Global Warming Essay Samples

The term ‘global warming’ is one of the most important environmental issues of the world. The later decades of the twentieth century were unusually warm. The same trend is continuing in the twenty-first century with an increase in the frequency and intensity of extremes of weather and climate. Global warming has led to an increase in the average temperature of the earth due to the emission of the carbon dioxide and greenhouse gases into the earth’s atmosphere by the burning of the fossil fuels. Predictions of the future climate are uncertain, however, the current patterns of increasing temperatures are alarming. There must be a balance between the radiation from the sun that reaches the earth’s surface and the thermal radiation from the earth’s surface and the atmosphere that reaches out to the space.
Any disturbance in the balance causes an increase in the earth’s temperature resulting in global warming. The benefits and cost of global warming vary from one place to another place. A mild change in the climate causes negligible change in the balance of radiation. However, larger changes in climate cause several negative the consequences, which are a great concern. Global warming increases heat waves, causes erosion to the sea coasts, raises the sea level and causes untimely rainfall leading to floods and droughts. The temperature is increasing at the rate of 1oC every year. Due to a rapid increase in the temperatures, the natural vegetation, wild animals and crops fail to sustain and adapt to the changing climate. The ice is melting worldwide, especially at the poles, which is a dangerous phenomenon.
An increase in the precipitation and frequent occurrence of hurricanes and storms is raising concern globally. Global warming also causes changes in wind patterns and seasonal temperature variations. Global warming is a serious concern because it acidifies the oceans as they absorb certain levels of carbon dioxide. It impacts the human health in an adverse way. Chronic illnesses, such as asthma, skin burns, and dermatologic disorders are common as a result of global warming. Global warming also causes a serious threat to the agricultural yields. It declines water supplies and impacts the quality of air and water. Global warming affects the economy of the world as the nations need to invest huge amounts in saving the planet from the adverse effects of global warming.
The governments of the nations need to spend huge amounts on damages caused by global warming, which include agricultural losses, increasing health insurance premiums, rising costs of food and energy, disaster management and many others. Changes in the sea-surface temperature as a result of global warming damage the aquatic life. Evaporation of water from plants, animals and soil affects the intensity of droughts. Global warming results extreme rainfall patterns due to disturbed atmospheric temperatures. Global warming increases the level of greenhouse gases in the earth’s atmosphere, such as methane and carbon dioxide, which are capable of absorbing large amounts of radiation coming from the sun.