Global Warming

Global Warming: Fact or Fiction

Abstract

Global primary energy consumption amounts to 8.38 billion tones oil equivalent (OE) (1996) and is projected to increase by 1.3% per year for the industrialized countries and by up to 9.2% per year for the developing countries. Fossil energy's share was 7.541 billion tones OE in 1996 with rising tendency. The order of magnitude of proved reserves of fossil energy sources is 950 billion tones OE (1996), and certain present probable and possible reserves will become proved ones in the years to come. Fossil energy will, therefore, remain the number one energy source until far into the next century. The use of fossil energy produced 23.8 billion tones of carbon dioxide (CO2) in 1996 with oil and gas contributing about 60% to this figure. It is estimated that continued use of fossil energy will lead to an increase of the average global temperature by 1.0-3.5°C in the coming 50-100 years. Though the forecasts of future CO2-emissions from fossil energy use as well as the magnitude of their influence on global warming are much disputed, the impact of CO2-emissions on global warming itself is widely admitted. There is much dissense on the climatic consequences of global warming. It cannot be ruled out, however, that these consequences may be detrimental to mankind. This has in a sense of a “no regret policy” triggered substantial activity worldwide to decrease emission of greenhouse gases, especially of CO2, and various attempts have been made to set binding limits for the emission of these gases.

The harmonized worldwide implementation of CO2-reduction strategies is, however, far from being realized. OECD-countries have made substantial progress in applying these strategies. Nevertheless, the contribution of the industrialized countries to worldwide CO2-emissions is still over-proportionally large. The cost of developing and applying CO2-reduction technologies are tremendous and prohibitive for most of the emerging economies. There is an obligation of the industrialized countries in their own interest to develop and make available these technologies wherever they are needed. The cost/efficiency ratio of CO2-reduction measures must be a decisive criterion for their application. There are serious obstacles, though, to reducing CO2-emissions while satisfying the energy needs of our world, e.g. lacking international harmonization, national needs and egoisms, rapid growth of world population and strongly increasing energy demand of emerging economies. In summing up, though an anthropogenic contribution to global warming cannot be proved for the time being, it cannot be ruled out forever. Therefore, internationally harmonized measures for CO2-reduction have to be taken in the sense of a “no regret policy” to avert potential damage from mankind and, thus, contribute in this sense to a sustainable development with fossil energy.

Table Of Content

ABSTRACT2

INTRODUCTION5

Background6

LITERATURE REVIEW6

Man Made Vs Natural Causes of Global Warming7

Global Warming Facts13

Climate Change Due to Global Warming13

Extinctions Triggered by Global Warming14

Countermeasures against damaging global warming17

What has been achieved until now?21

GLOBAL WARMING AND UNITED STATES24

Congressional Action27

Kyoto Protocol30

Signs Of Global Warming32

Global Warming And The Science-Policy Interface33

Global Warming And Global Governance35

Global Warming And Global Action36

Marketing Social Problems39

Issue Cultures and Real-World Events40

Bridging ...