Transcript So What is it? - Concept2Creation

engineering a better world
What is an Engineer?
Why are they so important?
Aerospace Mechanical Civil
Electrical
Aircraft &
Spacecraft
Design
Infrastructure
Planning
Electric
Water and
Circuit Design Sanitation
Aerodynamics Product Life
Cycle Design
Structural
Analysis e.g.
bridges
Computer &
Software
Engineering
Propulsion
Systems
Control
Environmental Power
Engineering
Engineering
Materials
Processing
Flight
Mechanics &
Navigation
Biomechanics
Project
Management
Bio-molecular
Engineering
Energy
Generation
Telecommuni
cations
Chemical
Bio Diesel
Climate Change…
We’ve all heard of it before
So What is it?
Today we will be referring to
Climate Change as:
“the accelerated, unnatural warming
of the earth due to the discharge
of Greenhouse Gases as a result of
human activities.”
The Greenhouse Effect
Sourced from: http://staffwww.fullcoll.edu/tmorris/an_inconvenient_truth/an_inconvenient_truth.htm
The Greenhouse Gases
CO2
N2O
Carbon Dioxide
Nitrous Oxide
CH4
Methane
SF6
HFCs
PFCs
The Greenhouse Gases
Greenhouse Gas Contributions to Global Warming
Chart source: www.ieagreen.org.uk/1.pdf
The Evidence…
Data Source: World Watch Institute
More Evidence…
Data Source: www.whrc.org/resources/online_publications/warming_earth/scientific_evidence.htm
One More Set of Graphs ...
Data Source: www.whrc.org/resources/online_publications/warming_earth/scientific_evidence.htm
• 10 people represent
the world’s population
• CO2 cards show the
world’s carbon
emissions
• Money represents the
global GDP
Why Should You Care?
Environmental Impacts
Other Impacts…
Livelihoods of Future
Generations
Socio-economic Impact
Something to Think About…
The Red Cross states:
“Natural disasters in 1998 created more refugees
than wars or other armed conflicts. Declining soil
fertility, drought, flooding and deforestation
drove 25 million ‘environmental refugees’
from their land...The group represented 58% of
the total refugee population worldwide”
Climate Justice
“The idea of fair distribution of responsibility
among the developed countries to avert or
cushion the negative impacts of global
warming on disadvantaged communities.”
Something to Think About…
Recommendations
• Emissions Trading – Setting and Promoting CO2
reduction targets
• Technology Cooperation – Increased funding for
R&D into low carbon technologies
• Action to Reduce Deforestation – Loss of forests
contributes more to Global Warming than entire transport
sector.
• Adaptation – Climate Change to be integrated into
development policy.
From the Stern Review Summary of Conclusions, pg 9
How are the undeveloped nations being affected
by global warming and climate change?
What technologies can we use to stop climate
change from having such a large impact?
1.
Agriculture
Climate change has been shown to affect:
• Land quality
• Soil nutrients
• Soil acidity
• Water retention
• Drainage
Engineering Solutions
Impact management
Civil and Environmental
engineering
• Drainage system
• Bore water holes
• Reticulation systems
2.
Weather anomalies
– Floods
– Heat waves
– Drought
– Rising sea level
– Decreased or increased
precipitation
– Powerful storm surges
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Engineering solutions
Impact management
Improve building designs design
Better town layout and planning for low-lying areas
Improving disaster relief accessibility
Coastal dams and seawalls
Drainage systems to cope with flood situations.
Predict weather events before they arise
3. Sanitization and Health
• Extreme weather conditions can cause:
– Waste management issues
– Food and water contamination
– Destroy food sources, leading to malnutrition
and a rise in disease
• Spread of insect and water borne diseases
Engineering solutions
Impact management
• Better sanitization systems
• Clean water, and storage systems
• Appropriate housing
Summary
• Climate change
consequences:
– Agriculture devastation,
– Animal extinction and
migration
– Weather anomalies
– Health emergencies
• Poorer countries will suffer
the most in the short term
Summary continued
THE GOOD NEWS ….
• There are plenty of solutions to these issues
THE CHALLENGES …
• Some of the solutions have ethical issues
• They all cost money, a problem for poorer
countries, who are rarely the cause of
Climate Change forces
Part 2: Green
transport
Aim of green transport:
To produce transportation
methods (both public and
private
vehicles) which emit fewer
greenhouse gases.
Pie chart shows how CO2 is produced
www.envirolink.org/orgs/edf/sitemap.html
Typical emissions of various vehicles
Large car comparison
Medium car comparison
Small car comparison
Transport conclusions
• Obviously – the smaller the car, the
fewer emissions.
• So why do people keep buying the most
heavily polluting cars?
• Do you really need a
4WD?
• Do you have the most
fuel efficient model?
Vehicle technology
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Petrol engine
Diesel engine
Electric motor
Liquid Natural Gas (LNG)
Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG)
Hydrogen cell
The prevention is better than the
cure
So lets start preventing NOW!
• Talk to people about climate change and
what they can do
• Set an example!
• Reduce, re-use and recycle!
• Buy better products
• Support greener companies
• Try to make yourselves carbon neutral!
NEXT TIME…
• Electricity and Transport –
how do they effect climate change?
• Renewable energy –
the global warming solution?
• United Nations Climate Change Assembly –
YOU will be the members!!