Climate Change Environmental Impacts

Introduction

In the contemporary world, the climate change has become a potential issue as it has led to unnecessary changes in the environment which in turn has led to create alterations and disasters in the biosphere (Seidl et al. 2017). However, at the present various strategies are being implemented by the government and organisation in copping the climate change by managing the causes leading to the change. In this respect, it is seen that ARUL has taken initiative to take actions in reducing impact of climate change by controlling the factors leading towards the change. Thus, in this report, the best action to be taken by ARUL in managing climate change through the use of limited funds available is to be discussed.

Identifying the nature of issue

The nature of issue to be addressed in the report for ARUL is climate change. The climate change is alteration in the regional and global patterns of climate characterised by unusual patterns of precipitation, wind, temperature and others that are mainly caused by human activities (Cavicchioli et al. 2019). In the UK, climate change has led to 30% increased occurrence of heatwave and nearly 3,400 people are mentioned be died in 2016-19 due to the cause of climate change in the country (theguardian.com, 2019). Thus, ARUL has focussed on reducing impact of climate change issue in the UK to some extent.

Possible solution for the issue

One of the possible solutions available to be implemented by ARUL for climate change reduction in the country is investing in supporting solar panel installation. As mentioned by Perera (2017), increased burning of fossil fuels to produce electricity leads to high emissions of greenhouse gases that cause climate change through global warming. This is evident as greenhouse gases are responsible in trapping heat radiation from the sun and their increased presence in the atmosphere causes increased amount of heat to be trapped in the atmosphere creating changes in the climatic condition. As argued by Creutzig et al. (2017), use of solar energy is producing electricity leads to lack of release of greenhouse gases and no negative impact on the environment. This is because solar energy is produced by harnessing energy from the sun which lowers reliance on using fossil fuels that are one of the key sources of greenhouse gases when burned to create energy for use. Thus, investing in installation of solar panels in supporting use of solar energy is one of the effective solutions for ARUL to reduce climate change. The traditional use of energy resources for electricity production requires increased amount of water to be used for coolant purpose leads to its wastage (ZEN Energy, 2018). Thus, the investment in solar energy is effective strategy to resolve resource wastage and manage climate change.

The burning of fossil fuels such as petroleum and diesel by buses, cars and others for transportation leads to increased climate change out of increased release of greenhouse gases (Perera, 2018). However, using alternative sources such as electricity to operate vehicles for transportation is effective approach in controlling and reducing climate change. As commented by Wadsack et al. (2018), electric energy is clean source of energy and is cheap in nature. This is evident as production of electric energy through batteries in vehicles is pollution-free and is virtually inexhaustible and naturally replenished. The use of e-bikes is seen to save money in long run by reducing expenditure in use of petrol and gasoline (Newson and Sloman, 2019). Moreover, e-bikes run on affordable batteries that are able to last for 18-50 miles with single charge (ukelectricbike.co.uk, 2018). The e-bikes are fast and flexible along with improves fitness of individuals by allowing them to exercise (Newson and Sloman, 2019). Thus, investment in use of e-bikes is also another potential solution for ARUL to reduce climate change along with participate in improving health of individuals. As argued by Mellino et al. (2017), use of e-bikes requires individuals to have some extent of fitness and experience towards balancing. However, this may not pose an issue towards considering investment for it as most individuals through experience would be able to use it contributing to significant positive climate change by reducing pollution.

In order to reduce climate change, the possible solution for ARUL is to invest in developing a paperless official environment. The paperless office environment creates advantage of climate change because they reduce deforestation of trees to gather wood in producing paper along with avoid use of various chemicals which contribute towards pollution leading to cause harmful impact on the climate (Dube and Nhamo, 2019). Moreover, it supports towards creating mobile workforce as use of cloud-based technology in digital communication allow any messages to be sent and revived in any part of the world under any circumstances (Obiora et al. 2017). Thus, investment in making paperless environment would be one of the effective solutions in reducing climate change. As argued by Leonard (2019), depending on digital storage of information by going paperless create issue of information lost through crash due to software or hardware issues. However, it may not be an issue for considering paperless office to be limited strategy for climate change as through effective technology upgradation and back up of the data could be stored in secured manner to avoid loss of information (Leonard, 2019).

Solution not recommended

In case of ARUL, from the above suggested solutions, the paperless office environment and investment in solar panel installation for solar energy use are not to be considered recommended option for reducing climate change. As asserted by Hu et al. (2016), installation of solar panel to support production of solar energy to be used for consumption is quite expensive. This is because solar panels are made of silicon which an expensive material and increased surface area of solar panels are required for making enough energy to be used for conventional purpose. It is evident as only 220watt electricity is able to be created out of per square meter of solar panels (theswitch.co.uk, 2018). Since ARUL has limited funding, it would be beyond their financial limit and efficiency to support installation of solar panels for use of solar energy in making effective control of climate change.

The sun required being at zenith and effective amount of exposure of the sun is required for solar panels to create energy (Hu et al. 2016). However, the climate of the UK is found to cold and involves snowfall with less effective exposure of sun at most times of the year. The snowfall reduces life of the solar panel and lack of effective exposure to bright sun rays leads to cause solar panels in producing less amount of energy required for convention use as alternative source of electricity (greenmatch.co.uk, 2019). Thus, weather in the UK is not suitable for investing in use of solar panels as effective approach for ARUL within the limited finances in reducing climate change within the UK.

The disadvantage of paperless office environment is that few of the stakeholders involved with the organisation may not be efficient in using digital way of transaction and communication of information. This, in turn, makes the stakeholders feel lost in the process and avoid show interest in availing services from the organisation that leads to the loss of business (Leonard, 2019). As argued by Macaulay (2016), use of digital management of official information creates privacy issue due to fraud and hacking of the system. This leads to exposure of valuable and sensitive data of the organisation and its stakeholders in the public that poses harm towards them. The interruption in services due to power cut in digital management of official information in paperless environment leads to halt official operation (Leonard, 2019). Thus, ARUL by investment in develop paperless environment may not achieve support from others to execute the plan out of the disadvantages related with it. Thus, the strategy cannot be recommended for implementation in reducing climate change by ARUL.

Solution to be implemented

The best solution out of recommended actions that is required to be implemented by ARUL in reducing climate change is supporting use of e-bikes as transportation in the UK. This is because e-bikes apart from being energy efficient and use renewable energy source, are affordable and requires less investment in their management to be used as vehicle for transportation (Moser et al. 2018). Since ARUL has limited funds to be invested, they would able to use the finances in effective manner to support considerable use of e-bikes as vehicle for transportation by population. As of 2017, in the UK, the transportation field released 124.6 MtCO2 of greenhouse gases compared to the energy supply sector that contributed release of 106 MtCO2 (assets.publishing.service.gov.uk, 2018). This indicates transportation sector contributes to increased climate change compared to energy sector and thus effective strategies are to be taken for the transportation sector so that reduction in greenhouse gases for lowering climate change can be ensured. Therefore, supporting e-bikes as alternative vehicles which are climate-friendly to be used through investment by ARUL is needed as it would be enhanced steps towards controlling climate change in effective manner. In England, the Cycle to Work scheme allows any employer to provide e-bikes to their staffs as tax-free to the company which leads to nearly provide e-bikes at half the cost (ukelectricbike.co.uk, 2018). The ARUL by use of this scheme would be effective to provide e-bikes under lower expenses to their employees and promote its use among the population. Therefore, ARUL’s investment of their limited finances in supporting e-bike use would be effective strategy in lowering climate change under fewer expenses.

Conclusion

The above discussion informs that use of e-bikes, supporting solar energy use and paperless office environment are solution that can be used by ARUL in reducing climate change. However, among them, use of e-bikes is potential idea for investment to make reduction of climate change by ARUL as they are energy efficient and cheap. Moreover, transportation sector is the key contributor to climate change and thus supporting e-bike implementation by ARUL would be effective approach in climate change control.

References

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