Critical Threats to the Global Environment

Critical Threats to the Global Environment
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Contents Introduction. 3 Factors Making the Threats Such a Serious Risk to Global Environment 3 Use of Fossil Fuels as an Energy Source. 3 The Rise in Oceans' Levels. 6 Role of Humans in Aggravating the Threats to the Earth's Environment 7 Part of Humans in Aggravating Use of Fossil Fuel 7 Role of human activities in the Rise of Oceans' Levels. 8 Initiatives that the Global Community can Take to Mitigate the Worst Effects of this. 9 Environmental Threat. 9 Conclusion. 11 References. 13 Introduction
The stability of the global environment faces significant challenges, and there is a need to point them out and work on the most critical. Two considerable threats need immediate action: the use of fossil fuels as an energy source and the rise in ocean levels. Using fossil fuels as energy sources adversely impacts the global environment. Combustion fossil fuels are known for emitting greenhouse gases like carbon dioxide into the atmosphere. This emission causes global warming as the gases accumulate in the atmosphere and thus causing global environment instability. Temperature rise leads to melting ice sheets and glaciers and expanding ocean water volume. This paper aims to critically evaluate the two threats by discussing their effects on global environmental stability. Also, the essay will examine the factors rendering such threats serious risks, human activities' role in exacerbating the dangers, and propose potential initiatives for the global community to mitigate these threats' adverse impacts. By understanding the density of the two threats, focusing on a sustainable future that promotes all generations' well-being will be possible.
Factors Making the Threats Such a Serious Risk to Global Environment
Use of Fossil Fuels as an Energy Source
Using fossil fuels as the primary energy source could be detrimental to the global market owing to various factors which make it a severe threat worthy attention of the United Nations. Greenhouse gas emissions are a significant factor driving this severe threat. Burning fossil fuels during use emits enormous greenhouse gases, such as carbon dioxide, into the atmosphere. Carbon dioxide leads to climate change and global warming. Perera and Nadeau (2022) assert that when such gases accumulate in the atmosphere, they cause a greenhouse effect and temperature rise. To further understand global carbon emissions, it is crucial to consider Figure 1 below, which shows annual global carbon dioxide emissions data.
Figure 1: Annual global carbon dioxide emissions from different sources using the same boundary systems (Andrew, 2020).
Note: 1Gt = 10 Gigatonnes of carbon
There is a significant variance in total carbon dioxide emissions across all the datasets in 2014, ranging between 32.4 and 36.3 Gt, with all the recent datasets presented. By selecting all the data subsets, it is simpler to combine systems boundaries. The limitation of reconciliation is due to the breakdown of every dataset. There is a deliberate omission of cement emissions from the Carbon Dioxide Information Analysis Center (CDIAC) and Global Carbon Project (GCP). However, for maximum representation, the datasets consider all carbon emissions from EDGAR, PRIMAP-hist, CEDS, BP, IEA, and IPCC sectors. However, it is essential to note that EIA does not allow further adjustments—all the other dataset adjustments to similar system boundaries in 2014 range from 32.4 to 34.2Gt. Notably, the EIA is an outlier at 35.4Gt. Therefore, the estimated range of these emissions reduces to 3.0 from 3.9Gt or further to 1.7Gt upon consideration of EIA as an outlier.
Substantially, the greenhouse gas concentration has increased significantly in the atmosphere, causing notable global change effects. Perera and Nadeau (2022) posit that rise in temperature leads to high heat wave intensity and frequency and may change precipitation patterns and cause extreme weather occurrences such as droughts, floods, and hurricanes. Such changes disrupt ecosystems, negatively affecting agriculture and food production and jeopardizing people's lives and businesses. Also, fossil fuel combustion emits harmful and dangerous atmospheric pollutants like sulfur dioxide and nitrogen oxide. Such pollutants lead to air pollution, air quality deterioration, and the formation of smog-causing premature deaths, cardiovascular diseases, and respiratory issues (Perera & Nadeau, 2022).
Environmental degradation also renders fossil fuels a severe global environmental risk. Fossil fuels extraction, refining, and transportation are attributed to causing ecological degradation. Oil spillage due to pipeline leakages and offshore drilling may harm marine ecosystems since they kill marine life and adversely affect coastal communities (Perera & Nadeau, 2022). Moreover, coal mining may lead to deforestation, water pollution, and habitat destruction and thus impacting ecosystem and biodiversity services. Nevertheless, it is essential to note that fossil fuels are considerably finite, and if their extraction escalates, they risk depletion of resources and energy security. The diminishing of fossil reserves poses a significant threat to resource squabbles and geopolitical tensions (Perera & Nadeau, 2022). There is a need to shift to renewable energy to address such concerns and offer a sustainable and enough energy supply.
The Rise in Oceans' Levels
The rise in ocean levels poses a significant threat to the global environment; thus, factors warrant its presentation to the United Nations. Melting glaciers and ice sheets makes rising ocean levels a severe global environmental threat. Global warming due to greenhouse gases accumulating into the atmosphere results in melting glaciers and ice sheets in the mountains and polar regions. This melting of ice and glaciers leads to rising sea levels, considering the rise of ocean water volumes (Eckstein et al., 2019). Therefore, it causes significant risk to small island nations, vulnerable communities, and low-lying coastal communities which face coastal erosion and flooding susceptibility. Also, rising sea levels aggravate coastal erosion leading to the disappearance of essential habitats like coral reefs, wetlands, and mangroves. Such systems offer critical services such as marine life nurseries, coastal protection, and carbon sequestration (De Wit et al., 2022). Consequently, their degradation causes disruption of coastal ecosystems' balance, impacting biodiversity and decreasing natural defenses against tidal surges and storms.
Threats to human settlements are another significant factor in the seriousness of rising ocean levels. There is a significant implication of rising sea levels to populated places in coastal regions. Substantially, there are scores of people living in low-lying areas, and thus their cultural heritage, livelihoods, and infrastructure face a significant threat. Growing storm surges and floods may cause property loss, economic hardships, and displacement (De Wit et al., 2022). Such extreme climates disproportionately impact vulnerable human populations like marginalized communities and people experiencing poverty. Also, during the rising process of sea levels, the salinization of coastal aquifers implicates freshwater resources. Such salinization affects agricultural irrigation, drinking water supplies, and ecosystems that depend on freshwater habitats (Eckstein et al., 2019). Thus, it presents a significant threat to water management, worsening the scarcity problems of existing water in various areas. Subsequently, Eckstein et al. (2019) posit that rising ocean levels may cause enormous displacement of populations, and thus these climate refugees seek refuge in different states. This displacement presents socio-political issues and demands international cooperation in mitigating the humanitarian crisis of migration due to climate.
Role of Humans in Aggravating the Threats to the Earth's Environment
Part of Humans in Aggravating Use of Fossil Fuel
Energy demand by humans has led to the escalation of fossil fuel combustion, which causes greenhouse gases to accumulate in the atmosphere and consequent climate change. Several studies show how human activities are the primary contributors to global warming. IPCC (2023) reported that human activities contribute significantly to exacerbating global warming. The sixth assessment report demonstrated that humans contributed immensely to most of the observed escalation in moderate surface temperature from the 20th century onwards (IPCC, 2023). The attribution of such impact is mainly to fossil fuel combustion and deforestation. In addition, humans have continued to burn fossil fuels, thus releasing carbon dioxide into the atmosphere, trapping heat, and incre...