Introduction
In recent years due to the rising temperature of the globe we have seen an increase in the number of natural calamities affecting us. Tsunami in Japan and Indian Ocean, Katrina in Southern United States and Icelandic volcanic eruption are few of them. The average temperature of the earth is on the rise. We hear a lot of concerns voiced against the man induced causes like burning of fossil fuel for global warming. It is one of the topics that concern one and all in the world. Is it a fact or is it a myth? We will try to discuss and establish in the next few pages of this essay that earth is warming because of over burning of fossil fuel and it is not due to natural causes but due to anthropogenic causes.
Global Warming a fact or myth?
There are lots of debates over the topic of global warming all across the world. Most of the people especially the environmentalists believe that global warming is happening and the earth is getting hotter with every passing year whereas there are people who believe that earth is not at all getting warmer and even if it is, that is because of the natural causes. Global temperatures were recorded in most of countries of the world starting in the second half of the 19th century and whatever temperatures were recorded in last 100 years shows that the average surface temperature of the earth have gone up by 0.74±0.18 °C between the period 1906 to 2005. However, the temperature rise was much severe during the second half of the 20th century than the first half. (Trenberth et al, p. 244). Many scientists believe that it is an unnatural rise. Even if we look at the average temperature data of recent years vs. the temperatures of the first few decades of the 20th century we see much hotter years in 21st century than during the last century. In fact in last 120 years, among the 13 warmest years 11 of those fall between 2000 and 2011. National climatic data center for US shows the years 1998, 2003 and 2010 as recorded to be the three hottest years in the world history (UK Met Office, 2009). This definitely tells us one thing that the average temperature in the recent past has gone up than it was 100 years back.
Causes of Global warming
There are three different schools of thought on this issue. The first category, the biggest one of the lot, believes that in recent years because of the manmade causes the earth temperature has escalated rapidly and it is not a natural phenomenon. The second school of thought believes that the earth temperature has gone up but not because of the manmade causes, rather due to natural causes. A third school of thought suggests that the small temperature rise happens every now and then in the earth’s atmosphere and we do not have much evidence to say that it is a significant rise of temperature and something like this never occurred in the past.
The biggest group of all who believes that global warming is a manmade phenomenon argues that the major reason for global warming is an increase in greenhouse gases in the atmosphere. Greenhouse gases help the earth absorb and keep heat near the lower atmosphere of the earth surface. Water Vapor, CO2, Methane, CO, and Ozone are the main greenhouse gases found in the natural atmosphere. With the normal percentage of those gases in the air, the earth tries to maintain an average temperature of around 59°F. However, an increase in the percentage of greenhouse gases contributes to the retention of more heat in the atmosphere resulting in warming of the planet. Over the last two centuries, we have burnt a lot of fossil fuels (Coal, Oil) for running automobiles, industrial machines and power plants. Consequently, the percentage of greenhouse gases has gone up in the air; especially the percentage of CO2 has doubled and that of methane has almost tripled. Average temperature of the earth surface during this period has shot up by more than 2°F (Gavin Schmidt). It is evident now that the greenhouse gases in the environment have gone up in the atmosphere causing the earth to absorb and retain more heat and that is the main cause of global warming. However, there is a huge argument in social media about the validity of this theory. The data is consistent and the theory seems the most suited one to describe the current global warming trend.
Model Green Energy Country
Norway is one of the most energy rich countries in the world. Norway is rich in oil, natural gas, hydropower and other types of renewable energy. It has no compulsion of using non-fossil fuel energy as it is one of the largest exporters of oil in Europe. Norway has not taken the conventional route of using conventional energy sources. Norway has other problems of being located very close to Arctic. Any pollution from over usage of fossil fuels can directly impact the ice shelves of the pole causing huge environmental impact in terms of global warming and melting of ice. Norway exports most of its oil to other nations and uses renewable sources of energy for domestic consumption. More than 60% of its total energy sources are renewable and green energy sources like nuclear, hydro-electric and bio-mass (Norway Energy Policy, 2011). As per the statement of Norway energy council, in last few decades Norway never paid much attention on using clean energy, still in Europe Norway is leading in terms of its consumption of clean energy sources. However, now Norway is beefing up their green and clean energy plan and hopefully Norway will use clean energy for over 80% of its domestic demand in next 10 years.
Conclusion
Fossil Fuel demand is on the rise and will continue to rise for at least next 30 years. Although demand for renewable sources of energy is likely to grow faster than that of fossil fuels in the next few decades but still more than 70% of the total energy demand will be fulfilled from burning fossil fuels. As a result CO2 level will continue to increase in the environment and average temperature of the earth surface will continue to rise. Most of the countries are not aware of the gravity of this situation. More and more countries should follow the path of Norway by trying to use green sources of energy instead of fossil fuel. The faster we all act the better it is for the environment and Mother Nature.
Reference
- Trenberth et al., Ch. 3, Observations: Atmospheric Surface and Climate Change, Section 3.2.2.2: Urban Heat Islands and Land Use Effects, p. 244, in IPCC AR4 WG1 2007, Retrieved on 22nd May 2013 from http://www.ipcc.ch/publications_and_data/ar4/wg1/en/ch3s3-2-2-2.html
- Jansen et al., Ch. 6, Palaeoclimate, Section 6.6.1.1: What Do Reconstructions Based on Palaeoclimatic Proxies Show?, pp. 466–478, in IPCC AR4 WG1 2007. Retrieved on 22nd May 2013 from http://www.ipcc-wg1.unibe.ch/publications/wg1-ar4/ar4-wg1-chapter6.pdf
- Rosenzweig, C., et al., "Ch 1: Assessment of Observed Changes and Responses in Natural and Managed Systems", Sec 1.3.5.1 Changes in phenology , in IPCC AR4 WG2 2007, p. 99 Retrieved on 22nd May 2013 from http://www.ipcc.ch/publications_and_data/ar4/wg2/en/ch1.html
- Meehl, Gerald A.; et al. (18 March 2005). "How Much More Global Warming and Sea Level Rise" (PDF). Science 307 (5716): 1769–1772. Bibcode:2005Sci307.1769M. doi:10.1126/science.1106663. PMID 15774757. Retrieved on 22nd May,2013 from http://adsabs.harvard.edu/abs/2005Sci307.1769M
- Henry Walker, Barry Keim and Martina B. Arndt, Natural and Anthropogenic Factors Affecting Global and Regional Climate, Retrieved on 22nd May,2013 from
http://www.necci.sr.unh.edu/necci-report/NERAch3.pdf
- John W. Farley, The Scientific Case for Modern Anthropogenic Global Warming, Monthly Review , Retrieved on 22nd May 2013 from http://monthlyreview.org/2008/07/01/the-scientific-case-for-modern-anthropogenic-global-warming
- Science Proves Man-made Global Warming, November 18, 2012, Magicvalley.com, retrieved on 22nd may, 2013 from http://magicvalley.com/news/opinion/editorial/science-proves-man-made-global-warming/article_d881fd60-3146-11e2-8fc4-0019bb2963f4.html.
- Global temperature slowdown – not an end to climate change. UK Met Office. Retrieved 23 May 2013 from http://webarchive.nationalarchives.gov.uk/+/http:/www.metoffice.gov.uk/climatechange/policymakers/policy/slowdown.html
- Norwegian Energy Policy: Looking Northwards Speech delivered by Minister of Petroleum and Energy, Mr. Ola Borten Moe, at the University of Ottawa 2 November 2011, Retrieved on 23 May 2013 from http://www.regjeringen.no/en/dep/oed/whats-new/speeches-and-articles/the_minister/speeches-and-articles-by-the-minister-of-2/norwegian-energy-policy-looking-northwar.html?id=663026
