WHAT IS GLOBAL WARMING??
Global Warming is defined as the increase of the average temperature on Earth. Earth was created with an ambiance formed for humans, its air and water is the result of heat balance in our atmosphere. More carbon dioxide is now present in our atmosphere, which causes an increased temperature in it; which leads to 'global warming'. Hence the environment that we know today is changing, and it is changing fast.
If global warming keeps dominating us, the world that we know today will be much different in the future, enlarged temperatures, rises in sea levels, and huge, extreme storms will control Earth. As the Earth is getting hotter, disasters like hurricanes, droughts and floods are getting more frequent. So we have to act now and fight against global warming, or suffer the consequences in the future.
EFFECTS OF GLOBAL WARMING
There is no doubt that the effects of global warming are felt in many ways now and this will worsen. Effects are, and will, be increasingly noticeable in these areas;
- Extreme weather
More extreme weather is already occurring. Cyclones have gained in strength since 1970. Rainfall associated with such weather has increased by 7% in the USA for example.
- Rising oceans
Between 1880 and 2000 a 20cm rise in ocean levels has been recorded – now occurring at 0.2mm per year. This is due to ocean water expansion through its warming and water from melting glaciers and polar ice. However only land-based polar ice can be blamed for this as floating ice takes up the same volume as melted water.
- Human health
Human health will suffer as a result of climate change. The 2003 European heat wave killed some 30,000 people. But warmer winters may reduce deaths from cold weather.
Some infectious, vector-borne diseases will spread as malaria already has. There are many other health effects too including effects of food shortages.
- Economic
The insurance industry is already facing increased costs from global warming. By 1992 this industry knew that since 1960 economic losses from disasters worldwide had grown three-fold and insured losses four-fold. One study suggests that of these about 35–40% are related to climate change. In 2001 the UN estimated the cost of increased disasters due to global warming at more than US$300 Billion per year by 2050.
- Ecosystems
All ecosystems are affected by global warming. The UN Environment Program predicts that by 2075 few locally endemic species will survive. Twenty five percent of the Earth’s mammals and 12% of bird species will be extinct within the next 30 years.
- Polar ice and glaciers
The icesheets of Greenland and the West Antarctic are also melting at rapid rates. Since 99% of ice resides in polar regions, these huge amounts of fresh water will have noticeable impacts, contributing to rising ocean levels and disruption of the Gulfstream mechanism. Fisheries will be affected, including of wild salmon, trout and ocean fish, as many rely on the cold water for breeding and food.
- Water availability
Reduced rainfall, droughts, and vanishing glaciers will severely reduce the availability of drinking water. Of course there are hi-tech band-aides, desalination being one. You may be interested in reading about one approach that conjures water from air. Through condensation or by using salt!
- Further global warming
Melting glaciers and permafrost may be at a stage where there is no turning back. As they contribute their fresh water to the oceans and as methane gas is released these events will further accelerate global warming. This is called the positive feedback effect.
Huge deposits of methane are trapped in ice crystals under the oceans. If these would be released the atmosphere would experience sudden and significant further warming.
Today’s average surface temperature is up by about 0.5C since 1890. It is expected that global mean temperature will increase by between 1.4 and 5.8°C, or 2.5 to 10°F.
Of course it is difficult to link global warming with specific events. But we do know such events have increased while carbon dioxide (CO2) levels and temperatures have risen at the same time. There are many, many factors that combine in their effects of global warming, and many of them are not predictable with certainty.
For example, between 1950 and 1959 there were 20 great natural disasters worldwide. Between 1990 and 1989, 89 were counted - wildfires, cyclones, flooding, drought and mudslides among them.
Global Warming can have negative, or even deadly, effects on the survival of life on Earth. Therefore it is important that people get to know about this crisis that will affect the whole humankind, and TRY TO STOP IT!!
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