Global Environmental Issues With Specific

7/25/2019 Global Environmental Issues With Specific

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GLOBAL ENVIRONMENTAL ISSUES WITH SPECIFIC

REFERENCES

PREPARED BY

KAYODE OLADIPUIPO

BEING A RESEARCH PROJECT

DIPSON KAYUS RESOURCES CENTRE, IBADAN, OYO STATE,

NIGERIA

08058573347; 07063796484

JANUARY, 2016

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1.1 INTRODUCTION

One of the most important characteristics of this global environmental

degradation is that it affects all mankind on a global scale withot regard to an!

particlar contr!" region" or race# $he whole world is a stakeholder and this raises

isses on who shold do what to combat environmental degradation# $he environment

encompasses the whole of life on earth and the comple% interactions that link the

living world with the ph!sical world# $his covers ever!thing contained within the air"

land and water# &'assar" (005)

*s earl! as +896" the ,wedish scientist ,vante *rrhenis had predicted that

hman activities wold interfere with the wa! the sn interacts with the earth"

reslting in a gradal increase in the overall temperatre of the earth-s atmosphere

generall! attribted to the greenhose effect cased b! increased levels of carbon

dio%ide" '.'s" and other polltants# /is prediction has become tre and climate

change is now disrpting global environmental stabilit!# $he last few decades haveseen man! treaties" conventions" and protocols for the case of global environmental

protection &en1amin (0+4)#

2lobal nvironmental sses- refers to the effect on the climate of hman

actions" in particlar the on fossil fels &coal" oil and gas) and largescale

deforestation" which case emissions to the atmosphere of large amonts of

-greenhose gases-" of which the most important is carbon dio%ide# ,ch gases take p

infrared radiation emitted b! the arth-s srface and act as blankets over the srface

keeping it warmer than it wold otherwise be# 'onnected with this warming are

changes of climate# $he basic science of the -greenhose effect- that leads to the

warming is well implicit# ore detailed nderstanding relies on nmerical models of

the climate that integrate the basic d!namical and ph!sical eations describing the

complete climate s!stem &/arrabin (007)#

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an! of the likel! characteristics of the reslting changes in climate &sch as

more freent heat waves" increases in rainfall" increase in freenc! and intensit! of

man! e%treme climate events) can be identified# ,bstantial ncertainties remain in

knowledge of some of the feedbacks within the climate s!stem &that affect the overall

magnitde of change) and in mch of the detail of likel! regional change# ecase of

its negative impacts on hman commnities &inclding for instance sbstantial sea

level rise) and on ecos!stems" global warming is the most important environmental

problem the world faces# .ew e%amples of environmental isses of global significance

are

+# and degradation(# :ater polltion

3# /aardos waste

4# 2lobal :arming

5# 'limate change

6# /aardos waste

7# oss of iodiversit!

8# %ploitation of natral resorces

9# Oone a!er


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2.0 LITERATURE REVIEW

2.1 What Are Gloal E!"#ro!$e!tal I%%&e%'

2lobal nvironmental sses presents a comprehensive and stimlating

introdction to the ke! environmental isses presentl! threatening or global

environment# 2lobal nvironmental isses are harmfl effects of hman activit! on

the bioph!sical environment&*1a" (005)#

*ccording *lfred" &(009) global nvironmental sses can be defined as an!

ma1or trend" shock" or development that has the potential for serios global impacts

and ths to create hmanitarian needs and change the environments in which

hmanitarian actors will operate in coming !ears &*lfred" (009)#

en1amin &(0+4) simpl! said" global environmental sses arises when people

decide so" especiall! that kind of environmental problems that affect not onl! natre

bt also negativel! affects hmans# .or e%ample it is a problem that the fishes are

poisoned" becase hmans wold like to eat them if the! were not poisoned" bt is itan environmental problem when the sea eagle is poisoned#

2.2 Gloal E!"#ro!$e!tal (a)or I%%&e%

One of the primar! cases of environmental degradation in a contr! cold be

attribted to rapid growth of poplation" which adversel! affects the natral resorces

and environment# $he prising poplation and the environmental deterioration face

the cha3llenge of sstainable development# $he e%istence or the absence of favorablenatral resorces can facilitate or retard the process of socioeconomic development#

$he three basic demographic factors of births &natalit!)"deaths &mortalit!) and hman

migration &migration) and immigration &poplation moving into a contr! prodces

higher poplation) prodce changes in poplation sie" composition" distribtion and

these changes raise a nmber of important estions of case and effect# ?oplation

growth and economic development are contribting to man! serios environmental

calamities globall!# $hese inclde heav! pressre on land" land degradation" forests"

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https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Human_impact_on_the_environmenthttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Human_impact_on_the_environmenthttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Human_impact_on_the_environmenthttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Human_impact_on_the_environment


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habitat destrction and loss of biodiversit!# 'hanging consmption pattern has led to

rising demand for energ!# $he final otcomes of this are air polltion" global warming"

climate change" water scarcit! and water polltion &en1amin (0+4)# $he meaning"

cases and effects of these environmental isses are e%plain below

2.2.1 La!* De+ra*at#o!

@i1a! &(0+3) claimed that and degradation is a process in which the vale of

the bioph!sical environment is affected b! a combination of hmanindced processes

acting pon the land# t is viewed as an! change or distrbance to the land perceived

to be deleterios or ndesirable#=atral haardsare e%clded as a case; however

hman activities can indirectl! affect phenomena sch as floods and bsh fires#

$his is considered to be an important topic of the (+st centr! de to the

implications land degradation has pon agronomic prodctivit!" the environment" and

its effects on food secrit!# t is estimated that p to 40A of the world-s agricltral

land is seriosl! degraded#

Ca&%e% o, La!* De+ra*at#o!

*ccording to Bohnson and ewis" &(007) and degradation is a global problemlargel! related to agricltralse# $he ma1or cases inclde

and clearance" sch as clear cttinganddeforestation

*gricltral depletion of soilntrientsthrogh poor farming practices

ivestockinclding overgraingand overdrafting

nappropriate irrigationand overdrafting

Crban sprawland commercial development

,oil contamination

@ehicle offroading

Darr!ingof stone" sand" ore and minerals

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https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Natural_hazardhttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Agriculturehttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Clearcuttinghttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Deforestationhttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nutrienthttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Livestockhttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Overgrazinghttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Overdraftinghttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Irrigationhttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Overdraftinghttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Urban_sprawlhttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Soil_contaminationhttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Off-roadinghttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Quarryhttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Natural_hazardhttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Agriculturehttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Clearcuttinghttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Deforestationhttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nutrienthttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Livestockhttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Overgrazinghttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Overdraftinghttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Irrigationhttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Overdraftinghttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Urban_sprawlhttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Soil_contaminationhttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Off-roadinghttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Quarry


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ncrease in field sie de to economies of scale" redcing shelter for wildlife" as

hedgerows and copses disappear

%posre of naked soil after harvesting b! heav! eipment

onocltre" destabiliing the local ecos!stem


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of agricltral land per person in si% ot of eight contries &+4A for ndia and ((A for

?akistan)#

?oplation pressre also operates throgh other mechanisms# mproper

agricltral practices" for instance" occr onl! nder constraints sch as the satration

of good lands nder poplation pressre which leads settlers to cltivate too shallow

or too steep soils" plogh fallow land before it has recovered its fertilit!" or attempt to

obtain mltiple crops b! irrigating nsitable soils &Bohnson and ewis" (007)#

/igh poplation densit! is not alwa!s related to land degradation# Father" it is

the practices of the hman poplation that can case a landscape to become degraded#

?oplations can be a benefit to the land and make it more prodctive than it is in itsnatral state# and degradation is an important factor of internal displacement in man!

*frican and *sian contries &Bohnson and ewis" (007)

,evere land degradation affects a significant portion of the arth-s arable lands"

decreasing the wealth and economic developmentof nations# *s the land resorce

base becomes less prodctive" food secrit!is compromised and competition for

dwindling resorcesincreases" the seeds offamineand potential conflict are sown

&@i1a! (0+3)#

2.2.2 Water Poll&t#o!

*ccording to Glfear &(0+3) water polltion is the contamination of

water bodies &e#g# lakes" rivers" oceans" aifers and grondwater)# $his form of

environmental degradation occrs when polltants are directl! or indirectl! discharged

into water bodies withot adeate treatment to remove harmfl componds# :ater

polltion affects the entire biosphere H plants and organisms living in thesebodies of

water# n almost all cases the effect is damaging not onl! to individal speciesand

poplation" bt also to the natralbiological commnities#

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https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Economic_developmenthttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Food_securityhttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Resourcehttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Faminehttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bodies_of_waterhttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bodies_of_waterhttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Specieshttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Biocoenosishttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Economic_developmenthttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Food_securityhttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Resourcehttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Faminehttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bodies_of_waterhttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bodies_of_waterhttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Specieshttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Biocoenosis


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Plate 2-Glfear &(0+3)

Ca&%e% o, Water Poll&t#o!

$he specific contaminants leading to polltion in water inclde a wide

spectrm ofchemicals"pathogens" and ph!sical changes sch as elevated temperatre

and discoloration# :hile man! of the chemicals and sbstances that are reglated ma!

be natrall! occrring &calcim" sodim" iron" manganese" etc#) the concentrationis

often the ke! in determining what is a natral component of water and what is a

contaminant# /igh concentrations of natrall! occrring sbstances can have negative

impacts on aatic flora and fana &Glfear (0+3)#

O%!gendepleting sbstances ma! be natral materials sch as plant matter

&e#g# leaves and grass) as well as manmade chemicals# Other natral and

anthropogenic sbstances ma! casetrbidit!&clodiness) which blocks light and

disrpts plant growth" and clogs the gills of some fish species#

an! of the chemical sbstances are to%ic# ?athogens can prodce waterborne

diseasesin either hman or animal hosts# *lteration of water-s ph!sical chemistr!

incldes acidit! &change inp/)" electrical condctivit!" temperatre"

and etrophication# trophication is an increase in the concentration of chemical

ntrients in an ecos!stem to an e%tent that increases in the primar! prodctivit! of the

ecos!stem#


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environmental effects sch as ano%ia&o%!gen depletion) and severe redctions in

water alit! ma! occr" affecting fish and other animal poplations &Glfear (0+3)#

E,,et% o, Water Poll&t#o!

*ccording to en1amin &(0+4) water polltion has a del effect on natre# t

has negative effects on the living and also on the environment# :ater polltion cases

appro%imatel! +4"000 deaths per da!" mostl! de to contamination of drinking water

b! ntreated sewage in developing contries#

an! water bodies near rban areas &cities and towns) are highl! pollted# $his

is the reslt of both garbage dmped b! individals and dangeros chemicals legall!

or illegall! dmped b! manfactring indstries" health centers" schools and market

places#

Death o, a/&at# ater a!#$al%- $he main problem cased b! water

polltion is that it kills life that depends on these water bodies#


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Plat 6-en1amin &(0+4)

Plate 7-en1amin &(0+4)

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Plate 8-en1amin &(0+4)

2.2.6 Ha9ar*o&% Wa%te

*ccording to Omofonmwan" &(0+3) haardos waste are ,olid" liid" or

gaseos b!prodct of indstrialprocessesthat possesses at least one of the

for characteristics &i) corrosiveness" &ii) ignitabilit!" &iii) reactivit!" &iv) to%icit!; and

which ma! have to be handled stored" transported" and disposed of in a controlled

manner

:aste is considered -haardos- nder environmental legislation when it

contains sbstances or has properties that might make it harmfl to hman health or

the environment# $his does not necessaril! mean it is an immediate risk to hman

health" althogh some waste can be &Omiegbe" (009)#

*s poplation increases" hman activities increase" which eventall! increases

the amont of waste prodced# $hese wastes inclde harmfl gases let ot in the

atmosphere" to%ic waste released in water bodies" nclear waste" ewaste" medical

waste and even the waste from or homes# =o matter where people pt these

haardos waste materials" there is alwa!s a chance that the! cold find their wa! into

11
http://www.businessdictionary.com/definition/liquid.htmlhttp://www.businessdictionary.com/definition/industrial.htmlhttp://www.businessdictionary.com/definition/process.htmlhttp://www.businessdictionary.com/definition/characteristic.htmlhttp://www.businessdictionary.com/definition/reactivity.htmlhttp://www.businessdictionary.com/definition/toxicity.htmlhttp://www.businessdictionary.com/definition/liquid.htmlhttp://www.businessdictionary.com/definition/industrial.htmlhttp://www.businessdictionary.com/definition/process.htmlhttp://www.businessdictionary.com/definition/characteristic.htmlhttp://www.businessdictionary.com/definition/reactivity.htmlhttp://www.businessdictionary.com/definition/toxicity.html


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the grond" and eventall! into or bodies# 'orporations sall! want to avoid the

costs associated with having to limit creation of haardos waste#

'onseentl!" landfills are bilt on site and filled with waste" or sometimes pa!

to have waste removed# Often" haardos materials are transported to areas that accept

mone! to take the waste# t ma! prove ver! difficlt to redce haardos waste in the

ftre# Cnlike man! other environmental problems" waste creation is something

people do not often think abot# n near ftre" people ma! have to redce not onl!

their generation of haardos waste" bt also their consmption of man! prodcts that

end p in landfills &en1amin (0+4)#

Plate :- en1amin &(0+4)

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Plate ;- en1amin &(0+4)

2.2.7 Gloal War$#!+

2lobal warming a gradal increase in the overall temperatre of the earth-s

atmosphere generall! attribted to the greenhose effect cased b! increased levels of

carbon dio%ide" '.'s" and other polltants &isgrove and /adle! (00()#

2lobal :arming is the increase of arth-s average srface temperatre de to

effect of greenhose gases" sch as carbon dio%ide emissions from brning fossil fels

or from deforestation" which trap heat that wold otherwise escape from arth# $his is

a t!pe of greenhose effect# 'assar &(005)#

* greenhose gas &sometimes abbreviated 2/2) is a gasin an atmosphere

that absorbsand emits radiation within the thermal infraredrange# $his process is the

fndamental case of the greenhose effect# $he primar! greenhose gases in arth-s

atmosphereare water vapor"carbon dio%ide" methane" nitros o%ide" and oone#

:ithot greenhose gases" the average temperatre of arth-s srfacewold be abot

+5 I' &(7 I.) colder than the present average of +4 I' &57 I.)# n the ,olar ,!stem"

the atmospheres of @ens" arsand $itanalso contain gases that case a greenhose

effect &pstein (00()#

/arrabin &(007) claimed that before the ndstrial Fevoltion" hman activities

released ver! few gases into the atmosphere and all climate changes happened

natrall!# *fter the ndstrial Fevoltion" throgh fossil fel combstion" changing

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https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gashttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Absorption_(electromagnetic_radiation)https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thermal_infraredhttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Greenhouse_effecthttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Atmosphere_of_Earthhttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Atmosphere_of_Earthhttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Water_vaporhttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Carbon_dioxidehttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Methanehttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nitrous_oxidehttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ozonehttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Earth#Surfacehttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Solar_Systemhttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Atmosphere_of_Venushttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Atmosphere_of_Marshttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Atmosphere_of_Titanhttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gashttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Absorption_(electromagnetic_radiation)https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thermal_infraredhttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Greenhouse_effecthttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Atmosphere_of_Earthhttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Atmosphere_of_Earthhttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Water_vaporhttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Carbon_dioxidehttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Methanehttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nitrous_oxidehttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ozonehttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Earth#Surfacehttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Solar_Systemhttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Atmosphere_of_Venushttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Atmosphere_of_Marshttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Atmosphere_of_Titan


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agricltral practices and deforestation" the natral composition of gases in the

atmosphere are getting affected and climate and environment began to alter

significantl!# Over the last +00 !ears" it was fond ot that the earth is getting warmer

and warmer# $he ke! greenhose gases &2/2) casing global warming is carbon

dio%ide# '.'-s" even thogh the! e%ist in ver! small antities" are significant

contribtors to global warming# 'arbon dio%ide" one of the most prevalent greenhose

gases in the atmosphere" has two ma1or anthropogenic &hmancased) sorces the

combstion of fossil fels and changes in land se# =et releases of carbon dio%ide

from these two sorces are believed to be contribting to the rapid rise in atmospheric

concentrations since ndstrial Fevoltion# ecase estimates indicate that

appro%imatel! 80 percent of all anthropogenic carbon dio%ide emissions crrentl!

come from fossil fel combstion" world energ! se has emerged at the center of the

climate change debate#

2.2.8 Cl#$ate Cha!+e

'limatechange isa change in global or regional climate patterns" in particlar

a change apparent from the mid to late (0th centr! onwards and attribted largel! to

the increased levels of atmospheric carbon dio%ide prodced b! the se of fossil fels

&/lme" Benkins" " $rnpenn!" itchell" (00()#

/lme" Benkins" " $rnpenn! " itchell $


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orbit arond the ,n# Of these" the two factors relevant on timescales of

contemporar! climate change are changes in volcanic activit! and changes in solar

radiation# n terms of the arthJs energ! balance" these factors primaril! inflence

the amont of incoming energ!# @olcanic erptions are episodic and have relativel!

shortterm effects on climate# 'hanges in solar irradiance have contribted to

climate trends over the past centr! bt since the ndstrial Fevoltion" the effect

of additions of greenhose gases to the atmosphere has been abot ten times that of

changes in the ,nJs otpt &/lme" Benkin" " $rnpenn!" and itchell# (00()#

Human Causes

'limate change can also be cased b! hman activities" sch as the brning of

fossil fels and the conversion of land for forestr! and agricltre# ,ince the

beginning of the ndstrial Fevoltion" these hman inflences on the climate

s!stem have increased sbstantiall!# n addition to other environmental impacts"

these activities change the land srface and emit varios sbstances to the

atmosphere# $hese in trn can inflence both the amont of incoming energ! and

the amont of otgoing energ! and can have both warming and cooling effects on

the climate# $he dominant prodct of fossil fel combstion is carbon dio%ide" a

greenhose gas# $he overall effect of hman activities since the ndstrial

Fevoltion has been a warming effect" driven primaril! b! emissions of carbon

dio%ide and enhanced b! emissions of other greenhose gases &'assar" (005)#

$he bildp of greenhose gases in the atmosphere has led to an

enhancement of the natral greenhose effect# t is this hmanindced

enhancement of the greenhose effect that is of concern becase ongoing emissions

of greenhose gases have the potential to warm the planet to levels that have never

been e%perienced in the histor! of hman civiliation# ,ch climate change cold

have farreaching andKor npredictable environmental" social" and economic

conseences &/arrabin" (007)

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http://www.climatechange.gc.ca/default.asp?lang=En&n=1A0305D5-1http://www.climatechange.gc.ca/default.asp?lang=En&n=1A0305D5-1


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Plate


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and economic growthoccrs" thedepletion of natral resorcesinflenced b! the

nsstainable e%traction of raw materialsbecomes an increasing concern#

>aranth &(006) claimed that hman greed for more has left them empt! handed

in terms of natral resorces in several parts of the world# ,everal hman activities"

inclding the likes of mining" agricltre" fishing etc#" has reslted in drastic

degradation of natral resorces# :hile mining and agricltre have triggered large

scale deforestation" over fishing has onl! reslted in the redction of poplation of

marine creatres inhabiting the planet#

Plate >- >aranth &(006)

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https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Economic_growthhttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Depletion_of_natural_resourceshttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Raw_materialshttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Economic_growthhttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Depletion_of_natural_resourceshttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Raw_materials


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Plate 10- >aranth &(006)

Plate 11- >aranth &(006)

2.2.; Lo%% o, B#o*#"er%#t5

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2.2.< O9o!e La5er De3let#o!

Oone depletion describes two distinct bt related phenomena observed since

the late +970s a stead! decline of abot 4A in the total volme of oone in arth-s

stratosphere &the oone la!er)" and a mch larger springtime decrease in

stratospheric oonearond arth-s polar regions#

arthJs atmosphere is divided into three regions" namel! troposphere"

stratosphere and mesosphere# $he stratosphere e%tends from +0 to 50 kms from the

arthJs srface# $his region is concentrated with slightl! pngent smelling" light

blish oone gas# $he oone la!er" in the stratosphere acts as an efficient filter for

harmfl solar Cltraviolet &C@) ra!s# Oone is prodced and destro!ed natrall! in

the atmosphere and ntil recentl!" this reslted in a wellbalanced eilibrim#

Oone is formed when o%!gen molecles absorb ltraviolet radiation with

wavelengths less than (40 nanometers and is destro!ed when it absorbs ltraviolet

radiation with wavelengths greater than (90 nanometers# Oone is highl! reactive and

easil! broken down b! manmade chlorine and bromine componds# $hese

componds are fond to be most responsible for most of oone la!er depletion# $he

oone depletion process begins when '.'s &sed in refrigerator and air conditioners)and other oonedepleting sbstances &O


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Effects on Terrestrial Plants n forests and grasslands" increased radiation is

likel! to change species composition ths altering the biodiversit! in different

ecos!stems# t cold also affect the plant commnit! indirectl! reslting in

changes in plant form" secondar! etabolism" etc#

Effects on Aquatic Ecosystems /igh levels of radiation e%posre in tropics and

sbtropics ma! affect the distribtion of ph!toplankton" which form the

fondation of aatic food webs# t can also case damage to earl!

development stages of fish" shrimp" crab" amphibians and other animals" the

most severe effects being decreased reprodctive capacit! and impaired larval

development#

Effects on Air Quality Fedction of stratospheric oone and increased

penetration of C@4 radiation reslt in higher photo dissociation rates of ke!

trace gases that control the chemical reactivit! of the troposphere# $his can

increase both prodction and destrction of oone and related o%idants sch as

h!drogen pero%ide" which are known to have adverse effects on hman health"

terrestrial plants and otdoor material#

2.2.> N&lear I%%&e

=clear power does have high potential" bt the problems associated with it are

no less# Fadioactive waste from nclear power plants is one of the ma1or problems we

are likel! to face" especiall! if safet! reglations are not followed properl!# 'hernob!l

traged! has set an e%ample of how nclear waste can lead to disaster for mankind" and

no one wold like to see another 'hernob!l happening# t doesn-t end here as the

threat of some nation diverting its nclear power to prodce nclear arsenal is alwa!s

looming over the mankind#

2.2.10 A#* ra#!

*cid rain also referred to acid deposition is cased b! airborne acidic polltants

and has highl! destrctive reslts# Oba1imi" &(008) claimed that discovered acid rain

in +85(" when the nglish chemist Fobert *gns invented the term# *cid rain" one of

the most important environmental problems of all" cannot be seen# $he gases that

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case acid rain sall! come from atomobiles or coalbrning power plants# *cid

rain moves easil!" affecting locations far be!ond those that let ot the polltion#

.or !ears" science stdied the tre cases of acid rain# ,ome scientists

conclded that hman prodction was primaril! responsible" while others cited natral

cases as well# Fecentl!" more intensive research has been done so that contries have

the information the! need to prevent acid rain and its dangeros effects# $he levels of

acid rain var! from region to region &Oba1imi" (008)#

2.2.11 O"er 3o3&lat#o!

Overpoplation is a fnction of the nmber of individals compared to the

relevant resorces" sch as the water and essential ntrients the! need to srvive# t

can reslt from an increase in births" a decline in mortalit! rates" an increase in

immigration" or an nsstainable biome and depletion of resorces &>aranth (006)#

>aranth &(006) posits that another ma1or global environmental isse is

overpoplation# *s the poplation of world contines to soar at an alarming rate" the

pressre on the resorces of the planet is increasing# $he problems associated with

overpoplation range from food and water crisis to lack of space for natral brial#ncessant poplation growth will not 1st reslt in depletion of natral resorces" bt

will also pt more pressre on the econom!#

n =igeria the Lthe present high rate of or poplation growth is alread!

contribting sbstantiall! to the degradation of the ecolog! of the contr!# t observes

that land fragmentation" overfarming and overgraing have led to soil erosion and

desertification and that over crowding has led to the spread of shant! towns and rban

blight" all of which wold worsen if the present poplation growth contines#

Omiegbe" (009)#

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Plate 16- Omiegbe" &(009)

2.2.12 De,ore%tat#o!

$he deforestation of forest particlarl! tropical rainforests is a ma1or global

problemeach !ear millions of hectares are lost#


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Plate 17- Omiegbe" &(009)

2.2.16 De%ert#,#at#o!


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2.6 E,,et o, E!"#ro!$e!tal I%%&e% O! N#+er#a

nvironmental polltion is a challenge in most developed societies of the

world; contemporar! societies of *frica and =igeria in particlar also grapple with

and orKtackle this menace in recent times# *nal!sis of the negative impact of

environmental polltion in contemporar! =igeria societ! wold focs specificall! on;

#. Ura!#9at#o!

Crbaniation is cased b! high poplation growth rate and rral rban

migration# Crbaniation in =igeria is characteried b! cit! slms with serios

environmental conseences # $he problem has been described as acte and

e%emplifies the inabilit! of development measres to keep pace with the rate of

poplation growth# $he problem of the deposal of savage and refse is ite serios

becase of the rapid rate of generation of nonbiodegradable materials sch as

plastics#

nadeate storm drains" dmping of refse in drainage lines and constrction

of hoses close to and even on the natral water channels have been shown to be

responsible in that order for the increasing cases of flood in the rban centers#

nvironment problems associated with the increasing growth of rban slms inclding

overcrowding in salid hosing conditions" poor alit! or navailabilit! of basic

infrastrctres and social services" sch as water and sewage facilities and even lack

of access rotes

##. Poll&t#o!

$he growth and development of indstries and Crbaniation has contribted

greatl! to the e%cess carbon mono%ide prodced b! combstion and other hman

activities# 'arbon mono%ide reacts with the blood vessel and prevent it from taking p

o%!gen and the people are sffocated# n =igeria" several rral towns that had in the

past en1o! fresh and dr! air are crrentl! e%periencing air polltion problems

&Oba1imi" (008)# $his is de to indstrialiation process and e%pansion in hman

activities# *atic or water polltion is the discharge of nwanted biological" chemical

and ph!sical materials into water bodies from manJs environment# $he polltant are

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sall! chemical" ph!sical and biological sbstances that affect the natral condition

of water# $his incidence is responsible for the wide spread water contamination in

most =igeria cities# *lso solid waste have eall! flooded the water wa!s in these

Crban centers# and srface polltion is the occrrence of nwanted materials or

waste on land# $he commonest polltant on land is the waste prodcts that are often

scattered on land area in the cities# *ccording to Onwiodokit &(008)" most

environmental problems are de to the prodction or consmption of goods whose

waste prodcts translates easil! into polltant# *!eni &(008) and ,ada &(009) believed

that the emergence of Crbaniation is responsible for the rapid accmlation of solid

waste# 2enerall!" it wold appear that the growth of rbaniation and indstrial

development copled with improper wastes management control have added a great

dimension to land area polltion in =igeria#

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6.0 CONCLUSION AND RECO((ENDATIONS

6.1 Co!l&%#o!

=igeria has a total land area of 983" (+3 km( occpied b! more than +50

million people# $he interaction of these millions of people with their environment has

left indelible mark on the landscape# *ttempts b! these =igerians to ad1st their

seemingl! endless wants and desire for food" shelter" recreation and infrastrctre

facilities to mention bt a few have reslted in deforestation" desertification"

rbaniation" over poplation and all kinds of polltion# *lthogh" these landse

activities contribte to over all development of the contr!" the! eall! prodce

negative impacts in the environment# f appropriate technies and technolog! of

environmental protection and management which will be recommended below are not

pt in place" =igeria ma! become a difficlt contr! to live in the ne%t +5 !ears#

6.2 Reo$$e!*at#o!%

$here are some ncertainties as to what effects a change in climate might have

on the earth# /owever" its soltion lies on the coordination of national actions within

regional and international frameworks# $he soltion will need to involve contries

worldwide becase the impact in one location ma! be felt in a completel! different

location# /ence" contries shold develop a plan of action to cope with these

problems# ,ome of the significant recommendations are

Fec!cling is a process to convert wastematerials into new prodcts to prevent

waste of potentiall! sefl materials" redce the consmption of fresh raw materials"

redce energ!sage" redce air polltion &fromincineration) and water polltion

&from landfilling) b! redcing the need for MconventionalM waste disposal and

lower greenhose gasemissions as compared to plastic prodction# Fec!cling is a ke!

component of modern waste redction and is the third component of the

MFedce" Feseand Fec!cleM waste hierarch!# Fec!cling can decrease the nmber of

polltants entering the atmosphere and has been linked to lessening global climate

change#


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with minimal packaging &inclding the econom! sie when that makes sense for !o)

will help to redce waste#

$he world-s dependence on oil cases serios harm to the environment# lectric

cars replace vehicles with highl! pollting internal combstion engines# thanol fel

shold be sed to redces gasoline consmption#

?lanting a $ree will help to fight against environmental isse#


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* prompt legislative framework shold be pt in place to make laws that wold

tackle headlong isses of noise polltion in =igerian#

Fral farmer edcation on how to appl! fertilier and other related inpts

shold be reemphasied to redce health haards involved#

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Re,ere!e%

*1a" B# O# &(005)# Lnvironmental dcation as a panacea for a sstainable

development in =igeria ,chools environment in focsN# ?p# ++4 H +(7" n the

*frican Bornal of nvironmental aws and e! =och" irmingham#

en1amin" #>## &(0+4)#nvironmental sses" 'limate 'hanges" and nerg!,ecrit! in '?" O%ford" C>#

'assar" # &(005)# 'limate 'hange and the /istoric nvironment# 'entre for

,stainable /eritage" Cniversit! 'ollege ondon" ondon" C>#

pstein" ?#F &(00()# s 2lobal :arming /armfl to /ealth ,oth *merican

againe# *ccessed on (0+0(0+5" from

fileKK'KCsersKserK#

/lme" #" Benkins 2#B#" P" $rnpenn! BF" itchell $


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>aranth" >#? &(006)# Otofndia 2ondwanan origin of some tropical *sian

iota# 'rrent ,cience ::. nternational Organiation 6 +4#

Bohnson"


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