Question 1
Global warming has been a phenomenon that has dominated world news and concerns since the late 19th century. It has been discussed and strategized over in some of the top summits and seminars by prominent world leaders and scientists alike. But what is global warming? Global warming is widely defined as the rise in earth’s average atmospheric temperature gradually due to the increase in the amount of greenhouse gases (CFCs, carbon dioxide and other pollutants). These greenhouse gases absorb, redirect and discharge infrared radiation which eats up the earth. The validity of the existence of global warming is evident with the earth’s rapidly changing weather patterns, the increased temperature and the impacts these facets of global warming are having on the earth’s physical and chemical make-up. Given all these evidences, it is safe to say, the earth is heading for a global warming catastrophe, should all the causes and triggers be ignored. In this paper, I will seek to prove this statement through logical reasoning, backed by valid scientific data and information.
Question 2
Extreme Weather
Hurricanes and storms have also increased since the late 19th century with records being broken between 2002 and 2012 as shown in the figure below.
Furthermore, The Atlantic Hurricane Season of 2008 set the record for the most consecutive number of storms to hit the United States. However, it is important to consider that 100 years ago, scientist would have missed count on the number of storms as some did not hit land. The figures are on the assumption that the storms hit the mainland.
Deteriorating Health and Fatalities
These increases in heat have caused undesired and extreme weather conditions and events all over the world. In the United States, June 2011 to July 2012 have been the hottest months ever recorded in history. These high temperatures have been recorded to even cause deaths as shown in the figure below.
Water
With the changing climatic conditions, water, a vital element of human life and survival of the species is of concern. The changing climatic conditions have seen the availability of water reduce drastically in different parts of the world. Droughts have been prolonged since the onset of the 20th century. This is due to the high temperatures especially within the tropics. In 2011, the continent of Africa experienced one of the worst droughts ever. Prolonged famine caused food shortages for people resulting to destitute conditions in some of the countries and even deaths. The worst hit was the horn of Africa which had to rely on food aid to sustain the population.
Increased atmospheric temperature has increased the temperature in the North Pole, causing glaciers to melt and disintegrate, ice sheets in Greenland and West Antarctica have also been noted to rapidly melt. This has caused a rise in the water levels in the world’s oceans.
Question 3
In conclusion, should these emerging climatic catastrophes be neglected by developed and developing countries, the earth is heading for an impending global catastrophe.
Works Cited
Africa's Worst Drough Tied to Wests Pollution. (2013, June 7). Retrieved 28 2013jULY, from Live Science: http://www.livescience.com/37282-north-america-pollution-caused-africa-drought.html
National Geographic. (2013, June 20). Effects of Global Warming. Retrieved July 28, 2013, from National Geographic: http://environment.nationalgeographic.com/environment/global-warming/gw-effects/
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. (2008, November 26). Atlantic Hurricane Season Sets Records. Retrieved July 28, 2013, from NOAA: http://www.noaanews.noaa.gov/stories2008/20081126_hurricaneseason.html
