There are few scientists who do not believe the atmosphere is warming. They also agree that the rate of heat is accelerating. The consequences that arise from this problem can be very disruptive. Such as oceans will warm, and glaciers will melt, causing sea levels to rise and salt water to flood settlements along low-lying coasts. Also land that was suitable for farming will change. Floods and droughts can damage crops and make them vulnerable to infection and infestations by pests. This reduces levels of food supplies and potentially contributes to malnutrition. Weather will become more irregular and storms more severe. Heating can certainly affect the environment in different ways. Directly it causes stronger and hotter heat waves. Also prolonged heat enhances the level of smog and the dispersal of allergens, which has been linked with respiratory problems. Indirectly global warming has increased the number of floods and droughts and caused rapid swings in the weather. Weather does become more extreme because the warming accelerates the water cycle. A warmed atmosphere heats the oceans leading to a faster evaporation, holding down more moisture. When the extra water condenses the water drops more frequently to the ground. While the oceans are being heated so is the land, which can become very dry in certain areas. The hot and dry land enlarges the pressure gradients that cause winds to develop, leading to turbulent winds, tornados and other powerful storms. It can also shift the distribution of when and where storms, floods and droughts occur. Also it is believed that the number of medical disorders will expand. Death is not only caused by drowning or starvation but by the spread of infectious disease. Infectious illness has also been a problem, more so in the developing world. Where it is harder to prevent and treat these diseases. Diseases relayed by mosquitoes, such as malaria, dengue fever, yellow fever and several kinds of encephalitis are among those that have the greatest concern as the globe continuously warms. It is also known that the insects tend to bite more frequently when the weather is warmer. Heat is not the only thing contributing to mosquito infections but also intensifying floods and droughts resulting from global warming create a place where eggs remain viable and then hatch in still water. As said by (Epstein, 2000) “The health toll taken by global warming will depend to a large extent on the steps taken to prepare for the dangers”. To improve health conditions, the world needs clean and cool fresh air to breath.
The Kyoto Protocol is an agreement where negotiations to reduce greenhouse gases took place in a Japanese city where the protocol adopted its name. In 1997, more than 160 countries negotiated the problem. All nations have their own target in mind but the general concern is to cut down emissions. Ever since the mid 1980’s it has been a concern for Canada to address issues on the climate change. Since the Industrial Revolution when industry changed from agriculture, the concentration of carbon dioxide has increased dramatically. The rapid change in the economy marked by the general introduction of power driven machinery and the change in the prevailing types and methods of use of the machines has contributed to a 30% increase in CO₂ emissions.
If Canada wants to ratify the Kyoto Protocol there has to be changes made and goals met. Canada has many targets to reduce the levels of greenhouse gases. The main reason for reducing these emissions is to reduce the burning of fossil fuels and to use them more efficiently. Gas emissions from Canadian households are expected to rise to 72 megatonnes in the year 2004. The average home produces more emissions than the average apartment or condominium would. Due to better insulation and furnaces, from appliances average emissions from space heating can decline by 21 percent. Also making use of solar heat could benefit the reduction of gas emissions.
Buildings in the commercial and institutional sector such as office
buildings, hospitals and schools produce about 68 megatonnes of greenhouse gases per year. Now, there can be found, certain newly constructed offices and stores in Canada who uses only a third of the energy per square meter than the average building. Solutions such as standards that can be used to maximize use of waste heat, solar power or space heating, fuel cells and combined heat and power systems can help cut down on greenhouse gases.
It is also possible for Canada to reduce greenhouse gases from passenger transportation by 39 percent before 2012 and by 75 percent by 2030. This can be a huge benefit to cutting down the level of greenhouse gases. More public transport, encouraging people not to each drive their proper cars and getting society to purchase fuel efficient vehicles can act as a helping hand to the environment while there is still an increased personal use of light trucks, vans and SUVs. The levels of emissions from passenger transportation can be decreased dramatically with certain examples of these precautions.
The freight transportation sector trucking, railways, aircraft and marine are expected to produce about 60 megatonnes in greenhouse gas emissions in 2004. It is possible for Canada to reduce the number of emissions from the freight sector by 20 percent by 2012 and 47 percent before 2030. Assuming there is an increase of more than 60 percent in freight transportation activity before 2030. It is important for Canada to switch away from the rise of gasoline and diesel fuels to fuel cells, bio diesel and bio diesel blends, aviation bio fuels and ethanol. This would encourage a shift to rail freight transportation, incentives to change from gasoline and fleet efficiency standards for truck manufactures. In the future there will be new delivery vehicles that will reduce emissions, contributing to the well being of the planet.
Canadian industry, not including electric power plants and fossil fuel production, emits about 147 megatonnes of greenhouse gases each year from energy related activity. Decreasing the intensity of energy use is cost beneficial to industry and the communities it serves. Most participants in the Canadian Industry Program for Energy Conservation have a target to improve energy efficiency by 1 percent per year for at least the short term. The challenge is to make sure that these targets are achieved. The steel industry, for example, could achieve a 10 percent gain in energy efficiency through the increased use of electric arc furnaces. Higher standards and incentives to support fuel switching would reduce emissions by 3.4 megatonnes per year. Also combined heat and power would reduce CO2 emissions by 27 megatonnes, save industrial consumers a projected $1.8 billion annually in fuel and power costs, and assist the phasing out of coal-fired and nuclear power plants.
In addition to carbon dioxide emissions that are emitted from energy use, there are other greenhouse gases that are emitted from a variety of sources. Nitrous oxide has a global warming 310 times greater than CO2. It is released during the production of fertilizer, explosives and other chemicals. Also significant amounts are used for making nylon. Sulphur hexafluoride with a global warming of 23,9000 times CO2, is used as an insulator gas for high voltage equipment. There is also hydrofluorocarbons that is used as a coolant in refrigeration. Perfluorocarbons are released during circuit board and electronics production. Methane also happens to be released from agricultural production. Municipal landfills and sewage treatment plants are also major sources of methane emissions. It is believed that annual emissions from non-energy sources can be reduced from 136 to 47 megatonnes. There are measures that can be taken to reduce each of these levels of gases. Some of these ideas are the replacement of other refrigerants by 2030, promoting changes in livestock feed composition, manure management and soil management and also adopting methane capture for electricity generation.
In 2004, natural gas, crude oil, refined petroleum products and coal production sectors of the fossil fuel industry are expected to project roughly 17 percent of Canada’s national emissions. There are approximately 45 percent of these emissions that are the result of production of oil and gas for consumers. The rest is associated with export. The result is that emissions from export production would remain about constant. Emissions from oil and gas production for domestic use would decline by a projected 36 percent because of fuel switching in home heating and transportation. Measures to reduce emissions in this sector would include motives to support methane capture, leak detection and repair, increased use of co-generation in production, heat recovery, and various types of efficiency improvements.
In the industrial age the electric power plant is one of the most inefficient inventions. Canada would benefit from decentralizing the production of electricity through local co-generation, fuel cells, solar and wind technology and micro hydro. The more efficient use of electricity will allow a much greener electricity grid, with all nuclear and coal-fired power plants shut down and greenhouse gas emissions at 86 percent below current levels. To achieve these results there is a need to execute certain plans. Implementation of a renewable portfolio standard for power producers, production incentives for co-generation and renewable resources, and measures to facilitate access to the power grid for micro-producers, measures to facilitate inter-provincial trade in hydroelectric power. These policy measures will be a positive accomplishment towards Canada’s environment.
What the future held in store for the Kyoto Protocol was left undetermined when President George W. Bush pulled out of the treaty, saying that there was something wrong. Australia followed closely behind, becoming another country that wasn’t in agreement. The Kyoto Protocol needs to be ratified by at least 55 parties to the treaty, including countries that are rich and contribute 55 percent of the world’s output of climate changing carbon dioxide. As of August 30, 2002, 89 countries have ratified the Kyoto Protocol. This is including countries that account for 37.1 percent of carbon dioxide emissions, leaving only 0.5 percent before the treaty can become into full force. The Russians will have no problem establishing the protocol so they can make money selling emissions credits. There is also China and India, the world’s two fastest growing emitters who will not come across any problems. Either on the level of emissions they generate or the number of jobs they will gain. There is not only this type of confusion that comes up internationally but in our country also. Quebec and Manitoba believe that they are advantaged, because of their hydro capacity. Then there are oil and gas provinces such as Newfoundland, Nova Scotia, Saskatchewan, Alberta and British Columbia who are all nervous that they will be hit hard. As told by ( ) “The difficult journey towards global climate change has begun”
Most of Canadians greenhouse gases come from wasteful energy use. They generally produce about 700 megatonnes of emissions, which account for about two percent of total global emissions. This comes from a country with half of one percent of the entire worlds population. Canada uses more energy than all of the 760 million inhabitants of Africa, as said by (). In other words the average Canadian is producing four times the global average of emissions. This information demonstrates Canada’s need to make the right decision. Something has to be done. By ratifying the Kyoto Protocol Canada is demonstrating its leadership in the world community. It shows the rest of the world that Canada is ready to accept responsibility for the damage society is causing. Other benefits show job creations, cleaner air and a cleaner environment. This is an important landmark. It recognizes the very first binding international conformity on climate change that is global, both in its purpose and result. As stated by () “There is little agreement about whether Canada should act. The question, rather, is how fast we should move, and how we should allocate the costs and benefits of shifting to a sustainable, low emission economy.” While there may be other countries in the world questioning the Kyoto Accord, for Canada it will not be a question but an action.
