Energy

Sub-outcome 1

Renewable sources of energy have become a global topic since they are environmentally clean thus ensuring the world remains green and smart. Renewable sources of fuel include biofuels, wind, solar, hydropower, tidal power as shown by image 1 and geothermal energies. The following reasons give people reasons to ensure they use alternative energy sources rather than relying on the non renewable energy sources such as fossil fuels.

Image 1

• They are sustainable in a manner that they ensure they meet the needs of the present generation without interfering with the needs of the future generation (Michaelides, 2011).
• They are environmentally friendly in a way that they reduce the mining and drilling levels compared to fossil fuels where a lot of drilling and mining takes place therefore stressing the earth.
• Renewable energies ensure that green house gas emission is reduced since they do not emit harmful gases to the environment such as carbon dioxide which result to global warming and later causing harm to the entire environment (Michaelides, 2011).
• They ensure the air remains clean since they do not cause pollution to the air thus they are clean.
• They ensure overdependence on fossil fuels is reduced since they are many thus accessible and cheaper to use compared to the fossil fuels.
• They are cheaper compared to fossil fuels thus they ensure financial stability thus easily accessible to all people.
• They ensure oil drilling is reduced since people reduce the overdependence on the fossil fuels since gas can be used as an alternative for the oil (Michaelides, 2011).
• They ensure local people get employment opportunities thus improve the living standards especially in the rural areas.
• They ensure rural areas and other areas develop in terms of roads and electricity thus the living standards of countries.

 

 

Sub outcome 2

Scarce or expensive energy makes people suffer financially thus are not able to afford some material possessions. Scarce energy is not enough for a growing population therefore as the population grows the energy becomes scarcer. High population growth rate causes the energy resource to be scarce therefore energy becomes more expensive (Zwaan & Petersen, 2003). Population increase means a reduction in energy since energy produced will be less than the demand therefore being more expensive such that most people are unlikely to access that energy. Energy has become a global concern since in most countries accessing energy is a problem since most people depend on the fossil fuels (Zwaan & Petersen, 2003). Most countries have over depended on the fossil fuels thus the fuels have become more expensive since they are not readily available. Overdependence on energy has ensured that environmental pollution has become a global concern.

Population growth is seen to be the key factor in the increasing energy use. As the population grows people become many thus more energy is used which will support that growing population (Zwaan & Petersen, 2003). Most developing countries suffer energy conservation issues since their population rates are high. Thus they suffer from energy conservation problems such as pollution since they require more energy. They use more fossil fuels which cause pollution and pollution has been a global problem. This shows that energy conservation cannot be possible in countries with high population since the energy use is high. The little energy resources are used by the high populations of people insinuating that energy conservation cannot be possible (Zwaan & Petersen, 2003). Therefore energy conservation is possible in countries where the population is not high since the rate of energy use will definitely be low.

 

Sub outcome 3

Increase in carbon dioxide levels has promoted universal warming and effects of this warming will have on all people regardless on the location globally. Global warming is caused by emission of various gases from exhaust from cars, airplanes and other anthropogenic causes (Gore, 2008). Use of pesticides in farms leads to emission of environmental unfriendly gases which later results to universal warming. Farming also leads to deforestation. Universal warming in my view is not only contributed by anthropogenic sources but as well as natural sources. Natural sources include eruptions from mountains. Universal warming is caused by emission of carbon dioxide and burning of fossil fuels. Emission of carbon dioxide from burning of fossil fuels is the leading contributor of total warming (Gore, 2008). Unlike farming activities, carbon dioxide emission is the most contributing factor to global warming. Carbon dioxide is a green house gas which is the leading contributor of warming. Deforestation is also leading to worldwide warming. Forests act as carbon sinks. Destroying forests lead to concentration of carbon dioxide which later causes universal warming.

The five green house gases causing global warming and climate change include: chlorofluorocarbons, ozone, methane, water vapor, nitrogen oxides and the main one being carbon dioxide (Gore, 2008). 77% of carbon dioxide emission comes from burning of fossil fuels. These gases cause the green house effect which later causes global warming. The green house gases are harmful not only to the environment but people as well thus emission levels need to be reduced. People should find for alternate means of fuel instead of fossil fuels which leads to emission of carbon dioxide gases and later earth warming.

 

Sub outcome 4

There are several acts related to the environment that ensure the environment remains conserved which are both internationally and locally among the global countries. There are several issues covered by the international laws which ensure the environment remains conserved. Issues covered by these international environmental laws include ozone layer depletion, deforestation, global warming, hazardous waste management, depletion of the ground water, trade in pesticides, trade in different endangered species, forest management, wildlife management and pollution (Sands et al, 2012). There are different acts that have ensured that countries conserve and protect the environment since the environment is the most important thing. Without the environment people cannot survive and where the environment is polluted people suffer problems such as dangerous diseases. Therefore there are various bodies that have come together to ensure that the environment is conserved since these people are friends of the environment and ensure the environment is well protected.

United Nation is one of the organizations that have come up with laws and regulations on environmental protection and conservation through one of its branch which is the United Nations Environment Programme (Sands et al, 2012). The European Union is the other organization that ensures the environment is protected through coming up with laws that protect the environment (Sands et al, 2012). Environment is an important resource and through these acts and regulations, it has been protected since countries must adhere to the environmental laws. The laws ensure countries remain on their toes and ensure they develop sustainably without compromising the needs of the future generation. The laws ensure that those causing harm to the environment get punished so that other people can respect the environment (Sands et al, 2012). Therefore the environmentally laws have ensured that countries protect their environments.

Sub outcome 5

Renewable sources of energy are those resources that are readily available and are renewed as much as they get exploited. This means that the renewable energy sources cannot get depleted. These resources include wind, solar, hydropower, geothermal, tidal energy and biofuels which are easily accessible (Schmitz, 2011). Their characteristics are outlined below;

They are able to regenerate over short periods of time. This means that they are able to regenerate easily therefore become accessible and readily available for use.

They are cheap meaning that all people can afford them because they are readily available and take a short period to regenerate.

They are clean sources of energy thus do not cause pollution to the environment compared to the non renewable energies. Thus they are friendly to the environment.

They are renewed in a faster way just like they are exploited in a faster way. This shows that they are always readily available since they get renewed faster even though they get exploited (Schmitz, 2011). Therefore they can be relied on because they cannot get depleted unlike the non renewable sources.

The renewable sources become non renewable if they are overexploited that is more people use them compared to their availability and the rate the environmental takes in renewing them. This shows that they should not be overexploited by large populations since they become non renewable and take longer time to get replenished.

These resources become regenerated through some ecological processes therefore they should not be overexploited since this will strain the earth when they are being regenerated (Schmitz, 2011). Therefore these resources should be used wisely since they have come as alternatives to the non renewable which deplete when over utilized.

Sub outcome 6

UAE comprises of 7 emirates which have all come up towards achieving use of renewable energy sources without necessarily depending on the non renewable energy sources. UAE focuses on achieving over 8% renewable energy use or target by year 2020 (Roscoe, 2014). It is focusing on less dependence on the fossils fuels such as oil which it has been depending on for the last years. For instance it has come up with Masdar energy project in Abu Dhabi which is one of the emirates so that it can give its citizens low cost energy which will be possible through use of the non renewable energy sources (Roscoe, 2014). UAE aims at ensuring by 2020 it produces clean and green energy to all its emirates and ensure renewable energy production is done in large scale so that the energy can support large masses of people.

Dubai is another example of a EUA which has started various projects that will ensure it uses solar, wind, nuclear and hydrogen power in large scale so as to reduce the amount of oil being used in the country (Roscoe, 2014). These energies will be alternatives to the use of non renewable energy sources which have been used previously. The Mohamed bin Rashed Solar Park is one of the projects which need to complete by 2020 so that solar energy can be supplied throughout the country as shown by the image 2 (Roscoe, 2014). This energy will be cheap and readily available therefore ensuring that all homesteads have electricity generated from the solar energy. Dubai is a hot country therefore this project will be effective. In addition Masdar project will also in Abu Dhabi will also generate solar energy in large scale which will see EUA going clean, green and smart.

Image 2

References

Gore, Albert. (2008). An Inconvenient Truth: The Crisis of Global Warming. Paw Prints.

Michaelides, E. E. (2011). Alternative Energy Sources. Berlin: Springer Berlin.

Zwaan, B. & Petersen, A. (2003). Sharing the planet (1st ed.). Delft: Eburon Publishers.

Sands, P., Peel, J., Fabra, A. A., & Mackenzie, R. (2012). Principles of international        environmental law. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press

Schmitz, A. (2011). The Economics of Alternative Energy Sources and Globalization. [Oak Park,            Ill.?]: Bentham Science Publishers.

Roscoe, A. (2014). Dubai embraces alternative energy. MEED: Middle East Economic Digest,     58(19), 36.