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Tutorial 5 SEMESTER III 2016-17 FOUN 1210

1. Which aspects of global warming would you expect islands with a sea and sand
based tourism industry to be most concerned about and why?

2. St. Ibis is a multicultural democratic state. A longitudinal study of the western

coastline, by scientists of The University of the West Indies, suggests that the sea
is eroding the coastline. The Matapal River, the largest in St. Ibis, enters the sea
on this coastline.
Mt Zion is an agricultural community which uses the Matapal River for irrigation.
The farmers have noted a decrease in yields and have been informed by the
scientists that this is due possibly to erosion at the mouth of the river and the
encroachment of the sea causing increased salinity of the river.
An urgent Town Meeting has been called by the parliamentary representative for
the area to discuss these findings and a possible course of action.
At the meeting the scientists suggest the erosion is due to global warming.
Councillor X responds, “ We cannot do anything about that! We are already
using ozone-friendly sprays et cetera.”
Respond to the following. Justify your responses.
a. Is Councillor X’s opinion valid?
b. Who should be responsible for determining the action to be taken to
ameliorate the possible effects of global warming on Mt. Zion?
c. What are the implications for the duties of each citizen?

3. Should University students be concerned about food security AND water

security?

4. What do your responses suggest about the relationship between science and
citizenship in the globalized world of the 21st century?
S.Scott 2012- 2013
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Tutorial: Global Warming

Global warming is a small increase in atmospheric temperature, of the order of 1o F per
century. Because it is so small compared with the large daily and seasonal temperature
changes, some writers have challenged its authenticity. Most agree, however, that the last
decade of the twentieth century was the hottest on record, and all the global ice caps are
melting. Therefore we can assume that global warming is real, and move on to questions
about its causes, its impacts and what we can do about it.
Myth Before we do that, we need to debunk the myth that the ‘hole’ in the ozone layer is
associated with global warming. Ozone layer depletion is caused by CFCs, and results in
higher than normal levels of ultraviolet radiation at the earth’s surface, but has no
sensible effect on global warming. This problem was addressed by the Montreal Protocol
in 1987.
Causes Two rival theories (i) Greenhouse effect
Certain gases(called greenhouse gases) in the atmosphere like act as heat traps, allowing
solar radiation to reach the earth, but absorbing the wavelengths re-radiated from the
earth. The main examples are
Carbon dioxide- CO2,
Water vapour -H2O,
Methane -CH4, a major component of natural gas and also of flatulent emissions
from animals
Nitrous oxide - N2O also called laughing gas (no joke),
Chlorofluorocarbons - CFCs used in refrigerants and aerosol propellants
The greenhouse effect is always present and results in an average temperature at the
earth’s surface of about +15oC instead of -20oC. But steady increases in CO2
concentrations over the last century have resulted in a small enhancement of the effect.
Other greenhouse gases also show significant increases, but the main contributor is CO2,
associated with the burning of fossil fuels.. Evidence from ice cores shows CO2
concentrations fluctuating between 200 ppm (parts per million) and 300ppm over the last
1000 years, but now approach 400 ppm.
(ii) Natural cycles There is reliable evidence that sea levels fluctuated from as much
300m above current levels to 200m below. These fluctuations are associated with the ice
ages, when a significant part of the earth’s surface was covered with ice, when the earth
was much colder than it is today. We are not quite sure what caused the ice ages. The
most plausible theory is due to Milankovitch, and suggests that there are resonances in
the sun-earth coupling.
Global warming can be taken as evidence that we are still emerging from the last ice age
about 20,000 years ago, and has little to do with human activity.

Unfortunately, we do not have the luxury of time to wait and see which of the theories is
right. Until we know otherwise, we must assume that the theory which implicates us is
right, and act accordingly.

Possible Impacts
(1) Rise in sea levels due to(a) melting of polar ice caps, and (b) thermal expansion of the
sea , flooding of low-lying territories, affecting corals , increased desertification changing
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of weather patterns, perhaps even the frequency and intensity of hurricanes . At the
planetary level we may be triggering a runaway increase in CO2, leading to the end of
life on the planet. Note that our planetary neighbours, Mars and Venus, both have
atmospheres with more than 80% carbon dioxide. Is this the end result of global
warming?
Mitigation Strategies : Internationally The Kyoto Protocol (1997, ratified 2005) is the
most hopeful development. The protocol aims at rolling back GHG production to 1990
levels by 2012. Several important countries either did not sign or were exempted.
Subsequent agreements were not as successful. (Copenhagen, Cancun, Durban, Rio).
More research should be encouraged, and is already taking place, in relevant areas, such
as solar cells, vehicles, wind power.
Locally, the public should be encouraged to support environmentally-friendly
technologies- use solar power for domestic heating, travelling in vehicles with many
others rather than alone. Individuals should practice the 3 r’s – reduce, reuse, recycle.
Internationally– Governments and large corporations should pass legislation and set the
example. Support initiatives, lobby bigger countries. Remember that the Caribbean is
among the least of the contributors, but will be among the greatest losers.
Questions
1. How do we know global warming is really happening?
2. How do we know what the causes of global warming are?
3. What are the potential impacts of global warming, and which of them are likely to affect us?
4. What predictions have been made about the extent of global warming and how successful have
they been?
5. Give an example of a situation where a decision has to be made with insufficient knowledge.