Details about global warming

Global warming is one of the most serious environmental issues, threatening the normalcy of the atmosphere, human livelihoods, and the protection of natural resources. Global warming is described as the incremental yet irreversible rise in the air and underwater temperatures, which leads to extreme weather conditions. The incident is a contentious issue. A segment of the community believes the incident is a hoax. However, scientists are gradually providing evidence to support the claim that the Earth’s surface temperature has continuously increased from 0.4 to 0.8°C over the last 100 years (Global Warming: News, Facts, Causes & Effects, n.d). Researchers have also identified some causation factors that comprise both anthropogenic and natural occurrences. Scientific projections indicate that the average temperature by 2100 could rise between 1.4 °C to 5.8°C the generations do not change the consumption patterns to embrace sustainability principles. In view of this, global warming is a silent yet austere happening resulting from a combination of human and natural causes.

How Global Warming occurs

The principal cause of global warming is the excessive emission of carbon dioxide and greenhouse gasses into the atmosphere. These substances or pollutants corrode the ozone layer exposing the earth’s surface ultraviolet rays. Furthermore, the elements form a ‘blanket layer’ over the Earth’s surface. These effects allow the entry of the sun’s rays into the Earth while prevents the exit of the reflected and refracted rays. In turn, this activity leads to heating that consequently raises the temperatures of the Earth because of the greenhouse effect.

Causes of Global Warming

As evinced, global warming results from imbalances cause by the greenhouse effect. Primary causes of these greenhouse gasses include both the natural and human causation factors. This means that human activities, as well as natural occurrences, progress the increase of the Earths temperatures. In most instances, people have the dilemma to ascertain the prominent cause of the global warming because of the interrelatedness of the ecosystem.

Natural causes

Archeologists argue that the first instance of natural global warming occurred about 56 million years ago when Pangaea split into continents leading to release of carbon into the oceans and the atmosphere. The methane and carbon dioxide substances that have been published during this time significantly from about 5 to 9°C (Global Warming: News, Facts, Causes & Effects, n.d). The other natural process is the Milankovitch cycles that refer to variations of distance between Earth’s orbit and the sun. The natural process of volcanoes eruption also leads to release of methane into the atmosphere. The resulting greenhouse gasses enhance the process of global warming. As seen, natural causes are minimal. However, the impact of climate change is continuously being felt across the universe. These issues exemplify that other causes are responsible for the deteriorating quality of the environment.

Anthropogenic cause of global warming

The activities of human beings expand the greenhouse effect that in turn warms the atmosphere and traps heat. These human activities range from the simple domestic consumption to industrial productions characterized by unsustainable resource utilization. The following are some of the greenhouse gasses resulting from human use of the unfriendly resources.

Chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs)

CFCs comprise synthetic compounds that emanate from industrial emissions or manufactured products such as detergents, pesticides or fossil products. The uncontrolled release of the substances through human use exposes the atmosphere to these gasses leading to rising temperatures.

Nitrous oxide

Most people depend on agriculture as a livelihood activity. In an attempt to increase farm yield, human beings add commercial fertilizers that have traces of nitrogen compounds. In addition, combustion of fossil fuels, industrial processes such as the production of nitric acid and burning biomass releases the oxides into the atmosphere.

Methane

Improper waste management, agriculture, domestic livestock and rice cultivation lead to the manufacture of methane into the air. Combustion of the petroleum products or fuel also leads to the production methane.

Carbon dioxide

Combustion of coal, fossil fuels in industries or motor vehicles also lead to the emission of the carbon dioxide into the atmosphere. All these human activities significantly enhance emission of the greenhouse gasses into the air.

Why Global Warming is a concern

Global warming affects the normalcy of human livelihoods, affect natural resource distribution and detriment development initiatives. First, global warming leads to extreme weather conditions that affect the quality of human and animal life. Sometimes, these extreme temperatures result in the extinction of important flora and fauna affecting the ecosystem balance, for instance, Adélie penguins. Besides, the extreme temperatures have forced some animals to shift habitats, for example, alpine plants, butterflies, and foxes that migrated to cooler regions after the temperature became unbearable (Global Warming Solutons, 2008.). An increase of the global temperature leads high evaporation rates that consequently enable high precipitation. Second, warm temperatures melt glaciers, increase ocean temperatures and increase sea level. In some instance, these occurrences because flooding that displace masses as well as the disappearance of the ice caps especially in West Antarctica, Arctic sea ice, and Greenland. The global sea levels also rise because of the global warming effects. Estimations indicate that the sea level has risen by about 8 inches over the past few years (Causes of Global Warming: The Human Impact, 2008). The upsurge is anticipated to ensue in the coming years meaning that the global warming is becoming a serious issue. Finally, human life is mostly affected by the change of climatic conditions. Challenges such as floods and dwindling farm productions are some of the concerns. In addition, desertification, invasive species, loss of arable land and spread of pests are also affecting the social sustainability of the world.

The role of global populace

Global warming affects the majority of the population especially persons from the humble background because they lack coping strategies. Therefore, it is necessary to outline holistic frameworks to address the menace. Principally, citizens should seek accountability of the government in the implementation of key treaties such as Kyoto protocol stipulations regarding controlled emissions. The state has the responsibility of promoting adherence to sustainability practices such as polluter pay, precautionary and promoting sustainable use of the resources (Colwell, Brehm, Cardelús, Gilman & Longino, 2008). These should entail promotion of alternative sources of energy. Up to this point, persons should acknowledge that management or mitigation of the global warming effects is a collective responsibility of the government, public sector, private sector and the citizens. Citizens and multinationals should embrace safe methods of production and consumption, for instance, promotion of the wind and solar power instead of fossil energy.

Conclusion

Global warming is a global challenge affecting the sustainability of the global fauna and flora. Mainly, it results from natural and human activities even though the latter is the major causation factor. The excessive use of fossil energy in industries and homes lead to the emission of the toxic greenhouse gasses that trap heat in the atmosphere. Thus, the state should enhance awareness of the dangers of global warming and provide incentives for the industries and citizens to adopt alternative consumption and energy sources.

References

Causes of Global Warming: The Human Impact.“Global Warming Facts. N.p., 2008. Web. Jan. 2017.

Colwell, R. K., Brehm, G., Cardelús, C. L., Gilman, A. C., & Longino, J. T. (2008). Global warming, elevational range shifts, and lowland biotic attrition in the wet tropics. science, 322(5899), 258-261.

Global Warming Solutions. Global Warming Solutions. N.p., 2008. Web. 23 Jan. 2017.

Global Warming: News, Facts, Causes & Effects. (n.d.). Retrieved from Live Science: http://www.livescience.com/topics/global-warming