Environmental Economics: global warming

Résumé du document

This essay is about the climate change and the direct and indirect effect on our environment, not only caused by human activities. The increased concentration of the greenhouse gases which include carbon-di-oxide and others, over the last 150 years has dramatically progressed. This fact, caused by the global industrial and non-industrial activities and the gradual depletion of the earth's the natural resources, is basically changing the earth's climate system. Among the several scientific investigations, the opinions are unanimous, the temperature is increasing and this will have some direct effect on people's life. If this issue is up-to date and seems to be taken into consideration at the world level, it is because its about money. The recent discussion on the reduction of the greenhouse gases will involve a reduction of the industrial activities and also some updating of certain facilities. The costs involved are now being taken into consideration and this topic is among the current hot issues. We will first of all present quickly about exactly what 'Global Warning' is with some data and then try to get an economical view on the topic.

Extraits

[...] The earth is warming up naturally by what we usually call the “Green house effects” Damage due to the climate change The impact on the earth due to climate change is variable and unequal according to the geographic areas. Some areas are more likely to be exposable to the climate change while others haven't recorded some major changes in the climate. Few part of the world has even recorded a better productivity from the ecosystem due to higher temperature. (Antarctic) Some areas are also more sensitive to this climate change (drought, lack of water, poverty). [...]

[...] - Environmental Economics - Global Warming Definition According to the website http://www.answers.com the Global Warming is simply defined by: increase in the average temperature of the earth's atmosphere, especially a sustained increase sufficient to cause climatic change». (Source: http://www.answers.com/topic/global-warming&method=8) These two words include much more and represent a real issue in the 21st century. This issue is all about the climate change and the direct and indirect effect on our environment mainly, but not only cause by the human activities. [...]

[...] Part 2 –Economics perspectives The effect of the global warming is well know and currently measurable. The current discussion is getting international mainly because the environment issue is now considering at an economic point of view. Since the global warming can be analyzed in terms of cost, the perspective is different. In order to get a view on the economics perspectives of the climate change we will now talk about the cost of the climate change. We will first of all, see the cost of the climate change on the activity and then, the cost of the operations in order to reduce this phenomenon The cost of the climate change Figure 4. [...]

[...] We will now see the cost of the policies in order to reduce this phenomenon The cost of the climate change policies In order to fight against the climate change and the increases emission of greenhouse gases some mechanisms have been implemented so-called Market- Based Mechanisms. There are actually three approaches: the tradable permits (also now as “allowances” and as the carbon taxes the Joint implementation We will now present these three approaches: 2.2 .a The tradable permits The tradable permits are now as a “market-based solution to the problem of negatives externalities such as pollution”. (Key text book, “Environmental Issues and Policies”, p.88) The tradable permits are basically a right to pollute which have now a cost and which can be transferable. [...]

[...] This program could be used in a way to get some credit instead of reducing the gas emissions. In fact the developing country does not have some resources to control emission or protect sequestration areas, reduction or protection and so on won't control it properly. (Source: http://www.policyalmanac.org/environment/archive/crs_climate_change_market.s html) 2.3 Economic theoretical model Figure 7. Modelling the economics impact of climate change (Source: http://www.ictp.trieste.it/~eee/files/WP9%20-%20Roson.pdf ) The previous draws have been extracted from a report write by Roberto Roson from the Ecological and Environmental Economics Program on “Modelling the economics impact of climate change”. [...]