Assignment 1

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Global Warming

Global warming is a problem of the 21st century which needs to be talked by all nations with the might it deserves. Countries that are contributing more to this vice need to be cautioned as they are endangering the whole globe for their own selfish gains. Global warming can be defined as an upward increase in temperatures of the globe leading to unpredictable weather patterns. More advance definition term for global warming is a greenhouse effect. This change in temperatures has led to change in the Earth`s climate despicably. Global warming is not a hoax as opponents of the debate claim, but rather a reality that needs to be faced. The rise in sea level, rise in earth’s average temperatures, rise in ocean temperature shrinking of glaciers and ocean acidification are all enough evidences to show that global warming is real. It is against this background this paper has sought to discuss why global warming should be treated as a real disaster and necessary precautions taken to save the world from its looming catastrophic effects.

From the scientific a standpoint, data and statistics agree that the globe`s temperature has risen particularly in the 20th century. Since the 1800s, atmospheric temperatures have been on steady rise. The stronger rise was experienced in the 1970’s and again in the 2000’s.Science concedes that the average earth temperature has risen by over 0.4 and 0.8 °C over the last 100 years (Haldar & Ishita, 110). These adverse changes have been caused by the burning of fossil fuels, agriculture, land clearing and other human activities. Predictions made by scientists working for intergovernmental panel on climate change state that the global temperatures could increase between 1.4 and 5.8 °C by 2100 (Rogelli). Some of the expected results of these changes is the rising in sea levels informed by the melting of ice caps and also increase in storms. Some of these changes have already started being experienced.

Since 1880, global sea level has been on a rising trend. According to Janin & Mandia, (p.45), the global average level has gone higher by 8 inches since 1880. However, some sections of the coast such as the East Coast and Gulf Mexico, have experiences a higher increase than the 8 inches in the other parts. This notable rise of sea level is attributable to melting of ice caps and glaciers which are also part of the evidence of global warming. Increased levels of greenhouses gases due to have resulted in rising temperatures. This increased global temperatures are the only reasonable reason that can explain the shrinking of glaciers on various mountains, particularly in Greenland and Antarctica. Janin & Mandia, (p.98) also state that shrinking and ice has contributed to half of the total global sea level increase between 1972 and 2008. The close correlation between the shrinking glaciers and the increasing sea level cannot be a coincidence but rather stronger indicators of global warming.

Rise in ocean temperatures is another indicator of global warming. The steady rise in oceanic temperatures in the last half century indicates that the atmosphere is experiencing increase in heat levels. What is the source of this increased heat? The increase in the number of vehicles and industries all which emit Carbon Dioxide and other greenhouses gases in the atmosphere explain are the prime causes of increased temperatures. The oceans are part of the heat absorbers hence the increase in their temperature levels (Davis, 188).

Rainfall pattern changes in the recent past are also part of indicators of global warming. Global water cycle has been intensifying with the warming climate. This has translated to wet areas being more likely to get more wet and dry parts becoming drier. For example, Australia has, in the past couple of decades, experienced higher than normal rainfall and decreased late autumn and winter rainfall in its southern regions (Aiguo., 57-63). The northern regions of Australia have been experiencing increased summer monsoonal rainfall. These shifts of rainfall patterns are attributable to global warming (Langdon., 87-88).

In a nutshell, global warming is real and there is need to acknowledge this fact. As discussed in this paper, increasing average global temperatures, rising sea levels, shrinking glaziers and changing rainfall patters all point towards one fact that climate change is real and there is need to take necessary steps to avoid the looming catastrophe. All stakeholders need to come together and come up with effective strategies o reduce the environmental impact of human activities that play an integral part in pollution the global warming.

Work Cited

Dai, Aiguo. "Increasing drought under global warming in observations and models." Nature Climate Change 3.1 (2013): 52-58.

Guggenheim, Davis. An inconvenient truth. Paramount Classics, 2013.

Haldar, Ishita. Global warming: the causes and consequences. Mind Melodies, 2010.

Janin, Hunt, and Scott A. Mandia. Rising sea levels: an introduction to cause and impact. McFarland, 2012.

Ward, Peter Langdon. What Really Causes Global Warming?: Greenhouse Gases Or Ozone Depletion?. Morgan James Publishing, 2015.