Download Addressing the rising carbon dioxide atmospheric levels

Malaysian Model United Nations
Forum:
Environment II
Issue:
Addressing the rising carbon dioxide atmospheric levels
Student Officer: Edmund Sze
Position:
President of Environment II
Introduction
Carbon dioxide plays a key role in determining the temperature of the Earth’s surface due to the
greenhouse effect and the constant increase of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere is speeding up the
process of global warming. Although there are still myths that the increase of carbon dioxide is a natural
process, most scientists agree that the increase in carbon dioxide is caused by humans. Ever since the
industrial revolution, the carbon dioxide emissions from humans have only grown through activities such
as the burning of fossil fuels or deforestation. Carbon dioxide alone contributes 20% to the earth’s
greenhouse effect. Water vapor is a greenhouse gas itself but the atmosphere can only contain a certain
amount of water vapor unless the atmosphere heats up, which is another part of global warming where
carbon dioxide is one of the main contributors.
Definition of Key Terms
Atmosphere
a thick layer of a mixture of gases that help regulate the temperature of the earth’s surface and
protects the planet from harmful rays emitted by the Sun
Carbon Dioxide
carbon dioxide is a greenhouse gas that is produced by living organisms and the decaying of
animals and plants; burning fossil fuels and deforestation also release carbon dioxide
Greenhouse Effect
the greenhouse effect is where greenhouses gases such as carbon dioxide are in the
atmosphere, trapping the sun’s heat on the earth’s surface
Global Warming
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the increase in the global average temperature over time that is mostly caused by the
greenhouse effect and the increase in carbon dioxide
Background Information
Causes
The carbon cycle naturally exists and it is important to keep our planet from freezing, by trapping
some of the earth’s heat. However, human carbon emissions have disrupted the natural carbon cycle
and now the excess amount of carbon dioxide is contributing to the greenhouse effect.
Increased of use of fossil fuels
The industrial revolution was where machines were becoming mainstream for the use of
manufacturing goods, steam was used to generate energy and factories began to be built and
utilized. With the industrial revolution, machinery became dominant. People’s lifestyles changed
and electricity demand boomed due to these new machines replacing manual labor. The effects
of the industrial revolution can be seen throughout modern society as core parts of society such
as the automotive industry would not have been possible without the industrial evolution.
Burning fossil fuels to produce energy is the number one cause for the increase in carbon
dioxide in the atmosphere. Fossil fuels are essentially the remains of organisms from the past
which are then extracted underground and burned to generate steam. This steam powers a
turbine which in turn produces electricity. Burning natural gas creates the byproduct of nitrogen
oxide as well as carbon dioxide but it is far less when compared to the burning of coal or oil.
Propane and gasoline are also better alternatives to coal when carbon emissions are taken into
account.
As the automotive industry is the largest that it has ever been, there are more and more
cars burning fossil fuels and in the United States alone, they account for 20% of all emissions.
For every gallon of gas, approximately 24 pounds of carbon dioxide is emitted into the air. There
have already been multiple attempts to try and force car manufacturers to create more fuel
efficient vehicles and lower emissions vehicles by enforcing carbon dioxide emission standards
on all cars. Many of these standards are outdated and can easily be manipulated so that car
manufacturers do not have to abide to these standards and it is vital that these vehicle emission
laws are updated to allow for more car manufacturers to produce vehicles with lower emissions.
Deforestation
Trees are key to regulating the planet’s amount of carbon dioxide as they take in carbon
dioxide and release oxygen when they are going through photosynthesis. Any excess amount of
carbon dioxide is then stored within the trees for later use in helping them grow. When
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deforestation occurs, these trees are cut down and any carbon dioxide stored within these trees
will then be released back into the air. Deforestation is said to be responsible for 15% of the
world’s carbon dioxide emissions and if deforestation is not halted, the amount of emissions will
only increase and because trees basically convert carbon dioxide into oxygen, they are vital to
our lives. Approximately 130,000 square kilometers of forests are cut down annually, which is
three times the size of Denmark.
Caption #1: Sources of where carbon emissions are from globally
Carbon cycle
The natural carbon cycle is where trees go through photosynthesis to absorb carbon
dioxide and turn it into oxygen. In turn, when these plants die, they become fossil fuels and are
stored beneath the earth. Animals’ respiration also releases carbon dioxide and when they die,
they release carbon dioxide into the air as all living things are made of carbon. This carbon
dioxide is then taken in by plants and are either eaten by animals or turned into fossil fuels.
Humans have disrupted this cycle and have pumped excess carbon dioxide into the atmosphere
as there is already a reduced amount of trees to take in the carbon dioxide, while more and more
carbon dioxide is released into the atmosphere. Humans have also extracted fossil fuels from
beneath the earth and converted them back into carbon dioxide in the air.
Effects of the increase of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere
The increase in carbon dioxide brings the obvious issue of the greenhouse effect where the
earth’s surface temperature will continue to rise. The increase of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere
lead to an increased amount of heat trapped and reflected back onto the Earth’s surface. While global
warming is gradually becoming irreversible, it is vital that actions are taken now. Since 1951, the Earth’s
annual average temperature has already risen by 1 degree Celsius, although this does not sound
extreme, any of the slightest increase in temperature can lead to devastating consequences. Melting ice
caps, increased sea levels and more extreme weather patterns are just some of the consequences that
may occur if climate change is not averted.
The increase in carbon dioxide will also lead to an increase of carbon dioxide in the ocean as
water is another part of the earth which absorbs carbon dioxide. Carbon dioxide that is dissolved in water
turns into chemicals that lower the pH of the ocean water which in turn would harm all living creatures
within the ocean. The increase in carbon dioxide must be stopped if global warming or ocean
acidification are to be reduced and resolved.
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Timeline of Events
Date
Description of event
United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) was founded and is an agency
of the UN which assists nations to develop environmentally friendly policies and
1972
activities.
United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) is
March 21, 1994
enforced. Although the UNFCCC does not specify any emissions limit, it would
instead rely upon further agreements and negotiations to set binding limits.
The Kyoto Protocol is in effect and works under the UNFCCCC with 83
February 16, 2005
signatories. This protocol urged parties to implement greenhouse gas emissions
reduction measures.
The United Nations sets 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) within the
resolution ‘Transforming our world: the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable
25 September, 2015
Development’ with goal 13 of the SDGs outlining the concern climate change
and its effects.
125 of the 197 nations have come to ratify the Paris agreement which is within
October 5, 2016
the UNFCCCC. The Paris Agreement aims to deal with greenhouse gas
emissions and provides framework on financing and mitigation starting in 2020.
UN Involvement, Relevant Resolutions, Treaties and Events
The United Nations has had great contributions towards reducing global carbon dioxide
emissions and most of the actions that have been taken are under the United Nations Framework
Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC). The UNFCCC aims to "stabilize greenhouse gas
concentrations in the atmosphere at a level that would prevent dangerous anthropogenic interference
with the climate system". Since the UNFCCC has been enforced, there have been numerous
agreements and decisions made including the Paris Agreement, Kyoto Protocol, Bali Action Plan as well
as the Copenhagen Accord and Cancún agreements. The UN Sustainable Development Goal 13 also
acknowledges that there is a need to urgently slow down climate change.

Transforming our world: the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, 25 September 2015
(A/RES/70/1)

Paris Agreement, 5 October 2016 (1/CP.21)

Kyoto Protocol, 16 February, 2005 (1/CP.3)
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