Introduction
Global warming refers to the increase in the earth’s surface temperature because of greenhouse gases. Greenhouse gases such as carbon dioxide, which originate from burning or combustion of fossil fuels that trap heat which would rather escape from earth (Simon). Global warming an also refer to the projected and observed increase in the earth’s atmosphere and the oceans. From the definition, it follows that global warming resulted from enhancement of the greenhouse effect, primarily caused by pollution.
Global warming causes climatic change and it is a concern to policy makers. In 2007, the UN intergovernmental climate change panel forecasted that the earth’s surface temperature would increase from 3.2 to 7.2 °F (1.8-4.0 °C) by 2100 depending on various scenarios of the greenhouse gas emissions. The panel also examined that it is 90% certain that most of the global warming observed over the past 5 decades could be attributed to emission of greenhouse gases produced by human activities, mainly industrial processes and transportation. Many scientists today predict that such an increase in temperature would cause melting of polar ice and glacier consequently raising the levels of coastal waters leading to patterns or rainfall and drought and serious producing food production in certain areas of the earth. This article examines the causes and effects of global warming on different places of the earth.
What are the causes and effects of global warming?
Understanding the causes and effects of global warming is essential in this research. From research and findings, global warming is the cause of climatic change, and if not checked, it would lead to more adverse and unpredictable climatic conditions as observed today. Understanding the causes and effects of global warming forms the basis of my research.
Methodology
This research will focus on the causes and effects of global warming. I will use secondary sources of data for the research, mainly books, journals and internet sources. The research will be qualitative and the analysis will focus on research and findings already done. Key areas of the research will be,
- Causes of global warming
- Understanding greenhouse gases
- Evidence of the presence of global warming
- Effects of global warming
- Remedies to global warming
Causes of global warming
The purpose of this research is to ascertaining that human beings are the main cause global warming. The earth’s climate is influenced by the first six miles that comprises of the earth’s atmosphere. It is a very thin and delicate section where almost all of earth’s climatic actions are contained. This realization makes it more plausible to suggest or conclude that human beings can influence the climate (British Geolical Survey, 2013). This is possible by the amount of greenhouse gases we spew to the atmosphere (Sen, 27).
What are greenhouse gases?
Water vapor is the most significant greenhouse gas, not directly produced by human beings. However, a slight increase in carbon dioxide concentration in the atmosphere can cause as significant change in temperature. Carbon dioxide is the other source of greenhouse gases constituting about 26% of greenhouse gases. Other greenhouse gases are; ozone and methane. Greenhouse gases help control earth’s temperature by maintaining ecological balance. However, carbon dioxide tends to remain on the earth’s atmosphere longer than other greenhouse gases. More carbon dioxide to the atmosphere produced by human activities means that more heat is retained in the lower surface of the atmosphere, leading to an increase in earth’s temperature. Humans have significantly increased the levels of CO₂ in the atmosphere through activities such as burning fossil fuels, transportation, electricity generation, heating as well as though deforestation. Today, these activities result to worldwide emission of about 22 billion tons of CO₂ to the atmosphere each year. This enormous input of CO₂ to the atmosphere has caused a dramatic rise to CO₂ levels to the atmosphere.
Evidence of presence of global warming
The increases in the levels of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere have led to a dramatic rise in surface temperature over the past 50 years. (See the Graphs below)
These graphs give the evidence of increased in temperature as caused by global warming. According to media sources and books, there has been a consistent temperature increase in recent years. The graphs also predict that if not control, the effects of global warming will be even greater.
Effects of global warming
The following are some of the effects of global warming as experienced in the past few years.
Increased temperature
Average global temperature have risen by about 0.74° C between 1906and 2005. The increase is wide spread globally but greater at higher northern altitudes.
Rising seas
Global warming has caused inundation of low-lying cities, water marshlands and islands with seawater.
Unpredictable weather patterns and events
There has been an increase in droughts, hurricane and flooding
Melting of icecaps and glaciers
Significant melting of glaciers already observed (Juerg, 2014). There is also a significant loss of habitat near the poles, most affected being polar bears, which are slowly becoming endangered.
Remedies to global warming
Developed countries need to cut back their emissions of CO₂, given that they are the great emitters of CO₂ due to industrialization. They need to satisfy the Kyoto protocol. Use of alternative sources of energy such as wind, solar, geothermal and nuclear energy would also help reduce emissions caused by fossil fuels.
Works cited
Juerg. "Cause and effect for global warming." 14 January 2007 . Time for Change. 4 December 2014 http://timeforchange.org/cause-and-effect-for-global-warming
Sen, Sanjit. The Global Warming Reader: A Century of Writing About Climate Change. Sanjit Sen , 2014.
Simon, Seymour. Global Warming . London: HarperCollins, 2013
"What causes the man-made greenhouse effect?" February 2013. British Geological survey. 4 December 2014 http://www.bgs.ac.uk/discoveringGeology/climateChange/CCS/man- madeEffect.html.
