How Fossil Fuels Affect Our Climate
Fossil fuels are hydrocarbon-containing substances of biological origin. They can be used in the production of energy. They comprise coal, petroleum natural gas, natural gas, oil shales, bitumens and oil sands, as well as heavy oil. They contain carbon and are produced through geologic processes. The Archean eon, both plants and animals started to generate electricity and stored carbon dioxide. But, when fossil fuels were dumped into the earth’s crust and began to release carbon dioxide in an enticing way that they hindered carbon cycling from operating correctly.
The carbon dioxide produced by the burning of fossil fuels is a major contributor the global temperature. The carbon dioxide is stored in the atmosphere before dissolving into the oceans. The accumulation of CO2 in our atmosphere ultimately results in acidification of the oceans. Carbon project global has charted the growth in CO2 over the last 150 years. The combustion of fossil fuels produces sulfuric as well as nitric acid which affect the built environment as well as natural zones. For instance, the monuments made of marble and limestone are particularly susceptible to the effect of acid rain.
The major cause for global climate change emissions fossil fuels have become the most important energy source for consumption across the world. Being one of the top problems facing humanity knowing how these fossil fuels impact our climate is vital to making educated decisions about the best way to produce energy in the near future. Knowing the impact of fossil fuels will assist us make decisions about energy which are sustainable and help us be prepared for the most dire consequences caused by global warming. How can we reduce the use of fossil fuels?
The government offers millions of dollars of subsidies to the manufacture of fossil-fuels. While the exact number may vary however, the amount of subsidy remains around the hundreds of millions of dollars per year. A greater transparency in the cost of these subsidies could enable us to obtain an accurate estimation of the actual costs associated with fossil fuels. It is estimated that the International Monetary Fund has estimated the cost of unpaid fossil fuels to be $5.3 trillion annually. This amounts to around 10 million dollars per minute.
In the present the oil industry isn’t so widespread as coal, yet they do have advantages. Oil fuels are dense in energy with about twice the energy amount of coal. They’re also liquid, making them ideal to be used in internal combustion engine. Their energy content is greater than other energy sources. Along with offering energy fossil fuels also aid in the advancement of technology. One of the main benefits for fossil fuels is the fact that they are easily re-scaled to meet the demands.
Coal was first discovered about 300 million years back. At the time dinosaurs roamed the Earth. Plants that grew in swamps and bogs partially decayed, and later changed into peat. When the climate changed, different materials accumulated over peat. Then, pressure and heat transformed peat into coal. This is why coal is accessible only by digging. However, the combustion of coal has created huge health problems for many emerging countries, such as India as well as China.