Truth About Climate Change - Essay Example

Inconvenient truth Introduction In his prediction, Gore begins by describing the basics of how greenhouse effect works. He starts with a cartoon depicting rowdy global warming gases stopping Mr. Sunbeam from evading earth’s atmosphere. The accumulation of carbon IV oxide and other gases causes a coagulated atmosphere, hence it hinders the reflected long wave heat radiation from escaping to the atmosphere. These gases are produced from heavy machineries, factories and the general burning of fossil fuels. This causes an increase in the terrestrial temperature as a result of the reflected terrestrial heat failing to reach the far atmosphere, hence it is trapped to the earth’s surface due to failure of leaving the earth surface, which in turn increases its normal temperature, resulting in many issues that are discussed by Gore (Kooten, 23). The issues include: Increasing floods The emission of greenhouse gases loads the atmosphere with carbon dioxide and other heat-trapping productions raises universal temperatures and prompts heavier precipitation events. Carbon dioxide resulting from burning fossil fuels and devastated tropical forests collects in the atmosphere, holding heat that would else have escaped into space, this confined heat increases the planet’s usual temperature. Some of the additional heat vaporizes water from the ocean and soil into the atmosphere. Furthermore, developing plants transfer water vapor into the atmosphere. As usual, global temperatures increase, and the warmer atmosphere can also grasp more moisture. Thus, when squalls occur, there is more water suspension present in the atmosphere to drop as hail, snow or rain. Globally, water suspension over oceans has enlarged by about 4% since 1970 according to the 2007 U.N. International Panel on Climate Variation report, it’s most recent (Seymour, 78). It only takes a minor variation in the quantity of water suspension in the atmosphere to have a major outcome. That’s because storms can attract upon water vapor from regions 10 to 25 times bigger than the exact area where the rain or snow in fact fall. Basing on the U.S. Global Change Research Program’s (USGCRP) latest report, scientists have detected less rain falling in light drizzle events and greater rain falling in the fullest precipitation occasions across the United States. From 1958 to 2007, the total rainfall in the heaviest 1 percent of storms improved by 31%, on average, in the Midwest and 20% in the Southeast. After a heavy drizzle event, there is little water suspension in the atmosphere, and consequently, dry periods tend to be extended. In the lack of rain, additional heat intensifies drying and can add to longer and to a more extreme drought periods. USGCRP has anticipated that climate change is probable to increase the gap between light and heavy drizzle events. More strong precipitation can have terrible results for people staying in flood-prone areas, specifically farmers. The economic effect of flooding caused by substantial precipitation relies on outlines of human settlement in flood-prone areas as well as savings in events of mitigating flooding, such as building culverts, drains, ditches, and levees (Kooten, 28). Past exposures depict that flooding can lead to widespread and classy economic losses. Régimes need to keep informed of their tactics to avoid and mitigate floods to account for the means in which climate change is motivating more strong precipitation occasions. In line with NOAA, river flooding and flash flooding in the United States triggered an estimate amount of $2.7 billion in reimbursements yearly from 2000 to 2010. This is uniquely a degree of damage to possessions and crops. It does not include passing away or injuries of inhabitants. Increasing the number of hurricanes According to NASA, the vaporization of seawater promotes hurricanes. The capability of a hurricane relies on how swiftly water can vaporize from the ocean. Vaporization transfers heat from the ocean to the sky, which changes the transfer of heat into wind vigor. Thus, water vaporization eventually drives the winds in a hurricane. When the temperature of the water increases, the rate of vaporization rises, lashing sturdier winds. Climate change is warming up the oceans: Experts anticipate a 2-degree Celsius increase in ocean temperature in the next century which interprets into a very huge rise in the destructive capability of hurricanes, as stated by Emanuel. It is an enormous increase. In brief, the hotter the ocean, the quicker water can vaporize from it, provoking the establishment of great hurricanes. Heavy rainfall resulting from hurricanes is another probable result of the warming climate. As air warms, it holds additional water than cold air, moisture-laden air possibly can result to significant rain as a result of the hurricane, even in low-intensity tornadoes. Heavy rainfall advances the likelihood of hazardous flooding, as seen with Hurricane Irene in 2011. In 1998, flooding from Hurricane Mitch claimed more than 11,000 lives in Central America (Kooten, 38). Heat wave This is an extended time of extremely hot weather, which may be supplemented with a high moisture, particularly in oceanic climate nations. Heat waves are lengthier and more severe, with a temporary report from the Climate Council saying, the growing harshness is connected to climate change. Climate change result in a rise of the heat capability in the individual areas. The most affected areas are those in the tropics e.g. America, Australia, etc. due to direct heating of the sun. It has numerous of the effects which includes early child births. Drought The increasing temperatures cause increase in evaporation rate from the earth. If the rate of evaporation is not balancing the rate of precipitation reception, then there is a likelihood of drought. The latter has a great impact to the living things as it causes reduction of available natural resources. It causes hunger and thirst, death due to starving, causes geographical impacts as many people overcrowd at one productive area in the name of evading the outbreak (Seymour, 56). These happenings are in line with Gore prediction. In the movie, he discussed these effects resulting from climate change. The negative issues he raised in line with his prediction we see them happening, that is, the climatic change has caused a deviation from the normal niche hence the survival of the inhabitants of the affected areas is prone to other negative impacts like death. Ways of minimizing climatic change will start from the law of controlling the emission of greenhouse gases. This may include the introduction of other sources of energy to substitute coal, the chief producer of carbon dioxide, to the atmosphere. This is because the whole process of climate change starts from global warming as a result of greenhouse effect. Reducing greenhouse effect will subsequently reduce the global warming, hence normal conditions that is, the reflected terrestrial heat will completely disappear into the far atmosphere, and hence normal temperatures on the earth’s surface is upheld (Seymour, 38). Since plants take in carbon dioxide, planting of more trees will help in the absorption of excess carbon dioxide gas that could have otherwise evaded into the upper atmosphere forming a barrier to reflected terrestrial heat from escaping to the upper atmosphere. Conclusion Climate change being a global issue, it calls for the nations to come together so as they may come up with ways that can curb this epidemic. It may include set of laws and legislations. Since the emission of greenhouse gases is likely to be the main cause, such laws should bind member countries to use alternative fuel that should minimize the emission of these deadly gases. A country that fails to honor such a law should be fined and if possible stern actions should be taken over the same. All member countries will also be encouraged to do afforestation and deforestation so as to increase air circulation by eliminating excessive carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases from the environment that could otherwise escape to the upper atmosphere to cause global warming. Works Cited Kooten, G. Cornelis van. Climate Change, Climate Science and Economics: Prospects for an Alternative Energy Future. 2012: Springer, New York City. Simon, Seymour. Global Warming. New York City: HarperCollins, 2013. Read More