MAHARISHI MARKANDESHWAR (DEEMED TO BE UNIVERSITY),

MULLANA (AMBALA)
Programme: BCA
Course: ES-101: Environmental Studies

Unit 6: Global Social Environmental Issues

Course Outcome:
CO-1 To understand the global environmental problems: Global Warming & Climate Change.
CO-2 To study Acid rain; Ozone Layer Depletion etc, their causes, effects and preventive measures.

1. GREEN HOUSE GASES, GLOBAL WARMING AND CLIMATE CHANGE

1.1 Green House Effect

Troposphere, the lowermost layer of the atmosphere, traps heat by a natural process due to the presence of
certain gases (Green House Gases). This effect is called Green House Effect as it is similar to the
warming effect observed in the horticultural green house made of glass.
1.2 Global Warming: Causes
The amount of heat trapped in the atmosphere depends mostly on the concentrations of “Heat trapping” or
“Green house” gases and the length of time they stay in the atmosphere. The major green house gases are
carbon dioxide, ozone, methane, nitrous oxide, chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs) and water vapours. The
average global temperature is 15°C.
In the absence of green house gases this temperature would have been -18°C. Therefore, Green House
Effect contributes a temperature rise to the tune of 33°C. Heat trapped by green house gases in the
atmosphere keeps the planet warm enough to allow us and other species to exist.
The two predominant green house gases are water vapours, which are controlled by hydrological cycle,
and carbon dioxide, which is controlled mostly by the global carbon cycle. While the levels of water
vapour in the troposphere have relatively remained constant, the levels of carbon dioxide have increased.
Other gases whose levels have increased due to human activities are methane, nitrous oxide and
chlorofluorocarbons. Deforestation has further resulted in elevated levels of carbon dioxide due to non-
removal of carbon dioxide by plants through photosynthesis.
1.3 Effects
 Warming or cooling by more than 2°C over the past few decades may prove to be disastrous for
various ecosystems on the earth including humans, as it would alter the conditions faster than some
species could adapt or migrate.
 Some areas will become inhabitable because of drought or floods following a rise in average sea
level.
1.4 Climate
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 MAHARISHI MARKANDESHWAR (DEEMED TO BE UNIVERSITY),
MULLANA (AMBALA)
Programme: BCA
Course: ES-101: Environmental Studies

Climate is the average weather of an area. It is the general weather conditions, seasonal variations and
extremes of weather in a region. Such conditions which average over a long period- at least 30 years is
called climate.
IPCC (1990 and 1992) observed that earth’s temperature has changed considerably during the geological
times. It has experienced several glacial and inter-glacial periods. However, during the past 10,000 years
of the current interglacial period the mean average temperature has fluctuated by 0.5 to1°C over 100 to
200 year period. We have relatively stable climate for thousands of years due to which we have practised
agriculture and increased in population. Even small changes in climatic conditions may disturb agriculture
that would lead to migration of animals including humans.
1.5 Climate Change: Causes & Effects
Anthropogenic (man-made) activities are upsetting the delicate balance that has established between
various components of the environment. Green house gases are increasing in the atmosphere resulting in
increase in the average global temperature. This may upset the hydrological cycle, result in floods and
droughts in different regions of the world, cause sea level rise, changes in agriculture productivity, famines
and death of humans as well as live stock.
 The global change in temperature will not be uniform everywhere.
 The places at higher latitudes will be warmed up more.
 Poles may experience 2 to 3 times more warming than the global average, while warming in the
tropics may be only 50 to 100% on an average.
 The increased warming at poles will reduce the thermal gradient between the equator and high
latitude regions.
 This will disturb the global pattern of winds and ocean currents as well as the timing and
distribution of rainfall.
 By a temperature increase of 1.5 to 4.5°C the global hydrological cycle is expected to intensify by 5
to 10%.
 Disturbed rainfall will result in some areas becoming wetter and the others drier. Although rainfall
may increase, higher temperatures will result in more evapo-transpiration leading to annual water
deficit in crop fields.
1.6 Effects of Climate Change
1) Rise in Sea Level

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 MAHARISHI MARKANDESHWAR (DEEMED TO BE UNIVERSITY),
MULLANA (AMBALA)
Programme: BCA
Course: ES-101: Environmental Studies

With the increase in global temperature sea water will expand. Heating will melt the polar ice sheets and
glaciers resulting in further rise in sea level. Current models indicate that an increase in the average
atmospheric temperature of 3°C would raise the average global sea level by 0.2 to 1.5 meters over the next
50 to100 years. One meter rise in sea level will inundate low lying areas of cities like Shanghai, Cairo,
Bangkok, Sydney, Hamburg and Venice as well as agricultural lowlands and deltas in Egypt, Bangladesh,
India, China and will affect rice productivity. This will also disturb many commercially important
spawning grounds, and would probably increase the frequency of storm damage to lagoons, estuaries and
coral reefs.
2) Effects on Human Health
The global warming will lead to changes in the rainfall pattern in many areas, thereby affecting the
distribution of vector-borne diseases like malaria, filariasis, elephantiasis etc. Areas which are presently
free from diseases like malaria etc. may become the breeding grounds for the vectors of such diseases. The
areas likely to be affected in this manner are Ethiopia, Kenya and Indonesia. Warmer temperature and more
water stagnation would favour the breeding of mosquitoes, snails and some insects, which are the vectors
of such diseases. Higher temperature and humidity will increase/aggravate respiratory and skin diseases.
3) Effects on Agriculture
There are different views regarding the effect of global warming on agriculture. It may show positive or
negative effects on various types of crops in different regions of the world. Tropical and subtropical
regions will be more affected since the average temperature in these regions is already on the higher side.
Even a rise of 2°C may be quite harmful to crops. Soil moisture will decrease and evapo-transpiration will
increase, which may drastically affect wheat and maize production. Increase in temperature and humidity
will increase pest growth like the growth of vectors for various diseases. Pests will adapt to such changes
better than the crops. To cope up with the changing situation drought resistant, heat resistant and pest
resistant varieties of crops have to be developed.
4) Change in Rainfall Patterns
Excess rainfall, droughts, and floods have become quite frequent. While few areas experience plenty of
rainfall, then there are areas that face droughts throughout the year.
5) Heat Waves
The large amount of greenhouse gases released from industries, vehicles, agricultural activities increases
the concentration of CO2 and heats up the atmosphere. The increased temperature then cause heat waves
and makes it difficult for people to survive.
6) Loss of Wildlife Species

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 MAHARISHI MARKANDESHWAR (DEEMED TO BE UNIVERSITY),
MULLANA (AMBALA)
Programme: BCA
Course: ES-101: Environmental Studies

Wildfires, deforestation, shifting habitat have caused several species to become extinct, pushed few of
them towards extinction and rest of them have migrated to some other place.
1.7 Measures to Check Global Warming
i. Cut down the current rate of use of CFCs and fossil fuel.
ii. Use energy more efficiently.
iii. Shift to renewable energy resources.
iv. Increase Nuclear Power Plants for electricity production.
v. Shift from coal to natural gas.
vi. Trap and use methane as a fuel.
vii. Reduce beef production.
viii. Adopt sustainable agriculture.
ix. Stabilize population growth.
x. Efficiently remove CO2 from smoke stacks.
xi. Plant more trees.
xii. Remove atmospheric CO2 by utilizing photosynthetic algae.

2. ACID RAIN
Oxides of sulfur and nitrogen originating from industrial operations and fossil fuel combustion are the
major sources of acid forming gases. Acid forming gases are oxidised over several days by which time they
travel several thousand kilometers. In the atmosphere these gases are ultimately converted into sulfuric and
nitric acids. Hydrogen chloride emission forms hydrochloric acid. These acids cause acidic rain. Acid rain
is only one component of acidic deposition. Acidic deposition is the total of wet acidic deposition (acid
rain) and dry deposition. Rain water is turned acidic when its pH falls below 5.6. In fact clean or natural
rain water has a pH of 5.6 at 20°C because of formation of carbonic acid due to dissolution of CO 2 in
water.
2.1 Causes of Acid Rain
a) Natural Sources

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 MAHARISHI MARKANDESHWAR (DEEMED TO BE UNIVERSITY),
MULLANA (AMBALA)
Programme: BCA
Course: ES-101: Environmental Studies

Emissions from volcanoes and from biological processes that occur on the land, in wetlands, and in the
oceans contribute acid-producing gases to the atmosphere. Effects of acidic deposits have been detected in
glacial ice thousands of years old in remote parts of the globe.
b) Human Sources (The principal cause of acid rain)
Industrial factories, power-generating plants and vehicles. Sulphur dioxide and oxides of nitrogen are
released during the fuel burning process (i.e. combustion).
2.2 Effects of acid rain
Acid rain causes a number of harmful effects below pH 5.1. The effects are visible in the aquatic system
even at pH less than 5.5.
a) It causes deterioration of buildings especially made of marble e.g. monuments like Taj Mahal.
Crystals of calcium and magnesium sulphate are formed as a result of corrosion caused by acid rain.
b) It damages stone statues. Priceless stone statues in Greece and Italy have been partially dissolved by
acid rain.
c) It damages metals and car finishes.
d) Aquatic life especially fish are badly affected by lake acidification.
e) Aquatic animals suffer from toxicity of metals such as aluminium, mercury, manganese, zinc and
lead which leak from the surrounding rocks due to acid rain.
f) It results in reproductive failure, and killing of fish. Many lakes of Sweden, Norway, Canada have
become fishless due to acid rain.
g) It damages foliage and weakens trees.
h) It makes trees more susceptible to stresses like cold temperature, drought, etc. Many insects and
fungi are more tolerant to acidic conditions and hence they can attack the susceptible trees and
cause diseases.
2.3 Control of Acid Rain
Emission of SO2 and NO2 from industries and power plants should be reduced by using pollution control
equipments. Liming of lakes and soils should be done to correct the adverse effects of acid rain. A coating
of protective layer of inert polymer should be given in the interior of water pipes for drinking water.
Flue Gas Desulphurisation (FGD)
Removes sulphur dioxide from flue gas (waste gases). Consists of a wet scrubber and a reaction tower
equipped with a fan that extracts hot smoky stack gases from a power plant into the tower. Lime or

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 MAHARISHI MARKANDESHWAR (DEEMED TO BE UNIVERSITY),
MULLANA (AMBALA)
Programme: BCA
Course: ES-101: Environmental Studies

limestone (calcium carbonate) in slurry form is injected into the tower to mix with the stack gases and
reacts with the sulphur dioxide present. Produces pH-neutral calcium sulphate that is physically removed
from the scrubber. Sulphates can be used for industrial purposes.
Alternative to Thermal Power Plants
Use other sources of electricity (i.e. nuclear power, hydro-electricity, wind energy, geothermal energy, and
solar energy).

3. OZONE LAYER DEPLETION

Ozone layer was discovered in 1913 by the french physicists Charles Fabry and Henri Buisson. Ozone
layer is the deep and thin layer in the stratosphere, encircling the earth that absorbs most of the sun's ultra
violet radiation. It is also called Ozonosphere. It contains high concentration of Ozone. Ozone is also
occurs in very small amount in the troposphere.
3.1 DEPLETION OF OZONE LAYER
UV radiation from the sun strikes the CFC molecules and causes a chlorine atom to break away. The
chlorine is free to repeat the process of destroying more ozone molecules. A single CFC molecule can
destroy 10 lakh ozone molecules. The chlorine atoms reacts with an ozone molecule to form chlorine
monoxide and diatomic oxygen. When a free atom of oxygen reacts with a chlorine monoxide molecule,
diatomic oxygen is formed and the chlorine atom is released to destroy more ozone.
3.2 OZONE DEPLETING SUBSTANCE
The substance which deplet the ozone are:
 Chloroflourocarbon
 Hydro-chloroflourocarbon
 Halons
 Methyl bromide
 Carbon tetrachloride
 Bromoflourocarbon
 Chlorobromomethane
 Methylchloroform
3.3 Source of Ozone depleting substance

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 MAHARISHI MARKANDESHWAR (DEEMED TO BE UNIVERSITY),
MULLANA (AMBALA)
Programme: BCA
Course: ES-101: Environmental Studies

 Refrigerator
 Air conditioning
 Foam blowing
 Steralization
 Solvent cleaning product other products including Halogens
3.4 OZONE HOLE
An area of the atmosphere where the ozone layer is particularly thin or absent is called Ozone Hole. Ozone
Hole is any part of the ozone layer that has become depleted by atmospheric pollution, resulting in excess
ultaviolet radiation passing through the atmosphere.

3.5 EFFECTS OF OZONE LAYER DEPLETION

When ozone depletion is an increases in the earth's surface then ultra violet rays have capability to destry
plants and animals. UV rays of the sun are associated with a no. of health realated and environment issues:
 Skin cancer
 Impairment of the body's immune system
 Eye cataract
 Accelerated aging of skin
 Chest pain
 Throat irritation
 Difficulty in breathing
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 MAHARISHI MARKANDESHWAR (DEEMED TO BE UNIVERSITY),
MULLANA (AMBALA)
Programme: BCA
Course: ES-101: Environmental Studies

 Damage to crops
3.6 Protection of Ozone Layer
• Avoid cutting down tress
• Buy refrigetor that do not contain CFC's as refrigerants
• Limit private vehicles driving
• Avoid using pesticides
• Minimize rocket flights
• Decrease release of high steam or temperature

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