Climate Change because of Global Warming - Coursework Example

Introduction The world is facing a number of disasters and serious problems. The issue of Climate Change specifically because of Global Warming is considered the most significant global environmental problem currently. It is a major concern and a focus of attention of people, communities, politicians, governments, businesses, scientists, environmentalists and everyone generally. This is because its effects are felt by all the people irrespective of age, geographical situation and profession (Simin et el, 2009). Global warming refers to a situation where there is an increase in the temperature on the surfaces air that is near the oceans as well as the earth. Evidence of global warming Global warming has been detected since the mid years of the 20th century. One of the reports that was released by a panel of intergovernmental about the issues of climate change in the year 2007, described that there was an increase in the earth’s temperature by about 0.320 . The reason that was given for this circumstance was greenhouse gases concentration in the atmosphere. This was due to the increase in the human activities since that was the period when the world was experiencing industrial revolution. There was also increase in the burning of the fossils; much deforestation was also taking place. All of these activities were discovered to have an effect in the atmosphere in the sense that they cause concentration of aerosols, which are responsible of blocking the sunlight (Alexandra, 2005). These rays do not reach the earth surface hence global warming. Projections are that there is likely to be much increase in the surface temperatures from 1.1 to around 6.4 by the 21st century. This is because of the increased industrial activities. The increase in some activities like great masses of ice that has been melting proves the increase in the temperatures. Between the years 1906 and 2005, there has been a recorded statistic in the available data showing that temperatures have changed by an estimate of 0.74 ± 0.18 °C. The situation doubled with half a decade where the temperature was recorded as 0.13 ± 0.03 °C. The year 2005 was one of the years recorded in the history of the world as being the second warmest while 2008 as being the warmest year (David, 2001). The causes global warming Global warming is caused by so many different factors which can be classifies as natural causes and man-made activities. Natural These are factors, which exist naturally in nature. There are for instance some gases, which are part of the green houses gases that are very influential as far as global warming is concerned. These gases are known to contribute to about 33o of the temperatures. One of the naturally existing gases in the atmosphere includes the water vapor. This contributes to an estimate of a percentage in the temperature of 36–70. Methane is another naturally existing gas, which causes a change of 4–9 percent, carbon dioxide contribute to a percentage of 9–26, and the ozone gas, which contributes to a change of about 3–7 percent. Another very natural factor that affects the temperatures hence global warming is the clouds (Alexandra, 2005). It causes the effect in that it interferes with the balance in radiations. Their effect depends on if they are in the form of ice or liquid. Man-made phenomenon These are the human activities, which contributes to the effect or rather change in the temperatures. These human activities are associated with the industrial revolution, which is the main contributor to the increase in the green gases in the atmosphere. The green gases increases because of industrial processes and emissions that include carbon dioxide, methane, CFCs, troposphere ozone, nitrous oxide and many others (David, 2001.). The gases that are mainly increased in the atmosphere due to the human activities include the carbon dioxide and the methane. In addition, there are activities that involve burning fossils in the atmosphere hence causing increase in the levels of carbon dioxide and hydrocarbons. Deforestation is another factor, which causes global warming. This is because the trees are natural eliminators of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere through the process of photosynthesis, which utilizes carbon dioxide (Shizuka, 2006). Other human activities involving the emission of soot and aerosols like the construction and use of vehicles and ships. Implications of global warming There are a number of implications of global warming in the world which are divided into four namely; economic, social, political and environmental A. Environmental These effects are directly felt because of the changes in the environmental factors. There has been evidence in the changes of temperatures due to the increase in the greenhouse gases. Another environmental effect is the changes in the rainfall patterns. There has been increase in the rainfall in some parts while in other parts there has been a decrease for rainfall. Rise in the sea level is another effect which is as a result of melting of the ice in the polar regions of the arctic and the Antarctic (Shizuka, 2006). There is also another very significant effect in the coast region where there has been a recorded increase in the typhoons and other great winds. B. Economic Economically, there has been an effect in the agricultural activities, which are the main income earners of most countries in the world. The issue of climate change causing less or excess rainfall has affected the growth of crops, which are grown for the purposes of income generation especially in the developing countries (Gary et el, 2009). Another effect is in the countries, which experience snow interfering with the infrastructure hence in turn affecting the economic activities, which depends on the road, sea, or air transport. C. Social Global warming also interferes with the social aspect of life though indirectly. Due to the changes in the temperature, the lifestyle in terms of housing and mode of dressing is bound to change. There is also a way in which people are forced to relocate from their houses as well as form some social places like on the beach. This is due to some dangers, which are associated with the changes like the strong waves on the sea, as well as floods on the land (Shizuka, 2006). D. Political Political matters are very important in as far as any country is concerned. Due to the issue global warming there are effects politically which have been experienced by some countries. This is because some of the countries have been spotted as the main causal of global warming like China and America due to their increased industrial activities leading to increased release of the greenhouse gases in the atmosphere. As a result, there has been fights emerging due to misunderstanding because of what some of these countries are expected to do and the laws and regulations they are supposed to adhere to (Gaan, 2008). Another effect is that many countries have come together in summits and conventions to look for a solution of the issue of global warming hence politically uniting them together through the formation of unions as they sign the agreements. The reasons as to Why Kyoto Protocol and the UN Climate Change Conference in Copenhagen, December 2009, failed to achieve their targets The Kyoto protocol and the Copenhagen conferences have some common factors that led to their failure in the achievement of their targets. The two conferences ere made up of countries which were both poor and others rich. As a result, there was a gap in their opinions, requirements, and abilities to comply with the expectations of the requirements need after the discussions. The Copenhagen conference had one of the weak a in its goals especially due to the fact that the goals were poorly laid down (Sebastian & Herman, 1999). This is because there was an agreement dictating that all the countries must keep their rise in temperature to less than 20. However, there were not commitments that were made as to how theses countries would reduce their emissions yet the processes leading to the emission are still ongoing. Another reason as to why the conference was a failure was because among the 192 countries that were in attendant some of them were not willing to adhere to the agreement of giving the less developed financial support of about $30 billion per year. The goal that demanded countries to reduce emission of carbon dioxide by 80% lacked commitment from the countries involved in the developed countries on the amount of reduction they were willing achieve (Gaan, 2008). In addition, a blame game exists in which China was blamed for lacking a substance deal by the America. The issue of lack of strong leadership was also highlighted as being one of the causal factors of the failure in the achievement of the goals. Possible solutions of the problem Climate Change The problem of climate change can be dealt with but mostly through the means of prevention. This is whereby the entire all the human activities that are contributing to the emission of the green house gasses must be dealt with. Ways must be found to ensure that these gases are not released in the atmosphere but are harnessed and used for other purposes or converted to other less harmful products to the environment. Less harmful technologies can also be used in the industrial processes all over the world by both the developed and the non-developed countries. There should also be formulation of some policies that will ensure that the processes of emission of these gases are reduces, that the renewable energy usage is utilized much more and that there is an increase in the process of energy efficiency all over the world (David, 2001). Finally, there should be intensified public enlightenment on the issue of climate change, the causes, the effects, or the consequences and about the ways in which they can prevent. By doing that every single person will have a sense of responsibility to ensure they work towards the reduction of the global warming and climate change. References Alexandra, G. (2005). Climate change, ozone depletion and air pollution: legal commentaries within the context of science and policy. London: Kogan Page Publishers. Australia: McGraw-Hill David, G. (2001). The collapse of the Kyoto Protocol and the struggle to slow global warming. London: Her Majesty’s Stationary Office. Gaan, N. (2008). Climate change and international politics. Oxford: oxford university press. Gary, C., Kim, J. & Steve, C. (2009). Global warming and the world trading system. New York: John Wiley & sons. Sebastian, O. & Herman O. (1999). The Kyoto protocol: international climate policy for the 21st century. California: Cengage Learning EMEA. Shizuka, O. (2006). Global warming policy in Japan and Britain: interactions between institutions and issue characteristics. London: McGraw-Hill Professional Simin, D., Jenny, C. & Abid, M. (2009). Planning for climate change strategies: New York: Pearson Education Read More