KKKH 4284 SUSTAINABLE URBAN DESIGN

TASK 6: GLOBAL WARMING

NAME MATRIC NUMBER DEPARTMENT FACULTY LECTURER

: RABIAH ADAWIYAH BINTI ABD RAHMAN : A128847 : CIVIL AND ENVIRONMENTAL ENGINEERING : ENGINEERING AND BUILD ENVIRONMENT : PROF. DR. IR. RIZA ATIQ ABDULLAH BIN O.K. RAHMAT

INTRODUCTION Sea level is expected to rise and getting worse for every year. The major cause of the sea level rise are due to thermal expansion and the loss of land based ice due to increased melting. Climate change impact endanger small and low lying countries like Mauritius, Maldives and Seychelles. Malaysia is still not too much effected from climate change, but we take it into serious. For this case study, the mean sea level is increased for the past 50 years. Even thought, the rising is small but over a long time period it may caused problems in the city as the level is quite low. This coastal city area is the important sources of ecological and socioeconomic interest such as for fishery, ports, tourism and other industries. A part from that, this coastal city area also the residential areas for million of peoples. Thus, if the sea level increases, it will give lot of impact to the community and also to the environment. The earth climate is fueled by the sun. most of the sun energy called solar radiation is absorbed by the earth which is about 70% and the rest are reflected back into the space. A natural layer of atmospheric gases absorbs a portion of this reflected solar radiation, eventually releasing some of it into the space but forcing much of it back to the earth. Thus, it will warm the earth surface and also known as greenhouse effect. Without the natural greenhouse effect, the earth average temperature would mush colder and will be covered with ice. But, the greenhouse effect is being increase by releasing of certain gases to the atmosphere that increase the earth temperature and it was called global warming. To overcome this problem, we must know what is the causes of global warming that can rise up the level of sea and also effecting the environmental and health. Thus, mitigation, strategies and adaptation should be done to overcome and reduce the greenhouse emission. Lot of action plan had been done to overcome this and actually it need a good cooperation and also self awareness from the community itself. Thus, we can reduce the effect of climate change.

CAUSES OF GLOBAL WARMING Recent scientific evidence shows that the greenhouse effect is being increased by releasing certain type of gases to the atmosphere that cause the earth temperature rise. Carbon dioxide pollution is the major reason because coming from the combustion of fossil fuels in electric power generation and methane emission coming from agricultural activities, landfill and other sources. Industrial applications such as foam production, refrigeration, dry cleaning, and chemical manufacturing produce other greenhouse gas emission such as hydrofluorocarbons. All the gases emission is coming from our daily life lifestyle. Another major man made caused of global warming is population. Increase in population means that increase in number of transportation for travelling. Thus, there will be more fossil fuel will be burn and contributing in emission of carbon dioxide and methane. Also, the trees that convert our carbon dioxide to oxygen are being demolished because we are using the land that we cut the trees down from as property for our homes and buildings. We are not replacing the trees and yet constantly taking advantages of the natural resources and giving nothing back in return. IMPACT OF GLOBAL WARMING During the past decades, some of these impacts were observed, such as: 1. The extinction of some species of plants, animals and birds, retreat of glaciers. 2. Closed lakes are particularly vulnerable to increased evaporation due to higher temperatures. 3. Fresh waters will diminish and there will be severe shortages of fresh waters in urban centres. 4. Coral reefs are at particular risk, a matter that threatens tourism, fisheries and coastal protection. 5. Increase the sea level due to the increase of the earth temperature.

PLAN OF ACTION To overcome the global warming issues, lot of action plan has been implemented. Here are some of the mitigation that can be used in order the reduce the greenhouse effect and controlling the global warming issues: 1) Expand mass transit and improve traffic system. Expand the mass transit rall system : it can encourage passenger car drivers to utilize public transport. Thus it can reduce the emission of CO2. Develop more park and ride systems, build more bike lanes and pedestrian lanes. Improve public bas systems: implement a Bus Rapid Transit Systems which give busses priority and a dedicate lane on city streets. Improve the busses condition to be more comfortable. Improve traffic systems: improving the road network including constructing flyover bridge and underpass tunnels to reduce congestion and emission. 2) Promote the use of renewable energy: renewable energy such as bio fuel can reduce the greenhouse emission because it is a carbon neutral. That means, the carbon released during the usage of fuel will reabsorbed and balance by the carbon released by the plants. A part from that, we can also promote the use of gasohol, bio diesel, and also campaign to used low carbon emission petroleum fuel such as liquefied gas. 3) Improve building electricity consumption efficiency: Improve building energy consumption efficiency: upgrade the buildings to be more efficiency by applying electricity conservation measures. Electricity conservation campaign: increase the awareness among private homes and small enterprise owners by reducing the usage of air conditioning, promoting the usage of energy saving appliance and also the use of energy saving light bulbs.

4) Improve solid waste management and wastewater treatment facilities: solid waste and wastewater contributing the emission of greenhouse gas through release of methane during decomposition process of organic matter. Improve efficiency in organic waste management: we can promote the solid waste reuse and recycling. Increase efficiency in wastewater treatment: campaign not to dump organic matter such as cooking oil and foods into drainage systems. Besides, we can also increase the wastewater treatment capacity. Thus, it will reduce the methane gas emission. 5) Expand park area: trees absorb CO2 through photosynthesis process causing CO2 to be stored in their wood fiber. Thus, it can lowering the global warming issues.

ADAPTATION STRATEGIES An adaptation strategy is differ from one region to another according to their relevant environmental, social, economic and human variations. These adaptation plans can include physical barrier, integrated construction and public information. Cities must develop plans to beware and educated the residence about the danger of sea leve; rising and flooding. So, people can take part in the implementation of the adaptation strategies. Here are some adaptation plan that be used to reduce or mitigate the problems: 1) Guiding the strategic development to the locations offering greater protection from the impact of flooding, erosion, storm, water shortage and subsidence. 2) Ensuring that the new and existing buildings are more resilient to climate change impacts. Buildings can be design for the long term climatic changes predicted. Thus it will be flexible enough to adapt for the future conditions. 3) Improve the storm water management by incorporating sustainable drainage measure and high standards of water efficiency in new and existing buildings. 4) Increase the flood storage capacity and developing sustainable new water resources. This including to improve the water retention between the

development and increase the water storage, so that increased area of impermeable surface id offset and safeguarding the land. 5) Ensuring that opportunities and options for sustainable flood management and mitigation of habitats and species are not foreclosed. We must locating and designing the development to reduce flood risk impact and make it more resilient to flooding while enabling safe access in time of flooding.