Week 9 Outline

PS336, Global Environmental Problems 

Spring Semester 2005

Week 9 Outline 

Asia Map

Monday, October 10: The Atmosphere as a Global Commons

I.    Observations About the Atmosphere

• • is very shallow relative to the diameter of the earth

  • has changed considerably over its 5 billion year history

  • trace gases significantly moderate the flow of energy to and from the earth

  • affects and is effected by other parts of the earth system

  • humanity has evolved to the point it can significantly alter atmospheric processes

                      Encylopedia of the Atmospheric Environment

 II.    Gases Comprising the Atmosphere

• • Nitrogen (78.08%)

  • Oxygen (20.95%)

  • Argon (0.93%)

  • Carbon Dioxide (0.03%)

  • Others: Neon, Helium, Ozone, Hydrogen, Krypton, and Methane

III.    International Law of Global Commons

• • Oceans- Convention of the Law of Seas (1982)

  • Outer Space- Treaty on the Peaceful Uses of Outer Space (1967)

  • Antarctica- Antarctica Treaty (1959)

                       (Map of Antarctica) 

• • Atmosphere- No major framework agreement, but regimes that address specific problems

IV.    Atmospheric Regimes

• • Atmospheric Nuclear Testing

  • Transboundary Air Pollution

  • Preservation of Ozone Layer

  • Climate Change

Wednesday, October 12:  Transboundary Pollution & Acid Rain

I.    The History of Air Pollution

             Great London Smog

II.    Major Types of Air Pollution

             particulates and aerosols

             sulphur dioxide     

             nitrogen  oxides

             ozone (ground level)

             Volatile organic compounds (VOCs)

             Persistent organic pollutants   (POPs)

             CFCs and other ozone depleting pollutants

             Carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases

III.     Areas with transboundary air pollution problems

           the nature of acid "rain"

        Europe   (map)    

              Oden's "insidious chemical warfare"

        North America 

                 (map)

        Arctic haze

              (map)

        East Asia

              (map)

        Indian Ocean    (large cloud)                                                         

Friday, October 14 -  The Long Range Transboundary Air Pollution Regime

I.    Evolution of the LRTAP Regime    (see also Swedish NGO Secretariat on Acid Rain)

• Stockholm Conference (1972)

• Helskinki Accord (1975)

• Brezhnev Initiative

• Convention on Long-Range Transboundary Air Pollution adopted (1979)

• Stockholm Conference on Acidification (1982) - Germany announces it will work to reduce acid forming pollutants

    II.    Transboundary Transport of  Pollutants (1988) 

                         EMEP Grid 

III.    LRTAP Protocols

• Sulphur Protocol (1985)

  • • 30% reduction in sulphur emissions by 1993 (from 1980 levels)

•  

• Nitrogen Protocol (1988)

  • • Nitrogen oxide emissions returned to 1987 levels by 1994

•  

• VOC Protocol (1991)

  • • 30% reduction by 1999

•  

• Revised Sulfur Protocol (1994)

  • • Based on "critical loads"

    • Differentiated target reductions

• Revised Sulfur Protocol (1994)

  • • critical load (enter site and click on "acid rain" and then on "critical load") - amount of acid deposition a specific region can absorb without serious environmental damage (map of critical loads in Europe)

    • Excessive Deposition- amount of acid deposition in a region beyond its critical load

    • Selected Specific Commitments:

    • Germany (-83%)

    • Austria (-80%)

    • France (-74%)

    • United Kingdom (-50%)

    • Russia (-38%)

    • Greece (+49%)

Protocol to Abate Acidification, Eutrophication, and Ground Level Ozone (1999)

                Individualized national ceilings on:

• • • sulfur dioxide

    • nitrogen oxides

    • volatile organic compounds

    • ground level ozone

V.  Reductions achieved thus far among the European countries

                   Sulphur dioxide -  (down 72 % since 1980)

                   Nitrogen Oxides  (down 31% since 1980)

                   Volitile organic compounds (down 41% since 1980)