Understanding Global Warming from Vedic Perspective

In addition to the above mantras of the Atharvaveda, the Rigveda (1.1.1-2) also points out to the fact that geothermal energy is the source of creation on the earth. It was harnessed by the previous seers and new seers are also harnessing it. This fullfills the energy needs of the scholars on this planet.

अग्निमीळे पुरोहितं यज्ञस्य देवं ऋत्विजम्। होतारं रत्नधातमम्॥

agnimīḽe purohitaṁ yajñasya devaṁ ṛtvijam, hotāraṁ ratnadhātamam.

(ई॒ळे) Let me harness (अग्निम्) the geothermal energy of the earth (पुरोहितम्) that which is the forerunner of (यज्ञस्य) creation on the earth (Note: if a planet is devoid of her geothermal energy she would become a barren planet), (देवम्) that which is highly effulgent, (ऋत्विजम्)  that which create things according to their need and time, (होतारम्) that which provides several facilities worth living on the earth and that which (रत्नधातमम्) possesses precious gems available on the earth.

अग्नि पूर्वेभिः ऋषिभिरीड्य नूतनैरूत। स देवां इह वक्षति॥

agni pūrvebhiḥ ṛṣibhirīḍya nūtanairūta, sa devāṁ iha vakṣati.

(अग्निः) Geothermal energy located in the centre of the earth (ईड्यः) is worthy to be harnessed by both (पूर्वेभिः) ancient (उत) and (नूतनैः) modern (ऋषिभिः) seers/visionary persons. (सः) He (आ वक्षति) sends (देवान्) geothermal radiation (इह) here (on the surface of the earth).

From the aforementioned, it is very clear, according to the Vedas geothermal energy alongwith solar insolation is the cause of GW. In other words we can say that the GW is the result of the permutations and combinations of geothermal energy and solar energy on the earth in addition to other factors. 

Sources of Geothermal Energy

The Sea spreading centre, hotwater springs and volcanic activities on the lithosphere and hydrosphere of the earth contribute to the geothermal energy of the earth.

Volcanic activities on the hydrosphere of the earth: The most productive volcanic systems on Earth are hidden under water at an average depth of 8000 feet. Beneath the oceans a global system of mid-ocean ridges produces an estimated 75% of the annual output of magma. An estimated 3 cubic kilometers of  lava is erupted. The magma and lava create the edges of new oceanic plates and supply heat and chemicals to some of the Earth’s most unusual and rare ecosystems.

 If an estimate of 4,000 volcanoes per million square kilometers on the floor of the Pacific Ocean is extrapolated for all the oceans then there are more than a million submarine (underwater) volcanoes. According to Geologists, as many as 75,000 of these volcanoes rise over half a mile (1 kilometer) above the ocean floor. 

Volcanic activities on the lithosphere of the Earth: There are around 550 active volcanoes of the world along with about 40,000 hot water springs and global heat flux emanating from the entire crust of the earth is contributing in global warming. Geothermal energy is plentiful. Temperatures increase below the Earth’s surface at a rate of about 30 °C per km in the first 10 km (roughly 90 °F per mile in the first 6 miles) below the surface. This internal heat of the Earth is an immense store of energy. In the upper 10 km of rock beneath the continent of United States, it amounts to 3.3 × 1025 joules, or about 6,000 times the energy contained in the world’s oil reserves. The natural escape of the Earth’s heat through its surface averages only 0.06 watt per square metre (0.006 watt per square foot).

Source of the solar energy:

The sun is the only source of solar energy on our earth. The surface of the Earth receives solar energy at the rate of approximately 1,000 watts per square metre. The sun is perpendicular to the earth at sea level on a clear day. As per another estimate the Earth receives 174 petawatts (PW) of incoming solar radiation (insolation) at the upper atmosphere. Approximately 30% is reflected back to space while the rest 70% i.e. 122 petawatts is absorbed by clouds, oceans and land masses.

Discussion

Causes of increase in global warming: IPCCC’s Projected Climate Model 

Thus there is a basic flaw in the modern scientific view of the global warming as compared to the Vedic view. Modern scientists think that the sun is solely responsible for the GW. Whereas GW is contributed both by the heat of earth and sun.  

The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), found out in 2007, that global surface temperature of the earth increased by 0.74 ± 0.18 °C (1.33 ± 0.32 °F) during the 20th century. The temperature increases since the middle of the 20th century was attributed to increasing concentrations of green house gases. 80% of GW is attributed to CO2 and 20% to CFC emissions, etc., known as green house gases (GHG). Coal based power plants are indicated as the top contributor of GHGs, followed by the burning of fossil fuel in transport and deforestation.

The studies of IPCC also found that between 1970 to 2004, the emission of GHGs increased by 70%. So, a climate model was projected by IPCC based upon the increase in emission of of GHGs. Accordingly, if the current trend of emission of GHGs continue, the global surface temperature is likely to rise a further 1.1 to 6.4 °C (2.0 to 11.5 °F) during the 21st century. Meteorologists predicts world temperature will rise between 2 and 4 degree C by 2030, unless we cut the amount of GHGs we produce.  As per report of IPCC,  if warming reaches 2 degrees Celsius, more than 70 percent of Earth’s coastlines will see sea-level rise greater than 0.66 feet (0.2 meters), resulting in increased coastal flooding, beach erosion, salinization of water supplies and other impacts on humans and ecological systems. Had the above sensational statements been true, by 2020 the coastal cities of Bombay, Chennai and Calcultta would have inundated, but this did not happen and proved the IPCC postulations to be wrong. 

In fact, there is a basic flaw, as pointed above, in IPCC’s projected model of climate which counts the sun alone contributing to the global warming. Meteorologists commit further mistake when they indulge in GW predictions following IPCC projected model based upon this fundamental mistake. Had the modern scientists followed the Vedic model of climate holding the geothermal heat and insolation from sun equally responsible for GW, they would have been able to predict the global warming more precisely than before without creating panic by their sensational statements.              

The Vedic Climate Model 

In the Vedic climate model, both geothermal energy and solar energy are contributors to the phenomenon of global warming. So, when the global warming is calculated or predicted, alongwith the increase in the emission of GHGs, the increase in installations of solar panels, geothermal power plants and wind mills during the concerned period shall have to be taken also into consideration. As the solar panels would reduce the warming caused by solar insolations; geothermal power plants would reduce the GW caused by geothermal heat and and wind mills reduce warming caused by both the solar insolations and as geothermal heat, thus contribute to global cooling. 

The data shows that in 2018 wind power capacity grew 9.6% to 591 gigawatts (GW), ealier in 2015 its capacity was 432 GW. If this trend of the growth of wind capacity continues, it will be 792.1 GW by the end of 2020 and 4,042 GW by end of 2050. Similarly we are informed that that geothermal power generation capacity is increasing at an annual growth rate of around 4.7%. and solar power generation capacity is increasing at the annual growth rate of 40-50%. So, the increase in the solar, geothermal and wind mill power generation capacities are reducing the global warming in proportionate to their growth. 

IPCC’s predictions failed because its projected model of climate had no space for the global cooling contributed by growing wind mills, solar and geothermal power plants to harness the solar and geothermal energies. According to the Vedic model of climate, global warming can be estimated not only on the basis of increase in emission of GHGs, but also counting global cooling caused by the growing number of solar and geothermal power plants as well as wind mills on the various parts of the earth.  

Are GHGs the real cause of increase in global warming? 

Now we may use certain data available to us to verify IPCC’s hypothesis that green house gases are contributing to the global warming. 

To verify this, we have taken certain data of the Sea Surface Temperature, as the global warming induced global climate change (GCC) also leaves its signatures on Sea Surface Temperature (SST). Due to GW, SST also rises. Had the human activities i.e. use of GHG been the sole cause of GW, there would have been abnormalities in SST proportionate to the human activities in the respective oceanic regions. But this is not found exactly to be so. 

Here we would have a glimpse of the following picture of the warm water pool located in the West Pacific Ocean near Indonesia and Philippines group of Islands, we are surprised to see the contribution of geothermal energy in creation of this warm water pool. At same latitude the sea surface temperature varies like 24 (+50 C), 22 (+50 C), 20 (+50C), on account of variation in distance from the volcanoes of Indonesia and Philippines group of Islands.