Our Role in Global Warming - Essay Example

Client’s Information (English 1A) Our role in global warming Global warming is a slow and gradual increase in the average temperature of the planet which can be observed nowadays. Global warming is not a myth and it is therefore necessary to take a sober and objective approach to its understanding. The scientific evidence that global warming could be caused by a number of factors such as: volcanic eruptions, typhoons, hurricanes, solar activity, human activities and so on. I suppose that most of the observed changes in global average temperature since the mid XX century is very likely associated with the observed increase in anthropogenic greenhouse gas concentrations and human activities. According to J.Carter amount of CO2 in the atmosphere has been growing steadily for more than a century, because as an energy source have been widely used different types of fossil fuels (coal and oil). Furthermore, as a result of human activities into the atmosphere and other greenhouse gases, such as methane, nitrous oxide, and a number of chlorine-containing substances. Despite the fact that they are produced in smaller quantities, some of these gases is much more dangerous in terms of global warming carbon dioxide. He stated: “Despite the great variability and high magnitudes of natural climate change, it is clearly also the case that human activities have a measurable effect on local climates. For example, the concrete, glass, steel and macadam that are used to build a connurbation absorb more radiant heat from the sun during the day than did the pre-existing natural vegetation” (Carter 180). According to author, at the end of XX century, several consecutive years of average global temperature was higher than normal. This has raised fears that human induced global warming has already begun. There is a consensus among scholars that the last hundred years the average annual global temperature has risen by 0.3 - 0.6 degrees of Celsius. There is scientific consensus that human activity is the main factor that affects the current rise in temperature on Earth. About half of all greenhouse gases produced in the economic activities of mankind remain in the atmosphere. About three-quarters of all anthropogenic greenhouse gas emissions over the last 20 years were the result of mining and burning of oil, natural gas and coal. I agree with his arguments, as most of the rest of the emissions caused by changes in the landscape , primarily deforestation. In favor of the theory of anthropogenic contribution to modern climate change caused by greenhouse gas emissions, and may indicate the facts that the observed warming leads primarily to an increase in average temperatures in the high latitudes to higher average winter temperatures in the mid-latitudes and a decrease in night-time cooling. And also the fact that the rapid heating of the troposphere occurs on the background is not very rapid cooling of the stratosphere. Carter studied the complexity of Earths climate system and connected the global temperature rise and future climate change with an increase in CO2 levels in the atmosphere. Other scientists in the article "Climate Change 2007: The Physical Science Basis" associated global warming with increasing atmospheric concentrations of greenhouse gases. This leads to an increase of the greenhouse effect and disruption of the heat balance of the earth. That is what happened in the last two centuries of civilization. Coal power plants, automobile exhausts, factory smokestacks and other sources of pollution created by mankind emit about 22 billion tons of greenhouse gases per year. According to them: “Human activities result in emissions of four principal green- house gases: carbon dioxide (CO2), methane (CH4), nitrous oxide (N2O) and the halocarbons (a group of gases containing fluorine, chlorine and bromine)” (Qin, Chen, Marquis, Averyt, Tignor and Miller, 1). Carbon dioxide is the most famous of greenhouse gases. Natural sources of CO2 emissions are volcanic, vital activity of organisms. Anthropogenic sources are the combustion of fossil fuels (including forest fires), as well as a variety of industrial processes (cement, glass). Methane is the second most important greenhouse gas. Stands out due to a leak in the development of coal mining and natural gas, pipelines, biomass burning, landfills (as part of the biogas) as well as in agriculture (animal husbandry, rice cultivation ) and so on. The article presents strong arguments and I agree that carbon dioxide is primarily responsible for global warming caused by the "greenhouse effect”. CO2 concentration in the two centuries of industrialization grew by more than 30% and correlated with changes in average temperature. James Wang and Bill Chameides also hold this view. They believe that man is the cause of global warming. Human activity is the most devastating in its effects on the process of the world, advocates of the theory of anthropogenic causes of global warming. The authors believe that the key concept is the "greenhouse effect", because the increase in the amount of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere, which will inevitably follow the industrial growth and more active burning fossil fuels means strengthening and the greenhouse effect, leading to an increase in air and ocean temperatures. According to this theory, the average temperature is gradually increased and can not be mere coincidence. Scientists share this view cite data showing that in the moment of receipt of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere from natural sources does not exceed 25 % as well as derivatives of oil types fuel vehicles in large numbers. There are many other possible explanations for this increase in the average temperature of the earths surface, without the involvement of the role of industrial greenhouse gases. For example, A.Lupo believes that today, humanity emits more carbon dioxide, but it does not mean that it is to blame for global warming. First of all, it is reasonable to note that at the moment all mournful lamentations about how humanity emissions of carbon dioxide enhances the greenhouse effect are not based on objective scientific data. Indeed, various calculations show quite different proportions of carbon dioxide created by mankind - from already voiced 75% to a much more modest 3%. If supporters of the theory of global warming was unequivocal evidence that a certain amount of carbon dioxide industrial origin accordingly affects the greenhouse effect, and that, consequently, increases the temperature of the air and ocean, they would have submitted them. Also, according to "Length of the solar cycle: an indicator of solar activity closely associated with climate" reconstruction of the Earths climate over the last thousand years shows that the increase in average temperature, which began roughly in the XVII century. Greatly accelerated over the last 100 years. The prevailing view in climatology calls the main cause of global warming in the XX century. However, searching for an answer to the question about the causes of global warming are complicated because of the potential third reason: the possible increase in the brightness of the sun. K. Lassen and his colleagues analyzed the evolution related to the brightness of the sun parameters for last 1,000 years and examined their relationship with the global temperature of the Earth. Brightness variations are associated with changes in the amount of sunspots and bright torches. Sunspots act as thermal "plug" overlapping energy output on the solar surface, while torches - this heat " breakdowns", allowing the heat from the deep layers of digging out. In times of high solar activity and increases the number of sunspots and flares, but the impact is dominated by torches, leading to an overall increase in brightness. They stated: “The climate variations prior to the industrial era may thus be strongly influenced by variations in solar activity. After the start of the industrial era and the associated increasing concentration of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere we are faced with at least two simultaneously operating mechanisms, both possibly contributing to the observed global warming of about 0.5° since 1890” (Friis-Christensen, Lassen, 699). Data obtained from radiometers US- European satellite "SOHO" showed that during solar maximum the sun was brighter only 0.07 % lower than in the low activity. The authors argue that such small fluctuations in brightness are too small to make a significant contribution to global warming. In addition, the increase in the average temperature accelerated especially since the mid -1970s, although there were no signs of increased solar brightness in this period has been found. The authors used the historical records of the number of sunspots and studied radioactive isotopes that are produced in the atmosphere under the influence of cosmic rays and stored in ice sheets of Greenland and Antarctica. During periods of high solar activity, powerful solar wind shields the Earth from cosmic rays, resulting in isotope abundance in the corresponding layers of ice decreases. In order to identify the possible impact of long-term changes in brightness, the authors used seven different reconstructions of temperature in the Northern Hemisphere in the last millennium. Then they estimated how much could affect climate changes in solar luminosity associated with sunspots and torches. It turned out that a slight increase in solar brightness over the last 400 years really happened, but it is, according to the authors, can explain only a small part of the global warming over this period. Friis-Christensen and Lassen believe that, in addition to Suns brightness in the visible range, we can not exclude the influence of the climate of solar ultraviolet radiation or cosmic rays. However, the physical models of these effects have not been developed yet , so you can take them into account, at least approximately. I do not quite agree with their arguments as there are a number of papers suggesting the existence of mechanisms , amplifying the effect of solar activity, which are not accounted for in current models , and that the importance of solar activity in comparison with other factors underestimated. Such claims are disputed, but is an active area of research. The findings, which will be received as a result of this discussion, can play a key role in the question of the extent to which mankind is responsible for climate change. Nevertheless, according to Jeremy D. Shakun from Harvard University, who performed in collaboration with colleagues from other academic institutions in the United States, China and France, we can find out what is traditionally considered that the increase of CO2 in the atmosphere and causes further warming. However, it is well known the fact that the warming itself leads to an increased release of CO2 from the ocean water, and from the soil (the latter due to the fact that increases the respiration rate of microbes and plant roots). A detailed comparison of the progress curves of CO2 and temperature over 800,000 years, according to the ice cores in Antarctica shows that there is no perceptible change in the lead content of carbon dioxide corresponding to changes in temperature. Both of these parameters are changed simultaneously, and some stretches of time we even see that the curve of CO2 follows the temperature curve. If circulation is enhanced, it increases the flow of warm water in the northern latitudes, and thus cools the southern hemisphere, on the contrary, the weakening of the circulation leads to a warming of the Southern Hemisphere. These changes in the local temperature and create a seemingly unnatural effect of CO2 following the temperature, which is celebrated in the Southern Hemisphere. The international fight against man-made CO2 emissions, inspired by the one-dimensional model of the greenhouse climate change, hardly can significantly influence the direction of climate processes, but distracts heavily from preventing real threats, such as floods, earthquakes, tsunamis, the frequency of which is increasing due to global tectonic activity. Note that apart from the influence of anthropogenic factors, the climate on our planet certainly depends on many processes occurring in the Earth and space. Also random but repeated in the history of the Earth and its consequences catastrophic collisions with large asteroids and comets, the Earths atmosphere and experiencing recurrent effects of planetary and cosmic origin. Works Cited Anthony Lupo. Global Warming Is Natural, Not Man-Made. NAPSA. Web. Accessed on March 8, 2014. Eigil Friis-Christensen and Karl Lassen. Length of the solar cycle: an indicator of solar activity closely associated with climate. Science, 245:698–700, 1991. James Wang, Ph.D. Bill Chameides. Are Humans Responsible for Global Warming? A REVIEW OF THE FACTS, 2007. Environmental defense. Jeremy D. Shakun, Anders E. Carlson. A global perspective on Last Glacial Maximum to Holocene climate change. Quaternary Science Reviews. 2010. V. 29. P. 1801–1816 IPCC, 2007: Climate Change 2007: The Physical Science Basis. Contribution of Working Group I to the Fourth Assessment Report of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change [Solomon, S., D. Qin, M. Manning, Z. Chen, M. Marquis, K.B. Averyt, M.Tignor and H.L. Miller. Cambridge University Press, Cambridge, United Kingdom and New York, NY, USA. Robert M. Carter. Knock, Knock: Where is the Evidence for Dangerous Human-Caused Global Warming? ECONOMIC ANALYSIS & POLICY, VOL. 38 NO. 2, SEPTEMBER 2008 Read More