Wale Aboyade's thesis - lumes

Akinwale Aboyade, LUMES Thesis, 2003/2004
2 Explanation of Central Concepts and literature review
This chapter contains an explanation of the central concepts used in this report. These concepts are
climate change, sustainable development, MSW management, LFG capture and utilization. A review of
applications of system dynamics on the climate change dimensions of MSW management is also given.
2.1 Climate Change background
Anthropogenic climate change is caused by the increase in the quantities of green house gases (GHGs)
in the atmosphere as a result of various human activities. GHGs the most important of which are -
carbon (IV) oxide (CO 2 ), methane (CH 4 ), dinitrogen-oxide (N 2 O), hydrofluorocarbons(HFC),
perfluorocarbons-(PFC) and sulphur-hexafluoride(SF) - are otherwise naturally occurring atmospheric
gases which performs the function of keeping the earth warm by trapping the sun’s heat. But their
increased concentration caused by human actions has been shown to intensify this natural effect
causing significant unnatural temperature changes in the earth’s temperature. Such temperature changes
have been discovered could lead to major disturbances to the ecosystem: sea level rise and the flooding
of low level plains, drought, and increased frequencies of floods, and other weather related natural
disasters are likely to occur in various parts of the world putting millions at risk (IPCC, 1996).
CO 2 is by far the most significant GHG as it is released from nearly all human activity that has
contributed to the economic growth witnessed in the past century, especially transport, industry and
agriculture. Methane, the next most
significant in terms of quantity is
mostly emitted from anaerobic
degradation of organic waste, the
burning of biomass and natural gas
leakage (Bingemer and Crutzen,
1987).
Historically developed countries
have been largely responsible for
the bulk of these emissions as the
activities that lead to it, industry
and transport – are found with the
highest intensities in these
countries (see figure 2.1).
Figure 2.1 CO2 emissions per capita 1973, 1990 and 2001 : Unander F.
(2003)
In a bid to better understand the climate change phenomena and its implications, the WMO 1 and
UNEP 2 in 1988 set up the Intergovernmental Panel for Climate Change (IPCC) composed of scientists
and academics, as well of official government representatives, with a mandate to study the
phenomenon and give appropriate advice on its implications to the participating governments (Weart,
2003). Their first report – the FAR (First Assessment Report) released in 1990 established that the
1 World Meteorological Organization
2 United Nations Environmental Program
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