Global Warming : Policy Formulations to Regulate

Abstract

Global warming is a serious problem faced by the world today as an after effect of Industrial Revolution. Due to the concentration of green-house gases such as carbon dioxide, methane, nitrous oxide which has been injected into the lower atmosphere; warming of earth’s surface and rising near surface air temperature have been caused. It has resulted into climatic variation, geological change and as such is impacting the human, animal and aquatic lives considerably. Changes in weather patterns have led to change in winds, ocean currents and precipitation patterns. Such changes have impacted the agriculture, flora and fauna. If not checked in time, global warming shall lead to serious disasters. It would lead to the change in solar radiation and the insolation pattern ultimately affecting the geometry of earth’s orbit around the Sun. Earth’s axis may tilt due to direct rays of the Sun wiping out the life on earth. Environmental degradation poses a great danger to man’s own survival. Climatologists believe that the rising of global average temperatures would result into significant ecological, societal and economic damage. Human influence on environment has increased manifold due to the rapid population growth and fast development in technology. The increasing amount of burning of fossil fuels in industries, the vehicular emission, burning of coal or leaves for residential purposes have increased the Greenhouse effect. If fossil fuels are being burnt at current rate, they may concentrate at the level of 560 ppm in lower atmosphere by mid-21st century. The flooding of atmosphere with carbon dioxide would melt the glaciers and the intensity of hurricanes may increase. Consequently many species shall extinct affecting the death and birth rates. It should be realized that conservation of environment is vital for the survival and well-being of mankind. Hence public policy needs to be formulated to regulate the carbon concentrations in air. It is high time to understand the alarming situations and make laws at national and international levels so as to keep the global warming under check and control environmental degradation. UNFCC,