![]() Perhaps in the future, it might be possible to use nuclear fission to provide clean energy. Remove the pressure on land for agriculture.If the world’s population were reduced it would: Since this is an unpopular notion, the only solutions that do get any attention are those that mitigate increasing energy use, preferably solutions that don’t require individuals to do much.Įarth’s population is estimated to be 7.7 billion and is rising. Given what is available at the moment, population control is necessary to achieve long term stability. Any solution you can pick for climate change would currently be defeated by unchecked population growth (see note-1) This is the root issue that underpins climate-change and many related problems that no-one actually talks about. With a reduced CO2 level, the heat generated by the use of this new energy source would (probably) be radiated into space quite naturally. This is a much safer nuclear option that will provide abundant power if it ever becomes available at scale. In the few decades that stations have been in operation, there have been significant accidents. Waste materials remain hazardous for tens of thousands of years. The toxic nature of Nuclear fission power stations should require a perfect operational state in order for them to be used. All of the alternate energy sources costs money, obstructs exploitation and can only be truly effective with a united global effort. The options to reduce atmospheric CO2 don’t fit comfortably with the reasons we have this problem in the first place. Preferential use of solar, hydro, wind and tidal energy sources.None of them will work without population control. Here are some of the current solutions to counter climate change. The fractional change to the atmosphere that has occurred in recent times is already exaggerating the extremes of weather across the globe. Unfortunately, this makes it a lot easier to upset the balance. The amount of CO2 currently in the atmosphere represents a small percentage of the total, about 0.04%. Screenshots from this animation have been used to illustrate parts of this article. An Animation of Milankovitch cyclesĪn excellent animation by Tobias Friedrich showing all three Milankovitch cycles on one page. A cold phase was responsible for the last ice-age, and there will be another ice age in about 15,000 years. When they coincide, the result is an extreme of temperature. In fact, it happens at regular intervals. The changing position of summer and winter along Earths orbit due to axial precession will inevitably match extremes of axial tilt and orbital eccentricity at some time. At present, the orbital eccentricity is nearly at the minimum of its cycle.The shape of the orbit varies over a 90,000 to 100,000-year cycle.The distance of Earth from to the Sun varies by 3%.Earth’s orbit is a nearly circular ellipse.The variation is due to the gravitational attraction of neighbouring planets, particularly Jupiter and Saturn.Įarth’s closest approach (perihelion) and furthest departure (aphelion) from the sun varies by 3%, and this accounts for a 20-30% difference in solar radiation received.Įarth’s orbit undergoes precession, which moves the positions of aphelion (furthest point) and perihelion (nearest point) within the orbit. It’s a slightly elliptical orbit that varies in shape cyclically over a 90,000 – 100,000 year period. The cycles will alter over time as the moon moves away from the Earth.Įarth’s orbit around the sun is nearly, but not quite circular. The changing shape of its Earth’s orbit (eccentricity): 95k years.The changing direction of Earth’s tilt over time (precession): 26k years.Earth’s changing axial tilt relative to the orbital plane (obliquity): 41k years.These are known as the Milankovitch cycles. 3.7 An Explanation of the Milankovitch CycleĪs well as the annual summer-winter climate changes we can experience, there are three long-duration cycles that combine to shape the Earth’s natural climate that extend over thousands of years.3.6 An Animation of Milankovitch cycles.3.5 The Not So Obvious Result is an Ice Age.3.4 The Changing Orbital Shape (Eccentricity).3.3 The Direction of the Axial Tilt (Precession).3.2 The Changing Axial Tilt (Obliquity).
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