Technological Strategies to Mitigate the Climate Change: Current Status and Future Trends
Journal Title: Biomedical Journal of Scientific & Technical Research (BJSTR) - Year 2018, Vol 8, Issue 5
Abstract
The debate and controversy started by Arrhenius and Chamberlin in 1896 [1], about how anthropogenic changes have produced, since industrial age, an increase in greenhouse gases such as carbon dioxide, methane, and nitrous oxide in the Earth's atmosphere; that consequently have produced a climate change; seems now closed. The CO2, CH4 and NO2 concentration in the atmosphere in pre-industrial age were 278 ppm, 721 ppb, and 269 ppb. Nowadays these levels have increased dramatically in 143%, 253%, and 121%, respectively [2]. The World Meteorological Organization (WMO) estimates that just the CO2 contributes with the 80% of the greenhouse gases problematic, because of its higher concentration than its global warming potential (GWP). The environmental efforts of countries focus on reducing emissions of these gases through the proposal and implementation of increasingly restrictive programs, in many cases by minimizing technology emissions. The aim of this work is to summarize the current state of these technologies. As consequence of climate change, the global average temperature has increased 0.6oC, glacial and ice extent have diminished, the rise of10-20cm in the sea level, heat waves, drought, flooding, more frequent and intense hurricanes, storms, and wildfire. Currently, many studies concluded significant relative risk of event's occurrence such as rise more than 30C in temperature average, reduction in quantity and quality of water's sources, acceleration in biodiversity extinguish, ocean acidification, disruption and depletion of stratospheric ozone, damage in ecosystems, threat to food security, desertification, soil degradation, loss of agricultural productivity, and immersion, flooding and erosion in the coast by rise sea level [3]. Climate change is nowadays the biggest threat in all over the world and it will impact negatively in wellbeing in rich countries and slow down the development in poor counties. Of all problems associated to climate change, the health issues attract citizen and political attention, and they have become in a pressure tool to achieve policies, actions, and systems to mitigate and adapt to the problem [3]. There are direct and indirect implications of climate change- related on health. Asthma, respiratory allergies and airway diseases may become more prevalent because of increased human exposure to pollen, molds, air pollution and dust. Cancer risk caused by extended human exposure to ultraviolet (UV) rays, chemicals, and toxins. Cardiovascular diseases and stroke, the existing pathologist may be exacerbated by increasing heat stress, body burden of airborne particles, and change of zoonotic vector that because infectious diseases associated with cardiovascular diseases. Foodborne diseases and malnutrition unleashed by staple food shortage and food contamination. Morbidity and mortality related to heat and water-related events such as hurricanes, floods, droughts, and wildfires. Effects in human developmental because of malnutrition and exposure to contaminants and biotoxins. Mental health and stress-related disorders caused by extreme events, population displacement, damage to property, the death of the loved ones, and chronical stress. Neurological diseases and disorders due to exposure to neurological hazards such as biotoxins, metals, chemicals, and pesticides. Vectorborne and zoonotic diseases increasing their risk due to shortening of pathogen incubation periods, and disruption and relocation of large human population. Waterborne diseases by the incidence of water contaminated with harmful pathogens and chemicals because of increases in water temperature, precipitations, evaporation-transpiration rates, and changes in coastal ecosystem health [4-6]. The Paris 2014 agreement establishes a global warming goal of 20C on pre-industrial average and to pursue efforts to limitincrease to 1.50C. It obligates all parties involved in climate change mitigation and adaptation. To achieve the goal, the world has to reduce greenhouse emissions, avoiding that CO2 concentration in atmosphere reaches 550ppm [7], and to adopt negative emissions technologies (NETs) such as bioenergy with capture and storage (BECCS) [8], air direct capture of CO2 from the environment (DAC) [9,10], enhanced weathering of minerals (EW) [11,12], afforestation and reforestation (AR) [13,14], acidification of oceans [15,16], carbon storage in soils [17,18], and conversion of biomass in recalcitrant biochar for use in soils [19]. The implementation of NETs could not be enough to mitigate the climate change because of the low potential to reduce CO2 to high scale, the biophysical and economical recourse implications and the competence with social challenges such as food, water, and food security [20]. The CO2 emissions to the atmosphere can be controlled to reduce the CO2 levels that affect to global warming using adsorbents, such as zeolites, carbon derived materials, hydrotalcites, amine- functionalized mesoporous silicas and metal organic frameworks (MOFs) [21-25].
Authors and Affiliations
E Fuentes, SA Korili, A Gil
Keywords
Related Articles
- EP ID EP586183
- DOI 10.26717/BJSTR.2018.08.001724
- Views 165
- Downloads 0
Mobility-Related Outcomes of Aquatic Training Programs in Children with Cerebral Palsy: A Randomized Trial
Objective: To compare the outcomes of an aquatic interval training program (AITP) and a Halliwick training program (HTP) in young children with cerebral palsy (CP). Methods: Seventeen children aged 3-6 years participated...
Modern Treatment Approaches for Osteoporotic Low -Traumatic Vertebral Body Fractures
Osteoporosis is the global burden public health issue due to the high prevalence and substantial impact on morbidity and mortality; the incidence rates of osteoporotic fracturesare rise exponentially with an aging popula...
Effects of Intravascular Laser Irradiation of Blood on Cognitive Function in a Stroke Survivor with Hyperhomocysteinemia: Dual Recuperations in Thalamus and Serum Homocysteine
Stroke is a major public health issue worldwide because of the high risk of unavoidable disability leading to a noteworthy burden of the patients themselves, the families and the society [1]. Cognitive impairment accou...
Dental Pulp-Derived Stem Cells: A Promising Source for Regenerative Medicine
Regenerative medicine has the potential to replace tissues and organs damaged us-ing stem cells (SCs) and their derivatives. Mesenchymal stromal cells (MSCs) are adult cells, multipotent and funct...
Ameloblastic Fibrosarcoma - A Review of the Literature
Ameloblastic Fibrosarcoma is an extremely rare odontogenic tumor with unclear etiology, which has clinical and radiological features similar to other odontogenic tumors. The rarity of these neoplasms plus their overlappi...