Our Environment is changing everyday and we have to be aware of those changes and the
problems they’re causing which in fact affecting our everyday life and the future.
There are plenty of environmental problems that are very threatening but mostly we’re going
to take about 5 major environmental problems:
1.Climate Change
According to the United nations; Climate change refers to long-term shifts in temperatures and
weather patterns. These shifts may be natural, such as through variations in the solar cycle. But
since the 1800s, human activities have been the main driver of climate change, primarily due
to burning fossil fuels like coal, oil and gas.
The Results are solid and clear to all the world in the last period. The situation is getting worse
everyday and the temperature is expected to increase by 2.8 celestial degrees by the end of the
century . However, the consequences already exist from prolonged drought in sub-Saharan
Africa to devastating tropical storms sweeping across Southeast Asia, the Caribbean and the
Pacific. To scorching temperatures which have caused deadly heatwaves in Europe and
wildfires in South Korea, Algeria and Croatia. There has been severe flooding in Pakistan,
while a prolonged and intense drought in Madagascar has left 1 million people with very
limited access to adequate food.
Climate change is a Red Code for humans to start the change and do something for the planet.
Greenhouse gas must be reduced by 43% by 2030 if we are to limit climate change by 1.5
celestial degrees and avoid catastrophe.
It doesn’t only affect the governments and countries but it completely destroys communities &
groups on a deeper level, stealing from people their right to live in their houses safely, stealing
from children their right to stay warm in the winter & much more.
2.Global warming
According to Nasa; Global warming is the long-term heating of Earth’s surface observed since
the pre-industrial period (between 1850 and 1900) due to human activities, primarily fossil fuel
burning, which increases heat-trapping greenhouse gas levels in Earth’s atmosphere. This term
is not interchangeable with the term "climate change."
3.Ozone layer depletion
The ozone layer is basically the layer that protects the Earth from the harmful UltraViolet rays
that comes from the sun, due to the industrial activity of humans and emission of gasses a
gradual thinning in the layer has occurred in the upper atmosphere caused by the released
chemical compounds of Chlorine & Bromine.
This phenomenon is clear in the Polar regions, especially in Antarctica. It's considered a serious
problem because the excess UV rays result in skin cancer, eye problems, genetic & immune
system defects. It was first addressed in 1987 in Montreal Protocol, the ozone depletion was
predicted to recover over time.
During the 2000’s the size of the Ozone layer has expanded to the maximum by 29.9 million
square km, by 2021 it shrunk to 24.8 million square km, some scientists has stated that the
reaction between Chlorine and Bromine has declined in the stratosphere & the depletion would
pass. A final prediction has said that if the chemicals stopped reacting the layer will be a small
ozone by 2040.
4.Deforestation
Is a purposeful way to clear the forests for agriculture ,animal gazing, to obtain fuel,
manufacturing and construction. But extensive Deforestation has accelerated global warming
due to the increase of Carbon dioxide resulting from it, Co2 chemically locked in the woods
and absorbed by the plants from the air, so basically no plants equals no oxygen & more
percentages of co2.
Deforestation affects biodiversity, because animals and different species live in the woods &
build their families, in addition to the soil prone to erosion.
Numbers have shown that 80 percent of Western Europe was forested. In North America, about
half of the forests in the eastern part of the continent were cut down from the 1600s to the
1870s for timber and agriculture. China has lost great expanses of its forests over the past 4,000
years and now just over 20 percent of it is forested. Much of Earth’s farmland was once forests.
5.Water pollution
It occurs when harmful substances - often chemicals & micro organisms dilute the water quality
rendering it to toxic humans & environment. Less than 1 percent of freshwater is actually
accessible to us, the challenges will increase by 2050, global demand is greater by one - third
that it is now.Most of our used water is used water that comes from our sinks,showers, toilets
& from agriculture, industrial & commercial sectors. In addition to storm water which occurs
when rainfall carries road salts, oil, grease, chemicals, and debris.
Keep following us for more information about Roof planting; Roots is an Egyptian social marketing campaign run by Mass communication, Cairo University students, English section, Fourth level.
Our mission is to Create awareness about Roof planting & Green Roofs among the Egyptian society, build an emotional bond between Humans & Plants for the benefit of the planet, Take positive steps in their lifestyle.
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