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Global average sea levels should rise eight to 34 inches by the year 2100, a much faster pace than the four to 10 inch increase of the past century. Seas rise because of higher global temperatures, melting mountain glaciers and polar ice caps, and other factors. Higher temperatures also cause thermal expansion of ocean water, intensifying the problem.
World Environment Day
As and when June 5, World Environment Day comes, (Or Ozone Day, 16th Sept) it reminds people of the seriousness of Global Warming, an increase in the earth’s temperature due to the use of fossil fuels and other industrial processes leading to a buildup of “greenhouse gases” (carbon dioxide, methane, nitrous oxide, and chlorofluorocarbons) in the atmosphere. It has been known since 1896 that carbon dioxide helps stop the sun’s infrared radiation from escaping into space and thus functions to maintain the earth’s relatively warm temperature. This is called the “greenhouse effect.” The question is whether the measurably increasing levels of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere over the last century will lead to elevated global temperatures, which could result in coastal flooding and major climatic changes, and have serious implications for agricultural productivity. Since 1850 there has been a mean rise in global temperature of approximately 1° C (approximately 1.8° F), but this rise could just be part of a natural fluctuation. Such fluctuations have been recorded for tens of thousands of years and operate in short-term as well as long-term cycles. Because of the difficulty of distinguishing human-made causes of carbon dioxide emissions from natural sources, efforts regarding their control have been slow in coming. However, the potential consequences of global warming are so great that many of the world’s top scientists have urged immediate action, and have called for international cooperation on the problem.
Many scientists agree that warmer temperatures would cause rise in sea levels, the oceans when warmed up will occupy
more space. The glaciers and polar ice will begin to melt. Since humidity of the atmosphere increases with the temperature, more snow would fall on earth’s extremes. It is is predicted by 2030, the sea will rise by 150 to 300 mm endangering coastal town and cities around the world. The growing blanket of Carbon dioxide gas will become thicker and cause havoc. The Nuclear threat of explosions has yet posed another man made environmental imbalance and its after effects will have yet to be weighed as to the cause of temperature effects. Humans on earth can only pray for Green Environment and to do so is in their own hands.
Some Info on Ministry of Environment & Forest, Government of India
The Environment (Protection) Act was enacted in 1986 with the objective of providing for the protection and improvement of the environment. It empowers the Central Government to establish authorities [under section 3(3)] charged with the mandate of preventing environmental pollution in all its forms and to tackle specific environmental problems that are peculiar to different parts of the country. The Act was last amended in 1991.
The power conferred by the Environment Protection Act are followed under the following heads:
- Coastal Regulation Zone
- Delegation of Powers
- Eco-marks Scheme
- Eco-sensitive Zone
- Environmental Clearance ? General
- Environmental Labs
- Environmental Standards
- Hazardous Substances Management
- Loss Of Ecology
- Noise Pollution
- Ozone Layer Depletion
- Water Pollution
- 2-T Oil
( Read more on Ministry of Environment & Forest, Government of India Web Portal)
Some Info on Department for Climate Change – Gujarat Government
The Forest and Environment Department in Gujarat implements task force for environment. The Department has four executing agencies viz Gujarat Pollution Control Board, Gujarat Ecology Commission, Gujarat Institute of Desert Ecology and Gujarat Environment Management Institute, for discharging its functions.
Gujarat has also established a separate Department for Climate Change. This Initiative by Gujarat Government is a trendsetter not only for India but for the whole of Asia as it is the “First in Asia” with a Department for Climate Change. It is the only 4th State/Province in the World to have a Department for Climate Change.
Set up in February 2009, the Department is headed by CM Narendra Modi to handle issues of Climate Change. The Initiative is to give a human face to environmental issues; empower people to become active agents of sustainable development; promote an understanding that communities are pivotal to changing attitudes towards environmental issues; and advocate partnership, which will ensure all citizens and people in Gujarat to enjoy a safer and more prosperous future.
( Read More for Smart Goals and Green Initiatives in Gujarat on Gujarat State Portal )
