Global Warming

World

Facts

>Benefits
= Norway and Finland at the bottom as they may benefit from balmier temperature- whether in terms of a longer agricultural growing season or upsurge in tourism.
= Firms that recognize the challenge early will create opportunities for themselves and thereby prosper.

>Problems
US experience record breaking high temperature in December winter and low temperature in February this past year.

Others
Electricity for lighting and residential appliances- 1000 kilowatt-hour per person per year
Travel-8,000km/person/year

Business of operating office buildings and homes is responsible for 38% of U.S. CO2 emissions.

United Nations’ Intergovernmental panel on climate change Global green house gases emissions have grown by 70% between 1970 and 2004.

The rate of increase of temperature has been 3 times larger since 1976, or 0.18 degree Celsius per decade.

Warmer weather in Japan has already brought its cherry blossoms into a bloom a week early.

China’s role in global warming
China is expected to pass U.S. in total greenhouse emissions before 2010.
China imposes higher taxes on large cars than on small ones; subsidizes wind, solar and other renewable; and had pass a law that aims to make 15% of the country’s power come from renewable by 2020.
At present, solar power accounts for less than 1% of the electricity generated in the world. China will implement a law- 10% of energy will come from renewable. Many cities in Europe and US provide incentives for home owners and businesses to do the same.

China, which is about to become the world’s single biggest producer of green house gases.

India’s role in global warming
But India, with its less developed economy, cannot easily afford the cost of going green.

Impacts

Melting of Himalayan glaciers will lead first to more flooding in the plains of India and Bangladesh, then to water shortages.

Health
Deaths, malnutrition, diseases and injury linked to heat waves and floods will be more widespread, and more incidents of diarrhea as well as cardio-respiratory ailments and infectious diseases are expected.

Poorer nations will not be the only ones to be affected. Richer ones are also vulnerable. 2003 heat wave killed more than 35,000 people across Europe. About 14,000 died in France, the country with the best health care system in the world.


Examples of Solutions

Individuals can move the carbon needle, but it will be a slow process and not much.

A country had to give up 3% of their GDP for actions taken to counteract global warming.

Governments could also help, by subsidizing technology research and development, giving tax breaks, and setting standard, for instance.

In Straits Times news, mining company pays Aussie farmer $1.2m not to cut down trees on his farm for the next 120 years.
Large corporations or individuals (including the band Coldplay) wishing to become carbon neutral are funding.

= April 9, 2007 TIMES magazine: “51 things we can do” to survive Global warming
+ Take another look at vintage clothes: don’t buy too many new clothes
+ Ride the bus
+ Skip the steak: Livestock generate more greenhouse gases and their warming effect are much greater than carbon nitrous oxide (296 times) and methane (23 times)
+ Have a green wedding
+ End the paper chase: buy more recycled paper

Implication
In the rush of producing biofuel, forests are burn in Asia to clear the land for oil palm, and swathes of Amazon are stripped of diverse vegetation for soya and sugar plantations for ethanol.


Singapore

Facts

Experts suggest that if ice caps melt, water could raise a minimum of 18cm by the end of this century- which Singapore can survive- or a maximum of 6m, which would spell trouble for Singapore and many cities.

Singapore is moving into research and technology, due to falling costs of clean-energy sources.

A National Environment Agency (NEA) study revealed that Singaporeans useabout 2.5 billion plastic bags each year - the equivalent of 19 millionkilograms of waste.

Sharing of environment expertise with China
Singapore, China to jointly develop an ’eco-city’
Singapore and China will collaborate on a new project to develop an “eco-city”,
Which will show case how rapid economic growth can be balanced with sound environmental protection.
China is trying to shift its inefficient and highly polluting mode of economic growth towards a more sustainable form of developments that reduces the strain on environment.
Temasek Holdings has helped Sasac Holdings train 66 independent directors, and 300 chief executives and senior officials from China’s state own enterprises.


Examples of Solutions taken by Singapore

Singapore is investing a large sum of money in clean energy researching and sponsor projects regarding the environment issues.

$0.10 was imposed on every plastic bag at IKEA on earth day.

Singapore could be affected by rising sea levels some 50 or 100 years from now, but the government has already contacted the Dutch to tap their expertise in building dykes.

Campaigns that aim to encourage the conservation and the preservation of resources.
>Car free day- promote taking of public transport to reduce carbon emissions
>Bring Your Own Bag Day launched in 2006where more than 200 supermarkets will encourage customers to use reusablebags. That it is not just a one-off campaign, but one that will take placeevery first Wednesday of the month, is also laudable.