Moreover, the implementation of strengthened policies regarding greenhouse may assist in averting 33% of the effects of these gases.

Section III. Causes and Solutions for Greenhouse Gases

There are various causes of the emission of greenhouse gases which consist of the burning of fossil fuels and deforestation. Fossil fuels such as natural gas, oil, and coal have become essential to people’s day-to-day lives. These fuels are used in transportation and the production of electricity (Rotz). When fossil fuels are burnt, the carbon that is stored in them is released, which mixes with oxygen within the atmosphere leading to the creation of CO2. The rise in population has also led to an increase in the increase in the number of cars, which in turn increases the emission of carbon dioxide, which is produced when they run.

Furthermore, the dependence on coal for the generation of electricity releases a significant amount of carbon dioxide into the air. Forests play a vital role in the ecological system (Barker and Crawford-Brown). Trees and plants take in CO2 and release O2 (oxygen) through a process known as photosynthesis. Large scale development has led to the deforestation which comprises the cutting down of forests. The burning of wood causes the stored carbon to be converted to carbon dioxide, which is released into the atmosphere (Shurpali, Agarwal and Srivastava). There are various potential solutions to reduce the emission of greenhouse gases. Trees release O2 and absorb CO2; a single tree takes in about a ton of CO2 within its lifetime. Therefore, people around the world should plant more trees, which is essential in the reduction of greenhouse gases. Individuals can lower their contribution to the emission of greenhouse gases by walking, cycling, and using public transport.

Moreover, people should ensure that their cars are inspected regularly, keep their tires inflated, and drive slower to ensure the decrease of greenhouse gas emissions. Today, there are a variety of home appliances which are energy-efficient such as CFL(compact fluorescent light) bulbs which use far less energy in comparison to the standard bulbs while providing the light that appears more natural (Shurpali, Agarwal and Srivastava). Compact fluorescent light bulbs last ten times longer compared to the incandescent bulbs in addition to releasing 70% less heat. The uses of renewable energy, as well as the recycling of household wastes, are other ways in which people can ensure the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions.

The increase in the population has significantly led to the rise in greenhouse gas emissions. The people of the world has doubled since nineteen sixty-five and is presently increasing by close to eighty million people every year. Demographers have projected that the rise in population will continue and by 2050, it will be between 7.8 -10.8 billion (Rotz). The most significant percentage of growth will take place in the developing countries such as the Cambodia (Engelman). As the developing nations continue on industrialization and economic growth path, their contribution to the emission of greenhouse gases in the world will increase (Engelman). As a result of the sheer percentage of the population growth in the world, reductions in greenhouse emissions owing to the shifts in the use of energy will be offset partly by the rise in human activities due to the increase in population.

Research has revealed the slow growth of the population has the potential to lower the future emissions of greenhouse gases significantly. The path of slow population growth can decrease the emissions from the use of fossil fuels by 1.4 – 2.5 billion tons of carbon every year by two thousand and fifty. About half of these reductions would come from the decline of fertility in developing nations, including Cambodia, which can be attained through fulfilling the subsisting demand for the services of family planning in such countries. Meeting the needs for family planning amongst women would lower fertility rates, which would, in turn, slow the rate of population increase, thus easing the challenges of dealing with effects of the emission of greenhouse gases (Engelman). Global organizations that promote and support reduced carbon development techniques may be strengthened by including population factors in the determination of priorities for investment.

In conclusion, greenhouse gases consist of the gases such as nitrous oxide, carbon dioxide, and methane within the earth’s atmosphere that cause the greenhouse effect. The increase in the temperature of the earth’s surface, owing to the rise in the percentage of these greenhouse gases leads to global warming (Mani, Bandyopadhyay and Chonabayashi). China, the United States, India, Russia, and Japan are amongst the countries with the most significant proportions of greenhouse gas emissions. There is a need for the Cambodian government to increase its efforts in lowering the emission of greenhouse gases to prevent the loss of the country’s GDP owing to the effects of the emissions such as reduced working rates among workers due to increased heat temperatures.

Works Cited

Barker, Terry and Douglas J Crawford-Brown. Decarbonising the world's economy : assessing the feasibility of policies to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. London: Imperial College Press,, 2015. Engelman, Robert. "Does Population Growth Impact Climate Change?" Scientific American (2009): 1-2. Mani, Muthukumara, et al. South Asia's Hotspots : The Impact of Temperature and Precipitation Changes on Living Standards. Washington, D. C: World Bank Publications, 2018. Rotz, CA. "Modeling greenhouse gas emissions from dairy farms." Journal of dairy science (2018): 6675-6690. Shurpali, Narasinha, Avinash Kumar Agarwal and VK Srivastava. Greenhouse Gas Emissions : Challenges, Technologies and Solutions. Singapore: Springer Singapore, 2019.