Global Warming Phenomenon - Term Paper Example

GLOBAL WARMING As the name suggests, global warming is an international phenomenon with planet-wide repercussions. Although seeped in controversy, with detractors arguing that global warming does not exist and alarmist headlines warning us that the end of the planet is near, global warming is an environmental phenomenon which has just recently received near universal acceptance by the scientific community. Climate change is a hot topic these days and has been a key issue in the democracies of the Western world, having played an important role in the recent Canadian federal election and the pending US presidential election pitting Barack Obama against John McCain. Critics of the global warming phenomenon argue that global warming is in fact not an environmental crisis but a manufactured issue artificially created for a variety of unsavory and politically-inspired reasons. Despite the shrinking number of detractors, global warming is a phenomenon which affects our planet every single day. Seeking to address global warming, this research paper will provide a comprehensive and in-depth overview of the global warming phenomenon. We will begin with a discussion of the evidence in support of global warming and explore the connection between global warming and climate change. Since we aim to provide an accessible analysis of what global warming actually is, we will then analyze the causes and effects of this recent international phenomenon. Following this, and with an eye to the impact of global warming on the state of California, we will explore the possible consequences to the United States of the continuation of global warming. Global Warming 101 Global warming and climate change are two terms which are often used interchangeably. Has a link between global warming and climate change been established? Yes, global warming is caused by an increase in greenhouse gases in the atmosphere. As we shall see below, the effects of global warming include changes in atmospheric temperatures and rainfall, which can lead to climate change (Arnella & Reynardb 1996: 397). Global warming is most generally described as an average increase in the Earth’s temperatures. Importantly, global warming is not only a present phenomenon but is perceived as something which is expected to continue and increase annually. Global warming is the reputed cause of climate change on an international scale leading to extreme weather, ranging from uncharacteristic snowfall in autumn to extremely mild winter temperatures, major changes to precipitation trends, glacial retreat, species extinction, desertification and a rise in sea levels. Examples of global warming have been witnessed across the planet and have been poignantly captured by international organizations like National Geographic which has brought the effects of global warming – such as glacial retreat – into the homes of millions of readers worldwide. Despite an increased acceptance that global warming is exists, it is here to stay and is getting worse everyday, there is not unanimous agreement within the scientific community on the causes of global warming. What causes the planet to warm up? It is to this important question that we now turn. While unanimity on the causes of global warming does not exist, there are arguably many causes of this phenomenon, both natural and human made. Global warming has been going on for centuries and is a natural property of the earth. Natural causes of global warming include methane gas which is released from the earth’s arctic tundra and wetlands. As a greenhouse gas, methane traps heat in the atmosphere of the earth. A natural climate cycle is approximately 40,000 years and this is another natural cause of the present global warming phenomenon (Vitousek 1994). From a human-made perspective, there are many things that we humans do that contribute to global warming. Environment Canada states that the greenhouse effect is caused by the presence in the earth’s atmosphere of certain gases which transmit energy to the surface of the Earth and temporarily absorb heat, which retards the loss of energy to space. The greenhouse effect is caused by the emission of greenhouse gases including carbon dioxide. Carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions are an important cause of global warming and in the United States about 40% of all carbon dioxide emissions are the result of burning fossil fuels to generate electricity. Accordingly coal is accounts for approximately 93% of all emissions for the purpose of electricity generations. Power plants emit carbon dioxide as does the burning of coal. Carbon dioxide is also emitted from cars and the burning of gasoline to fuel our cars. Accordingly, the United States of America is the largest global consumer of oil, consuming 20.4 million barrels per day. It is estimated that 33% of all US carbon dioxide emissions come from our cars. Airplanes also emit carbon dioxide and although the United Nation's Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change estimates that airplanes cause about 3.5% of global warming today, that figure is expected to rise to 15% by 2050. Methane is the second most important greenhouse gas, after carbon dioxide, and it is followed by water vapor. Methane traps heat within the atmosphere and is derived from natural causes as well a by fossil fuel production. Nitrous oxide (N20), commonly known as “laughing gas” is natural to the Earth’s environment and is produced by oceans and rainforests. It is however produced by humans in the use of fertilizers and the burning of organic matter. Finally, deforestation is caused by the cutting and burning of millions of trees ever year and is an important contributor to carbon emissions in the atmosphere (Environment Canada 1996; Ecobridge 2008; Vitousek 1994: 1861-1876). Now that the causes of global warming have been established, what are the effects of global warming on planet Earth? According to the United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), there are a many effects of global warming. First and foremost, global warming will have significant effects on ecosystems around the world and as the our respective climates continue to warm, we can expect major changes in ecosystem structure, species’ ecological interactions and geographic ranges and overall negative consequences for biodiversity. We can expect to witness the extinction of certain species and plants in conjunction with major climate changes. Thus, increased flooding and droughts are anticipated as a result of global warming. Human health may witness an increased prevalence of disease, although this will largely be based upon local climatic factors. Ecological change can lead to an increase in the incidence of infectious diseases. Other serious human health-related concerns include an increase in both air and water pollution (United States Environmental Protection Agency 2008; Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change 2007). How will agriculture, precipitation and the arctic world be affected by global warming and climate change? Agriculture is extremely sensitive to climate variability and global warming will have important ramifications for agricultural production both in the United States and around the world. With an increased potential for droughts, floods, and severe storms, agricultural production may be seriously affected by extremes in temperature. Changes in agricultural production however are expected to be regionally based and it is impossible to make inferences about a net global effect on agriculture as a result of climate change. Looking at precipitation, researchers estimate that rising global temperatures over the past 100 years have lead to an estimated 5% increase in atmospheric water vapor over the world’s oceans. As the climate continues to rise it is expected that atmospheric concentrations of water vapor will rise leading to a global increase in rain and storm systems which are much more intense. Since higher temperatures also lead to an increase in overall evaporation, droughts can be expected due to global warming. As such extreme weather will include extreme rain, flooding and droughts. Finally, how will climate change affect the arctic and regions of the north? Seal levels are expected to rise around the world and this will lead major changes in the north. Glaciers will melt, as will small icecaps. It is also expected that the Antarctic Ice Sheet and the Greenland Ice Sheet will melt in tandem with extreme changes brought about by global warming (United States Environmental Protection Agency 2008; Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change 2007). Global Warming and the United States The United States Government, for the first time in 2002, acknowledged that man-made pollution was largely to blame for global warming. Although the government under the presidency of George W. Bush has adamantly refused to partake in the Kyoto Protocol – the US officially rejected this international treaty in 2001 – the acknowledgment that humans have contributed to global warming is an important step in the right direction in combating this international problem. In submitting a 268 page official report to the United Nations, written by the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), the United States acknowledged for the first time what many scientists, both at home and abroad, have always argued. Accordingly, this document agrees with the assertion that a variety of human activities, including car emissions, power generation and oil refining, are significant causes of global warming. In an interesting twist of fate, the British Broadcasting Corporation reports that this Environmental Protection Agency document was submitted on the same day that 15 European Union countries - allies of the United States – ratified the Kyoto Protocol. Although belated in comparison to other countries of the West, in acknowledging the threat of global warming, what impacts will global warming and climate change have on the United States (British Broadcasting Corporation 2002)? The United States is a geographically large country and after, Russia and Canada, is the third largest country on the planet. Global changes to climate will surely have varied impacts on the diverse climate of the United States of America. Accordingly, different regions of the United States have very different climates, thus while the northeastern portion of the country including New England may experience four full seasons characterized by temperate summers and cold winters, some areas of the southwestern tip of the United States are desert-like and have climates more commonly found in the Middle East and north Africa. What’s certain, however, is that extreme changes in climate will have deleterious effects on the United States. Extreme weather, characterized most recently by hurricane Katrina, may result in more hurricanes, tornadoes and more adverse weather. Desertification in one part of the country, coupled paradoxically with a sharp increase in precipitation in another part of the country, could wreak havoc on agricultural production in the United States. Declining productivity in the American agricultural sector may lead to foreign dependence. This foreign dependence on many of the staples of the American diet – milk products, wheat products, etc – may have negative ramifications in both the social, economic and geopolitical realms. Ecosystems will change and ecological change may lead to further desertification and the eradication of certain species. Thus, we may witness the roll-back of fertile land in places such as New Mexico and Texas and the extinction of animals like marmot (the Vancouver Island Marmot is presently on the verge of extinction with less than 75 left on the planet). According to the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), "A few ecosystems, such as alpine meadows in the Rocky Mountains and some barrier islands, are likely to disappear entirely." Additionally, Heat-related human deaths, similar to those experienced in France a few years ago, may increase with time, particularly among the elderly during periods of extreme heat in already warm places like Florida, Texas and Nevada (British Broadcasting Corporation 2002). Recent attempts to stem the trend of global warming through international agreements can also have important ramifications for the United States. The Kyoto Protocol, an international agreement which seeks the “stabilization of greenhouse gas concentrations in the atmosphere at a level that would prevent dangerous anthropogenic interference with the climate system" (United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change 2005) may have adverse effects on the economy of the United States. In fact, adherence to the stipulations of the Kyoto Protocol and the deleterious effects adherence would have on the United States is one of the major reasons as to why the United States Government has consistently refused to ratify the agreement. Some Americans feel that targets to cut emissions of greenhouse gases because they will harm the economy and American business interests (Cline 1992). Concluding Remarks With less than 4 per cent of the world's population, the United States of America is the world's biggest emitter of the greenhouse gas CO2. As a geographically large country as well, changes to the climate of the world will have important ramifications on the United States as well. As we have shown, global warming is an international phenomenon with planet-wide repercussions. This paper has demonstrated a link between global warming and climate change and has established important antecedents for the emergence of global warming on our planet. Looking at cause and effect, we have shown that as our climate continues to warm, there will be important ramifications for our planet’s ecosystems, human health, agricultural production, precipitation and glacial retreat. Furthermore, this essay has shown that while the United States has recently embraced the link between climate change and global warming, this phenomenon will have important implications for the country as a whole. California, an enormous state on the Pacific coast of the country, has taken the lead when it comes to climate change awareness and has enacted a proactive response which aims to reduce carbon emissions by 2020. Although efforts to moderate the effects of climate change in California have been undertaken, we must wait until these targets are actually implemented before seeing tangible results. Global warming remains an international problem and whether or not it is appropriately addressed at a national level remains to be seen (McCarty 2001). 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