How does the carbon dioxide rise in the atmosphere?
The
constant rise in carbon dioxide has been increased caused by some of the human activities,
particularly due to the burning of fossil fuels and deforestation.
The burning of fossil fuel increases the quantity of carbon di oxide. Forests work as a natural carbon sink, and due to deforestation, the co2 remains in the atmosphere.
The burning of fossil fuel increases the quantity of carbon di oxide. Forests work as a natural carbon sink, and due to deforestation, the co2 remains in the atmosphere.
This increase of CO2 and other long-lived
green houses gases in Earth’s atmosphere which is causing the current episode of
global warming.
How does it affect the atmosphere and the Earth?
Certain
gases in the atmosphere block heat from escaping. Long-lived gases that remain
semi- permanently in the atmosphere and do not respond physically or chemically
to changes in temperature are described as “forcing” climate change.
Gases, such as water vapor, which react physically or chemically to change in temperature are called as “feedbacks”
Gases, such as water vapor, which react physically or chemically to change in temperature are called as “feedbacks”
Water
vapor , the most abundant greenhouse gas, but importantly, it acts as a feedback
to the climate.
Water vapor increases as the earth’s atmosphere warms, but so does the possibility of clouds and precipitation, making these some of the most important feedback mechanisms to the greenhouse effect.
Water vapor increases as the earth’s atmosphere warms, but so does the possibility of clouds and precipitation, making these some of the most important feedback mechanisms to the greenhouse effect.
Carbon dioxide (CO2)- A minor but very important component of the atmosphere. Carbon dioxide concentration increased more than a third since the industrial revolution began.
Methane – A hydrocarbon gas is produced both natural sources and human activities, including the decomposition of waste
in landfills, agriculture, and especially rice cultivation, as well as waste
management associated with domestic livestock. On a molecule -for-molecule basis,
methane is afar more active greenhouse gas than carbon dioxide,
but it is less abundant in the atmosphere.
Nitrogen oxide – A powerful
greenhouse gas produced by soil cultivation practices, especially from the use of
commercial and organic fertilizers, fossil fuel combustion, nitric acid
production and biomass burning.
Chlorofluorocarbon (CFCs) -- synthetic compounds entirely of industrial origin used
in several applications, but now largely regulated in production and release in the atmosphere by international agreement for their ability to contribute to
destruction of the ozone layer. They are also greenhouses gases.
How does increasing level of CO2 affect human
health?
In
general, humans tend to get most key nutrients from plants :63% of dietary
protein comes from vegetable source, as well as 81% of iron and 68% zinc.
It has been shown that higher atmospheric levels of CO2 results in less nutritious crop yields with concentrations of protein, iron, and zinc being 3% to 17% lower when crops are grown in environment where CO2 concentrations are 550 parts per million(ppm), compared with crops grown under current atmospheric conditions, in which CO2 levels are just above 400 ppm
It has been shown that higher atmospheric levels of CO2 results in less nutritious crop yields with concentrations of protein, iron, and zinc being 3% to 17% lower when crops are grown in environment where CO2 concentrations are 550 parts per million(ppm), compared with crops grown under current atmospheric conditions, in which CO2 levels are just above 400 ppm
How does India face big crop nutrition defiance due
to Rise in carbon dioxide level?
According
to the study more than 50 million people in India will be affected. India alone will be the worst affected and could face to all 3 nutritional vulnerabilities that
are- Zinc, Iron and protein.
The rise in co2 affects the wheat, rice and legumes and their supplies of major micronutrients. The worst thing will be that it will affect livestock as well due to low nutrients in food crops.
The
study points out India could be the worst hit by the falling crop quality the
world over due to rising carbon dioxide levels, according to study a led by the Harvard T H Chan School of Public Health.
175
million people could become zinc-deficient and 122 million protein- deficient
by 2050 due to rising levels of carbon dioxide from human activity.
The
combined geographic impact across the three nutrients is concentrated in some
of the poorest regions globally: India, other parts of South Asia, sub-Saharan
Africa, north Africa and the middle east, and south east India.
India
has shown inconsistent gains in the addressing undernutrition and nutritional deficiencies.
Despite significant progress in reducing the rate of underweight children since
1990, Indian children still have the fourth worst global weight-for-age scores.
The standard measure for underweight is nearly 35% of India children continues
to meet the criteria for being underweight, far above the developing countries
average of 20%.
According
to national family health survey 4, 38.4% Indian children are stunted (low
height for age), 21 % are wasted (low weight for height), 7,5 percent are
severely wasted and 35,7 % underweight.
A way forward
As
the study has shown the current condition of India, there is a need to address the
vulnerabilities of rising level of carbon. Radical action is needing to be taken
to curb the carbon dioxide level. Government should consider the national
family health survey’s report. And should make several policies to tackle such
severe problem in the country. Government should emphasise on awareness and
give better alternative to the Indian farmers and introduce them with new technology
so that they can find a better way despite burning fossils and other activities
which are the reason of rising level of carbon dioxide in the environment.