EUROVISIONS FOR THE FUTURE. CLIMATE CHANGE.

This is the hottest century of the last six hundred years because there are a lot of gases in the atmosphere. These gases are forming a layer in the atmosphere which prevents the heat  from escaping the Earth. It causes a warming of the planet, because of the green house effect.   The warming of the planet makes the experts think that it can be the begining of a rapid climate change. For example, in some Spanish communities there has been floods, warning rains and droughts.

The gas responsible for the climate changes is water steam. Another gas is CO2, produced by the burning of coal and natural gas. Another one is methane, produced by fermentations of organic wastes. And also N2O (Nitrose Oxide) produced by the destruction of wastes and the use of fertilisers. And finally, CFC (Chlorofluorcarbon), produced by aerosols, fridges and air conditioning devices.

If the planet temperature increases, more bacterium, germs, spores and other illness carriers can survive.   In the 21st century, the temperature may increase 3.5ºC and a consequence of this fact is that the glacial areas will melt and the sea levels will rise between 50 and 95 cm. This fact will affect some coastal zones like the Mekang delta, 300 Pacific Islands,...  It  will also cause avalanches, terrain erodes and big changes in the rivers' flow. As well as floods, droughts, hot waves and forest fires.

If the climate changes, there will be more precipitations in some areas of the planet while in other areas there will be less.   This change may cause biodiversity alterations and human and animal migrations.

Scientists think it isn't late to prevent  the bad effects if we act immediatedly. For this reason, there are meetings arround the world. These meetings intend to reach some agreements to prevent the climate change.   In 1992, about 150 heads of state signed the United Nations Agreement about the climate change. The objective of this agreement was not to increase the emission of the Green House Effet Gasesand to control the rhythm of the climate change.	They met to put into practice programs to  reduce the climate change and to co-operate in the investigation and the education of people to rerduce these effects.   A subsequent event to the 1992 Agreement was in December 1997 in Kyoto. There, 39 countries decided to reduce a 5% the gases emission and to stabilise the Greenhouse Effect Gases level in the atmosphere. Although scientists think it would be better to reduce a 50% of its emission.
The Kyoto Protocol has not been followed. Countries with an important degree of pollution, USA for example, don't want to reduce pollution levels if countries with a lower degree of developement don't reduce them either.	In the end, USA accepted the agreement but the result were not very important.   They also agreed that in the year 2000 they would try to acomplish the agreements from the Kyoto Protocol. This would immediately reduce the Green house Effect Gases.
Apart from the scientists and politicians, we can also do something for the environment. We should be conscious that non-renewal energies are damaging for the environment.   Then, we have to get used to renewal energies such as: wind, solar and wave energies.   It is important to plant trees or to preserve the existing ones. We need them because they keep low temperatures in the environment and prove us with shade and, specially, absorb CO2 and transform it into oxygen.   Eventhough travelling by train or foot may seem unimportant, after some years these actions are very positive for the environment.	There are also other important things we can do. For example, we can use products and machines that do not contain CFC, buy long- lasting products, use unleaded petrol, not driving over 100km/h, use low consumption bulbs or coracle insulating the house.   These are easy things to do but we do not usually do them.   All in all, we are the most interested ones in preserving the environment but, at the same time, we are not able to fulfil these easy actions. Therefore, we are the first ones to destroy the environment.

 

CO2   Is produced when burning coal, natural gas and petrol.  N2O  Caused by garbage, fertilizers and farm excrements. CFC   Produced by spray cans, fridges and air conditionings. H2Ov  Formed through the evaporation of huge amounts of water and when burning fossile combustibles.		They form a layer around the Earth. This layer attracts heat and does not let it go.
		The consequences of the heating of the Earth are: * A change in the traditional nature of precipitations (floods, droughts,...) * Polar ice will melt and so the sea levels will increase. * The hole in the Ozone Layer will increase and thus, it will not filter the sun's ultraviolet rays. * Therefore, the number of skin cancer and breathing problems will increase.

Written by: Mariona Sas, Crystal Fernández, Marina Masip, Jordi Pujol, Andreu Escolà and Jordi Perelló. Students of 3rd ESO.