What should be done and is it necessary to do anything in order to save, because of the global warming, not only polar bears but also the people living in many regions of the world? This is a really tough and frequently asked question.

Global warming is the increase of the average temperature of the Earth‘s near-surface air and oceans and its projected continuation. According to scientists, during the recent 100 years the global average Earth‘s temperature rose 1°C, and during the coming 50 years the average temperature of the Earth will increase by 3-5°. Global warming is related to the natural processes (variations of the Earth‘s orbit and solar activity combined with volcanoes etc.) and to anthropogenic factors (greenhouse effect).

Since 2002 until 2005 the level of water in the oceans has increased 1,5 mm due to the Arctic and Green Land ice-field shrinkage. Since the middle of 18th century concentration of the carbon dioxide and methane gas in the atmosphere increased correspondingly by 31 and 149 percent.  Global warming will inevitably increase the number of cataclysms (in some parts of the Earth – floods, in other parts – droughts), including the lack of drinking water.  In 2007 the Intergovernment Panel on Climate Change uniting 2,5 thousand scientists from 130 states, endorsed the forecasts, that by the year 2010 the level of water in the oceans will increase from 18 to 59 cm due to the Arctic and Green Land shrinkage.

But not everybody agrees with such a pessimistic world development vision. There are politicians who refer to the requirements of the Green to reduce pollution of atmosphere as nonsense related to the ecologic business. The United States and China were against the urge of the UN to be proactive in elaborating decisions of the Kyoto Protocol and the initiative to establish a new ecology organization within the UN.

Thus, who is the truth on global warming the most inconvenient to?

According to The Financial Times, China with its rapidly increasing economy uses huge amounts of raw materials becoming the reason of the horrifying pollution of atmosphere. The newspaper writes that the need for raw materials and foodstuffs and the increasing consumption will not decrease in the future in case the development tempos of China and India will remain the same.

In the website Project-syndicate.com, professor of the University of California Irville Schell ascertains that climate changes are mostly affected by the development of China‘s economy. Nearly 76% of its energy this country receives from coal-burning; car manufacturing has increased from 640 thousand in 2000 to 3,1 million in 2005; it is envisaged that by the year 2025 consumption of electricity will be twofold. According to O.Schell, there is no wonder that 75% of China’s water is not suitable for drinking, and that 7 cities of the country are in the list of the most polluted cities in the world. China is on the verge and can soon become the ecologic dust hole.

According to the authorities of China, the country could reduce the amount of gas exhausted to atmosphere only when the United States would pursue its commitments in this field. However, in 2006 both the Chinese meteorologists and representatives of China‘s authorities acknowledged that the key reason of frequent typhoons is global warming and that due to that the country would soon face serious challenges.

Scientists agree that global warming might have a huge impact on China. According to forecasts, in 50-80 years the average temperature in this country will increase by 2-3%. Due to frequent typhoons, floods and droughts 2 million 704 thousand people died, and the economic loss comprised US$ 27,2 billion.

India‘s future is also in danger. The global climate changes might become a cause of hunger in the country. Due to constant floods and droughts in the country, the grain yield has decreased by 18% in comparison to the situation 20 years ago.  Air warming by 0,5°in winter time decreases the yield in India 450 kg from hectare. Experts are also worried about the melting glaciers in the Himalayas. India is one of the major polluters of atmosphere in the world, and by 2050 its contribution to this „dirty business” will triple.

Finally, the conclusion of „The Times“: „global warming is a challenge for human intellect and for certain nasty habits of Homo sapiens, but for evaluation of risks and threats total objectivity is instrumental (...). According to certain politicians, if China proceeds with launching coal-burning power plants every day, all actions of Western countries are pointless.  This is nonsense: although China and India are in the list of major polluters of atmosphere, today the gas exhausted to atmosphere by an average American exceeds the gas exhausted by an average Chinese 6 times“.

Copyright: it is obligatory to indicate www.geopolitika.lt as a source in reprinting or otherwise using www.geopolitika.lt material.

For effective complex defence of Latvia, the establishment of a permanent division of the National Armed Forces has started in Latgale, reported the official website of the Ministry of Defence.

On 13 January a concert "Together to the victory" was held in Lithuania, where the audience decided to support Ukraine's defence and donated 110 thousand Euros.

Alexander Lukashenko on 9 January signed a decree № 8 "On the establishment of visa-free entry and exit of foreign nationals." The document establishes visa-free entry to Belarus for a period not exceeding 5 days at the entrance through the checkpoint "National Airport Minsk" for citizens of 80 countries, - reported the press service of the President of Belarus.