Imagine a world where the landlocked state of Idaho is now prime oceanfront property and almost all of the major cities in the world are covered by water, a place where the average temperature ten degrees higher, and instead of California, Canada and Siberia now have the prime agricultural climates and tropical diseases are worldwide (Kyoto 13). This isn’t a science fiction movie. It is the predicted worst-case scenario if we continue to pollute the environment with greenhouse gases. Global warming is a serious threat that could threaten the existence of our civilization.
Some suggest that this horrible scenario is impossible and that global warming is all hype and no substance. They blame the global warming frenzy on ulterior political motives, faulty scientific data and a misinformed media. Unfortunately for us, this point of view is wrong and global warming is a serious threat.
Those who argue that it is all political hype say that politicians are making a big deal out of this issue in order to advance their political position. The author of one article dedicated to this viewpoint says, “The VP has been revving up his political engine on high octane global warming hype recently. This is probably the prelude to his expect bid for the White House in the next presidential election. He claims that the signatures of 2,500 scientists from the IPCC and record high temperatures this summer should seal the debate forever.” He and others who agree argue that these actions by the Vice President are based solely on his political agenda and faulty scientific data. They claim that the data Al Gore is using to base his decisions shows an increase in global temperature but isn’t credible because most of the temperatures were taken in urban areas where they can be skewed by the heat conducting properties of concrete and asphalt that are common in urban areas().
This argument does have a point, but there is one inconsistency. Why is Antarctica, a place with no manmade objects, experiencing the warmest years in all of history? There is no denying this fact. Climate records of Antarctica show that in the last half-century temperatures have risen almost 3 degrees Celsius and the ice shelves are disappearing at an alarming rate. “Between 1966 and 1989 most of the Wordie Ice Shelf, 502 square miles, disappeared. And over the past 18 months, two of the peninsula’s largest ice shelves have lost nearly 1,100 square miles of their total area, a sheet of ice about the size of Rhode Island,” says Mary Roach, author of “Antarctica’s Hot Spot”. Nobody can dispute the rising sea levels either, which is an effect of the melting ice.
Another position that many people argue is that the media, who have no hard, cold facts to go by, have blown up the issue of global warming in order to create controversy that will sell more papers and attract more viewers. Unfortunately, the media didn’t just cook this scheme up to make more money, they based it on undeniable scientific evidence. The fact that the amount of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere has risen drastically is a phenomenon that isn’t possible to dispute. Before the industrial revolution, amount of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere was 270 parts per million. Today it is almost 360 parts per million due to our emissions from burning fossil fuels. “There is no known geologic precedent for large increases of atmospheric CO2 without simultaneous changes in other components of the carbon cycle and climate system,” states ;dj;lad. This means that throughout the earth’s geological history, there has never been a case where the CO2 level has risen and the climate hasn’t changed. Scientific evidence from core samples proves this. Unfortunately, today, the rise in CO2 hasn’t been natural as in the past, but has been imposed by us humans. The consequences of this unnatural balance could be devastating.
Global warming occurs because we are spewing emission gases into the atmosphere from burning fossil fuels. These gases, with carbon dioxide being the main culprit, prevent solar heat from escaping the earth’s atmosphere, resulting in a rise in temperature, or the greenhouse effect. Already scientists around the world are detecting the numerous and dangerous effects of global warming. (Johnson 18).
These effects include rising sea levels, killer heat waves, outbreaks of tropical diseases, altered weather patterns, increased numbers of floods and hurricanes, and affected agricultural harvests (Calvin 49).
The most widely accepted effect from global warming is rising sea levels , which could dramatically transform our planet. Polar sea ice and alpine glaciers have been steadily receding over the last two decades (Wheeler 96). If the huge polar ice caps disgorge their enormous volume of fresh water into the sea, the abrupt rise in the sea level will cover coastal and low-lying lands around the globe. Fifty percent of the world’s major cites are located on the coast, as well as many natural treasures such as the Florida Everglades and the Hawaiian Islands (“What We’ve Learned”). All of these coastal areas would be submerged. The sea has already risen four inches since the turn of the century and it is expected to rise much more abruptly. Earth could possibly become a water world (Kyoto 14).
The effect on the world’s climate from increasing temperatures could be just as devastating. Floods, droughts, heat waves and plagues are all on the rise. The eleven warmest years in history have occurred since 1980. Increasing temperatures will cause much more precipitation in certain parts of the world, leading to many deadly floods (Johnson 22). Conversely, other parts of the globe will see a reduction in rainfall and deserts will relentlessly overtake thousands of square miles of habitable land (Sclener 97). Northern areas such as Europe, Russia, Canada, and the northern United States could have milder winters. This at first glance may seem like a good thing. However the changing climates can allow tropical diseases to move into higher latitudes and affect people and animals that have no immunity to the new viruses. Already deadly rodent viruses are showing up in areas of Africa and the American Southwest that were previously unknown to affect humans (Sclener 23).
As if these changes in sea level and climate are not scary enough, the changes to agriculture around the world could be the most threatening of all. Many third world countries depend on agriculture for their entire export economy as well as the primary source of food for their citizens. Entire countries could lose their agriculture base because of altered climate patterns (Johnson 55). At our current rate of pollution, all of these disasters are expected to take place in as little as fifty years (Calvin 55).
The phenomenon of global warming is an extremely serious matter. Not just hype as many claim. The scientific evidence of increased greenhouse gases, melting ice sheets and rise in sea level are undeniable facts. If we don’t do something to prevent this from increasing, our entire civilization is at risk.
We can stop continued global warming by enticing industries to switch to more energy efficient fuels like natural gas. We can reduce our dependence on fossil fuels by driving more fuel efficient cars, installing solar cells on our roofs, and relying more on wind, solar, hydroelectric, and nuclear power for our electricity. The governments of the world need to look past the perceived economic drawbacks of reducing our use of fossil fuels and realize the enormous economic potential of emerging environmental technology that could prevent global warming (Sclener). Global warming is real and we need to stop it now before it is too late.
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Showing posts with label global warming essays. Show all posts
Showing posts with label global warming essays. Show all posts
Thursday, August 20, 2009
Wednesday, June 3, 2009
Global Warming
Imagine being responsible for something like this. A giant asteroid hit the earth about 65 million years ago. The scientist speculated that the collision threw so much dust in to atmosphere that the world was dark for three years. As a result, sunlight was greatly reduced, plants could not grow, temperatures fell, the food chain collapsed, and many species, including the dinosaurs became extinct. We, as human beings, are causing something just as profound, but in a subtle manner, as the asteroid that felled the dinosaurs. According to the National Academy of Sciences, the Earth's temperature has risen about 1 degree Fahrenheit in the past century and global warming has accelerated dramatically during the past two decades. We have changed and continue to change the balance of gases that form the atmosphere, which leads to these climate change and global warming.
Most of the warming over the last 50 years is attributed to human activities. Human activities have altered the chemical composition of the atmosphere through the buildup of greenhouse gases (explained in the illustration 1) that primarily consists of carbon dioxide, methane, and nitrous oxide. Since the beginning of the industrial revolution, atmosphere concentration of carbon dioxide have increased nearly 30 percent, methane concentrations have doubled, and nitrous oxide concentrations have rose about 15 percent. The combustion of fossil fuels and other human activities are the primary reasons for increase in carbon dioxide. Carbon dioxide is released to the atmosphere when solid waste, fossil fuels, and wood products are burned. Methane, on the other hand, is emitted during the production of coal, natural gas, and oil. Methane emission also results from the decomposition of organic wastes and solid waste landfills, and raising livestock. Nitrous oxide is released during agricultural and industrial activities. Other greenhouse gases, such as hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs), perfluorocarbons (PFCs), and sulfur hexafluoride (SF6), are discharged by industrial processes. Due to these human activities, the consequences of climate change could be detrimental to the mankind and earth.
As a result of these human activities, rising global temperatures are expected to raise sea levels, expand deserts, change precipitation and also alter forests, crop yields, and water supply. According to a recent study reported in Science, Alaskan glaciers currently loose about 15 to 33 cubic miles of ice per year, which contributes about 1/100 of an inch annually to global sea levels. As an effect, Alaska has warmed by about 5 degrees Fahrenheit since the 1960’s ( Arendt, 382). A research conducted in the Himalayas suggest that twenty glacial lakes in Nepal and twenty-four in Bhutan are filling up so rapidly from melting Himalayan glaciers that scientists believe they may overflow and burst their banks within the next five to ten years, putting lives and property at risk. The change in precipitation causes evaporation cycles to speed up and may leave soil drier during critical parts of the growing season. The droughts, especially in poorer countries, could reduce supplies of clean water to the point where there are major threats to the public health. A warming of more than 2.5 degrees Celsius could reduce the global food supply and crop yields. The rising global temperatures could affect human health because the ozone layer blocks almost all UV radiation, which plays a significant role in the formation of skin cancers, eye cataracts, immune system deficiencies, and other health maladies. A one percent loss of stratospheric ozone equals two percent increase in skin cancers and one percent increase in eye cataracts worldwide. Cutting the emission of carbon dioxide not only decreases greenhouse effect, but also simultaneously reduces other harmful forms of air pollution, like those that can cause smog and worsen health problems like asthma. Therefore, developing programs and initiatives that reduces the greenhouse effect is a necessity that benefits everyone globally.
Climate change is a global issue that requires collaborative action from the entire international community. Countries from around the world are currently working together to share technologies, experiences and resources to lower greenhouse gas emissions and decrease the threat of global climate change. The United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) is an agreement through which countries are banding together to meet this challenge. Under the convention, each country that is a party in the convention that must develop a greenhouse gas “inventory” listing of its national sources (i.e. Factories and transport) and “sinks” (forest and other natural ecosystem that absorb greenhouse gases). These inventories must be made public so they can be monitored. The unfairness to the climate change problem is that the developed countries, such as America, have created their wealth in part by releasing large amounts of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere long before the consequences were understood. In 1997, United States alone was responsible for one-fifth of the total greenhouse gas emission. Now the developing countries fear being told to cut down their industrial activities for the sake of the climate. In response, the ‘wealthy’ countries agree to support climate change activities in developing countries by providing financial support to adopt new efficient and environmental friendly technology (i.e. Solar power), instead of burning environmentally harsh fossil fuels. By utilizing climate friendly technology as well as promoting sustainable development, the UNFCCC seeks to “stabilize the greenhouse gas concentration in the atmosphere at a level that would prevent interference with the climate system” ( IEM, 135).
Climate change is a global challenge that entails international solutions and international cooperation among countries. Along with the UNFCCC, Kyoto Protocol was adopted in 1997. The Kyoto Protocol is an international agreement that stands on its own, but is linked to the existing UNFCCC. It affects every major sector of the economy, and is considered to be the most far-reaching agreement on environment and sustainable development ever adopted. The Kyoto Protocol sets legally binding targets and timetables for cutting developed country emission. The Protocol commits the developed countries to reduce the collective emissions by at least five percent between the years of 2008-2012. It assigns a national target to each country through political negotiations and compromises and offers additional flexibility to the countries that are in transition to allow the developing countries to grow. The Kyoto Protocol serves to strengthen and build in the future. Thus, the Kyoto Protocol is a sign that the international community is willing to face reality and start taking concrete actions to minimize the risk of climate change.
Through research and education, various non-governmental organizations (NGO) are raising public awareness about the need to cut emissions. The World Wildlife Foundation (WWF) are pressing the policy makers to introduce effective measures and forming innovative partnerships with progressive businesses. Friends of the Earth (FoE) work collaboratively with other NGO’s to campaign against global warming. These organizations are expanding their role and influence around the world. NGO’s offer a great way for people to get involved and make a difference locally in their community or globally throughout the world. Even if one does not want to join an organization, one can still make a difference by the choices one makes in the electricity usage, the waste production, and personal transportation. Thus, the consequences of climate change are global; therefore, all must share the responsibilities in reducing it.
In conclusion, as our needs continue to grow and develop, international cooperation will become more important as the global community searches for ways to meet the climate change challenge efficiently and effectively. Thus, the key to successful cooperation is finding activities that will help all countries achieve their economic, environmental, and developmental goals in a climate-friendly manner.
You can order a high-quality custom essay, term paper, research paper, thesis, dissertation, speech, book report or book review from our professional custom writing service. We have employed more than 700 highly qualified Ph.D. and Master's academic writers to provide students with professional academic writing help. Feel free to contact our company right now!
Most of the warming over the last 50 years is attributed to human activities. Human activities have altered the chemical composition of the atmosphere through the buildup of greenhouse gases (explained in the illustration 1) that primarily consists of carbon dioxide, methane, and nitrous oxide. Since the beginning of the industrial revolution, atmosphere concentration of carbon dioxide have increased nearly 30 percent, methane concentrations have doubled, and nitrous oxide concentrations have rose about 15 percent. The combustion of fossil fuels and other human activities are the primary reasons for increase in carbon dioxide. Carbon dioxide is released to the atmosphere when solid waste, fossil fuels, and wood products are burned. Methane, on the other hand, is emitted during the production of coal, natural gas, and oil. Methane emission also results from the decomposition of organic wastes and solid waste landfills, and raising livestock. Nitrous oxide is released during agricultural and industrial activities. Other greenhouse gases, such as hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs), perfluorocarbons (PFCs), and sulfur hexafluoride (SF6), are discharged by industrial processes. Due to these human activities, the consequences of climate change could be detrimental to the mankind and earth.
As a result of these human activities, rising global temperatures are expected to raise sea levels, expand deserts, change precipitation and also alter forests, crop yields, and water supply. According to a recent study reported in Science, Alaskan glaciers currently loose about 15 to 33 cubic miles of ice per year, which contributes about 1/100 of an inch annually to global sea levels. As an effect, Alaska has warmed by about 5 degrees Fahrenheit since the 1960’s ( Arendt, 382). A research conducted in the Himalayas suggest that twenty glacial lakes in Nepal and twenty-four in Bhutan are filling up so rapidly from melting Himalayan glaciers that scientists believe they may overflow and burst their banks within the next five to ten years, putting lives and property at risk. The change in precipitation causes evaporation cycles to speed up and may leave soil drier during critical parts of the growing season. The droughts, especially in poorer countries, could reduce supplies of clean water to the point where there are major threats to the public health. A warming of more than 2.5 degrees Celsius could reduce the global food supply and crop yields. The rising global temperatures could affect human health because the ozone layer blocks almost all UV radiation, which plays a significant role in the formation of skin cancers, eye cataracts, immune system deficiencies, and other health maladies. A one percent loss of stratospheric ozone equals two percent increase in skin cancers and one percent increase in eye cataracts worldwide. Cutting the emission of carbon dioxide not only decreases greenhouse effect, but also simultaneously reduces other harmful forms of air pollution, like those that can cause smog and worsen health problems like asthma. Therefore, developing programs and initiatives that reduces the greenhouse effect is a necessity that benefits everyone globally.
Climate change is a global issue that requires collaborative action from the entire international community. Countries from around the world are currently working together to share technologies, experiences and resources to lower greenhouse gas emissions and decrease the threat of global climate change. The United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) is an agreement through which countries are banding together to meet this challenge. Under the convention, each country that is a party in the convention that must develop a greenhouse gas “inventory” listing of its national sources (i.e. Factories and transport) and “sinks” (forest and other natural ecosystem that absorb greenhouse gases). These inventories must be made public so they can be monitored. The unfairness to the climate change problem is that the developed countries, such as America, have created their wealth in part by releasing large amounts of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere long before the consequences were understood. In 1997, United States alone was responsible for one-fifth of the total greenhouse gas emission. Now the developing countries fear being told to cut down their industrial activities for the sake of the climate. In response, the ‘wealthy’ countries agree to support climate change activities in developing countries by providing financial support to adopt new efficient and environmental friendly technology (i.e. Solar power), instead of burning environmentally harsh fossil fuels. By utilizing climate friendly technology as well as promoting sustainable development, the UNFCCC seeks to “stabilize the greenhouse gas concentration in the atmosphere at a level that would prevent interference with the climate system” ( IEM, 135).
Climate change is a global challenge that entails international solutions and international cooperation among countries. Along with the UNFCCC, Kyoto Protocol was adopted in 1997. The Kyoto Protocol is an international agreement that stands on its own, but is linked to the existing UNFCCC. It affects every major sector of the economy, and is considered to be the most far-reaching agreement on environment and sustainable development ever adopted. The Kyoto Protocol sets legally binding targets and timetables for cutting developed country emission. The Protocol commits the developed countries to reduce the collective emissions by at least five percent between the years of 2008-2012. It assigns a national target to each country through political negotiations and compromises and offers additional flexibility to the countries that are in transition to allow the developing countries to grow. The Kyoto Protocol serves to strengthen and build in the future. Thus, the Kyoto Protocol is a sign that the international community is willing to face reality and start taking concrete actions to minimize the risk of climate change.
Through research and education, various non-governmental organizations (NGO) are raising public awareness about the need to cut emissions. The World Wildlife Foundation (WWF) are pressing the policy makers to introduce effective measures and forming innovative partnerships with progressive businesses. Friends of the Earth (FoE) work collaboratively with other NGO’s to campaign against global warming. These organizations are expanding their role and influence around the world. NGO’s offer a great way for people to get involved and make a difference locally in their community or globally throughout the world. Even if one does not want to join an organization, one can still make a difference by the choices one makes in the electricity usage, the waste production, and personal transportation. Thus, the consequences of climate change are global; therefore, all must share the responsibilities in reducing it.
In conclusion, as our needs continue to grow and develop, international cooperation will become more important as the global community searches for ways to meet the climate change challenge efficiently and effectively. Thus, the key to successful cooperation is finding activities that will help all countries achieve their economic, environmental, and developmental goals in a climate-friendly manner.
You can order a high-quality custom essay, term paper, research paper, thesis, dissertation, speech, book report or book review from our professional custom writing service. We have employed more than 700 highly qualified Ph.D. and Master's academic writers to provide students with professional academic writing help. Feel free to contact our company right now!
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