Key takeaway / Summary of topic answer

Global warming is caused by the accumulation of greenhouse gases from human activities, including fossil fuel combustion, deforestation, agriculture, and industry. These factors lead to widespread impacts of global warming on health, the economy, society, and the environment, ranging from heatwaves and disasters to ecosystem damage. One Bangkok, as a model of urban sustainability, integrates green and smart city concepts to mitigate these challenges and prepare for future environmental shifts.

Table of Content

• What are the Causes of Global Warming?
• Impacts of Global Warming
  • 1. Impact on Health
  • 2. Economic and Social Impacts
  • 3. Impact on the Environment and Ecosystems

• One Bangkok: A Sustainable City Addressing Environmental Challenges
  • 1. Green Spaces and Sustainable Urban Design
  • 2. Clean Energy and Smart Technology
  • 3. Water Management and Waste Reduction
  • 4. Promoting Eco-Friendly Transportation

• Frequently Asked Questions about Global Warming
  • Q: How does global warming affect health?
  • Q: What are the environmental impacts of global warming?
  • Q: Why does global warming impact the economy and society?
  • Q: Besides CO2 reduction, how do green spaces in Bangkok help?

As time passes, events such as extreme heat, melting polar ice, and heavy rainfall leading to floods are no longer distant threats. They are clear signals of global warming affecting the environment, the economy, and daily life. Raising awareness about the causes of global warming and its consequences is vital for effective planning and adaptation.

What are the Causes of Global Warming?

Global warming is a phenomenon where the Earth's average temperature increases continuously due to the accumulation of heat-trapping gases in the atmosphere. The primary causes include:

• Burning Fossil Fuels: The leading cause of the problem of global warming. The combustion of oil, coal, and natural gas for electricity, transport, and industry releases vast amounts of carbon dioxide (CO2).
• Deforestation: Forests act as the Earth's lungs by absorbing CO2. Continuous deforestation reduces these carbon sinks, while burning wood releases stored carbon back into the atmosphere.
• Agriculture and Industry: Activities such as rice farming and livestock rearing, particularly cattle, release methane (CH4), a greenhouse gas dozens of times more potent than CO2. Additionally, industrial processes, especially chemical fertiliser production, release nitrous oxide (N2O), which has a high heat-trapping potential and contributes to ozone depletion, allowing more UV radiation to reach the surface.
• Human Lifestyle: The causes of global warming also extend to over-reliance on private vehicles, inefficient household electricity use, and excessive waste generation. Waste incineration further consumes energy and releases pollutants.

Together, these gases create the "Greenhouse Effect," leading to rising global temperatures and severe climate change, which forms the core of the problems of the global warming we face today.

Impacts of Global Warming

The consequences of a warming planet are not limited to temperature changes but have a widespread impact as follows:

1. Impact on Health

The climate shifts resulting from the problem of global warming directly threaten human health. It increases the risk of heat-related illnesses and fatalities, such as heatstroke. Furthermore, global warming exacerbates air pollution through increased wildfires and rising ozone levels, leading to respiratory issues for urban dwellers.

2. Economic and Social Impacts

The impacts of global warming cause widespread economic and social loss, particularly regarding food security, as droughts and floods devastate agricultural yields. Furthermore, natural disasters damage critical urban infrastructure including roads, buildings, and power systems, requiring massive budgets for restoration.

3. Impact on the Environment and Ecosystems

Rising global temperatures lead to more intense and prolonged heatwaves, triggering extreme weather patterns. Disasters such as storms, floods, and droughts cause irreversible damage to ecosystems, most notably through coral bleaching and the extinction of species unable to adapt to rapid changes.

One Bangkok: A Sustainable City Addressing Environmental Challenges

Combating global warming requires a combination of global policy and local action. One Bangkok serves as a prototype for smart and green city development in Bangkok, integrating environmental technology to address the problems of global warming through the following measures:

1. Green Spaces and Sustainable Urban Design

One Bangkok prioritises architectural designs that support the environment and quality of life, allocating significant open areas to serve as "urban lungs."

• Urban Lungs: Over 50 rai of green and open space is dedicated to absorbing CO2 and reducing urban temperatures.
• Global Standards: All buildings are designed to LEED Platinum standards, the highest accolade for energy efficiency and environmental impact reduction. This includes using recycled and locally sourced materials, alongside a Central Utility Plant to maximise resource value.

2. Clean Energy and Smart Technology

To minimise carbon emissions, One Bangkok invests in intelligent energy systems:

• District Cooling System: Far more efficient than conventional air conditioning, significantly reducing the project's total energy consumption.
• Energy Management System (EMS): Monitors and controls electricity and heat usage in real-time for peak efficiency.
• Smart Grid: An intelligent electrical network ready to manage energy loads and support future renewable energy integration.

3. Water Management and Waste Reduction

Comprehensive resource management is the heart of a sustainable city. One Bangkok has implemented systems designed to maximise the efficiency of resource circulation, reducing the unnecessary consumption of new resources and minimising the volume of waste impacting the environment.

• Water Recycling: Across all applicable systems, water that has been treated to meet standard criteria is reintroduced into the cycle. Examples include its use as cooling water in the air conditioning systems and as circulating water for green spaces to lower the temperatures surrounding buildings. It is also used for irrigation and other purposes to extract maximum value from every drop, significantly reducing the demand for freshwater resources.
• Waste Management Planning: This strategy focuses on the principles of reduction and recycling right from the source.

4. Promoting Eco-Friendly Transportation

As transport is a major contributor to global warming in urban areas, One Bangkok promotes alternatives to private car use:

• Comfortable Pedestrian Networks: Shaded walkways encourage walking, improving health and providing easy access to public transport.
• Public Transport Connectivity: Direct links to the MRT Lumphini station and EV Shuttle Services from BTS Phloen Chit help reduce the use of internal combustion engines, a significant source of urban heat and gas.

By adopting these strategies, One Bangkok stands as a leading green and smart city prototype, actively reducing the causes and impacts of global warming. Explore the innovations and green spaces of the smart and sustainable city One Bangkok today.

Reference:

Energy Management System: EMS. Retrieved on 8 December 2568 from https://thai-smartgrid.com/เกี่ยวกับสมาร์ทกริด/tech-basic-related-smartgrid/ems/

FAQ

Frequently Asked Questions about Global Warming

Q: How does global warming affect health?

A: It increases the risk of heat-related illnesses such as heatstroke and worsens air pollution, which impacts the respiratory system.

Q: What are the environmental impacts of global warming?

A: Rising temperatures cause heatwaves, storms, droughts, wildfires, coral bleaching, and the extinction of certain species.

Q: Why does global warming impact the economy and society?

A: Droughts and disasters destroy agricultural output and infrastructure, making daily life difficult and requiring massive recovery funds.

Q: Besides CO2 reduction, how do green spaces in Bangkok help?

A: They mitigate the "Urban Heat Island Effect" through plant transpiration, which can lower surrounding temperatures by several degrees, thereby indirectly reducing energy demand for air conditioning.