Energy and Changes in the Environment - Hydrogen and Fuel Cells: Advances in Transportation and Power - page 53

Making reliable predictions of local or regional responses requires models
of great complexity, but most calculations imply wetter subtropical
monsoonal rain belts, longer growing seasons in high latitudes and wetter
springtimes in high and middle latitudes. This could result in greater crop
yields in some areas.
But, in other areas there could be drier midsummer conditions in
the midlatitudes, increased probability of extreme heat waves and an
increased probability of fires in drier/hotter regions. Increased sea levels
over the next century could also be expected, the estimates here vary from
several inches to several feet.
There are potential health consequences for humans and animals in
already warm climates with a reduced probability of extreme cold weather
in colder areas.
Possible actions could involve attempts to prevent atmospheric
changes through limiting emissions. Strict economists favor doing nothing
active now, assuming that resources will be used to maximize economic
conditions in the future and solutions will eventually develop. Strict
environmentalists favor a redistribution of resources to modify costs and
incomes.
Developing nonfossil energy sources and improving efficiency in
all energy sectors should be viewed as part of a high-priority strategic
investment. The mechanisms to accomplish this include research and
development on more cost effective solar photovoltaic cells and safer
modular nuclear plants and possible tax incentives to reduce fossil fuel
emissions. Greenhouse gas buildup is a global problem and is connected
to global economic development. It depends on population, resources,
environment and economics.
Developed countries are the major producers of CO 2 but global
strategies for preventing greenhouse gas buildup require international
cooperation between rich and poor nations. The increased burden of
debt is a major hurdle in the global development of the third world. It is
difficult for countries to invest in expensive energy-efficient equipment
when they can barely pay back the interest on loans from other countries.
A debt/nature swap has been proposed where underdeveloped countries
would provide tracts of forest to developed countries in exchange for
forgiving part of their debt. Another approach is to have the World Bank
place environmental conditions on its loans.
Population growth rates are another point of dissension between
developed and developing countries. Total emission is the per capita