Background
Global warming is rise in the average temperatures over the earth’s atmosphere. The sun or solar radiation is the principal source of energy for the earth. Shepardson (23) explains that when solar radiation hits the earth surface some energy is absorbed by the earth while some is reflected back to space. The earth is covered by a natural layer of atmospheric gases which absorb a certain portion of the reflected solar radiation and eventually release it back into space and most of the energy back to the earth. This causes the warming up of the earth’s surface and creates phenomena commonly called “greenhouse effect” (Weber, 12). It is this “greenhouse effect” phenomena coupled with the depletion of the ozone layer and the increase in the carbon content in the atmosphere that causes the rise in temperature over the surface of the earth and the oceans. Scientists place the average increment in the earth’s overall temperature at 0.8oC (1.4oF) (Ranjan, 14).
The worrying bit of global warming is that more than two thirds of this increment has occurred since the 1980. The increment can be attributed to increased release of greenhouse gases (carbon dioxide, methane and water vapour) by human activities such as deforestation, and the burning of fossil fuels (Kaiser, 6). Global warming is responsible for the frequent storms and floods, droughts, crop failures and the rise in sea levels.
This study was borne out of a review of international studies from early 1990s to 2005 on what people perceived to be the causes of global warming. The review yielded varied perceptions to global warming in most places. Sven Arrenhius first suggested that climate change resulted from industrial emissions more than a century ago at Uppsala ((Weart, 24). Since then perceptions of changes in climate and most notably increment in temperatures (global warming) have been numerous but closely related. A study by Kempton (1991) showed that the American public had a general awareness of global warming that was based on broad generalizations on environmental problems such as local air pollution, depletion of the ozone layer, loss of biodiversity. When these perceptions are applied to climate change, they lead to a better understanding of the mechanisms and the possible consequences of climate change. This view is however discrepant when it comes to the scientific understanding of the global warming phenomenon.
Independent and dependent variables
This research into the perceptions of global warming is more of exploration and induction rather than explanations and deductions. The study is anchored on considering global warming as the cause and climate change as the effect. In this case, global warming or recorded increases in temperature in various parts of the world become an independent variable while the effects and the associated perceptions that people have become the dependent variables of the study. The nature of the study yielded four closely related basic themes: basic conceptions about climate change and global warming, causes of global warming and climate change, environmental impacts of global warming and climate change and the resolutions to reverse global warming (Kempton, 26).
Investigation to control or limit the effect of other variables
In order to obtain data that was exhaustive and adequately addressed the different perceptions people have, the data for the research topic shall be collected over a period of six weeks while working at a special institution exhibit on global warming. The focus shall be to document the meanings people attach to observable changes in climate such as drought, floods among others. A field journal shall be used to record questions, narrative accounts and comments of visitors to the exhibit. In some instances the researcher will resort to probing in order to engage people in a discussion on global warming.
The study shall be based on exhibits. In this regard, the researcher shall use photographs, hands-on demonstrations and displays intended to give the public a sense of the basic science principles behind current climate change concerns.
Sampling strategy
The study shall target a sample of 200 respondents that is representative of demographic variables such as age, gender and nationalities. In this regard, the sample shall include 100 males and 100 females. Since it is an exhibit in which many people are likely to attend, the study shall draw from school going children (between the ages of 10-15 years) attending the exhibition, youths from colleges and adults. The opinions of experts in climate change shall also be sought to avoid biasness.
Qualitative traditions and can be very fruitful in the exploration of how people perceive an issue. It helps identify the kind of language people use and the conceptual framework they employ in reference to complex scientific phenomenon. As such qualitative analysis of different perceptions can help uncover more on a given research topic that surveys. Moreover, they can lead to development of new hypotheses testable using survey data.
Results
The following is the tabulation of results from the study on perceptions to global warming:
Data Analysis and Discussion
Many people (87.5 %) of the respondents associated global warming to stratospheric ozone depletion. People perceive the ozone layer to be responsible for global warming. These people are under the impression that the ozone layer actually keeps the heat out of the earth’s atmosphere. They consider some “notorious” holes in the ozone layer to be responsible for global warming.
There were three common perceptions to global warming. People perceive global warming to result from depletion of the ozone layer; others interpret the effects of global warming as a “doomsday” type of phenomenon while others argue that natural phenomena such as volcanoes have a more profound effect on climate as compared to human activities. The study prompted several issues all surrounding global warming and the associated climate changes. The responses from both genders reflected a fairly scientific understanding of the causes of global warming and the resultant climatic changes. While 20 % of both men and women confused between the rays responsible for global warming, the vast majority in all the other criteria evaluated such as the causes to global warming impacts and solutions to global warming were scientifically viable.
Conclusion
Global warming is a phenomenon that is increasingly causing the change in climate in many places around the world. The phenomena results from the generation of greenhouse gases such as carbon dioxide and methane due to human activities such as deforestation. Some of the perceptions that people have towards global warming include the depletion of the ozone layer by green house gases and hence the penetration of harmful solar rays to the earth. Averages of 87.5% of the respondents were of this perception. A further 4% opine that global warming effects occur catastrophically and suddenly “doomsday effect” while 5% are of the perception that natural occurrences such as volcanic activities cause global warming. Only 3.5% of the respondents were unsure of what causes global warming. In an effort to reduce global warming there is need for public education on these phenomenon and others, in order to increase understanding and promote sustainable practices on environmental sustenance.
Works cited
Kaiser, Klaus L. E. Convenient Myths: The Green Revolution Perceptions, Politics, and Facts. Bloomington, Ind: AuthorHouse, 2010. Print.
Kempton, Willett Lay perspectives on global climate change. In Edward L. Vine, Drury Crawley and Paul Centolella (eds.), Energy Efficiency and the Environment: Forging the Link, 29-69. Washington, D.C.: American Council for an Energy Efficient Economy. 1991. Print
Ranjan, Ram. "The Future of Global Warming: Will it be Emissions Control Or Environmental Damages?" Mitigation and Adaptation Strategies for Global Change 13.4 (2008): 401-18. ABI/INFORM Complete. Web. 11 Feb. 2013.
Shepardson, Daniel P., et al. "Students' Conceptions about the Greenhouse Effect, Global Warming, and Climate Change." Climatic Change 104.3-4 (2011): 481-507. ABI/INFORM Complete. Web. 11 Feb. 2013.
Weart, Spencer. Out of the nuclear fire into the global frying pan: Changing images of science and catastrophe, paper presented at the American Association for the Advancement of Science. Chicago, Illinois. 1992. Print
Weber, Elke U. "Experience-Based and Description-Based Perceptions of Long-Term Risk: Why Global Warming does Not Scare Us (Yet)." Climatic Change 77.1-2 (2006): 103-20. ABI/INFORM Complete. Web. 11 Feb. 2013.
