Global warming

So this essay is like, some of my views on global warming...

Global Warming

The definition of global warming is the gradual rise of the earth’s surface temperature thought to be caused by the greenhouse effect and responsible for changes in global climate patterns. Carbon dioxide, the gas mainly responsible for global warming, and other heat-trapping greenhouse gases—emitted when oil, gas and coal are burned—are causing the rise of the earth’s air surface temperature.

Over the next century, global warming could happen twice as quickly as previously forecast. Global average temperatures could actually rise between 1.4C and 5.8C by the end of the century. The sea level has risen approximately 6-8 inches, approximately 1-2 inches of the rise caused by melting mountain glaciers and another 1-4 inches has resulted from the expansion of the ocean water as a result of the warmer ocean temperatures. They are expected to rise even more, by 0.09 metres to 0.88 metres between 1900 and 2011.

Previous forecasts in 1995 were that the greatest likely temperature rise over the next century was 3C. This has been revised upwards due to the removal of sulphate aerosols which had helped reduce global warming by blocking sunlight. Also, the atmospheric concentration of greenhouse gases has risen by 31% in the last 250 years.

The more likely temperature rise is expressed as a range because of uncertainties surrounding man’s ability to cut down on the use of fossil fuels which produce carbon dioxide. It is hoped that people would steadily reduce their reliance on these fossil fuels such as coal, wood and oil.

Much of the rise in global temperatures can be attributed to human influences. Scientists have concluded that the observed warming of the past hundred years was unusual and is unlikely to be of natural origin. However, it is also acknowledged that there are still gaps in information and a deeper understanding of climate change is required.

Global warming is receiving much more attention than it ever has than in the past, as scientist have confirmed that is has many dangerous, far-reaching consequences. The previous decade, the 1990s, have been discovered to be the warmest decade globally, with 1998 being the warmest year ever sine global records have been kept since 1861. Temperature rises then were the greatest in a millennium. Such research has been able to be undertaken by studying ice cones, tree rings and historical records in the northern hemisphere. It has been found that before the Industrial Revolution which had brought in the many fossil fuels, the world had never had a great problem with global warming, proving once and for all that the current worsening global warming situation was caused by the work of man.

The implications of global warming are great. With it, clouds and rain will increase. More intense rainstorms will occur over mid to high latitudes in the northern hemisphere. The oceans also absorb the increased carbon dioxide, which in water becomes a weak acid, carbonic acid. Its accumulation has a devastating effect on marine organisms, especially the delicate coral reefs which provide one of the greatest ecosystems in the world. Other effects could include frequent forest fires, flooding of coastal areas and even global freezing, happening when the salt currents around the Arctic shut down due to the increase in freshwater from melting glaciers.

Global warming could well be the last thing on anyone’s’ mind, but it is a true and serious problem in the world. Though it used to be an almost non-existent niggle, not to be considered, it has attracted the attention of even the G8, an extremely important organization that is highly regarded all over the world.

Due to global warming’s great implications globally, we must pay higher regard to it and we must start by trying to reduce our daily carbon emissions. An example would be to car pool, or even better, take the public transport or bicycle. Not only does this help save the earth by releasing less toxic exhaust gases, it can also give us the exercise that we need to keep ourselves healthy! We can also recycle more, by composting our waste, or use recycling bins. Another way would be to use fluorescent light bulbs or even better, reduce your reliance on your electrical appliances, which contribute to global warming by using oil. All these little ways in aiding the environment would help our world a lot in preventing global warming.