The concept of Global warming can be explained as a type of climate change in which the median air inversion or temperature rises more than above normal, adjacent to the surface of our globe. This disparaging effect leads to the occurrence of many adverse after-effects. The terror of global warming has been tormenting our earth’s ecological balance over the past century (Fankhauser, 2013). Over the years, eminent scientists all over the world have been conducting various topographical researches and experiments and they have concluded that the climatic system of the earth is getting warmer day by day, in an alarmingly way.
Science has been a boon to humans in the discovery of global warming. Brilliant scientist John Sawyer had first predicted the onset of global warming with his theory of elevation of the carbon dioxide as well as the greenhouse gas. He stated that the extensive rise in the emission of the carbon dioxide would instantly necessitate the emergence of global warming (Cowie, 2012). Subsequently, the distinguished pair of scientists- Wetherald and Manabe formulated a three elemental global climate model to decipher the present state of the climate. The global climate model was generated through a computer and it lucidly depicted that the doubling of the carbon dioxide quotient in the atmosphere spearheads the gradual warming of the climate (Bony et al., 2013). Therefore, the aid of science is indispensable to the public awareness of global warming.
The existing effects of the global warming on the world’s ecosystem are alterations in the quantity, magnitude, prevalence and nature of precipitation. In some rain-prone regions, the rainfall has enormously doubled while in the drought specific regions, rainfall has surprisingly decreased. The ocean bodies have also been severely affected the existing effects of global warming which are rapid acidification of the oceans and a heavy rise of the global marine altitude and the temperature (Bellard et al., 2012). The projected future effects of global warming on ecosystem are the happenings of extremely unbearable hot days on a large scale and the minimization of the occurrences of cold days. The ill impacts of droughts and tropical storms are also on the picture. The flora and fauna of the water bodies are expected to become extinct and disappear from the earth’s surface due to the reduction of the quantity of fresh oxygen (Orams & Lueck, 2016). Instances of violent climatic mishaps like tsunamis and floods are also projected to occur.
The existing effects of the global warming on humanity are the rise in the eventualities of communicable diseases like dengue, malaria and the expeditious loss of human habitation due to the deforestation of wild forests. The fertile lands are also being washed away and the existing ones are turning into barren field due to desertification. The resources of fresh air and clean water are depleting at a fast pace which is putting the health quotient of the humans on danger. The projected future effects on global warming are the rapid deportation of people from their local habitats to places where the living conditions are mildly suitable (Cook et al., 2013). This will make people of different nations increasingly hostile towards with each other due to the intense competition related to the phenomenon of the survival of the fittest. Especially, people of the under-developed countries will resort to war mongering and butchering due to limited food and water supply.
Global warming is a difficult or a wicked problem to solve because of its absolute enormity and its complex socio-political repercussions (Peters et al., 2013). Fossil fuels are the primary emitter of the hazardous carbon dioxide gas in to the atmosphere. However, fossil fuels are the primary source of revenue for the unbelievably rich populations of the Middle East. The oil firms concentrated in those regions hold the potentiality and the power to influence the top political or the diplomatic heads of the global community in accordance to their own will and terms (Fattouh & El-Katiri, 2013). Permanent stoppage of their production of oil would adversely change the face of the global economy forever. Unfortunately, the biggest emitters of the greenhouse gas are the least concerned or bothered about the harmful ill effects of global warming. Moreover, the ceasing of the production of oil would hamper the entire global transportation system; this will further induce the human population to suffer from high-strung inflation and mayhem. Therefore, this paradoxical feature of the fossil fuels as in helping to fuel human progress and at the same time distorting the climactic balance makes it such an incredibly difficult environmental, social, political and policy problem to solve.
The concept of modern western science and technology came into existence with the advent of the Scientific Revolution in the year 1543. Scientific Revolution emerged from the quest of humans to question about the credibility of the previous conceptual notions and to explore for resolutions that are more reliable by nature. The stupendous discovery of the theory that the earth revolves around the sun and its gravitational force have paved the way for the beginning of modernism in the occidental world of science and technology (Righini Bonelli & Shea, 2012). The Scientific Revolution transformed the study of science in the lines of modern knowledge, professionalism and institutionalism. As the sphere of scientific knowledge commenced to grow in human society, the western countries started to adapt to and incorporate modern science and technology (Wootton, 2015).
Modern western science and technology is found to be existent in the European countries of the world. They have originated in the era of scientific and industrial revolution. Modern western science and technology is based on the lines on analytics and reductionism. It is optimistic and bourgeois by nature. Modern western science and technology encompasses the inventions and discoveries, which are verifiable and susceptible to measurement unlike the eastern field of science and technology. One striking characteristic of the modern western science and technology, which sets it apart from the other fields of discipline, is that it is accurately studied, contemplated and comprehended from the academic and scholarly sources of scientific literature (McClellan III & Dorn, 2015). Modern western science and technology operates under the aegis of the science and research institutes, which have been established for the purpose of imparting the knowledge of science and technology to the western world. Institutes like NASA, Fraunhofer Society and CERN are considered to be the Mecca of the operations of western science and technology (Ferrara, 2012). Modern western science and technology also operates from the various peer review journals and magazine publications. These publications are constantly regulated and monitored so that they serve to enlighten the western citizenry, both in terms of science and technology (Ghimire, 2013). Therefore, modern western science and technology possesses specialized and productive infrastructure to operate from various arenas.
Modern western science and technology plays a vital role in the resolution of the environmental crisis of the modern world. As science is gradually paving the way for human destruction, on the other hand, it is also acting as a savior for humans in the face of environmental challenges. The scientists and the researchers all over the world have been successful in finding reliable and environmentally conscious solutions to the grave environmental disasters of the globe (Schneidewind & Augenstein, 2012). The negative effects of the many pressing global concerns have been possible to mitigate to some extent by the assistance of modern western scientific inventions and applications. Some of the scientific successes, which are worth mentionable here, are chemical free batteries, profit-oriented carbon, atomic innovations, tree root preservations and of course the recent technology of crowd sourcing.
A real world example of how science and/or technology are implicated in an environmental issue would be the case of the sharing economy. At present, the earth is suffering from the exhaustion of land and natural resources. Human beings have become reckless in their consumption of the natural riches and supply. Due to this, natural resources are being depleted at an alarmingly rate, even from the deep pockets of the earth. At first glance, it might seem that there is abundance of urban land on earth (Dryzek, 2013). The land promoters are developing multi-storey buildings in quick succession in accordance to the demands of the city dwellers. However, due to this, sprawling pieces of natural land are becoming endangered news. In this aspect, the technology of sharing economy publicized by companies like Uber is helping the environment in the restoration of its precious resources (Hamari, Sjöklint & Ukkonen, 2016). Through the sharing economy people have learned to use natural resources effectively without over exhaustion. Sharing economy motivates people to comprehend the art of ecological sharing and spread mutual harmony, cooperation and goodwill.
The term biodiversity has been coined from the concept of biological diversity. Diversity is a theory that refers to the series of variation or alterations among some set of entities. The concept thus denotes the diversity within the living world. Therefore, the term biodiversity is defined as the variation among living beings from all sources that includes, aerial, terrestrial, aquatic and other marine ecologies and the biological complexes of which they are part; which comprises of variety within species, between species and of ecologies (Cardinale et al., 2012). The definition significantly draws importance to the different dynamics of biodiversity that can be classified under many categories by its unique nomenclature, organic and genomic diversity. These magnitudes of biodiversity differ over space and time and is a primary feature of biodiversity. In short, biodiversity can describe the diversity in the chromosomal arrangement of species.
Biodiversity is the establishment of ecological services that are well connected with the welfare of the human society and plays a crucial role in the development of human life on Earth. In order to study the relationship between alterations in the biodiversity and variations in the functioning of the ecosystems and its services, it is essential to identify the multidimensional valuation of biodiversity. Biodiversity in terms of its characterization and categories is an extensive one and it can be classified under three groups based on genetic factors, species and ecosystem.
Genetic Diversity signifies the quantity of inherited variation of the genes within a species or within the organisms of a specified population (Bellard et al. 2012). Genetic diversity is a high level of diversity among species and it is more prominent within the genes of the species of specified classes. A significant example of this is the variation in the hair color in human beings.
Ecological diversity is the distinctive variation in the ecosystems that varies over the regional habitat of the organisms depending upon their diversities in the genes, food habits and vegetation. It also includes the climatic features, soil materials and the abiotic components of the habitat of the organisms (Bellard et al., 2012). An important instance of the ecological diversity is the distinctive variation in ecosystems, such as deserts, grasslands, forests, wetlands and oceans. It is assumed that ecological diversity is the most prominent variety of biodiversity on a global scale.
Species diversity implies the sum total and richness of several species living in a particular location. Species diversity can be determined more accurately in terms of both richness of the species which can be implied as the number of varieties of species as well as the relative abundance that denotes the quantity of entities within each species(Cardinale et al., 2012). An important example of species diversity the quantity and richness of different kinds of mammals in a forest.
With the span of time and development, human inventions have reached its peak affecting the balance of the natural biodiversity. Human interventions have severely disturbed and altered the natural environmental balance and expanded their territory by threatening the regular biodiversity. This is called depletion of biodiversity. The influential causes that are responsible for the loss of natural biodiversity can be either man made or natural. The causes can be summarized as follows:
Man-made causes called Anthropocentric causes are Urbanization, Deforestation, Expansion of Agricultural land, Pollution, Acidification of soil and water, Desertification, Mining and loss of soil fertility.
Natural causes that are responsible for the deterioration of the biodiversity are the natural calamities like Earthquakes, Volcanic eruptions, Floods and Cyclones.
Environmental policies are the guidelines that are designed in order to protect the environment from the impact of pollution and other harmful sources of depletion. In order to protect environment certain measurement targets and rules are implemented by the government of every nation. Likewise, in order to minimize the impact of pollutions and global warming on environment, the Australian Government has implemented a series of environmental policies. These policies are outlined in a way that they support the sustainable development of the country. The main mission of the environmental policies is to protect the environment along with the socio-economic development and health protection. The environmental policies are also designed to increase awareness among the people of a nation regarding the protection and preservation of the natural and non-renewable resources of the country. Apart from that they also cover issues such as use of energy, emissions of greenhouse gas and depletion of ozone layer, proper disposal of waste water from factories and industries, conservation of air, water and soil and lastly use of recyclable products.
The environmental policies of Australia designed by the government of the country work for the provision of energy sources for all. The National Energy Guarantee is a policy that provides investment to the electrical sector to provide more inexpensive and reliable power sources, while fulfilling the international commitments of the country (Jörgens, 2013). State of the Environment 2016is a policy that states the protection of the environmental balance of the country as the country is currently facing huge climatic changes since last few decades. The Great Barrier Reef, the home of huge collection of natural floras and faunas is at present experiencing depletions due to certain changes in the composition of environment. The government of the country has designed a separate law that works for a common aim- protection and management of the Great Barrier Reef for the future generations. The National Land CareProgramis an initiative taken by the Australian Government that invests more than $1billion dollar in phase two program that prevents soil erosion and deforestation (Pannell et al., 2012).
Although the government of all the countries are working for the protection of the environment, they are facing various challenges while implementing them. Most of the challenges that the government that the policies are facing is the lack of knowledge among the natives regarding the protection of the environment(Durant & Fiorino, 2017). Other than this, there are issues where the organizations do not abide by the rules and regulations of the environmental policy (Jordan, 2012). At times, natural calamities are also causing harm to the environment even after enforcing the laws and policies.
Traditional Ecological Knowledge is defined as the aboriginal, native or other types of indigenous and traditional knowledge regarding sustainability of home-grown resources. At present, this form knowledge is included in the field of education of anthropology and is referred to an aggregate body of knowledge, faith, and practice that is evolved through collection of traditional knowledge of ecology and is passed from one generation to another through traditional songs, beliefs and stories. It is supposed to have a connection with the life of human beings with their traditional groups and with their local environment. These knowledge is generally used in the management of the natural resource.
One of the most important implementation of Traditional Ecological Knowledge is the sustainable forestry initiative that was taken by Coquille Indian Tribe. In the year 1996, the Indian tribe in order to access 5,400 acres of tribal forest developed this TEK combining it with western science (Gómez-Baggethun et al., 2012). Their main approach was to maintain a balance between the modern land management tools and techniques with their traditional tribal approach. Another approach is the protection of the habitat of the wildlife of a forest. This also include practices that manages and promote rapid food and shelter for the wildlife by harvesting timber (Gómez-Baggethun et al., 2012). The most significant and the first instance of the use of TEK is the invention of fire. The significance and the influence of it on society and on environment is till now the most evolutionary discovery of science in the world. At present, the most vital utilization of TEK is in the context of climate change. This Traditional Ecological Knowledge helps to figure out an understanding of the impacts of climate on the ecological processes and phenomena by acclimating adaptive social responses to environmental changes. Their close connections with and dependence on goods and services of ecosystems helped them to face the challenges when incorporating initiatives for climatic changes.
References
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