Global Warming Is Bad - Research Paper Example

Your Global warming is bad “The term global warming is now popularly used to refer to the recent reported increase in the mean surface temperature of the earth; this increase being attributed to increasing human activity and in particular to the increased concentration of greenhouse gases (carbon dioxide, methane and nitrous oxide) in the atmosphere”(Khandekar ,Murty and Chittibabu 1557). Global warming as a consequence of increasing greenhouse gasses in atmosphere has become a prominent scientific and politic concern in 19th and most of the 20th century.We observed intensive media coverage and the issue spread worldwide like fire. Gradual evolution of the idea stirred an emotional debate between opponents and proponents of global warming that ultimately seems to end on rigid stance from both sides. To answer the question weather global warming is good or bad, we must analyse if it is there. The idea has been controversial and increasingly considered to be a myth. Its proponents consider it to be the crucial turn in this century and spending fortunes on investigating and finding solutions while its opponents attribute it to be more political than scientific. The paper analyses both sides and concludes that global warming is bad in either case. The concept of global warming didn’t pop up in a day,with very solid scientifc base,it formulated in a gradual but uncertain way.Lindzen aptly states, “Warming is a subject riddled by uncertainty” (424).Indeed, the idea has been subjected to intense debates during mid and late 80s without getting to a unanimous conclusion. Different reports by IPCC (Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change) (1996, 2001) suggested scientific frameworks in order to prevent adverse impact of climate change that brought Kyoto protocol for reducing the emission of greenhouse gases by burning fossil fuels. The impact of global warming as projected by media is focused on increase in mean temperature of earth and its consequences, for instance, extreme weather conditions or increasing frequency of such events. In reality, global warming and climate change is much more complex (Khandekar, Murty and Chittibabu 1557).According to newspaper account of U.S. government study in 1988 suggested certain threats that include: Some ecological systems, particularly forests...may be unable to adapt quickly enough to a rapid increase in temperature...most of the notion’s coastal marshes and swamps would be inundated by salt water...an earlier snowmelt and runoff could disrupt water management systems...Disease borne by insects, including malaria and Rocky Mountain spotted fever, could spread as warmer weather expanded the range of the insects. (qtd. in Weart 177) Weart argues that similar to other reports on the consequences of climate change, this report was also impaired by the uncertain terms life “could” and “may be”. It may be due to the fact that it is not easy enough to detangle the interrelated factors contributing to effects of climate change. Arrhenius’s simple investigation for the measurement of temperature rise as a result of global warming ended up in a long list of puzzles. Since late 1990s millions of dollars were devoted to the research on climate impact as this study requires expensive equipments and specialized scientists (177-8). Khandekar, Murty and Chittibabu summarize the case for global warming as the idea of global warming owes much to Joseph Fourier’s concept of earth’s atmosphere acting like a glass of greenhouse that let shortwave light rays through while emanate long waves (1827),Tyndell (1861) furthered the idea and his sophisticated experiments established water vapour as a crucial greenhouse gas .Initial estimates of increasing carbon dioxide affect on rise in mean earth temperature were made by Arrhenius in 1896.He demonstrated how increasing CO2 concentration by a factor of two in atmosphere can result into 5 to 6 0C.Chamerlin (1899) followed and focused on the role played by CO2 in forming glacial periods. After that Callendar (1938, 1940) demonstrated CO2 and water vapour concentration on earth temperature and speculated that over a period of centuries human can influence CO2 concentration significantly (1562). The facts that infrared radiation is trapped by greenhouse gases and particles in a planetary atmosphere and the atmospheric CO2 level have increased by some 25% since 1850 because of fossil fuel combustion and land use (largely deforestation) are not controversial; levels of other trace greenhouse gases, such as methane or chlorofluorocarbons, have increased by even larger factors.(Schneider 1292) Khandekar, Murty and Chittibabu further explain, Roger Revelle suggested human industrial activities are producing more CO2 than volcanoes (Revelle and Suess, qtd. in Khandekar, Murty and Chittibabu 1562).When everyone was investigating about earth’s increasing temperature, change in ocean’s temperature proved most striking evidence of global warming that was noticed by IPCC and media. PIELKE (2003) analysed heat storage system, the temperature variations of earth measured by Jones et al. (1999, 2001) became a benchmark for current global warming debate. Recent temperature increase by 0.3 % stirred the debate even more, Mann et al. (1998, 1999) concluded Northern Hemisphere warming is exceptional and 1990s was warmest decade in 1000 years (1562-63). IPCC report(2001) concludes that due to 31% increase in atmospheric concentration of Carbon dioxide in addition to increase in other Greenhouse gasses(GHG) have increased mean surface temperature. Moreover, recent steep increase that is nearly equal to 0.16 oC per decade is also directly related to GHG increase in last 30 years. Numerous climate models have also linked GHG emission to increase in mean surface temperature. IPCC case for global warming is justified by the claim that temperature increase can not be justified merely by the explanation of natural variability of the atmosphere-ocean system. Moreover, this increase in exceptional and can be explained by climate model simulations that established the link between GHG and increase in temperature (Khandekar, Murty and Chittibabu 1563). In their study Khandekar, Murty and Chittibabu state, “Several recent studies have questioned many of the projections of climate change made by the IPCC reports and at present there is an emerging dissenting view of the global warming science which is at odds with the IPCC view of the cause and consequences of global warming” (1557). Most of the claims made by the proponents of global warming proved to be wrong or insufficient as during the entire history of earth, there has never been any relation between temperature and atmospheric carbon dioxide levels of concentration. Earth has always been getting warmer and cooler than present and all of it happened with irregular intervals. The rising temperature of earth may have suggested some anthropogenic influences led by increasing human activity but in-depth investigation revealed that it happened due to urbanization and change in the use of land instead of carbon dioxide and other GHG emission (Khandekar, Murty and Chittibabu 1581). In addition to these factors, according to recent studies solar variability and sun brightness proved to be significant factors that influence earth climate. Even when it comes to short time span, it is estimated that in 21st century, solar radiance and variability contributed to more than sixty percent of warming. Impact of solar activity, for instance, cosmic ray flux is not fully investigated yet, therefore it can be another factor contributing to earth’s temperature. Today, it may seem that there is a very strong link between global warming and extreme weather conditions. Economic consequences of extreme weather conditions may be associated with global warming but in fact, it is the result of social change in wealth and population. Outside USA neither there is considerable impact on economic conditions nor any accelerated rise in sea-level recorded during 20th century (Khandekar, Murty and Chittibabu 1581).Khandekar, Murty and Chittibabu suggest: Dissenting view offered by the sceptics or opponents of global warming appears substantially more credible than the supporting view put forth by the proponents of global warming. Further, the projections of future climate change over the next fitly to one hundred years is based on insufficiently verified climate models and are therefore not considered reliable at this point in time.(1557) After studying and analysing facts and in-depth studies about global warming. It is evident that be it myth or reality, the consequences are not pleasant. Global warming is undoubtedly bad in either case; if this idea is a fact, it will incur irreversible destruction to this world in the form of economic and human loss. If we consider the other case and believe that there is no global warming and bad consequences of GHG, considering the amount of resources invested for the meaningless research, we are still at losing end. In any case, already scarce economic and human resources must be used for more appropriate issues in world. No doubt global warming research is at a turning point. As paper identifies during analysis, many studies suggested that there is possibility of a complex set of factors involved. In this situation conflict is not unusual, the controversies and different stances point towards human concern for environment and change over a period of time. It is high time for scientists and scholars to reassess the deciding parameters and leave their rigid stance in order to identify the accurate factors and save the world from its consequences. Work cited Khandekar, M.L., Murty, T.S. & Chittibabu. “The Global Warming Debate: A Review of the State of Science.”Pure and Applied Geophysics 162(2005):1557-1586.Web.11 May 2010. Lindzen, S.Richard. “Some Remarks on Global Warming.”Environmental Science & Technology, 24.4(1990):424-427.Web.12 May 2010. Schneider, H.Stephen. “The Global Warming Debate Heats Up: Analysis and Perspective.” American Meteorological Society, 71.9(1990):1292-1304.Web.11 May 2010. Weart, R. Spencer. The Discovery of Global Warming.USA: Library of Congress Cataloguing-in- Publication-Data, 2008.Print. Read More