Fred Vubem
25 February 2008
interview
Dr Gabriel Tchatat, Sub director, Ministry of Environment and Nature Protection explains the causes and consequences of global warming.
What causes global warming?
It is the emission of green house gases. These gases are mostly carbon dioxide, carbon mono oxide, sulphur oxides or nitrous oxides. We also have chlorofluorocarbon and methane. Every gas has its own radiative effect. A green house gas is a heat enhancer. For example, if one beam of sun containing one joule of heat passes through carbon dioxide, one joule of heat will come out. That means, it is stable. But with methane, one beam of sun heat goes in and 20 joules of heat comes out. With nitrous oxide, one joule in and 200 joules out. For chlorofluorocarbon, one joule of heat in and 2000 joules come out. That is what causes global warming. We have realised that the planet is getting warmer. There is more heat than before. In 1975, it was so cold that I used to sleep with a blanket here in Yaounde. But today, I don't put even a bed sheet on my body because it is too hot. This is to prove that there is more heat now than before and that is what is referred to as global warming. In one century, the global temperature grows by 0.5° Celsius. But in the 18th century with the industrial revolution, instead of the 0.5 C per century, it was 0.5° C per year because of all the fossil energy emitted by machines, cars, planes, ships, bush fires, urban wastes, and so on. These are the main sources of green house gases.
What are the effects of global warming?
Global warming leads to the melting of ice in the North Pole region and melting ice will consequently lead to an increase in the sea level. Even though the ocean represents 93 percent of the earth, the increase in sea level will engulf more land. For example, one third of France will be covered by water in case all ice is melted. Douala, New York, Manhattan and Cape Town will all be under water. Many rivers and lakes will disappear. The Lake Chad will disappear. Some plants will not be able to grow normally and agricultural production will drop. Industries that process agricultural products will equally collapse. The forest will drastically reduce also. In arid areas, the drop of rainfall will lead to a drop in water run off. And a drop in water run off will equally lead to a drop in the quantity of water in lakes and dams which will make it impossible to produce hydro-electricity. Since electricity is an important source of energy for industries, the cost of production will shoot up and life will become harder for people.
What can be done to check the situation?
We have been sensitising people. We discourage them from setting bush fires. The Head of State took the initiative to create an observatory on climate change. I think it will be a research structure that will look into all the causes of climate change, monitor the effects and educate the people on farming and energy use methods. Other sources of energy can be developed from the sun, the wind and even water. We are also encouraging the people to use biological fertilisers, that is, compos manure, instead of technical fertilisers. There are many solutions; we just need the will and orientation.
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I am sorry to but i do not think you have all the information you need to right an article on global warming. That or you left out a lot of very important details about global warming. first of all global warming is doing much more than melting the ice-caps. It is destroying the ozone layer. The thing that allows us to live. It keeps our air in and the sun's radiation to a limit. If the ozone layer is destroyed we will either burn to death or suffocate. Global warming is much more serious than you let it off… [Read Full Text]