Environmental Issues
Problems and Solutions
By Dr. Gedion Getahun
A human
being needs clear and healthy environment to exist. This needs a well balanced
ecological and economical policy. Environmental problems have no limitations.
They are regional, national and global. However, after the human being has
realised that natural resources on this Planet have been exploited the term
sustainable development has emerged. For about fifty years, for the first time
in the history, the environmental pioneer ideas and programmes were discussed
.In the beginning of the 70th
the necessity to put economical developments on the same level with
ecological sustainable programs was introduced.
Some of the
ecological movements and the global environmental initiatives in our Planet are
the following.
1950: The
Pug wash Movement in
1963. IIASA
in Laxenberg (
1971: Club
of
1972:
UN-Conference in
1973:
Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES)
1980:
Global 2000 (The Global 2000 Report to the President)
1984-1987: “Our Common future” (Dr. Med. Gro- Harlm Brundtland)
1988: The
investigation commission of the German Parliament (Enquete-kommission)
for the precaution of the atmospheric
pollution
1989: The
1992: UN
Conference on Environment and Development (UNED), the Earth
1997: The
Kyoto-Protocol
1999: The
Global Compact programme initiated by UN-General Secretary Kofi Annan.
2002:
Global conference on sustainability Development in
2004: G-8
meeting in Gleneagles (UK)
2007: G-8
Conference at Heiligendamm (
Despite the
fact that several national, and international meetings, conferences, summits
have been held, the equilibrium between ecology and economy has
never been reached so far.
Global
Environment concerns are:
i) Global Warming
ii)
Deforestation and Greenhouse Gas Production
iii)
Persistant Organic Pollutants,(POPs),
iv)
Transboundary Movements of Hazardous Wastes
v)
Atmospheric
Pollution from Civil and Military Air Craft, other gases (methane, carbon
dioxide, nitrogen oxide, sulphur dioxide etc.)
vi)
Wreck
of old Satellite and Rockets
vii)
Radioactive
Waste Disposal
viii)
Chemical
and Radiological Weapons.
Environmental
impacts raised from the civil technology developments as well as from
developments and applications of military technology, whether conventional,
nuclear or radiological, they all belong to the global problems.
In the past
50 years or longer, chemical, biological, radiological, and nuclear weapons
have been developed and applied in some part of the world. Chemical warfare
like agent orange, agent blue, agent purple were used during the Vietnam War,
others types of chemicals were applied in Kurdistan, Iraq, Tanganyika, (Africa)
South America, Afghanistan etc. In all these areas, health, economical and
ecological problems still exist. Let us examine the effects of Depleted
Uranium (DPU) on human and his environment [1].
Depleted
Uranium weapon system was manufactured and tested
Second,
during the Gulf war oil tankers and oil wells were bombed. Firing these oil
reservoir, had released millions of gallons of oil into the atmosphere above
the desert, the oil which is organic product containing millions of
Hydrocarbons and other chemical elements destroyed the ecosystem of the entire
region. When it rains it will be carried by rain and storm and destroy the
global environment. These types of contaminated areas have no border at all and
they belong to the global environmental impacts.
To deal
with global warming and its effect on human and his environment, the
The main
purpose of this protocol was that the industrialised countries should reduce
the harmful green house gas emissions at five percent (5%) below the level of
1990. The reduction process has to be completed by the year 2012 [2].
The global
warming is due to climate change. According to earth and atmospheric
scientists, since 1900 the temperature of our Planet has increased by
0.7 ºC (Degree Celsius).
With global
warming are associated, natural events like floods, hurricanes, that
had occurred in the last two or three years in the world. In this context, also
rising of sea level and ocean temperature can be mentioned.
To protect
the environment and promote the exchange of information about Persistent
Organic Pollutants (Pops) the UNEP [3] has organised the Stockholm Convention
and has established an office known as Ozone Secretariat. The Secretariat deals
with matters of the Vienna Convention for the protection of Ozone Layer and the
Montreal Protocol on substances that deplete the Ozone Layer [4][5].
To control
transboundary movement of hazardous wastes and to minimise the quantity the
Basel Convention was established [6][7].
. Soil Erosion
. Land Degradation
. Desertification
. Deforestation
. Emission & Industrial Pollution
. Wildlife Reduction
In
According
to the UN,
The
environmental problems in
This
development demands space for living and working. In
In
In the
beginning of 1980 local and foreign farm enterprise services started flower
production for commercial purposes in
A huge
amount of agrochemicals have been imported into the country for the flower export
farming industries. These chemicals are hazardous, and are carcinogenic to
human and pollute the environment. About the impacts of such chemicals to the
environment, scientists and various NGOs as well as international
organisations, at the front the WHO and UNEP experts have confirmed long ago.
As it is the case in all developing countries, pesticides are introduced as
insecticides in
For soil
development fertilizers like phosphor and nitrogen salts are applied. These
guarantee the self sufficiency of food to the country by increasing the
agricultural food production or by raising the production of the so called cash
crops. Further more, except for plant protection, pesticides are also used to
control the anophenline mosquito insect that transmit malaria disease.
For these reasons, Persistent Organic Pollutants( POPs) like Aldrin, Chlordane,
DDT, Dieldrin are used for a long period of time in the country, and their
utility may continue until environmental friendly biological control agents
have replaced them [10]. These types of insecticides well give balanced
agro-ecosystem. Until recently, there were about 2000 tones of obsolete
pesticides as well as empty pesticide barrels stored in poor conditions at
different places in the country.
Wonji,
Wonji Shoa, Metheara and Akakai are industrial towns of
Wildlife habitat
The Ethiopia Wildlife had been reported as being seriously decimated.
The reasons are as follows:
i)
Professional
Hunting of some African safari group, mostly from overseas
ii)
Extensive
hunting by the local people residing near to the national park area or close to
the wildlife area.
iii)
In
most rural areas the farmers require land to be cultivated. They deforest the
area to plough land for agriculture. Without any hesitation, this brings the
decimation of flora and fauna of the surrounding region. Especially if
irrigated agricultural land has to be cultivated in the National Park
Area.
iv)
The
livestock of the farmers in the wildlife area un restless, and they chase away
the wild animals from their living area. The livestock density results the
degradation of natural resources and minimises the quantity of the wild
animals.
It reduces the quality of their life as well.
v)
Resettlement
programmes from one region to another could bring a threat to wildlife,
provided the resettlement occurs close to the wildlife reservation area.
Proposals to overcome the Current
Environmental Problems in
Deforestation:
Human
interference against the natural resources mainly for subsistence and economic
reasons has to be solved. The natural forests require protection. The
re-afforestation programme in the country should contain primarily
indigenous plants and trees.
The
secondary forest programme may also include the eucalyptus trees, which are
good enough for energy and building purposes. However, eucalyptus trees need
huge amount of water to grow and could make the region dry and bring erosion
due to ground water problem.
In
the past, wild fire has destroyed many of the forest areas of the country.
Living an excess of economical and ecological damages behind. According to the
Ethiopian Environmental Protection Authority, in the year 2000 wild fire in
southern Bale and Borona Zone has devastated 80,733 hector forest area. The
experts guess a loss of 39 Million of US Dollars approximately [16].
In
the future, it is absolutely necessary to construct and build all weather
roads, which enables the access into the wildlife and forest areas to
extinguish the fire. Also protection by helicopters to spread fire
extinguishing chemical and other additional safety measures will be required.
To
save the depletion of natural forests, significant energy resources in the
country like hydropower potential has to be harnessed. The technology of
indigenous energy resources like natural gas, biomass, has to be developed in a
modern technology and has to be used extensively. The development and the
implementation of energy saving stove and fuel system for cooking and heating
purposes for household, energy, etc will help. For this purpose alcohols like
ethanol und methanol could be used. From sugar cane residues the alcohol fuel
ethanol and from the natural gas extraction process the fuel gas methanol can
be prepared .
Primarily,
the programme development has to combine both biomass and other hydrocarbon
resources to use as energy for heating, cooking, possibly to generate
electricity for refrigeration and other household necessity[17].
Currently,
the wood biomass, crop residue, dung, are the indigenous energy resources, also
petroleum is applied in the country to some extent. The capacity of the immense
hydropower potential of
Soil
Erosion
Soil
erosion in
Desertification
Protection
of the forest areas is highly essential so that it will not be converted into
small bush and savannah, which latter becomes semi-arid zone. National –
Biotope reservoir has to be developed and implemented throughout the country.
Agrochemicals
(pesticides and fertilizers)
To
protect emission and pollution in the surrounding region of the flower farm
areas the application of isolated green house system is required. Strict
measures should be taken for use and disposal of the pesticides in the country.
This has the highest priority, if human health and environment has to be
protected from hazard chemicals. The chemicals have to be used appropriately.
It is the responsibility of the industries to clean their environment, recycle
used water and other solutions and solvents, search contaminated areas and
assess environmental remediation, and industrial decommissioning, when
necessary. To improve the chemical handling and use, the national policy and
legislation of the country should be exercised to the maximum. If the
environmental laws and regulations made by the policy makers are not applicable
into practice, the law should be reformed and updated.
If
the chemicals are not used appropriately and accordingly, they will have an
impact on air, soil, and water. On a long run, they will affect the health of
the people exposed to them. Therefore, pollution control of the air, plants,
soil, seas and rivers, ground water, of the industrial towns and their
surrounding regions and health inspection or medical check up of the workers
and employees has to be made by the authorities sequentially.
To
fight against industrial pollution, ozone depletion, the dissemination of
global chemicals
(
POPs ), co-operation with scientists, environmentalists, and the UNEP
experts is advisable. The Organisation of the African Union has to start to
realise African Environmental Policy. Further more, the Ethiopian
authorities should bear in mind, the statements of Stockholm Convention, the
Montreal Protocol, as well as the Basel Convention continuously and put them
into practice strictly.
In
Pollution
and contamination occurred during and after wars in the world
. Prevention of arms
where ever possible inclusive in outer space
. Nuclear disarmament with
view to the ultimate elimination of nuclear weapons.
. The prohibition of
development, synthesis, as well as implementation of
biological, chemical radiological and nuclear
weapons in our planet.
. Full engagement to identify this harmful
global chemical, ray in the environment
and effort to decontaminate, to save the
human being and his environment through out
© Dr Gedion Getahun*
Research
Scientist and Lecturer
Environmental
Radioanalytical Chemistry
*
Membership & Co-operation
1)
International
Emerging Issues in Developing
Countries
(Chemistry International)
2)
German Chemical Society (Gdch)
Analytical Chemistry and Ionising Radiation
Safety (
3)
Royal Society of Chemistry
Radiochemical Methods Group
References
[1] Depleted Uranium: The Trojan Horse of
Nuclear War
By: Leuren Moret
World Affairs: The Journal of
International Issues 1 July 04World Affairs
http://www.mindfully.org/Nucs/2004/DU
[2]
The Kyoto Protocol and Climate Change–background Information
http://europa.eu/rapid/pressReleasesAction.do?reference=MEMO/02/120
[3]
An Emerging Global Action on POPs
UNEP Chemicals Newsletter
http://www.unep.ch/irptc/docs/newslt
[4] Persistent
Organic Pollutants
[5]
The
[6]
Global Biodiversity Assessment
From Vision to Action: UNEP since UNCED
United Nations Environment Programme
ISBN: 92-807-1657-2
[7]
The
http://ozone.unep.org/pdfs/Montrel-Protocol2000.pdf
[8]
The Environmental Strategy of
By Dr. Gedion Getahun
Tefetro: The Quarterly Newsletter of the
CSE Project, Vol.1 No.7 March 1999
A publication of the
Environmental Protection Authority of Ethiopia.
[9]
The Toxic Truths of the Flower Business
By: Wudineh Zenebe: Fortune Staff
Writer
http://www.geocities.com/akababi/flower.htm
[10]
Status of Pops with Special Reference to Pesticides in
By: T. Teguam
Environmental Protection Authority,
http://www.geocities.com/akababi/
[11]
Pollution Concern in Wonji, Wonji/Shoa, and Methara since the 1950’s
By: Almaz Mequanint
http:// www.geocities.com/akababi/wonji.htm
[12]
Finding Possible Ways, to Reduce the
Environment Pollution
By Dr. Hailemichael Alemu
http://www.telecom.net.et/
estc/Publication/Proceedi.htm
[13]
By Girma Abera
The Monitor 17.1.1999
[14]
Pollution Status of
African Journals online:
Bull.Chem.Soc.Ethiop.2007, 21(1),
13-22
[15]
Chemical, Physical, and Microbiological Characteristics
Of various Sources of Water in and
around
Yesehak Worku, Sinknesh Ejigu, Worku
Erge, Leykun Jemaneh
http://www.cih.uib.no/journals/EJHD/ejhd-v13-n3/ejhd13-3-page10.htm
[16]
Tefetro
Quarterly Newsletter of the CSE Project
Vol.2.No.1 June 2000
Conservation Strategy of
[17]
Tefetro
Quarterly Newsletter of the CSE Project
March 2000
Conservation Strategy of
[18]
Tefetro
Quarterly Newsletter of the CSE
Project Vol.1 No.5 September 1998
Conservation Strategy of