THE IMPACT OF FOSSIL FUELS ON 
DEMOCRACY

The excessive use of fossil fuels is one of the reasons of climate change, a phenomenon that is considered as a serious threat to the existence of many communities all over the world, and the main cause of this climate change phenomenon is the human activity.

North Africa will be devastated by the climate change, millions will die, and many more millions will be forced to migrate. Deserts will continue to expand; fishermen will lose their source of livelihood, and water will be scarcer that ever. It is also expected that the world will witness hotter summers, colder winters, and more intense storms because of climate change. Villages will be evacuated as a result of drought. The rising sea levels combined with the declining food production will destroy fertile lands. Even big cities will be affected by the scarcity of water, and radical changes will take place in the region during the upcoming twenty years.

It is argued that climate change is the rich war against the working class of small farmers and workers who truly take all the burden of climate change devastating consequences on behalf of the privileged.

The flourishing of renewable energy sources is considered a major threat to the giant fossil oil companies. And as a result, those companies are halting the investment in green energy in the midst of worries from catastrophic consequences of the growing use of fossil fuels.

Professor of Sustainable Energy Claudia Kemfert notes that the old companies are trying to influence the public opinion in Germany, and to push the public to accept the idea of “reducing the change of energy sources”  by claiming that “green energy will increase the energy prices”. Professor Kemfert comments on this claim by saying: “but this is not true, these are just myths designed to discredit the transition to green energy sources “.

It’s not only Claudia Kemfert who has doubts in the intention of oil companies, also energy experts in academia, environmental organizations, and politicians who support renewable energy in Germany agree with Professor Kemfert. And they are expressing their "extreme fear and apprehension" of the corporate attempts to influence the political circles to ensure political decisions that are supportive to their interests. Ulrich Kelber from the German Social Democratic Party stated that the companies want to "continue to run their old power generation models”.

Also, the transition to renewable energies has resulted in a significant reduction in the profits of coal and gas companies in other countries in Europe and the world. And the conflict is raging between those companies and the proponents of renewable energy, but the intensity of this conflict is greatest in Germany. The new entrants to the conflict are the automotive and locomotive manufacturers, as the “authorities have suspended coal and gas future plans for an indefinite period in Europe. Furthermore, investing in traditional energy techniques have been suspended as well" as Peter Frank from Prognoz consulting firm states.

Prepared by

Randa Mustafa Ali Abdalrahman

Environmental Science, Institute of Environmental Studies, University of Khartoum

SOIL CONSERVATION

This is a re-known practice in sustainable agriculture which involves the protection of soil from deterioration and other types of erosion so as to maintain soil fertility and productivity. It generally includes watershed management and water use. This practice couples preventing soil loss from erosion, reduced fertility caused by over usage, acidification, salinization and other forms of chemical soil contamination.It therefore calls for collective efforts of groups or individuals to improve the quality of the soil and minimize other negative events

Taking steps to preserve soil is an important part of following an environmentally responsible lifestyle.By reducing your environmental impact; consider counteracting Soil erosion which removes the topsoil that contains precious nutrients, organic matter, and micro-organisms essential to the viability of arable land.

While it may be easy to dismiss the importance of dirt, it's a fact that soil is vital to humankind. Over 99 percent of human foods come from the earth. Soil loss can have catastrophic consequences. A 2006 study in the Journal of the Environment (v.8 (1): pg. 119-137), Development and Sustainability, reported that the United States is losing soil 10 times faster than it can be replaced through natural processes

The loss of soil translates into serious economic losses. The 2006 study further estimated that soil erosion costs the United States over $37 billion each year in productivity losses. Unfortunately, most of the soil ends up in aquatic resources, bringing with it the pesticides and fertilizers used on agricultural lands.

The task in finding ways to conserve soil is generally addressed by both the Agriculture sector and household levels where several methods can be achieved through practices and measures you take on a farm and home levels. This is collectively termed as Agricultural Soil Conservationand community soil conservation respectively

Agriculture soil conservation involves practices like:

no till farming where crops are allowed to remain rather than being plowed under at the end of the season keeps the soils anchored in place rather than having bare ground exposed to wind and water for erosion.

Terracefarmingwhichuses the topography of the land to slow water flow through a series of terraces. This manipulation of the water flow prevents it from gathering speed and washing soil away from farmlands.

Contour farmingreplicates the effects of terrace farming, but on a smaller scale. Rather than planting crops in straight vertical rows, crops are planted following the contour of the landscape. Crops planted up and down hillsides create pathways for water to flow. Crops planted parallel to the land slow the flow of water that prevents soil erosion.

Whereas community soil conservation calls for:

Reduced impervious surfaceslike driveways and patios that allows precipitation to flow freely over them. Water flow gains momentum when moving over such surfaces and can then erode stream banks and lakeshores. A good compromise is to use paving stones rather than a concrete slab for your patio to allow the water to percolate down into the soil.

Planting a rain garden which is a shallow depression in your yard, that collects precipitation washing over impervious surfaces. It prevents soil erosion and gives you an opportunity to grow wetland plants.

Use of rain barrels that can be place underneath a downspout, to collect the water that runs off of your roof. The watercollected can be used for your lawn and garden. In this way, you can conserve water and soil.

Planting windbreaksthat prevent soil erosion by, slowing the force of the wind over open grounds. Planted trees or shrubs can act as your windbreak. In addition to preventing erosion, these plantings will also protect your home from wind damage.

Restoration of wetlands which are one of the most effective ways to prevent soil erosion. Wetlands act as natural sponges, absorbing rainwater and preventing it from carrying the soil away. They also provide a habitat for birds and other wildlife and help prevent water pollution.

Re-establishing forest cover which provides an extensive, tree-root network that offers a long-term solution to soil erosion. It can function both as a windbreak and a means to anchor soils in place.

Any of these ways to conserve soil will help protect this important natural resource and provide a solution for one of the most important environmental issues. Once you begin using soil conservation methods, you'll no longer look at soil as mere dirt.

Prepared by:

Ignatius Ahumuza

Executive director and co-founder Art Planet Academy Organization, founder at The Students’ Recycling Award, Co-Founder at The Uganda Micro Gardens Initiative