ENVIRONMENTAL

ISSUES
 Greenhouse E ect
Global warming occurs when some of the infrared radiation from the Sun passes through the atmosphere, but most is
absorbed and re-emitted in all directions by greenhouse gas molecules and clouds. The ef fect of this is to warm the Earth’s
surface and the lower atmosphere. Carbon dioxide (CO2) and other air pollutants collect in the atmosphere and absorb sunlight
and solar radiation that have bounced of fthe earth’s surface. Normally this radiation would escape into space, but these
pollutants, which can last for years to centuries in the atmosphere, trap the heat and cause the planet to get hotter. These
heat-trapping pollutants—specif ic ally carbon dioxide, methane, nitrous oxide, water vapor, and synthetic f luorinated
gases—are known as greenhouse gases, and their impact is called the greenhouse ef fect. The gases act like the glass walls of
a greenhouse – hence the name, greenhouse gases. Without this greenhouse ef fect, temperatures would drop to as low as
-18C̊ (-0.4F̊); too cold to sustain life on earth.

Though natural cycles and f luctuations have caused the earth’s climate to change several times over the last 800,000 years,
our current era of global warming is directly attributable to human activity—specif ically to our burning of fossil fuels such as
coal, oil, gasoline, and natural gas, which results in the greenhouse ef fect. The excess heat in the atmosphere has caused the
average global temperature to rise overtime, otherwise known as global warming.
 Global Warming
Since the Industrial Revolution, the global annual temperature has increased in total by a little more than 1 degree Celsius, or
about 2 degrees Fahrenheit. Between 1880—the year that accurate recordkeeping began—and 1980, it rose on average by 0.07
degrees Celsius (0.13 degrees Fahrenheit) every 10 years. Since 1981, however, the rate of increase has more than doubled: For
the last 40 years, we’ve seen the global annual temperature rise by 0.18 degrees Celsius, or 0.32 degrees Fahrenheit, per
decade. A planet that has never been hotter. Nine of the 10 warmest years since 1880 have occurred since 2005—and the 5
warmest years on record have all occurred since 2015.

Global warming is the long-term warming of the planet’s overall temperature. Though this warming trend has been going on
for a long time, its pace has signif icantly increased in the last hundred years due to the burning of fossil fuels. As the human
population has increased, so has the volume of fossil fuels burned. Fossil fuels include coal, oil, and natural gas, and burning
them causes what is known as the “greenhouse e ect” in Earth’s atmosphere.
 Ozone Layer Depletion
The ozone layer is a layer in Earth's atmosphere which contains relatively high
concentrations of ozone (O3). This layer absorbs 93-99% of the sun's high
frequency ultraviolet light, which is potentially damaging to life on earth [1].
Over 91% of the ozone in Earth's atmosphere is present here.[1] It is mainly
located in the lower portion of the stratosphere from approximately 10 km to
5 0 km abov e Eart h , t h ough t h e t h ic kn e ss v arie s se ason ally an d
geographically[2]. The ozone layer was discovered in 1913 by the French
physicists Charles Fabry and Henri Buisson.

Ultraviolet (UV) radiation is divided into three categories of increasing energy:

1. UV-A: is a low energy form of UV and has only minimal biological e ects.
2. UV-B: a higher energy form, causes the most damage to living organisms
and materials.
3. UV-C: is absorbed by the oxygen in the atmosphere and never reaches us.

UV Protection by the Stratospheric Ozone Layer

 Greenhouse Gases
Carbon dioxide (CO2):
CO2 is released through natural processes, such as volcanic eruptions, plant respiration and animals and humans breathing. But the
atmospheric CO2 concentration has increased by 50% since the Industrial Revolution began in the 1800s, due to human activities like
the burning of fossil fuels and large-scale deforestation. Due to its abundance, CO2 is the main contributor to climate change.

Methane
Methane is produced naturally through decomposition. But again, human activity has displaced the natural balance. Large amounts
of methane are released by cattle farming, landfill waste dumps, rice farming and the traditional production of oil and gas.

Nitrous oxide
Nitrous oxide is produced through the large-scale use of commercial and organic fertilisers, fossil-fuel combustion, nitric-acid
production and biomass burning.

Water Vapour
Water vapour is the most abundant greenhouse gas. It increases as the earth's atmosphere warms.
Acid Rain
 Acid Rain
Acid rain is a form of precipitation characterised by high concentrations of acidic compounds, usually in the form of
dissolved ions or molecules. Acid rain contains sulphur dioxide (SO2SO2) and nitrogen oxides (NOxNOx) which are emitted from
fossil fuel combustion. Acidic pollutants can also be discharged from the smokestacks of ships and coal-fired power plants.
Acid Rain is formed when chemical substances mix with water in the atmosphere, producing a solution with a pH
(potential of hydrogen) less than 7. The pH of acid rain is around 5.2. Acids and bases are def in ed by their ability to donate or
accept protons (H+H+). An acid is any substance that gives o hydrogen ions when dissolved in water.

Causes of Acid Rain

The primary causes of acid rain are sulphur dioxide (SO2SO2) emitted from coal-fired power plants. Sulphur dioxide combines
with oxygen to form sulphuric acid (H2SO4H2SO4), which dissolves with the water droplets and rains down as acid rain.
Nitrogen oxides emitted by automobiles also contribute to the formation of acid rain.
Other sources include industrial emissions and biomass burning. Industrial emissions like chlorofluorocarbons (CFC),
hydrochlorofluorocarbons (HCFCs) and hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs) are the main contributors. These chemicals deplete the
ozone layer in the stratosphere, which absorbs ultraviolet radiation from the sun before reaching Earth’s surface. Biomass
burning includes forest fires, agricultural fires, and fossil fuels for heating or cooking purposes.
Types of Natural Resources

Water Resources Forrest Resources Animal Resources Solar Power

Precious Metal,
Wind Power Crude Oil Natural Gas Land Resources
Minerals and Rocks