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Global Environmental Issues

Presentation · June 2017

DOI: 10.13140/RG.2.2.18850.73923

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Samidurai Jayakumar
A.V.C. College (Autonomous)
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 Lecture Presentation Prepared by

Department of Zoology & Wildlife Biology,

AVC College, Mannampandal
Email:jayakumar.sacon@gmail.com
2017
 Global Environmental Issues
� Green House Effect
� Global warming
� Ice sheet melting
� Sea level rise
� Ozone depletion
� Acid Rain
� Deforestation
� Desertification
� Environmental Pollution
� Biodiversity loss
Atmospheric influences on radiation

Absorption Reflection Scattering

(absorber
warms)
Green House Effects: Kinds
Sun Composition of Greenhouse gases

• Carbon dioxide
• Nitrogen
• Methane
• CFC
• Water & sulfuric acid Earth
clouds
• Temperature
CO2: Global Scenario

http://www.seiswaves.com/cappelluti/docs/anims/leicester/
Nitrogen source

Methane source
Global Warming
Surface
temperature of the Sun
Earth rises
because of the
"greenhouse
effect."

Effects on sea
level, global
climate, agriculture
and ecosystem
• Average global temperatures are predicted to
rise by between 1.4 and 5.8 degrees C by 2100
– Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change
Seasonal variation of surface radiation
Global Warming

We are 4th largest producer of Coal & dependent on thermal

power plants
India releases 400 lakhs kg. of CO2 annually (3.5% of total
world)
According, to the WHO, the Indian subcontinent and the
Asia Pacific region have about 77,000 deaths every year as a
result of global warming.
This figure does not include deaths due to air pollution and
pollution related diseases, which alone kill about 4,00,000
people in China.
 How much climate change is too much?
1-2oC Above Major impacts on ecosystems and
species; wide ranging impacts on
society, including developing country
agriculture.
1.5 – 3oC Greenland ice-cap starts to melt
irreversibly (7 m)
2 - 3 oC Major loss of coral reef ecosystem;
considerable species loss; large
impacts on agriculture; water resources;
health; economies.
General increase in droughts and
extreme rainfalls as temperature
increases. Up to 88cm sea level rise in
next 100 years.
2 - 4.5oC West Antarctic ice sheet collapses (5 m)
 Ice Sheets
Melting?
• GRACE (gravity measured by satellite) found
melting of Antarctica equivalent to sea level rise
of 0.4 mm/year (2 in/century)

• Zwally, 2005 (satellite radar

altimetry)
– confirmed Antarctica melting
– Greenland ice melting on
exterior, accumulating inland
(higher precipitation)
 Melting ice and
rising sea level
.

Ice shelves of the South Pole have

Receding high mountain glaciers partly separated and are collapsing.
(NASA)
Glaciers are melting in many
places across the world
Sea Level Rise
Map of the Earth with a six-meter sea level rise
represented in red
Rising sea levels and subsequent loss of land are
contributing to increasing the number of .environmental
refugees in the sunderbans

Possible way out: A

mangrove nursery in
the Sunderbans.
Vulnerability of the Indian mangroves to sea level rise

No room for extension (Mumbai, Calcutta, Cochin

Dominated by Mono species (North western)

Fringing mangrove (West Coast)

No space for territorial prey and
predators
Hurricane- Katrina - USA
• During 2006 there were 28 storms,
this included 15 hurricanes, all of
which were more intense then ever
seen before.

• Hurricane Katrina was of the worst; it

resulted in about 2000 deaths, and
millions of dollars in destruction.
TSUNAMI - INDIA
washed out all the things such as men,
animal, car, rikshaw whatever were on the
path of the tsunami waves.
 Uttarakhand floods: Himalayan Tsunami

From 14 to 17 June 2013

375% Rainfall

Deaths : 6000
Facts: 9 ???
� Unplanned development is
destroying the ecology of the
mountains.

� Exponential increase in the number

of vehicles.

� Change in the day-and-night

temperature.

� Insufficient resources.

� Absence of tourism management.

� Non-existent governing authority.

� No crowd management.

� Reduction in forest cover.

� Inaccurate and incomplete

prediction by the Met department.
Chennai floods:
Deaths: 500+

Properties loss: Million corers

Cyclones in India
Nilam (2012)
Vardha (2016
Nada (2016)

?
 Cyclones in India: State wise
comparison
16
14
12
10
Numbers

8
6
4
2
0
MH KL OR GJ AP TN
States
 Frequency of Cyclones in India

8
1990-2000
7 2000-2010
2010-2016
6
No. of cyclones

0
AP GJ KL MH OR TN
States
 Acid Rain
• The combustion (burning) of fossil fuels
generates large amounts of sulfur oxides
and nitrogen oxides.

• Acid rain is rain (or mist) that has picked

up these oxides, which have been
released into the atmosphere, and
deposits them on the ground.

• In Europe and North America, acid rain

and acidification of the soil is promoting the
disappearance of forests and the
deterioration of historical ruins and other
structures.

• The acidification of lakes and marshes

leads to extinction of certain fishes and
aquatic fauna.
Ozone Layer Depletion
• Ozone works to protect life on earth by absorbing
ultraviolet rays and other harmful rays from the sun.

• This ozone layer is being destroyed by

chlorofluorocarbons, and other ozone-depleting
substances in the atmosphere.

• As the ozone layer is destroyed, more harmful ultraviolet

rays reach the Earth's surface.

• Causes skin cancer, other health problems and may exert

dangerous effects on plankton, agricultural products and
all kinds of plants and animals.
 Expected/Predicted Effects
� Deaths from global warming will double in
just 25 years (to 300,000 people a year).

� Global sea levels could rise by more than 20

feet in Antarctica.

� Devastating coastal areas worldwide.

� Heat waves will be more frequent and more

intense.

� Droughts and wildfires will occur more often.

 Expected/Predicted Effects

� More than a million species worldwide

could be driven to extinction by 2050.

� The number of Category 4 and 5 hurricanes

has almost doubled in the last 30 years.

� At least 279 species of plants and animals

are already responding to global
warming, moving closer to the poles.
BIODIVERSITY-SPECIES DECLINE

Background rates

• 1 mammal species
every 400 years

• 1 bird species/200 yrs

Now…………...

• 10,000 times the

background rate!

•Habitat loss is biggest current threat to biodiversity

• Deforestation and forest degradation has increased
since the Rio Earth Summit
 Pollution
Invasive species Our oceans, rivers,
Invasive species are plants or animals lakes and lands
have become
which have moved to a habitat where rubbish bins for
they were not naturally found and are society’s industrial
more successful than local species. and organic waste.

Habitat loss
Agriculture, housing and industry are
destroying the habitats of many plants,
animals and microbes.

Climate
change
Many plant and
animal species are
unlikely to survive
climate change. For

Biodiversity-Loss some species there

will no longer be
anywhere to live.

The Tiger Moth has

Exploitation declined by 44% in
We have drastically reduced some fish the last 30 years.
populations, hunted some whales to the verge Scientists believe
of extinction and destroyed whole forests and this is linked to
their ecosystems. climate change.
BBSRC’s Rothamsted Research
 Disappearance of tropical
forests

� It is estimated that about 1,540 hectares of tropical

forest disappear each year.

� The disappearance of tropical forests is raising

concerns about extinction of certain species through
global warming.
DEFORESTATION
ggg
 WHY DEFORESTATION?

> over-consumption in industrialized countries

> foreign debt
> poverty
> unequal ownership of land
> overpopulation x

Deforestation
 Desertification

• Desertification occurs for various reasons:

When regions dry out because of a decrease
in rainfall caused by climatic changes.

• Today, desertification effects about one-

fourth of the Earth's land surface and about
one-sixth of its human population (or 900
million people).
• Pesticides
• Heavy Metals
• PCBs
• PAHs

• Earth's oceans and seas is getting worse.

• Harmful effects on fish and birds, and the
resultant "red tides" cause problems for fisheries.
Are we Indians ?..

We shall not finally defeat AIDS or any of the other infectious diseases until we
have won the battle for safe drinking-water, sanitation and basic health care.
What's to be done?

Adapt efficient production systems - provide us with food,

energy, raw materials and water.

Consume natural resources more carefully and

efficiently.

Minimize consumer waste and maximize recycling.

Saving earth is now everyone's responsibility

 •Eliminate the use of toxic chemicals.

•Close the gap in consumption between developed

and developing countries.

•Provide health care and birth control facilities for

all and Protect, manage and restore the natural
ecosystems

(such as croplands, forests, grasslands and river

basins) upon which we and future generations
depend

Saving earth is now everyone's responsibility.

 Mitigation of Global Warming
• Conservation
– Reduce energy needs
– Recycling
• Alternate energy sources
– Nuclear
– Wind
– Geothermal
– Hydroelectric
– Solar
Everyone should be concerned by the environmental
damages we are imposing on earth's natural
resources and take part in the joint effort to make this
a better and greener world.
Any Queries…?
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