Inevitable of Global Climate Change - Essay Example

Global Climate Change is Inevitable Global climate change is inevitable Global warming is a rise in the temperature of the atmosphere, especially a sustained increase sufficient to cause significant changes in the global climate. From 1900, the earth’s average surface air temperature has risen by 0.8 °C (NAOS, 2013, 1). Much of the temperature increase has taken place from 1970s. Its effects are unprecedented in scale. For instance, global warming shifts weather patterns threatening food production in the process. It also raises sea levels increasing the risk of catastrophic flooding (Deschenes & Greenstone 2007). It is widely accepted that these climatic changes have occurred, but the actual causes are still debatable. Some people are of the opinion that climate change has occurred because of man’s activities that have interfered with nature. Others argue that the climate changes are natural cycles that occur after certain periods, and they have nothing to do with human activities. The essay will focus on both sides of the opposing viewpoints. It will examine why there is global warming and also its causes. The essay will also focus on the views against global warming. Because global temperature changes occurred mostly during the rapid industrial period, global warming is real, and its effects are tremendous. The presence of greenhouse gases causes global warming. A certain percentage of global warming occurs naturally because of greenhouse gases present in the atmosphere. Such naturally present greenhouse gases trap radiation within the atmosphere, causing a rise in temperature and changes in climatic patterns. The rise due to such natural causes is usually minimal and negligible. However, noticeable changes in global climatic patterns occur due to the heightened concentration of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere (Gulledge, 2012, 6). The increase in concentration of greenhouse gases is attributed to increased industrial activities since the start of 20th century. The increase in concentration implies that more radiation will be trapped in the atmosphere. Industrial activities, which lead to increased carbon emission into the atmosphere, have risen throughout the 20th and 21st centuries causing global warming. For instance, the highest warming has occurred during the last decade with global average temperature rising by 0.51o C relative to 1950s to 1980s (Huang, Wang, Luo, Zhao & Wen, 2012, 39). Model simulations of the greenhouse effect have also indicated that increased greenhouse gases cause global warming. When global average temperature variations are reproduced in model simulations, they provide convincing evidence that the warming, which occurred in the 20th century, was caused by human activities (Huang, Wang, Luo, Zhao & Wen, 2012, 40). Because of the increased concentration of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere, global warming is caused by human activities. Pollution contributes to climate change. Majority of industrial emissions are greenhouse gases that have numerous effects on the atmosphere. When pollutants enter the atmosphere, they react with sunlight and heat to form ozone smog. An increase in temperatures speeds the process and results in more smog (Nrdc.org). The smog traps more heat close to the surface of the earth. The temperature of the surface increases, causing an increase in precipitation. Water vapor is a greenhouse gas; it can prevent heat from escaping out of the atmosphere (Wong, n.d, 7). When the amount of water vapor in the atmosphere rises, it causes an increase in temperature. Some human activities such as deforestation and other land uses have caused global warming. Such activities have released carbon from the biosphere into the atmosphere. Normally, carbon dioxide is exchanged between plants and animals and the atmosphere through respiration, photosynthesis and decomposition (NAOS, 2013, 6). Carbon dioxide is also exchanged between the oceans and atmosphere through gas exchange. Some amounts of greenhouse gases are also emitted in volcanic eruptions. These natural exchanges balance the amount of carbon in the atmosphere and thus regulate global temperatures. However, human activities such as deforestation have disturbed the carbon cycle. The rate at which human activities add carbon to the atmosphere is faster than the natural processes that restore carbon balance. In 2012, the carbon dioxide level was about 40% higher than it was in the 19th century. Most of the increase has occurred since 1970, a time when global energy consumption soared (NAOS, 2013, 6). Because the rise in global temperatures has occurred mostly from 1980s, one can deduce that its cause is largely human activities. There are some natural causes such as volcanic activities, variations in the solar radiation, and internal fluctuations in earth’s climate system contribute to global warming. The total solar irradiance (TSI) reaching the earth varies on 11-year cycles. The 11-year solar cycle can influence temperatures, ozone concentrations, and winds in the stratosphere. These changes have a minimal effect on surface climate over the 11-year cycle (Huang, Wang, Luo, Zhao & Wen, 2012, 42-43). For instance, scientific observations of solar variations indicate they can induce a temperature change of 0.1o C, which is sufficiently low to have any noticeable effect on climate change (Huang, Wang, Luo, Zhao & Wen, 2012, 42-43). However, there is no evidence that indicates that the variations have had pronounced long-term climatic changes over the past century. Thus, TSI variations may not adequately explain the current climatic changes that have occurred towards the end of 20th century. Volcanic eruptions also emit greenhouse gases such as carbon dioxide into the atmosphere. However, measurements of the levels of different isotopes of atmospheric carbon indicate that most of it comes from human activities. Scientific climate models have also been used to simulate global temperatures if only natural factors were influencing the system. There was little temperature rise due to the natural causes alone (NAOS, 2013, 5). Thus, it can be deduced that natural causes alone do not have significant impacts on the global climate system. Global warming is not a reality; it is not caused by human activities. The notion that the earth is warming due to increased human activities is not valid. As a matter of fact, the earth has experienced climatic changes in the past. The climatic changes have occurred on all time scales, including long before any human activity could have played significant roles. For instance, the Ice Age that occurred thousands of years ago virtually had no human involvement. Most scientists attribute the ice age to natural forces such as solar activity. The world’s climate always moves in cycles meaning that it gets cool or warm at different times depending on the cynical changes (Botkin, 2007). The current period is a warm cycle and must have happened before. In the middle ages, temperatures increased to higher levels than it is today. The Vikings, for example, inhabited Greenland and Iceland islands where they lived, farmed, and raised livestock according as revealed by archaeological studies. At that time, England soils could support wine grapes that was impossible before and cannot be done as of present. Such changes in climate indicate that the earth is undergoing natural cycles that human beings probably do not understand well. Therefore, one should not rush into the conclusion that there is global warming by merely observing temperature changes (Gardiner, 2007). Global warming is a misunderstood or misinterpreted natural cycle. It is not caused by any human activity. In fact, it could be the re-occurrence of another Medieval Warm Period. The Medieval Warm Period is believed to have occurred between 900 and 1300 AD. During the period, temperatures in Europe and other regions bordering North Atlantic Ocean were comparable to those experienced in late 20th century. Other regions of the world experienced anomalous warmth and fluctuations of both cool and warm temperatures (Mann, 2002, 1; IPCC, 2007, 1). However, the Medieval Warm Period appears to have been a feature of the North Atlantic Ocean and neighboring regions. The current global warming seems to be the re-occurrence of a similar period. The ice in the Arctic is disintegrating because of the regional changes in temperature. Other regions of the world are also undergoing fluctuations of cool and warm periods that may resemble the Medieval Warm Period. During the Medieval Warm Period, there were no significant human activities to trigger climatic changes. Thus, the current global warming should not be attributed to industrial activities. Instead, global warming should be viewed as an ongoing cycle of nature that human beings are yet to establish its patterns. In conclusion, climate change and, in particular global warming, is real, and it disrupts millions of lives on a daily basis. A disruption occurs in the form of loss of habitats and destructive weather patterns. Global warming should not be treated as a natural cycle because most evidence points towards human activities. Although it occurs naturally, most of the current climatic changes cannot be solely attributed to the natural causes. What is occurring at the moment is the onset of a future disaster. The impacts are unpredictable and might, therefore, be beneficial or severe and irreparable. Its effects are, however, more likely to be detrimental than good. If the current generation does not reduce the rate of change, generations of the future are at a risk of famine, extreme weather conditions, water shortages, and loss of plant and animal species. While humanity can destroy the world, it can also help sustain it. Reference List Botkin, Daniel, B. (2007, October 17). ‘Global Warming Delusions.’ The Wall Street Journal, Available at: http://online.wsj.com/article/SB119258265537661384.html?mod=Letters [Accessed 4 August 2014]. Deschenes, Olivier, and Michael Greenstone. (2007). The Economic Impacts of Climate Change: Evidence from Agricultural Output and Random Fluctuations in Weather. American Economic Review 97(2): 354–385 Available at: http://perc.org/articles/benefits-climate-change#sthash.Ts1IlDwt.dpuf [Accessed 4 August 2014]. Gardiner, Lisa. 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National Academy of Sciences. (2013). Climate change: evidence and causes. NAOS. Available at: http://dels.nas.edu/resources/static-assets/exec-office-other/climate-change-full.pdf [Accessed 9 August 2014]. NRDC. (n.d). ‘Climate Change Threatens Health: Air Pollution.’ NRDC. Available at: http://www.nrdc.org/health/climate/airpollution.asp [accessed August 9, 2014]. NOAA National Weather Service. (2007, October). ‘Climate change.’ Noaa.gov. Available at: http://www.nws.noaa.gov/om/brochures/climate/Climatechange.pdf [Accessed 9 August 2014]. Mann, E.M. (2002). Medieval Climatic Optimum. John Wiley & Sons, Ltd, Chichester. Wong, Vicky. (n.d). ‘The greenhouse effect and global warming.’ Royal Society of Chemistry. Available at: http://www.rsc.org/images/CA1_tcm18-137981.pdf [Accessed 9 August 2014]. Read More