Salahaddin University – Erbil

College of Engineering
Geomatics Department

GLOBAL WARMING

Prepared by:
 Ayoub Ali
 Akar Ako
 Abdulbary nawzad
Supervisor: Dr. Ashty O. Khoorsheed

Dec/2019

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Contents
What Is the Global Warming?................................................................................3

Introduction ....................................................................................................................................... 3

Global Warming Causes ........................................................................................................... 4

Global Warming Effects ............................................................................................................. 6

Global Warming Prevention ..................................................................................................... 8

What Is Hydrogen? ..................................................................................................................... 9

How is hydrogen made? ........................................................................................................... 9

Advantages & Benefits of Hydrogen: ............................................................................ 11

Challenges & Disadvantages ............................................................................................... 12

What Is Sustainable Agriculture? .................................................................................... 13

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What Is the Global Warming?

Introduction

Throughout its long history, Earth has warmed and cooled time and again. Climate
has changed when the planet received more or less sunlight due to subtle shifts in its
orbit, as the atmosphere or surface changed, or when the Sun’s energy varied. But
in the past century, another force has started to influence Earth’s climate: humanity

How does warming compare to previous changes in Earth’s climate? How can we
be certain that human-released greenhouse gases are causing the warming? How
much more will the Earth warm? How will Earth respond? Answering these
questions is perhaps the most significant scientific challenge of our time.

Global warming is the increase of average world temperatures as a result of what is

known as the greenhouse effect. Certain gases in the atmosphere act like glass in a
greenhouse, allowing sunlight through to heat the earth's surface but trapping the
heat as it radiates back into space. As the greenhouse gases build up in the
atmosphere the Earth gets hotter. This process is leading to a rapid change in
climate, also known as climate change.

Despite ups and downs from year to year, global average surface temperature is rising. By the beginning of the 21st
century, Earth’s temperature was roughly 0.5 degrees Celsius above the long-term (1951–1980) average.

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Global Warming Causes

The world's leading climate scientists believe that human activities are very
likely the main cause of global warming since the mid-twentieth century,
mostly because of:

1. Fossil Fuels
 The massive use of fossil fuels is obviously the first source of global warming,
as burning coal, oil and gas produces carbon dioxide - the most important
greenhouse gas in the atmosphere - as well as nitrous oxide.

2. Deforestation
 The exploitation of forests has a major role in climate change. Trees help
regulate the climate by absorbing CO2 from the atmosphere. When they
are cut down, this positive effect is lost and the carbon stored in the trees
is released into the atmosphere.

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3. Intensive Farming
 Another cause of global warming is intensive farming, not only with the ever-
increasing livestock, but also with plant protection products and fertilizers. In
fact, cattle and sheep produce large amounts of methane when digesting their
food, while fertilizers produce nitrous oxide emissions.

4. Waste Disposal
 Waste management methods like landfills and incineration emit greenhouse
and toxic gases - including methane - that are released into the atmosphere,
soil and waterways, contributing to the increase of the greenhouse effect.

5. Over Consumption
 overconsumption also plays a major role in climate change. In fact, it is
responsible for the overexploitation of natural resources and emissions
from international freight transport, which both contributes to global
warming.

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Global Warming Effects
1. On Biodiversity
 The increase of temperatures and the climate upheavals disturb the ecosystems,
modify the conditions and cycles of plant reproduction. The scarcity of resources
and climate change are changing life habits and migratory cycles of animals. We
are already witnessing the disappearance of many species - including endemic
species - or, conversely, the intrusion of invasive species that threaten crops and
other animals

2. On Oceans
 Because of global warming, permafrost and ice are melting massively at the
poles, increasing the sea level at a rate never known before. In a century, the
increase reaches 18 cm (including 6 cm in the last 20 years). The worst case
scenario is a rise of up to 1m by 2100. The acidification of the oceans is also
of great concern. In fact, the large amount of CO2 captured by the oceans
makes them more acidic, arousing serious questions about the adaptability
of seashells or coral
reefs.

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3. On Humans
 Human beings are not spared by these upheavals. Climate change is affecting
the global economy. It is already shaking up social, health and geopolitical
balances in many parts of the world. The scarcity of resources like food and
energy gives rise to new conflicts.

4. On The Weather
 For decades now, meteorologists and climatologists around the world have
been watching the effects of global warming on the weather phenomena. And
the impact is huge: more droughts and heatwaves, more precipitations, more
natural disasters like floods, hurricanes, storms and wildfires, frost-free
season, Storms - Storms, tornadoes and hurricanes will become more
frequent and stronger as oceans heat up causing more water to evaporate.
Evidence is building up at an alarming rate. Tornadoes have been seen on all
continents on earth except Antarctica but the United States has the most
tornadoes of any country due to its size, location and geography. In 2011, in
just one week a record-breaking 362 tornadoes devastated southern states of
the USA killing up to 350 people. Droughts - As temperatures rise, some
areas will become dryer and water sources will evaporate or be used up sooner
than they are replenished. With such little rainfall rivers, streams and
reservoirs runn dangerously low yet continues to be used up in our homes and
for farming, building and industry.

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Global Warming Prevention

1. Renewable Energies
 The first way to prevent climate change is to move away from fossil fuels.
What are the alternatives? Renewable energies like solar, wind, biomass and
geothermal.

2. Energy & Water Efficiency

 Producing clean energy is essential, but reducing our consumption of energy
and water by using more efficient devices (e.g. LED light bulbs, innovative
shower system) is less costly and equally important.

3. Sustainable Transportation
 Promoting public transportation, carpooling, but also electric and hydrogen
mobility, can definitely help reduce CO2 emissions and thus fight global
warming.

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 What Is Hydrogen?

Hydrogen is the most abundant chemical element in the

universe. It is a simple, gaseous body that enters into the
composition of water.

Hydrogen is not a direct source of energy but rather an energy carrier. It serves
primarily as a means of storing energy, especially for renewable energy when
all their production can’t be consumed. It can also be used to produce energy,
to power hybrid vehicles or autonomous energy production systems. The heat
produced during the hydrogen production process can also be used locally to
heat buildings for example.

Production

How is hydrogen made?

Although massively present in its atomic form, pure hydrogen does not exist
naturally on Earth. It must be produced by separating chemical elements, and
stored before it can be used for mobility.

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There are different ways to produce hydrogen:

1. Reforming natural gas with superheated steam, which is a widely used

process.

2. In the gasification process, charcoal is burned in a reactor. At very high

temperatures, the released gases reform to produce H2 and carbon monoxide.

3. Separating water into oxygen and hydrogen with electrolysis. This

process is interesting as it makes it possible to easily obtain a pure hydrogen,
and most importantly, is the only one to be totally carbon-free if the
electricity is provided through renewable sources such as wind & solar.

How Does a Hydrogen Fuel Cell Work?

As we mentioned before, hydrogen is not a fuel in itself. Then how is

hydrogen fuel made?

Used in a fuel cell, an electricity-generating device using chemical reactions,

H2 is converted into electricity and water vapor. The fuel cell principle is
the opposite of electrolysis since it is based on the oxidation of a fuel and
the reduction of an oxidant, resulting in the simultaneous production of
electrical energy, water and heat.

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Advantages & Benefits of Hydrogen:
The prospects for the hydrogen economy are good. It could play a major role
in the energy transition since it has a high energy efficiency, emits no
pollutants locally and can contribute to massively reducing greenhouse gas
emissions

ZERO EMISSION
 The only emission from a fuel cell vehicle using hydrogen is water steam.
Hydrogen is thus a clean fuel for cars without emissions of pollutants and
greenhouse gases that contribute to climate change.

Fast Refueling
 Hydrogen charging stations are quite similar to the traditional filling
stations. As hydrogen vehicles don’t need to be plugged in to charge -
unlike battery powered electric cars - the process of refueling is quick.

Long Driving Range

 Fuel-cell vehicles also have a longer range than battery powered electric
cars. They now have a range of 500 to 800 km.

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Challenges & Disadvantages

1. Polluting Production Process

Today, most hydrogen is produced in a conventional way, resulting from the

combustion of fossil fuels, which releases a large amount of CO2. The main
challenge is therefore to produce hydrogen using renewable energy sources like
wind turbines and solar panels. This is the huge step towards green hydrogen
that needs to be taken.

2. Lack of Charging Stations

There are only few charging stations in the world. Even if some governments
have the will and invest in the construction of hydrogen charging stations, the
demand is still low and these terminals do not generate enough profit for the
moment .

3.Costly and Highly Inflammable

Compared with the production of hydrogen from natural gas, the production of
hydrogen through renewable energies is very expensive and less efficient.
Moreover, huge investments in lithium-ion battery technology are rapidly
driving down the price of this segment of electric vehicles.

This causes a decline in the prices of conventional electric cars compared to

electric hydrogen cars.

In addition, hydrogen remains extremely explosive. It must be stored and

transported under pressure in bulky containers. This poses problems of security,
logistics and profitability that still hinder.

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4. Sustainable Infrastructure
 In order to reduce the CO2 emissions from buildings - caused by heating,
air conditioning, hot water or lighting - it is necessary both to build new
low energy buildings, and to renovate the existing constructions.

5. Sustainable Agriculture & Forest Management

 Encouraging better use of natural resources, stopping massive deforestation
as well as making agriculture greener and more efficient should also be a
priority.

What Is Sustainable Agriculture?

Green agriculture is the application of the sustainable development
principles to agriculture: ensuring the production of food, wood and fibers
while respecting the ecological, economic and social limits that ensure the
durability of this production. For instance, sustainable farming mini mizes
the use of pesticides that can harm the health of farmers and consumers.

Key principles are linked to sustainable agriculture:

1. Develop efficient, self-sufficient and economical production systems

that provide decent incomes

2. Preserve and protect biodiversity and territories

3. Optimize the use of natural resources

4. Manage the quality of air, water and soil

5. Increase energy efficiency in food production and distribution

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Responsible Consumption & Recycling

 Adopting responsible consumption habits is crucial, be it regarding food

(particularly meat), clothing, cosmetics or cleaning products. Last but not
least, recycling is an absolute necessity for dealing with waste.

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 Reference;

 https://ypte.org.uk/factsheets/global-warming/introduction

 https://solarimpulse.com/global-warming-solutions

 https://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/features/GlobalWarming

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