The Issue of Global Warming - Research Paper Example

Global Warming Throughout history, the earth has faced periodic cycles of warming and cooling. However, ever since the mid-20th century, there has been a high increase in the earth’s near-surface air and oceans. This process, and its continued projection, is referred to as global warming. There has been some debate regarding the causes of global warming. Some say that it is caused by the activities of human beings which include the burning of fossil fuels, agriculture, transportation, and the cutting of forests. On the other hand, people argue that it is caused by natural causes such as alterations in the atmosphere of earth and changes in the energy of the sun that reaches the earth. No matter what its causes are, there is evidence that global warming has serious consequences related to wildfires, coastal erosion, spread of diseases, and a decline in biodiversity. Measures such as using cleaner sources of energy, stopping deforestation, upgrading buildings, and many others can be taken against global warming. Knowing what the causes of global warming are, steps should be taken to reduce or put an end to it in order to overcome the negative impacts it has on the earth (Walls-Thumma ; EPA;e Walker and King 101). Global warming can be naturally caused by changes in Earths’ climate, which is influenced by changes within the sun and in Earth’s orbit. The temperature of Earth is dependent upon the energy that enters and then exits the system of this planet. The earth becomes warm when energy that comes from the Sun is absorbed in the atmosphere of Earth and becomes cool when this incoming sun’s energy is reflected back into space. Sometimes, alterations occurring in the sun itself can cause changes in the amount of sunlight that is able to reach to the surface of the Earth. Periods when the intensity of the solar energy is high, leads to the Earth becoming warmer and therefore causes global warming. The evidence for this comes from the fact that, as Earth cools down during periods of weaker solar intensity, its cooling between the 17th and 19th centuries caused Earth to go through the so-called ‘Little Ice Age’ (i.e. the slight cooling of Europe, north America, and other regions around the globe). Alterations in the orbit of the Earth, along with the position and shift in the axis of the Earth, also have an impact on the quantity of sunlight reaching Earth’s surface and, thus, on Earth’s climate (EPA). Once sunlight reaches Earth, it can either be absorbed or reflected back into space. The amount of sunlight absorbed or reflected is determined by Earth’s atmosphere and surface. For example, clouds and snow reflect sunlight, while dark surfaces and objects such as soil, oceans, and forests absorb sunlight. Reflectivity of sunlight is affected by the presence of aerosols in Earth’s atmosphere. Black carbon, an aerosol produced by human activities, decreases Earth’s reflectivity and therefore causes Earth to absorb more sunlight and make its land, water, and atmosphere warmer (EPA). Greenhouse gases such as water vapor, carbon dioxideand methane lead to the retention of heat in the Earth’s atmosphere. They do this by absorbing the solar energy reaching Earth, thus preventing or slowing down the loss of heat to space, which would have otherwise happened in the absence of these gases. This process, called the ‘greenhouse effect’, is one of the main sources of global warming caused by humans. According to Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, the leading cause of global warming is the emissions of these greenhouse gases which occur as a consequence of human activities such as the combustion of fossil fuels which include coal and gas. The main purpose of burning these fuels is for generating energy for the increasing population of the world. Carbon dioxide is the chief greenhouse gas contributing to the change in climate recently. It is absorbed and given out naturally through plant and animal respiration, ocean-atmosphere exchange, the carbon cycle, and volcanic eruptions. Combustion of fossil fuels and changes in land-use (both human activities) cause the concentration of carbon dioxide to increase by emitting large amounts of carbon to the atmosphere. Along with carbon, other greenhouse gases such as methane, nitrous oxide, water vapor, tropospheric ozone, ‘F-gases’, black carbon, and some aerosols act like a blanket and thus make Earth warmer than it should be (Walls-Thumma; EPA.; Haldar 4). In addition, transportation is also a medium through which certain greenhouse gases are emitted. It was found in 2008 that gasoline, which was burned in order to power cars, trucks, and aircrafts, contributed to an additional of 27 percent of the emissions of greenhouse gases in the United States. Moreover, these emissions of the greenhouse gases are rising even further. While transportation accounts for large emissions of carbon dioxide, the IPCC states that agriculture generates the most nitrous oxide and methane in the world. Grazing of livestock, management of waste and digestive gases is responsible for up to fifty percent of the agricultural emissions. Nitrogen fertilizers that give out nitrous oxide account for 35 percent of the emissions coming from the agricultural sector. Fossil fuels are also used in agriculture as they are burned to power farm equipment, emitting greenhouse gases in the process (Walls-Thumma). The various negative impacts on the earth, which result from these causes of global warming, are many. A major impact of global warming is the increase in the sea level globally which would then be followed erosion of the coastal regions. As the climate of the earth is becoming warmer, thermal expansion of oceans is taking place, causing a rise in sea level. . It is estimated that within about two centuries after the year 2100, the sea level will rise 25 meters as a result of thermal inertia. There is also a possibility that global warming could aggravate the disintegration of the West Antarctic Ice Sheet. Ice sheets would further add up to an increase of 25 meters in the sea level due to the melting of the world’s mountain glaciers, as well as a huge part of West Antarctic and Greenland. At least 70 percent of sandy beaches around the globe are declining. Other than the rise in sea level, there are two more global warming-related factors that are causing coastal erosion- change of storm climate and human interference. The increase in sea levels is very dangerous for low-lying areas, causing the people living who stay in close vicinity to the sea to be at a higher risk in the years that are to come. Certain island states are jeopardized by the increase in the global sea level. Furthermore, infrastructure as well as real estate are at risk and could be damaged or destroyed by the waves of storm and the rising sea level (Johansen 42, 240, 590; Zhang et al 41). Other than high global sea levels, the increase and magnitude of wildfires in forests is also a major adverse consequence of global warming. In the year 2006, a United States weekly news magazine reported that warmer temperatures of the earth seem to bring about a rise in the strength and durability of the season of wildfire in the western part of the United States. Since the twentieth century, longer, warmer summers (as a result of global warming) increased major wildfires by four times, whereas increasing the area of forest burnt by six times. A similar increase has also been observed in Canada in the twentieth century. Other than warmer temperatures, changing atmospheric circulation patterns have also given rise to dramatic increases in the number of huge forest wildfires and droughts in the western areas of the United States. According to a study, escalations in spring and summer temperatures by 0.9 degrees, as well as the melting of mountain snow packs one to four weeks earlier were responsible for these numerous and fierce wildfires. By melting these snow packs, global warming increases the fire danger in arid forests by making them combustible within a month. The risk of wildfires is also greater because of low levels of humidity and scarce summer rainfall. Along with causing extensive monetary damage, wildfires also add extra carbon dioxide to the atmosphere in a feedback loop, thus increasing global warming further (Johansen 595;Running927, 928). The spread of infectious diseases is another important matter of concern that results due to global warming. Changing conditions of the world’s climate causes the habitats of vectors (i.e. mosquitoes or rats) to change. Altered climatic conditions also affect the parasites carried by these vectors. Migration of humans to other areas, also as a result of rising sea levels, can cause a shift in disease patterns. This is because the abundance and geographic range of these carriers and parasites will change, causing their seasonal occurrence to shift and allowing them to spread. Global warming also brings along drought and famine, thus making humans more susceptible to diseases. Droughts which take place in very wet regions can slow rapid streams and bring about pools of stagnant water. Such pools of stagnant water are favored by mosquitoes as they are a good place to plant their eggs and, thus, increase the population of these malaria and dengue carrying vectors. As a result of a warmer and wetter climate, malarial mosquitoes are also observed to be shifting towards mountains-altitudes which were once considered to be safe from mosquitoes. Moreover, global warming provides conditions which increase the number of times malarial mosquitoes bite humans and the duration of these mosquitoes’ lifespan, therefore spreading malaria. Other negative impacts of global warming on health include malnutrition, heat-stress, respiratory disease, and many more (Khasnis and Nettleman. 690, 691, 694). Linked to the spread of infectious diseases is also the extinction of amphibians and decline in biodiversity driven by global warming. About 427 species of amphibians were reported by the Global Amphibian Assessment to be ‘critically endangered’, whereas 122 of them were stated to be ‘possibly extinct’. The reason for this could be pathogenic diseases; as the temperature of the earth increases, fluctuations in the climate can provide favorable conditions for certain pathogens, triggering outbreaks. Chytridiomycosis, a disease caused by the pathogen Batrachochytrium, is particularly favored by warm temperatures. Amphibians are not the only species at risk; according to reports compiled by the International World Wildlife Fund and the National Wildlife Federation, species from the two poles and tropics are at risk at well. Lots of species might not be able to move to new regions quickly enough to survive the changes in their original habitats caused by rising temperatures. In addition to this, the doubling of the amount of carbon dioxide that is found in the atmosphere could cause a decline in species in one-fifth of the world’s most sensitive natural areas. Global warming could also affect the natural balance of nature. Predators may not move at the same time as their prey. Nesting habitats could be lost as a result of row crops replacing wetlands. Moreover, the moving of insects and birds (which pollinate plants) to cooler areas could cause plant life to suffer (Johansen 89, 91; Pounds et al 161, 162). It is not possible to solve the problem of global warming overnight. Moreover, it is not possible to stop the emissions of all the greenhouse gases from the combustion of carbon-based fuels. A highly effective solution to air pollution and global warming can be a large-scale conversion to cleaner and more reliable sources of energy. One method of reducing the amount of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere is by converting carbon into an underground geological formation by the process of carbon capture and sequestration. In order to go ahead with this plan, carbon dioxide can be captured from coal and natural gas power plants. As fossil fuels are used majorly due to the increasing demand of energy, wind, water, and sunlight can be used to generate electricity as they are relatively cleaner sources of energy. The increase in the world’s population is one of the major reasons why there is a demand for more energy. Strategies such as greater availability of birth control and better sex-education should be implied. Cleaner sources of energy can also be used for heating and cooling purposes. Another option could be to double the present amount of nuclear power (Jacobson309, 312, 317;Walker and King 118). Buildings and transport are also responsible for emitting large amounts of greenhouse gases, therefore appropriate steps should be taken regarding their emissions. Buildings can be upgraded by installing efficient light bulbs, best available insulation levels, and power saving appliances. Good insulation can avoid buildings from heating up during hot temperatures, therefore reducing migrations of people to cooler areas as well as the spread of diseases. Efficient lighting can also cut emissions, along with designing buildings in order to allow maximum input of daylight. True, buying all these things would cost a lot of money. However, with the severe impacts of global warming at hand, it would be worth it. This is because of the percentage of greenhouse emissions that could be cut over the next fifteen years. Transport uses a lot of fuels which harm the atmosphere. One way to provide a fuel that does not emit greenhouse gases is to make new green fuels that make the use of carbon-neutral biomass. Two biofuels, beioethanol and biodiesel, are already in use (Walker and King 101, 107, 108, 122). Carbon dioxide can also be taken back out of the atmosphere by planting more trees and plants in the tropics. Plants take up carbon dioxide while growing, and in order to make sure that they do not degenerate or get burnt, extra care should be taken. One can also prevent others from logging or burning down trees and thus allow trees to soak up the carbon dioxide from the air. Recent models suggest that managing forests in a better way, putting an end to current deforestation, and reforesting appropriate regions can cheaply and easily decrease annual emissions of carbon dioxide by a maximum of 14 billion tons per year. Although this may not completely stop emissions of carbon dioxide from forests, the reduction would be enough to meet overall global reduction requirements. Botanic gardens and seed banks can contribute towards reducing the negative impacts of global warming by storing plants as well as seeds of plants, which are endangered due to the extreme climate change, in seed banks. This step was taken by the Kew Royal Botanic Gardens in England as a measure against the extinction of certain plants and vegetables in the future (Johansen 90; Walker and King 103, 115). Changes in techniques of agriculture can also play a huge role in the reduction of global warming. It is known that agriculture is responsible for about 20 percent greenhouse gas emissions caused by humans. A zero-till or low-till farming method can help retain more carbon in the soil. Nitrogen fertilizers need to be chosen carefully in order to inhibit nitrous oxide emissions. Agencies should be created that can help farmers to develop new varieties of crops and new practices to reduce emissions of greenhouse gases (Johansen 12). Global warming is a very important issue in the world today. It is caused by natural factors related to changes in Earth’s features, as well as human activities such as combustion of fossil fuels, agriculture, and transportation. Global warming has very serious impacts; it raises sea levels, reduces biodiversity, and increases the spread of diseases and wildfires. Due to this, measures should be taken against it. Countries should shift towards cleaner sources of energy, the population should be controlled, agricultural methods should be altered, deforestation should be prevented, and buildings and fuels used in transport should be upgraded. Works Cited EPA.“Causes of Cimate Change”.United States Environmental Protection Agency. 8 Jan. 2013. Web. 28 Mar. 2013. Haldar, Ishita. Global Warming: The Causes and Consequences. New Delhi: Mind Melodies, 2011. Print. Jacobson, Mark Z, and Mark Z. Jacobson. Air Pollution and Global Warming: History, Science, and Solutions. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 2012. Print. Johansen, Bruce E. The Encyclopedia of Global Warming Science and Technology. Santa Barbara: ABC-CLIO, 2009. Print. Khasnis, Atul A, and Mary D. 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