The awareness of climate change and peak oil has reached its peak, no pun intended. Extreme weather conditions can be felt in most cities around the world. With the help of global information dissemination, almost everyone is aware of the negative effects of climate change and of the current situation of our oil supplies. Information on the news, internet and print media are all telling us about the inevitable. Our lives will change, whether we are ready for it or not.
The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change IPCC (2007) states that the average surface temperature of the Earth is likely to increase by 2 to 11.5F (1.1-6.4C) by the end of the 21st century, relative to 1980-1990, with a best estimate of 3.2 to 7.2F (1.8-4.0C). The average rate of warming over each inhabited continent is very likely to be at least twice as large as that experienced during the 20th century.
If we take a look the numbers, they may seem insignificant but if you take a look at the effect on a much global scale, then it hits you. What were facing is something that will change the way we live.
Imagine waking up to a very hot summer, it seems nice to take a dip in the lake, but once you hit the water you realize that it feels a little warmer than before. You go about your everyday life thinking that everything is normal, until you realize that the global climate change youve been hearing about on the news has finally hit home. Our climate is not what it used to be.
Pfeiffer (2004) mentions human-induced climate change. Does this mean that every person on the planet is responsible for the changes in our climate Carbon emissions are known to be a contributing factor to climate change. Part of the IPCC (2007) report states that 75 of the human induced carbon emissions over the past 50 years is due to fossil fuel burning. It seems like our high cost of living and technological advances are all at a high cost.
Reibeek (2007) asks why we should worry about a seemingly small increase in temperature. Apparently, as Reibeek explains, the global average temperature is quite stable over long periods of time, and small changes in that temperature correspond to enormous changes in the environment. If we take a look at Figure 1, well see that the temperature of the earth is increasing as well as carbon dioxide concentration.
Howard (2005) tells us that the decline of global oil supply and the increasing cost of everything as a consequence mean we will see our ability to deal with the consequences of Climate Change reduced. He gives agriculture as one of his examples. Agricultural land will be more difficult to irrigate and cultivate. Hence, farmers will need more sophisticated equipment andor techniques. But due to the declining oil and gas supplies the use of these equipments will be more expensive. This will have an adverse effect on all the industries.
Figure 2. Graph is by the Association for the study of Peak Oil and Gas (image is taken from International Centre forHydrogen EnergyTechnologies ICHET)
The US Department of Energy (cited by the International Centre forHydrogen EnergyTechnologies ICHET) predicts the state of the worlds oil production
World demand will reach 119 million barrels per day in 2025, with huge increases in China, India, and other developing nations. Proponents of the Peak Oil Theory foresee a point or timeframe at which the maximum global petroleum production rate is reached. After this timeframe, the rate of production will by definition enter terminal decline. Optimistic outlooks delay the peak of production to the 2020s or 2030s and assume major investments in alternatives occur before the crisis. More dire predictions which operate on the thesis that the peak will occur shortly or has already occurred predict a global depression.
Evidently in Figure 2, we can see the decline that the US Department of Energy is describing.
Figure 3 shows us that the change in climate it a global problem. The Copenhagen Climate meeting must be viewed as the international communitys response to the pressure of climate change. A commitment has been made upon the gathering of leaders of each country. It may seem that we are being too optimistic. The damage has been done and it is irreversible.
I still hope for a better future. 20 years from now, our world will definitely be different. We can imagine it to be a place where only the fittest (and richest) will survive. Oil is going to be so scarce that it will only be available to a select few. Our environment is going to be so impossible to live in that your home needs to be either heated or cooled by electrical means. Going out of the house requires you to wear extra protection to shield you form the extreme heat or cold. Living would be like risking your life. If we give in to fear and allow all the negative predictions to affect our lives, then you can expect the future to be what you fear it to be.
Small changes contribute to bigger ones. We all learned that from basic chemistry. Newtons third law of motion states that To every action there is an equal and opposite reaction. Maybe the earth is just taking its natural course, or maybe this is her way of getting back at us humans.
On the other hand, if we start changing our lifestyle by promoting a cleaner and greener life, by constantly pressuring our governments to pass laws that will help our environment, or by simply taking control of how we use our energy, then we might have a chance at a better future. If each individual, all over the world would start a simple change, then collectively (just like climate change), we can expect a change. We can still be optimistic (even if the numbers seem like they are against us). Lets start the change within ourselves now because we might still get a better peak at the future.
The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change IPCC (2007) states that the average surface temperature of the Earth is likely to increase by 2 to 11.5F (1.1-6.4C) by the end of the 21st century, relative to 1980-1990, with a best estimate of 3.2 to 7.2F (1.8-4.0C). The average rate of warming over each inhabited continent is very likely to be at least twice as large as that experienced during the 20th century.
If we take a look the numbers, they may seem insignificant but if you take a look at the effect on a much global scale, then it hits you. What were facing is something that will change the way we live.
Imagine waking up to a very hot summer, it seems nice to take a dip in the lake, but once you hit the water you realize that it feels a little warmer than before. You go about your everyday life thinking that everything is normal, until you realize that the global climate change youve been hearing about on the news has finally hit home. Our climate is not what it used to be.
Pfeiffer (2004) mentions human-induced climate change. Does this mean that every person on the planet is responsible for the changes in our climate Carbon emissions are known to be a contributing factor to climate change. Part of the IPCC (2007) report states that 75 of the human induced carbon emissions over the past 50 years is due to fossil fuel burning. It seems like our high cost of living and technological advances are all at a high cost.
Reibeek (2007) asks why we should worry about a seemingly small increase in temperature. Apparently, as Reibeek explains, the global average temperature is quite stable over long periods of time, and small changes in that temperature correspond to enormous changes in the environment. If we take a look at Figure 1, well see that the temperature of the earth is increasing as well as carbon dioxide concentration.
Howard (2005) tells us that the decline of global oil supply and the increasing cost of everything as a consequence mean we will see our ability to deal with the consequences of Climate Change reduced. He gives agriculture as one of his examples. Agricultural land will be more difficult to irrigate and cultivate. Hence, farmers will need more sophisticated equipment andor techniques. But due to the declining oil and gas supplies the use of these equipments will be more expensive. This will have an adverse effect on all the industries.
Figure 2. Graph is by the Association for the study of Peak Oil and Gas (image is taken from International Centre forHydrogen EnergyTechnologies ICHET)
The US Department of Energy (cited by the International Centre forHydrogen EnergyTechnologies ICHET) predicts the state of the worlds oil production
World demand will reach 119 million barrels per day in 2025, with huge increases in China, India, and other developing nations. Proponents of the Peak Oil Theory foresee a point or timeframe at which the maximum global petroleum production rate is reached. After this timeframe, the rate of production will by definition enter terminal decline. Optimistic outlooks delay the peak of production to the 2020s or 2030s and assume major investments in alternatives occur before the crisis. More dire predictions which operate on the thesis that the peak will occur shortly or has already occurred predict a global depression.
Evidently in Figure 2, we can see the decline that the US Department of Energy is describing.
Figure 3 shows us that the change in climate it a global problem. The Copenhagen Climate meeting must be viewed as the international communitys response to the pressure of climate change. A commitment has been made upon the gathering of leaders of each country. It may seem that we are being too optimistic. The damage has been done and it is irreversible.
I still hope for a better future. 20 years from now, our world will definitely be different. We can imagine it to be a place where only the fittest (and richest) will survive. Oil is going to be so scarce that it will only be available to a select few. Our environment is going to be so impossible to live in that your home needs to be either heated or cooled by electrical means. Going out of the house requires you to wear extra protection to shield you form the extreme heat or cold. Living would be like risking your life. If we give in to fear and allow all the negative predictions to affect our lives, then you can expect the future to be what you fear it to be.
Small changes contribute to bigger ones. We all learned that from basic chemistry. Newtons third law of motion states that To every action there is an equal and opposite reaction. Maybe the earth is just taking its natural course, or maybe this is her way of getting back at us humans.
On the other hand, if we start changing our lifestyle by promoting a cleaner and greener life, by constantly pressuring our governments to pass laws that will help our environment, or by simply taking control of how we use our energy, then we might have a chance at a better future. If each individual, all over the world would start a simple change, then collectively (just like climate change), we can expect a change. We can still be optimistic (even if the numbers seem like they are against us). Lets start the change within ourselves now because we might still get a better peak at the future.
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