Atmospheric Pollution

Atmospheric Pollution Facts & Figures

*Air pollution refers to the release of pollutants into the air that are detrimental to human health and the planet as a whole

*Most air pollutants come from energy use and production

*In particular, the burning of fossil fuels (i.e. coal) releases gases and chemicals into the air

*A study estimates that more than 40 percent of the world’s garbage is burned, releasing carbon dioxide, carbon monoxide, mercury, particulate matter, and other toxins into the air contributing to air pollution

Atmospheric Pollution Facts & Figures cont.

*Air pollution is the 4th largest threat to human health, behind high blood pressure, dietary risks and smoking

*World Health Organisation reported that an estimated 8.2 million deaths per year are linked to air pollution

*That’s 11.6% of all global deaths – more than the number of people killed by HIV/AIDS, tuberculosis and roadway injuries combined

*The health risks of breathing dirty air include respiratory infections and cardiovascular diseases, stroke, chronic lung disease and lung cancer.

Atmospheric Pollution

*Similar to fresh water pollution, the approach to air pollution has always taken the ‘out of sight – out of mind’ approach

*The rationale was always that any form of pollution would dissipate into atmosphere and no longer remina harmful

*Over the past number of decades, this mentality began to shift as a number of serious consequences were proven

*The immediate concerns include:

*Acidic Precipitation

*Ozone Depletion

*Global Warming

*Smog

Acidic Precipitation

*The burning of fossil fuels, sulfur dioxide (SO2) and nitrogen oxides (NOx) are released into the atmosphere.

*These chemical gases bond with water vapour in the atmosphere and form mild solutions of sulfuric and nitric acid.

*These acids get carried great distances by prevailing winds and eventually return to the earth as rain, snow or fog

*Becomes particularly controversial when it crosses borders

*Impacts are prevalent across Ontario and Quebec (& eastern USA) where industry is centralized

*Also prevalent across Europe

*Almost all countries in the Developed World battle with Acid Rain

Acidic Precipitation cont.

*Sources of the problem largely fall on the burning of fossil fuels as an energy source

*Burning coal in particular is a major concern as it’s the main fossil fuel used worldwide in industry to generate electricity

*Beyond coal, exhaust from vehicles releases these chemicals into the air

*Environmental policies in developed countries have heavily reduced these pollutants in our part of the world, but new administrations (Trump) can quickly change a countries position on this

*Trump has recently scrapped the Obama rules on coal powered plants

Acidic Precipitation Impacts

*Acid rain has many ecological effects, but none is greater than its impact on lakes, streams, and aquatic environments

*Acid rain makes waters acidic, and eventually toxic to crayfish, clams, fish, and other aquatic animals*Leads to disrupted food chain and impacts even the species that can

tolerate high acidity levels

*Damages forests, especially those at higher elevations.

*Erodes stone structures & monuments in cities

How Acid Precipitation Develops

How Acid Precipitation Impacts Forests & Vegetation

Acidic Precipitation Solutions

*The only way to fight acid rain is by curbing the release of the pollutants that cause it such as the burning of fossil fuels

*Many gov’ts have curbed emissions by cleaning up industry smokestacks and promoting alternative fuel sources

*Vehicles also contribute to acid rain, so eliminating it entirely is not easily obtainable, but can easily be reduced and managed

*Even if acid rain could be stopped today, it would still take many years for its harmful effects to disappear

*‘91, Air Quality Accord was signed between the USA & Canada

*Called for a 50% reduction of sulphur dioxide by the year 2000, and significant cuts to nitrous oxide emissions

Ozone Depletion

*The ozone layer acts as a giant filter high up in the stratosphere, and absorbs harmful incoming ultraviolet radiation from the sun and protects all life on earth

Ozone Depletion cont.

*First identified in the 80’s

*Due the Earth’s rotation, the harmful chemicals are pushed over the polar regions.

*Huge hole in the ozone layer identified over the Antarctic area

Ozone Depletion cont.

* The use of chlorofluorocarbons (CFC’s) are the main problem as they chemically bond to the ozone layer and eat away the ozone structure

Where do we use CFC’s?

*The use of CFC’s has been around since the 1930’s. Commonly found in refrigeration units, A/C units, Styrofoam and aerosol spray cans

Effects of Ozone Depletion

*Higher levels of UV-radiation hitting the earth

*Eye cataracts

*Skin cancer (right) on the rise, especially in the southern hemisphere (Australia) where ozone depletion is at it’s worst

*Weakened immunity

*Disrupts ecosystems – a ripple effect in the food chain

*Damages crops and forests

Montreal Protocol (Ozone cont.)

*1987, Industrialized Nations agreed to cut the use of CFC’s

*If international agreements are adhered to, the ozone layer is expected to recover by 2050

*Countries that fail to comply with the regulations face trade sanctions from the USA (assuming the current president pursues the sanctions) and pressure from environmental groups

*In 2003, scientists in the Antarctic reported the hole in the ozone has marginally decreased in size

*There is hope…

Climate Change

*Over the past 50 years, the average global temperature has increased at the fastest rate in recorded history. *Global warming occurs when carbon dioxide (CO2) and other air

pollutants collect in the atmosphere and absorb sunlight and solar radiation that has bounced off the earth’s surface & is meant to return to space*These pollutants can last for years to centuries in the atmosphere

and trap the heat in resulting in the planet getting hotter. This is known as the greenhouse effect

Climate Change

*Climate change naysayers have argued that there has been a “pause” or a “slowdown” in rising global temperatures in recent years… *However, numerous recent studies counter this claim. And

scientists say that unless we curb global-warming emissions, global temperature averages will rise by a few degrees*Just a few degrees has catastrophic impacts all over the world

*The burning of fossil fuels to make electricity is the largest source of heat-trapping pollution

*Coal-burning power plants are by far the biggest polluters

*The 2nd largest source of carbon pollution is the transportation sector

Climate Change cont.

*Reducing greenhouse gas emissions requires massive infrastructural cuts and is costly to put into place

*But certainly cheaper than the toll of continuing with global warming

*Cleaner fuels and modernized power plants that generate cleaner electricity

Climate Change – Global Impacts*Rising temperatures are fueling longer and hotter heat waves,

more frequent droughts, heavier rainfalls, and more powerful hurricanes*Warmer ocean temperatures mean that tropical storms can pick up

more energy*For example Hurricane Irma this year is the most intense

recorded hurricane in US history*Global warming impacts are being felt across the globe. *Extreme heat waves have caused tens of thousands of deaths

in recent years. *Antarctica has been losing about 134 billion metric tons of ice

per year since 2002. *This rate could speed up if we keep burning fossil fuels at our

current pace, some experts say, causing sea levels to rise several meters over the next 50 to 150 years.

Climate Change – Global Impacts

*Melting glaciers, early snowmelt, and severe droughts will cause more dramatic water shortages and increase the risk of wildfires in

*Rising sea levels will lead to coastal flooding

*Forests, farms, and cities will face troublesome new pests, heat waves, heavy downpours, and increased flooding. All these factors will damage or destroy agriculture and fisheries.

*Disruption of habitats such as coral reefs and Alpine meadows could drive many plant and animal species to extinction.

*Allergies, asthma, and infectious disease outbreaks will become more common due to increased growth of pollen-producing ragweed, higher levels of air pollution and the spread of conditions favorable to pathogens and mosquitoes.

The Politics of Climate Change

Kyoto Protocol (1997)

*Agreement signed by 180 countries to reduce emissions of greenhouse gases

*Canada included and agreed to cut emissions by 2012 to levels 5.2% below 1990 levels

*USA withdrew from Kyoto in 2001 saying it would combat global warming in other ways

*USA is responsible for 25% of worldwide carbon emissions in 1990 – a serious setback for Kyoto

*Critics argue it places restrictions on developed countries only, leaving developing countries to do as they like

*Some developing countries didn’t support because they thought they should have equal opportunities to develop as industrialized countries did in the past

The Politics of Climate Change

Kyoto Protocol cont.

*Harper removed Canada from the Kyoto agreement in 2006

*The costs of reducing carbon emissions is huge and few countries are willing to spend the money

*Canada’s greenhouse emissions has in fact had a HUGE increase in the past two decades due to population increases, increased wealth and consumption, and increases in resource demand such as the oil sands of Alberta