This article describes the major environmental challenges that we are facing today and the challenges that we are likely to face later in this century. As far as Global Warming is concerned if anyone would actually think about the planet and civilization it's not hard to see that Global Warming has to be occurring.Every person on the planet produces a body temp of 98.5 degrees add that to all the light bulbs producing heat plus in-home-heating and industrial heat production,it has to be warmer now than anytime in man's history. While other countries are banning this, sadly, we are supporting it. In addition to human suffering and armed conflicts, unsustainable water use also affects the environment as a whole. Fertilizers, herbicides, and pesticides collect in the soil and get washed down by whatever water is applied - irrigation, rain, floods. How will be the planet Earth in the future if we continue to neglect it at this rate? Unchecked global warming has the potential to be a civilization ending catastrophe, literally by 2100. Even more scary is to imagine a World with no oil and having no plan to replace this energy source. Oregon pioneered the recycle program. Politics (and religion, too) become completely irrelevant if we no longer have a livable planet, therefore it's in the best interest of everyone - liberal and conservative, religious and non-religious - to promote environmental conservation. Perhaps you believe the Dyno's were driving SUV's. Then ten years ago, the other of us, Peter Turchin, applied Goldstone’s model to U.S. history, using current data. skinsman82000 from Maryland on March 06, 2012: No one can deny that global warming is taking place in the world. Fortunately, the scientists were able to convince the world community to act quickly to limit the production of ozone depleting substances such as CFCs and halons and the problem of ozone depletion today seems to be on the path to successful resolution, though due to the long lifetime of ozone depleting compounds the Antarctic ozone "hole" is not expected to recover completely until 2050 and the overall levels of ozone in the atmosphere will recover to pre-1980 levels only about 2060-2075. The authors of the Planetary Boundaries report believe that the nitrogen cycle has already long passed its tipping point and the the human race should strive to reduce its consumption of atmospheric nitrogen to 35 million tons per year to return to sustainable levels. By now it has became clear that the way we live and the way the global economy works will come to an end sooner than we expected. On both we must act strongly now and expect to continue that action over the next decades. This book offers comprehensive information on the most pressing problems facing the European Union in the 21st century, covers economic, legal, social, and political challenges and provides the reader with the requisite tools to understand the European Union as a living project 4. . Unlike greenhouse gases, most aerosols have a net cooling effect on the climate because they reflect sunlight back into space, instead of allowing it to warm the Earth. Like I said : Your fairytale, you tell it anyway you want.. kerryg (author) from USA on February 05, 2012: Reality has a well-known liberal bias. In addition to human suffering and armed conflicts, unsustainable water use also affects the environment as a whole. As far as Civilization ending catastrophe by 2100: These same Peer reviewed Morons predicted that for to be happening NOW. Surprised to see Russia in the "No-Stress" category. A depleted ozone layer would mean increased rates of skin cancer for humans, as well as damage to plants and ecosystems. How to survive the 21st century. However, human activities now remove more nitrogen from the atmosphere than all natural processes combined, and much of this nitrogen ends up as a pollutant. Asbestos 445 47. Suhail Zubaid aka Clark Kent from Mississauga, ON on February 14, 2013: Most interesting read ever on environment concerns. The overwhelming majority of climate scientists, however, believe that human activities are currently affecting the climate and, like many other scientists, the Planetary Boundaries team believes that the tipping point has already been passed. Magicdust Staff from Sydney, Australia on January 24, 2012: Excellent hub, so full of info and worrisome on several levels. kerryg (author) from USA on January 31, 2013: watergeek, there are quite a few groundwater reserves that are far from any ocean. The scale of economic, environmental, geopolitical, and social changes that the Anthropocene will bring to our doorstep has no precedent. Inadequate water resources have led to violent conflict throughout human history, but never on the scale that is likely to affect the 21st century. I think you guys get the point. trailer The 21st century has proven to be as economically tumultuous as the two preceding centuries. "Looks like" is not proof---"May happen" is not proof. Other pollutants, such as some heavy metals, are already known to be both harmful and persistent. Perhaps you need to recognize Global Warming, Cooling , Change, as the Liberals Religion. The more than 2,000 people killed in recent hurricanes remind us of the urgent need to seriously reduce our consumption of fossil fuels, especially oil and coal, and to look for alternatives. :). Good information and nicely written. Michael Toole from Gainesville, Missouri on April 25, 2012: Very, planned, motivated, and unique Hub, +1 on this Hub, keep up the good work! Real scientists (neither Al Gore nor Hollywood qualifies) have actually consistently *under*estimated the speed and violence of changes caused by global warming. … We associate with CH4 its indirect effects on tropospheric O3 and stratospheric H2 to make clear the importance of CH4as a climate forcing. The effect of more acidic seawater is similar to that of the disease osteoporosis on human bones - the shells and skeletons gradually become softer and weaker. Perceiving the truth has always been a challenge to mankind, but in the information age (or as I think of it, the disinformation age) it takes on a special urgency and importance. Ozone depletion received a lot of attention in the 1970s and 80's when scientists discovered a giant and growing "hole" in the ozone layer above Antarctica. People can raise the volume of their voices to cry that the environment is in danger but it does not seem possible that people can ever make the governments to think green. Your Science had a theory the the Sun orbited the earth. Land Use Changes are also particularly difficult to define a "tipping point" for because their effects vary so significantly, so that in fact the exact environmental impact of one land use change is different from the impact of every other land use change ever made. Artist's rendering of ocean life in the late Permian, shortly before the Permian-Triassic extinction event. x�b```����wx���9"�qGD'=����azy+H�M\�2�h���f3��M�����d�d`q@hy���`���">�zq(,�:��[`��/XhL�؅�@���P�H3�o� �U. Still enjoying science's red face over the speed of light being broken. However, it would have to be a very DEEP solar minimum, since humans emit enough CO2 in just 7 years to completely negate a minimum such as the one that caused Europe's "Little Ice Age" a few centuries ago. The size of the Dead Zone varies from year to year, but it generally covers about 6000-7000 square miles and has seriously impacted fisheries in the area, as well as the health of the local ecosystem. christopher9882 from Chicago, IL on February 01, 2012: Matt Dawes from England on February 01, 2012: Great hub! The ten most serious environmental problems they identified were: The ozone layer filters out the most harmful wavelengths of UVB ultraviolet radiation from the sun before it reaches the earth's surface. Since this article was written, we've had the warmest year on record, record breaking droughts, floods, and massive superstorms and hurricanes plaguing the earth. kerryg (author) from USA on February 06, 2012: Helpingyoufindit, thanks for the reminder. So, as Feynman suggests, the door must be left open to allow new ideas and solutions to enter in. Consider this riddle: If you find yourself low of fuel while driving on an expressway.... you might exhaust your supply of gas at any moment ... what is the smartest way to proceed? 1.1 Ecological Crisis: A Common Threat Facing Mankind. 21st Century Challenges held a panel discussion on 26 March 2008 to discuss the issue. Susette Horspool from Pasadena CA on January 13, 2013: Great article, Kerry, as usual. According to past geology it is a cycle and should return. CO2 can easily be lowered. A vision to create a world where economic progress meets environmental conservation is the need of time. .... to go FASTER, to get to a gas-station SOONER? There is always the possibility that the sun will go into some deep solar minimum or something and the whole warming trend will reverse. One of the most compelling reasons for studying environmental science and management is the fact that, in the view of many leading authorities, we are now experiencing an environmental crisis; indeed, many authors have claimed that the present environmental crisis is unprecedented in its magnitude, pace and severity (Park 2001). Bookmark this article. How do we get the message across to the people who can do something about this?? I like it a lot. And I'm not surprise. The question is whether "little old man" can survive himself. This will serve as reminder for all of us that we should do something about it. Groundwater depletion actually leads to absorption of sea water, as desiccated ground around the edge of the ocean sucks it up like a sponge. Ifrah Bashir from Pakistan on May 01, 2019: A very informative and interesting piece of writing. %%EOF And conservatives want to bring on the Apocalypse so Jesus will show up and Rapture them out of this world they've ruined. It is unfortunate that despite the man being aware of how much it hurts the planet Earth, the measures taken are insufficient. 1.4 Theory on Management: In Pursuit of Harmony. Share. Thanks, Newsweek. It's the melting of landbound glaciers (Iceland, Greenland, etc) that adds volume to the ocean. YOUR kind called for a mini Ice Age in the 70's & 80's Reversed itself in the 90's to call it Global Warming. Other Dead Zones exist in the Baltic Sea, the Black Sea, Chesapeake Bay, and some parts of the Pacific Ocean, as well as freshwater lakes and rivers around the world. 1990's & early 2000 WARMING. The Environmental Crisis is really a crisis of consciousness. Just saw 1 3 weeks ago on vacation. Great Hub! The Challenges of Higher Education in the 21st Century. But timely action by governments and aid groups can save lives. Laura Tykarski from Pittsburgh PA on April 17, 2012: I vote this up and awesome. Metals, J. Erik Moy 439 46. The possibility of global warming caused by anthropogenic carbon emissions was first suggested by Arrhenius in 1896. and an important addition to the book I'm writing. Every year, humans convert 120 million tons of nitrogen from the atmosphere into reactive forms such as nitrates, mainly in the production of nitrogen-based fertilizer for crops. “China’s 70-Years Development and the Construction of a Community with a Shared Future for Mankind”. Humanity has never faced the types of changes that we are facing today and will continue to face in the decades to come. However, I am glad that an area that I tend to cover in my hubs and on Facebook for my followers, that is, biodiversity and wildlife conservation, did make it to the list. Okay, now you've flipped your previous logic on its head and are suggesting that because man is responsible for one forest fire, then he must also be responsible for all forest fires ever. "Awesome." So, that is a bit misleading. Some of these endocrine disrupting chemicals are blamed for a sudden rise in hermaphroditism among aquatic creatures such as fish and frogs. Lord John Browne, former group Chief Executive of BP, is one of the most respected businessmen in Britain today. They believe they are the savior. 2003 — The world's largest reservoir, the Three Gorges Dam begins filling 1 June. Although fairly new to the hub community I have read quite a few hubs that have made a lasting impact on how I view things i.e. What a great resource you've compiled here... so informative, and it';s so important to get the word out. Reducing atmospheric carbon levels is likely to be one of the most difficult challenges in a century of difficult challenges. Due to their greater genetic diversity, weeds are much more able to take advantage of higher CO2 levels than crop plants, so even if the overall number and growth rate of plants increases, it's not likely to particularly benefit the human race: https://hubpages.com/politics/Are-Rising-Carbon-Di... Additionally, even the success rate of weeds will depend on how much the rising CO2 levels affect the temperature. 0000002069 00000 n If instability was present before MAN, what moron would believe it's mans fault concerning climate instability? on April 24, 2012: As I watched Frozen Planet last Sunday this topic about our oceans it just goes to show how we should never take our planet for granted. 0000003974 00000 n WOW THATS GLOBAL CLIMATE CHANGE, let's blame man. 52 0 obj<>stream The SUN warms our planet. Global Environmental Protection in the 21st Century. I am all for it. The famous Year Without a Summer in 1816 was the result of large amounts of natural aerosols being thrown into the atmosphere by the 1815 eruption of Mount Tambora. The arctic wasn't supposed to be ice free in summer until 2100. Population is the root of all environmental problems, and it is the most complicated concern to deal with. Environmental Challenges in the 21st Century Sr. Little Flower Faculty of Arts, Assumption University Bangkok, Thailand Abstracts Environmental challenges are universal. This article discusses the reasons for the water crisis, and the major water issues of the 21st century: conservation, pricing, social and environmental considerations, institutional responses to better management, international water bodies, and proper analytical framework. Currently, one third of humans have inadequate access to clean, fresh water. People are finally getting it that there's a problem going on. Technology and Environmentalism in the 21st Century. hence, one of the most negative effects that generated globalization has been the growing ecological imbalance that has harmed the planet. The dependence on fragile trade relationships and primary products, the incessant violence, and inequality practically defined the region in the 19th Century. Excellent read voted up. ��Џñ�ڊ�):��?r|��q�n�Q��2����~/A|"Ubf��. startxref Because we don't recycle crops, many plants have less than 10% of the nutrition they did even 50 years ago. We know that the amount of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere is currently increasing. Awareness of this environmental crisis has grown since the 1970s, partly as a result of t… I've always stressed the importance of climate change and I've been a huge weather and climate hobbyist for years. 2. We also know that the pattern of warming we are currently observing is consistent with warming caused by an increase in CO2. i would like to ask you to add some images of the models that children can do in this wonderfull topic of environment. Well there's just no such thing as too much of this kind of awareness, great hub! By Bryan … This all-important development, which allowed civilizations from the ancient Sumerians to our own to thrive, was made possible by the stable climate of the Holocene, Source: http://www.grist.org/article/2009-09-22-scientists-identify-safe-operating-space-for-humanity-nature. Rising sea levels already threaten many island nations and low-lying coastal regions. The twentieth century was marked by both the recognition and creation of a host of environmental problems. WRONG AGAIN Theory is not proof of anything. Its just impossible. ETHICS 469 49. I am really shocked to see this hub. 1.2 Man and Nature must be in Harmony . AND if science is " consistently *under* estimating" THAT alone shows science to be in ERROR AGAIN. For the third time, the science of the 70's was NOT predicting an ice age. They’re suppose to … The acidity is expected to increase by 150% by 2100.... 30% of the entire ocean, covering 75% of our planet? Price New from Used from Kindle "Please retry" $3.99 — — Hardcover "Please retry" $23.99 . ~ Great job! The 20 Best Japanese Animated Movies of the 21st Century. The total collapse of the USSR reduced its national emissions by only 5%, so I'm sure you can imagine how much fun a 10% global drop would be. The Earth has spent roughly the last 12,000 years in a period of unusual climate stability known as the Holocene era. It is based on the real life story of Karen Silkwood. The Polar Bears should be extinct, by now. Gusser must I remind you of 2 Timothy 2:23-24. I see "no water stress" levels in the Brazil but nobody there drinks water from their own faucet either but they will boil it. It's plain common sense to put things where they can be reused ,than fill our landfills with garbage it'll take years to start to become part of the earth. “We live during the hinge of history,” famous British philosopher Derek Parfit argued in his 2011 book On What Matters. Susette Horspool from Pasadena CA on January 31, 2013: OK now I can see it. Evaporation of irrigation spray and runoff of excess water into the storm drains is causing as much sea level rise as melting glaciers. For humans, as a whole climbing by nearly 2 ppm every.... March 21, 2012: Hope the world in the environment: history, practice, as.! Hypothesis and not a theory the the Sun will go into some solar... Two centuries, humanity uses the equivalent of 1.5 planets to provide resources. Warming, Cooling, change thing is survived billions of years, surface acidity the. Meant to by inspirational presentations that last no longer than 18 minutes talk. March 06, 2012: this is quite a read with great and! 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