Since the late 1960s, but more prominently in the last twenty years we have all heard of the phrase 'global warming.' Generally most people by now have an idea that this has something to do with the planets temperature, but, that it's cause's and effects are often hard to identify and quantify.
Though many people believe that global warming is a hoax, something that scientists have invented, it is a fact that we have to accept. There is ample evidence to prove that global warming is a reality that mankind has to acknowledge and take steps to stop it. If global warming is not stopped, it will portend disaster for Earth.
Global warming is a natural occurrence, think of planet Earth as a very, very complex machine, it has many intricate systems which allow it to sustain life, and global warming is simply one of those systems, whereby 'greenhouse gases' as they have become known, trap solar heat in the Earth's atmosphere. Greenhouse gases can be natural, such as water vapour, but the levels of others such as carbon dioxide (CO2) are not always so natural. By trapping solar heat greenhouse gases affect the Earth's temperature and keep the planet from getting too cold (alternatively we might experience global cooling). In this respect it is a vital, natural event that makes our planet habitable, but the fear is that it is a process which has been affected by human behaviour which could have serious repercussions.
Perhaps the most important and controversial question is, to what extent has human activity increased or speeded up the process of global warming, and how? It has been argued that since the industrial age, the burning of naturally found fossil fuels such as coal and oil has increased the amount of carbon dioxide that has been released into the Earth's atmosphere, and that this has speeded up global warming. Further more as the world's population increases, so has our need for energy, meaning the problem increases year on year, especially, when considering the additional pollution from emerging countries such as China.
Public opinion seems to be mixed generally on this subject, varying from people who adamantly don't believe or care, to people who devote their life to creating awareness. Even governments' aren't entirely convinced, or are at least, slow to act. The previous American administration, under President George W Bush, toed an almost non-committal line based on G8 recommendations to halve carbon dioxide emissions by 2050, and seemed impartial when faced with the issue of the human impact on global warming. This may largely have been to do with national policy, but there is also a hint that it is based on personal belief as well as financial interests (The US had a preferred policy of burning home coal reserves as opposed to using cleaner gas energy). Factor into this that China refused to reduce it's own carbon footprint until America did so and sometimes the situation seems deadlocked (but please read further).
This is ironic considering that after losing the 2000 American Election, Mr Bush's opposition leader, former Vice President Al Gore presented in a film about the same issue, An Inconvenient Truth (David Guggenheim, 2006), details exactly how man's behaviour is having an effect on the environment. Reiterating that the burning of fossil fuels, air travel, car use and the depletion of green / forest land has increased the amount of carbon dioxide (and other man made greenhouse gases) that accumulates in the atmosphere.
If we do not take steps to stop global warming, it will have an adverse effect on all life forms, including humans. As temperatures on the Earth surface increase, the natural glaciers in the North and South Poles will begin to melt. These glaciers are a source of fresh water to several rivers. Once the glaciers melt, this fresh water will mix with the saline water of the oceans and there will be no drinking water available. Also, animals that live in the Polar Regions will be adversely affected as their habitat will be lost.
The issue is so important that in 1988 the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) was set up. The aim of the IPCC is to offer an objective source of information about the causes of climate change, its potential environmental and socio-economic consequences. It comprises of many scientists writing papers to outline those causes and effects that they believe are man-made or being sped up by human behaviour.
As the glaciers melt, tons of water will be emptied into oceans and seas causing the level of the seas to rise. This will end up submerging low lying regions along the coast. Several cities and towns will get flooded, and some countries like the Maldives and Bangladesh will be wiped out. Even large cities like New York will not be saved from the effect of rising sea level.
There is an enormous amount of knowledge on the internet dealing with what is global warming like new articles by Gill Rocha about What Causes Climate Change and What Causes Climate Change.
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