Global
Warming and Externalities: Sri Lanka
Global
Warming is defined as a gradual increase in the overall temperature of
the earth's atmosphere generally attributed to the greenhouse effect caused by
increased levels of carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases. The issue of Global Warming has risen
to great prominence over the last 15-20 years. The rate at which the average
global temperature is increasing is constantly rising and the trend is
accelerating.
Fossil
fuels are natural fuels such as coal or gas, formed in the geological past from
the remains of living organisms. Coal and petroleum are two of the most
commonly used fossil fuels. Coal is used to produce electricity and is also
used to power steam engine trains. Petroleum is used to fuel cars and
airplanes. However, the production and the use of fossil fuels leads to
negative externalities. A negative externality is a cost that is suffered by a third
party as a result of an economic transaction. Usage of fossil
fuels leads to various negative externalities such as pollution and global
warming.
Burning of
coal and petroleum leads to emission of smoke and toxic fumes which cause air
pollution and affect the quality of the air that humans breathe in. These toxic
fumes also tend to cause smog and can lead to various respiratory diseases due
to the large amounts of impurities present in the air. Also, with an
ever-increasing demand for fossil fuels nowadays, more and more land is being
dug up to mine for fossil fuels. Increased amount of mining leads to soil and ground
pollution and destruction of the environment.
The burning
of fossil fuels also leads to the release of carbon dioxide and other greenhouse
gases and this leads to an increase in the percentage of greenhouse gases
present in the atmosphere and an increase in the percentage of greenhouse gases
present in the atmosphere leads to global warming. Greenhouse gases prevent
heat radiations emitted from the Earth’s surface from escaping its atmosphere.
With a larger amount of greenhouse gases present in the atmosphere, a larger
amount of heat radiation emitted from the Earth’s surface will be absorbed and
this will lead to an increase in the Earth’s temperature. Global Warming leads
to an increase in the average global temperature and also leads to melting of
polar ice caps and rising sea levels around the globe.
National level modelling, undertaken by the Sri Lankan Centre
for Climate Change Studies, suggest that the changes in Sri Lanka broadly – but
not completely – follow the regional expectations: The regional temperature
trends are played out in Sri Lanka. By 2100, the increase in temperature during
the southwest monsoon season (May to September) is anticipated to be 2.5 ºC,
whilst the northeast monsoon season (December to February) is expected to yield
a temperature increase of 2.9 ºC. The rainfall change is expected to be greater
during the southwest monsoons (May to September) than northeast monsoons
(December to February).
Also most Sri Lankan crops, and particularly rice, are
produced at the top end of the optimum temperature range for cultivation,
meaning that the anticipated increases in temperature could have a profound
effect on yields.
There are several non-profit organizations within Sri
Lanka petitioning for a more sustainable environment for both humans and
species alike. The Sri Lanka Wildlife Conservation Society’s main purpose is to
conserve the dwindling biodiversity of Sri Lanka. They have completed several
conservation projects including a wetlands conservation project along with many
habitat restoration missions in Sri Lanka.
The National Climate Change Adaption Strategy (NCCAS) has prioritized a
framework for combating and coping with climate change. There framework
includes some key components that will be assessed from 2011 to 2016. The
following is the framework the NCCAS will follow; Enable Climate Resilient and
Healthy Human Settlement. Minimize Climate Change Impacts on Food and Security.
Improve Climate Resilience of Key Economic Drivers. Safeguard Natural Resources and Biodiversity
from Climate Change Impacts. This framework will help Sri Lanka offset
potential climate changes in the near future. The NCCAS understands that
stopping climate change is unrealistic, so many of their goals have to do with
preparing and understanding what they need to do to prepare both economically
and environmentally.
Strategies to
reduce air pollution in Sri Lanka include changes from biomass to other fuels
(e.g. gas), the dissemination of improved cook stoves and improved kitchen
design in households which will help reduce overall levels of pollution.
Sri Lanka as
a country has a plan set up to reduce pollution and global warming and to
combat and cope with climate change. International Policies such as the Kyoto Protocol
and the Copenhagen Accord are important because cooperation among governments
is crucially important as a method of controlling and preventing negative
consequences on certain resources such as the global climate and the ozone
layer. International protocols bring countries together to fight the issues of
carbon emission levels and pollution and global warming. International
agreements are the only way global warming can be reduced and the rate of
increase of average global temperature can be reduced.
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