Environmental effects of global warming
The greenhouse effect and global warming are issues that are talked about by geologists all the time. The greenhouse effect is a natural process that keeps the earth at temperatures that are livable. Energy from the sun warms the earth when its heat rays are absorbed by greenhouse gasses and become trapped in the atmosphere. Some of the most common greenhouse gasses are water vapor, carbon dioxide, and methane. If there were no greenhouse gasses, very few rays
would be absorbed and the earth would be extremely cold. When too many rays are absorbed, the
earth's atmosphere starts to warm, which leads to global warming. Global warming can lead to
many problems that affects the environment in which we live.
In order to talk about global warming, we must first learn what causes the greenhouse
effect. A lot of the rays from the sun are absorbed by water vapor that is naturally in our
atmosphere. Water vapor accounts for "80 percent of natural greenhouse warming. The
remaining 20 percent is due to other gasses that are present in very small amounts" (Murck,
Skinner and Porter 488). Carbon dioxide is also a big absorber of the sun's heat rays. Humans
can cause a lot of carbon dioxide to be released. Every time we burn fossil fuels, we release more
carbon dioxide. Emissions from cars also increase the amount of carbon dioxide in the
atmosphere. If there is more carbon dioxide in the atmosphere more rays from the sun are
absorbed. This will cause the atmosphere and the earth's temperature to warm. The warming of
the earth will cause the oceans to become warmer. When they heat up, more water is evaporated,
causing more carbon dioxide to be released into the atmosphere. Once this process starts, it is
extremely hard to control. If the temperature keeps rising, more carbon dioxide will be released.
Another greenhouse gas is methane: "Methane absorbs infrared radiation 25 times more
effectively than carbon dioxide, making it an important greenhouse gas despite its relatively low
concentration" (490). There have been many studies on how methane is released into the
atmosphere. Methane in the atmosphere is "generated by biological activity related to rice
cultivation, leaks in domestic and industrial gaslines, and the digestive process of domestic
livestock, especially cattle" (490).
An environmental effect of global warming is the fact that higher temperatures will lead to
a change in the water cycle. Some places may experience more rain. Warmer temperatures will
cause a greater amount of evaporation from lakes, rivers, and oceans. In some areas this could be
good, and in others it could be considered bad. In northern regions of the United States, an
increase in the temperature and amount of rain could actually extend the growing season of crops.
This would in turn mean more money for farmers in the northern region. It could also hurt some
farmers. Too much rain is bad for some crops. Certain areas will actually get less rain, which
would lead to more droughts and have a negative impact on crops. Warm and wet weather is
usually a factor that promotes tropical storms. Global warming would lead to tropical storms'
appearing with greater frequency. More rain will also force plant life to adjust. Forests and plant
life migrate naturally, but scientists say that global warming would cause them to migrate at a
much faster rate. If the climate changes the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change says,
"some forest species in North America will shift by as much as 300 miles to the north"
(www.pirg.org/enviro/global_w/fact.htm). If a region is getting more rain and plants on the
border of that region need rain to survive, they will naturally begin growing in the new region.
The Environmental Media Services Organization has found that the greenhouse effect
"could drive global temperatures up as much as 6 degrees by the year 2100 - an increase in heat
comparable to the 10 degree warming that ended the last ice age"
(www.ems.org/climate/sub2_html). If a ten degree warming was the factor that ended the ice
age, imagine what another warming by about that same amount could do. Scientists believe that a
warming of only 6 degrees would cause glaciers to melt at a high rate. This would cause an
increase in the level of the oceans. According to the article "Turning up the Heat: How Global
Warming Threatens Life in the Sea," coastal cities and islands would be in danger of flooding if
the ocean levels rose: "Only a 1-cm rise in sea level can erode a full 1 meter of beach" (Berntson
and Mathews-Amos www.worldwildelife.org/news/pups/wwf_ocean.htm). Sea ice would also be
susceptible to melting, which would raise the water level even more.
Global warming will not just make sea levels rise, it will also affect sea life. Corals "are
intolerant of temperatures just a few degrees warmer than usual" (ibid.). Small increases in the
temperature can kill corals. There have been problems with corals dying in the past few years
because of increased water temperatures. Other marine life may migrate northward or southward
because the waters are warmer. The warm water would make them think that they were in their
natural habitat, when they were actually migrating toward the poles. Food would be scarce in
their new habitat.
Patterns of the circulation of sea water are disturbed by global warming. Cold water
moves along the sea floor towards the equator and warm water around the equator moves toward
the poles across the surface of the ocean. It is known as thermohaline circulation. It is a very
important process concerning ocean life. This circulation process brings oxygenated water to the
sea floor. If this did not happen, "water along the sea floor would become depleted of the oxygen
organisms need to survive" (ibid.).
Fish, such as salmon, are also sensitive to the temperature of the water. During the
summer when the water is warm, salmon have a higher metabolic rate. During the winter months,
their metabolism slows down, which is good because less food is available. With global warming
and increased water temperatures, salmon would have a higher metabolic rate, even if it were
during the winter. Less food would be available for them and many salmon would die.
Another impact of global warming will be that some diseases are likely to be spread more
easily. Mosquitoes are a major carrier of tropical diseases. They are commonly known for
carrying malaria, cholera, and dengue fever. Malaria outbreaks are usually confined to "where the
minimum winter temperature reaches no lower than 16 [degrees Celsius]," according to the World
Wide Fund for Nature, an independent conservation organization
(www.panda.org/climate/climate_docs/health_factsheet/malria.htm). Scientists are beginning to
notice that malaria outbreaks are occurring outside these places. They are attributing this to
increased temperatures from global warming. Places such as California, Texas, Florida, Michigan,
and New York have had more cases of malaria. People from these states know that the summers
have been very hot and humid lately. Malaria mosquitoes thrive in hot and humid weather.
Increased temperatures and more rain in some areas will cause hot and humid weather, which will
allow for mosquitoes to migrate to new places and spread the disease. A study suggests that
"malaria transmission would increase from 45% of the globe to 60%, if atmospheric levels of
greenhouse gases reach concentrations equivalent to a doubling of CO2 since the industrial
revolution" (ibid.). Cholera and dengue fever are also carried by mosquitoes and thrive in warm
and moist climates. As with malaria, more cholera and dengue fever outbreaks would occur
because of migrating mosquitoes.
As stated earlier, the warming of the oceans will increase the amount of carbon dioxide in
the atmosphere and will make global warming a problem of increasing severity. There are other
ways that this happens too. As the weather becomes warmer, more organic matter in the ground
will be decomposed. This causes carbon dioxide to be released into the atmosphere: "If average
temperatures would rise by .3 degrees C per decade, soils will release an amount of CO2 equal to
nearly 20 percent of the projected amount released by combustion of fossil fuels" (Murck, Skinner
and Porter 495 ). Gas hydrates will also decompose with warmer temperatures. Gas hydrates are
"icelike solids in which molecules of gas, mainly methane, are locked in the structure of water"
and are usually found in frozen soil or in ocean sediments (495). Scientists have found that "gas
hydrates worldwide hold a total of 10,000 billion metric tons of carbon, twice the amount
contained in all the known coal, gas, and oil reserves on the land" (495). When temperatures
increase, frozen soil will melt and release gas hydrates, and hydrates from ocean sediment will also
break down. Because of this, more methane and carbon will be released into the atmosphere,
making the greenhouse effect even stronger. This will damage our environment even more.
Global warming is becoming a major problem as we move to the 21st century and beyond.
When more greenhouse gasses like carbon dioxide and methane are released, they trap heat rays
and keep them in our atmosphere. This causes an increase in temperature. Increases in
temperature can do a lot of damage, even in small increases. Only a few degrees ended the ice
age thousands of years ago. Another warming like that can have huge environmental effects.
Changes in temperature will upset water cycles. Some areas will get more precipitation, some
will get less. A warming of a few degrees would cause glaciers and sea ice to melt. This would
lead to ocean levels rising and would damage coastal cities and islands. It would also cause a
disruption in different species living in the ocean and increase the levels of some disease,
especially ones carried by mosquitoes, which thrive in warm climates. In order to stop global
warming, much has to be done. Although it is very difficult to reverse once the process is started,
global warming has to be stopped if we want to live like we are now. Emission of fossil fuels by
humans is a big factor in the amount of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere. Controlling these
emissions is one of the first of many steps that we must take in order to combat global warming.
If it is not controlled, problems such as the aforementioned ones, along with others, will definitely
disrupt our living patterns.
Works Cited
Berntson, Ewann, "Turning up the Heat: How Global Warming Threatens Life in the Sea." World
Wildelife Fund and the Marine Conservation Biology Institute. 20 Jan. 2000
.
"Fast Facts" 1999. Environmental Media Services. 20 Jan. 2000
.
"Malaria and Dengue Fever" World Wildlife Fund for Nature. 20 Jan. 2000
.
Murck, Barbara, Brian Skinner, and Stephen Porter. Environmental Geology. New York: John
Wiley & Sons, Inc., 1996.
"Stop Global Warming." Mar. 1999. Public Interest Research Groups. 20 Jan. 2000
.
Tarbuck, Edward and Frederick Lutgens. Earth: An Introduction to Physical Geology. New
Jersey: Prentice Hall, 1996.
Showing posts with label Reason of Gloabl Warming. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Reason of Gloabl Warming. Show all posts
Sunday, October 23, 2011
The Problems The United States Has With Other Countries On Global Warm
In my paper, I plan to explain why the United States and other nations cannot get along when it comes to environmental issues. I plan to break up the paper into three sections that contains what global warming is and how it effects the world, the United States problems and conflicts with other counties about this subject, and my own conclusion based on the information I have found.
Global warming is a serious issue in today's society. World powers such as the United States, Japan, Canada, and Australia can usually see eye to eye with each other about global warming. Other countries, either less developed or more climate aware, do not agree with the countries that are more industrial, because they want strict regulations on air pollution that the more developed countries do not want. The more industrialized countries complain because they say that in order to keep the world going at a safe and orderly pace, they cannot have a change the lifestyle that we are used to today. Both sets of countries know that the amount of greenhouse gasses need to be lightened, but cannot come up with a viable solution.
In order to understand what the countries are talking about, one would have to know why the earth is warming and what exactly is causing it. Greenhouse gasses are what is causing the earth to retain more heat. Greenhouse gasses "that have increased over the industrial period are carbon dioxide (CO2), methane (CH4), nitrous oxide (N20), and chlorofluorocarbons CFC-11." (2-453) The increase in these gases has caused global warming and it continues to rise today. Factory smoke stacks, car emissions, forests burning, and energy usage that burn fossil fuels produce the highest percentage of the gasses that harm the Earth and continue our warming trend. (5-1) For example, the United States, for the nine month period of January to November 2000, "had the warmest nine month period since records began in 1895." because we use the most fossil fuels and put out the most greenhouse gasses (6-1). This was all caused by the growing industrial age that we live in today.
Why do greenhouse gases produce global warming? "Infrared active gases (IR), principally water vapor (H2O), carbon dioxide (CO2), and ozone (O3), naturally present in the Earth's atmosphere, absorb thermal IR radiation emitted by the Earth's surface and atmosphere". (2-453) The greenhouse gasses stop the flow of infrared waves out of the Earth's atmosphere. When the atmosphere is warmed it emits IR radiation, with a portion of the energy acting to warm the surface and the Earth's atmosphere. As a result the average surface temperature of the Earth is higher than it would normally be without the atmospheric absorption and re-radiation of IR energy. This is known as the "Greenhouse effect". The predictions of the future of these greenhouse gasses being in our atmosphere is based on how much we put into the atmosphere and how much is consumed. One thing is for certain, there are still large controversies on how much of these gasses that are let into the atmosphere are by natural or man made processes. (2-453-454)
One of the only known things on Earth that consumes CO2 is plant life. The industrial nations cut down and consume more trees then they can reforest. Also, toxins and pollutants kill plant life in the oceans like algae. This is a major reason for the abundance of CO2. The amount of CO2 in the atmosphere went "from about 280 PPM in the preindustrial age to about 364 PPM in 1997 " (2-454) The amount consumed is far less that the amount that is put into the atmosphere.
One of the major reasons that the rest of the world is unhappy with the United States is that we produce the most greenhouse gasses on the planet. The reason for this is our large amounts of factories and inadequate transportation. Chart one shows the amounts of greenhouse gasses as related to the other parts of the world in 1998.
Chart 1
The United States understands that they are making to many green house gasses but feel that they need to in order to survive. The United States is doing little to prevent global warming. It is not doing as much to prevent it as much as it is to prepare it for the inevitable. "In New Jersey the state government has begun an aggressive program of buying out property owners whose homes or business are in vulnerable flood planes."(4-2) In New York City they are teaching public school children about global warming so that they may conserve energy and be environmentally conscious. (4-2) These are little, insignificannot
things that they doing to try to keep energy levels down, but they are failing miserably. If you ask the U.S. if their doing a good job in trying to reduce pollution they will tell you yes they are. They can teach kids in school about the dangers of wasting energy (seeing if there are even awake or paying attention), but they won't put higher standards on factory and car emissions.
In order to help reduce these gasses in the U.S. and around the world the United Nations have held conferences to try to establish an environmental treaty. There was a proposed treaty, which was called the Kyoto Protocol. (5-2) This treaty explained that certain countries were to cut "their greenhouse gas emissions by 2012 to at least 5 percent below emissions in 1990. So far, no industrialized countries have ratified the pact." (5-2) There were to many provisions the United States could not uphold. They could not put their industrial revolution on hold, even if it was for the sake of the environment. No one can seem to agree on this treaty, so this conference ended with little progress.
Most countries could not agree on certain parts of the provisions of the treaty. Prime example, "The European Union and the United States remain far apart on key provisions, including the amount of credit a country can get by investing in climate- protection projects abroad and how much credit towards emissions cuts could be gained by using forests to absorb carbon dioxide." (5-2) Many environmental campaigners were mad because countries would only have to save forests to receive credit for emissions goals and not by lowering pollution made by cars and burning fossil fuels. The United States wanted to take credit for not cutting down as many trees, but failed to lower standards for factories. They told the UN that they were doing their part, when in fact they were doing very little. This would be a reason why they called another Conference of the Parties three years later. This conference was known as Cop 6. (5-2)
"Conference delegates have been meeting at the Netherlands Congress Center in The Hague for two weeks in an effort to hammer out detailed rules for implementing a climate change treaty negotiated in Kyoto, Japan, three years ago." (3-1) There were still disagreements about what each region was to do about these greenhouse gasses. The main issue is "whether governments should focus on adapting to an inevitable future, or on efforts to mitigate greenhouse gas emissions and thus to try to change that future, if only in a marginal way." (4-2) The United States only wanted to prepare for the future, not prevent it. Everyone was hoping that the United States would see that their view was wrong and give into the majority of the worlds' view. If the United States gave in, other countries that backed them would follow suit.
Many other nations are very unhappy with the United States and the way they handle the environment. "The United States remains obsessed with the idea that it can use the dollar to buy itself out of trouble. U.S. plays dirty at the climate summit." said a commentary in South Africa's daily mail and guardian. (6-1) Also, French minister Dominique Voynet said, "United States proposals had been unacceptable but held out hope for the Kyoto process."(6-2) He also stated that he would hope that the United States knows that Houston, Texas is five times as worse as Paris, France in the global gas situation. (6-2) There were also comments that the reason why the committee's meeting, before Cop 6, ended was because of the United States. They said that the "U.S. insisted that grasslands and forests should count in carbon sequestration" and that was the major reason why talks ended. (6-1)
Scientists brought up many interesting facts for all sides to hear at this conference. They were particularly trying to reach the ears of the United States in order to reach a compromise with them. One of these facts was that these gasses will change the climate so severely that we will have droughts, heat waves, and severe thunder storms. (6-2) This is all due to the average temperature increases. This would also effect sea levels because of the polar caps melting. Coastal regions would be in danger because of a four-foot increase in one hundred years. (4-3) Another fact that was brought up was that the United States does not know the difference between "climate variability" and "climate change." The scientists said that change was man-made and that variability was nature taking its course. The United States had their scientist ready to back them up by saying that there was a gradual warming of the earth a thousand years ago, followed by five-hundred years of colder ages. So that seemed like it might be nature is taking its course just like it did before. (1-2)
The talks had ended though, with the agreement to meet again sometime next year. The opposing side could not come to an agreement with the United States and the other big countries. Countries like Saudi Arabia backed the U.S. because of the fact that they purchase so much oil and goods that keep their country going. Frank Loy, who is under the secretary of state for global affairs said, "The United States is not in the business of signing up to agreements it knows it cannot fulfill. We don't make promises we can't keep." (3-6) This assumes that the United States knows it cannot win this battle and someday will have to fold to the UN. This would be the reason why other countries do not like the way that we handle our environmental issues. We are stubborn and hard headed in our ways, even though we are destroying our Earth. The World Wildlife Fund stated about the United States that "Their insistence on exploiting almost every loophole in the Kyoto Protocol stalled the painfully slow progress of the last three years." (3-6) They said that we should have not walked away and stuck with negotiations.
The whole point is that the UN and the European Union is trying to make is that we burn to many fossil fuels and cannot keep greenhouse gasses out of the atmosphere. The only thing the UN wants is for the big, industrial countries, like the U.S., China, Japan, and Australia, to put more regulations on transportation and energy usage. The United States needs to conserve more energy and use better means of public transportation. We produce the highest amounts of greenhouse gasses and should take more of the blame for the damage we cause. The main reason why other nations have conflicts with the United States is we do not take any blame. We are big babies that take and do not give. We should do our part in conserving energy, using less fossil fuels, regulating standards for factory emissions, and use better public transportation or the world will keep diminishing slowly.
Works Cited
1. Horner, Chris. "Scientists Continue To Assail Climate Treaty." http://www.globalwarming.org/cop6horner.htm
2. Fellows, Hall, Killeen, Ledley, Schwartz, Sundquist. "Climate Change and Greenhouse Gasses" Vol. 80, No. 39. 28 September 1999 p. 453- 475 http://www.agu.org/eos_elec?99148e.html
3. Fuller, Jim. "Ministers Unable to Reach Agreement at Climate Change Conference" 25 November 2000. Http://globalchange.gov/news/hague_conference_2000_11_25.html
4. Johnson, Kirk. "Global Warming Moves From Impassioned Words to Modest Deeds." New York Times 19 November 2000 http://www.nytimes.com/2000/11/19/science/19CLIM.html
5. Revkin, Andrew C. "Effort to Cut Warming Lacks Time and Unity." New York Times 24 November 2000 http://www.nytimes.com/2000/11/24/science/24CLIM.html
6. Zengerle, Patricia. "World Powers Trade Charges on Climate Talks' Failure" 26 November 2000 http://dialynews.yahoo.com/h/nm/20001126/ts/environment_climate_dc_28.html
Global warming is a serious issue in today's society. World powers such as the United States, Japan, Canada, and Australia can usually see eye to eye with each other about global warming. Other countries, either less developed or more climate aware, do not agree with the countries that are more industrial, because they want strict regulations on air pollution that the more developed countries do not want. The more industrialized countries complain because they say that in order to keep the world going at a safe and orderly pace, they cannot have a change the lifestyle that we are used to today. Both sets of countries know that the amount of greenhouse gasses need to be lightened, but cannot come up with a viable solution.
In order to understand what the countries are talking about, one would have to know why the earth is warming and what exactly is causing it. Greenhouse gasses are what is causing the earth to retain more heat. Greenhouse gasses "that have increased over the industrial period are carbon dioxide (CO2), methane (CH4), nitrous oxide (N20), and chlorofluorocarbons CFC-11." (2-453) The increase in these gases has caused global warming and it continues to rise today. Factory smoke stacks, car emissions, forests burning, and energy usage that burn fossil fuels produce the highest percentage of the gasses that harm the Earth and continue our warming trend. (5-1) For example, the United States, for the nine month period of January to November 2000, "had the warmest nine month period since records began in 1895." because we use the most fossil fuels and put out the most greenhouse gasses (6-1). This was all caused by the growing industrial age that we live in today.
Why do greenhouse gases produce global warming? "Infrared active gases (IR), principally water vapor (H2O), carbon dioxide (CO2), and ozone (O3), naturally present in the Earth's atmosphere, absorb thermal IR radiation emitted by the Earth's surface and atmosphere". (2-453) The greenhouse gasses stop the flow of infrared waves out of the Earth's atmosphere. When the atmosphere is warmed it emits IR radiation, with a portion of the energy acting to warm the surface and the Earth's atmosphere. As a result the average surface temperature of the Earth is higher than it would normally be without the atmospheric absorption and re-radiation of IR energy. This is known as the "Greenhouse effect". The predictions of the future of these greenhouse gasses being in our atmosphere is based on how much we put into the atmosphere and how much is consumed. One thing is for certain, there are still large controversies on how much of these gasses that are let into the atmosphere are by natural or man made processes. (2-453-454)
One of the only known things on Earth that consumes CO2 is plant life. The industrial nations cut down and consume more trees then they can reforest. Also, toxins and pollutants kill plant life in the oceans like algae. This is a major reason for the abundance of CO2. The amount of CO2 in the atmosphere went "from about 280 PPM in the preindustrial age to about 364 PPM in 1997 " (2-454) The amount consumed is far less that the amount that is put into the atmosphere.
One of the major reasons that the rest of the world is unhappy with the United States is that we produce the most greenhouse gasses on the planet. The reason for this is our large amounts of factories and inadequate transportation. Chart one shows the amounts of greenhouse gasses as related to the other parts of the world in 1998.
Chart 1
The United States understands that they are making to many green house gasses but feel that they need to in order to survive. The United States is doing little to prevent global warming. It is not doing as much to prevent it as much as it is to prepare it for the inevitable. "In New Jersey the state government has begun an aggressive program of buying out property owners whose homes or business are in vulnerable flood planes."(4-2) In New York City they are teaching public school children about global warming so that they may conserve energy and be environmentally conscious. (4-2) These are little, insignificannot
things that they doing to try to keep energy levels down, but they are failing miserably. If you ask the U.S. if their doing a good job in trying to reduce pollution they will tell you yes they are. They can teach kids in school about the dangers of wasting energy (seeing if there are even awake or paying attention), but they won't put higher standards on factory and car emissions.
In order to help reduce these gasses in the U.S. and around the world the United Nations have held conferences to try to establish an environmental treaty. There was a proposed treaty, which was called the Kyoto Protocol. (5-2) This treaty explained that certain countries were to cut "their greenhouse gas emissions by 2012 to at least 5 percent below emissions in 1990. So far, no industrialized countries have ratified the pact." (5-2) There were to many provisions the United States could not uphold. They could not put their industrial revolution on hold, even if it was for the sake of the environment. No one can seem to agree on this treaty, so this conference ended with little progress.
Most countries could not agree on certain parts of the provisions of the treaty. Prime example, "The European Union and the United States remain far apart on key provisions, including the amount of credit a country can get by investing in climate- protection projects abroad and how much credit towards emissions cuts could be gained by using forests to absorb carbon dioxide." (5-2) Many environmental campaigners were mad because countries would only have to save forests to receive credit for emissions goals and not by lowering pollution made by cars and burning fossil fuels. The United States wanted to take credit for not cutting down as many trees, but failed to lower standards for factories. They told the UN that they were doing their part, when in fact they were doing very little. This would be a reason why they called another Conference of the Parties three years later. This conference was known as Cop 6. (5-2)
"Conference delegates have been meeting at the Netherlands Congress Center in The Hague for two weeks in an effort to hammer out detailed rules for implementing a climate change treaty negotiated in Kyoto, Japan, three years ago." (3-1) There were still disagreements about what each region was to do about these greenhouse gasses. The main issue is "whether governments should focus on adapting to an inevitable future, or on efforts to mitigate greenhouse gas emissions and thus to try to change that future, if only in a marginal way." (4-2) The United States only wanted to prepare for the future, not prevent it. Everyone was hoping that the United States would see that their view was wrong and give into the majority of the worlds' view. If the United States gave in, other countries that backed them would follow suit.
Many other nations are very unhappy with the United States and the way they handle the environment. "The United States remains obsessed with the idea that it can use the dollar to buy itself out of trouble. U.S. plays dirty at the climate summit." said a commentary in South Africa's daily mail and guardian. (6-1) Also, French minister Dominique Voynet said, "United States proposals had been unacceptable but held out hope for the Kyoto process."(6-2) He also stated that he would hope that the United States knows that Houston, Texas is five times as worse as Paris, France in the global gas situation. (6-2) There were also comments that the reason why the committee's meeting, before Cop 6, ended was because of the United States. They said that the "U.S. insisted that grasslands and forests should count in carbon sequestration" and that was the major reason why talks ended. (6-1)
Scientists brought up many interesting facts for all sides to hear at this conference. They were particularly trying to reach the ears of the United States in order to reach a compromise with them. One of these facts was that these gasses will change the climate so severely that we will have droughts, heat waves, and severe thunder storms. (6-2) This is all due to the average temperature increases. This would also effect sea levels because of the polar caps melting. Coastal regions would be in danger because of a four-foot increase in one hundred years. (4-3) Another fact that was brought up was that the United States does not know the difference between "climate variability" and "climate change." The scientists said that change was man-made and that variability was nature taking its course. The United States had their scientist ready to back them up by saying that there was a gradual warming of the earth a thousand years ago, followed by five-hundred years of colder ages. So that seemed like it might be nature is taking its course just like it did before. (1-2)
The talks had ended though, with the agreement to meet again sometime next year. The opposing side could not come to an agreement with the United States and the other big countries. Countries like Saudi Arabia backed the U.S. because of the fact that they purchase so much oil and goods that keep their country going. Frank Loy, who is under the secretary of state for global affairs said, "The United States is not in the business of signing up to agreements it knows it cannot fulfill. We don't make promises we can't keep." (3-6) This assumes that the United States knows it cannot win this battle and someday will have to fold to the UN. This would be the reason why other countries do not like the way that we handle our environmental issues. We are stubborn and hard headed in our ways, even though we are destroying our Earth. The World Wildlife Fund stated about the United States that "Their insistence on exploiting almost every loophole in the Kyoto Protocol stalled the painfully slow progress of the last three years." (3-6) They said that we should have not walked away and stuck with negotiations.
The whole point is that the UN and the European Union is trying to make is that we burn to many fossil fuels and cannot keep greenhouse gasses out of the atmosphere. The only thing the UN wants is for the big, industrial countries, like the U.S., China, Japan, and Australia, to put more regulations on transportation and energy usage. The United States needs to conserve more energy and use better means of public transportation. We produce the highest amounts of greenhouse gasses and should take more of the blame for the damage we cause. The main reason why other nations have conflicts with the United States is we do not take any blame. We are big babies that take and do not give. We should do our part in conserving energy, using less fossil fuels, regulating standards for factory emissions, and use better public transportation or the world will keep diminishing slowly.
Works Cited
1. Horner, Chris. "Scientists Continue To Assail Climate Treaty." http://www.globalwarming.org/cop6horner.htm
2. Fellows, Hall, Killeen, Ledley, Schwartz, Sundquist. "Climate Change and Greenhouse Gasses" Vol. 80, No. 39. 28 September 1999 p. 453- 475 http://www.agu.org/eos_elec?99148e.html
3. Fuller, Jim. "Ministers Unable to Reach Agreement at Climate Change Conference" 25 November 2000. Http://globalchange.gov/news/hague_conference_2000_11_25.html
4. Johnson, Kirk. "Global Warming Moves From Impassioned Words to Modest Deeds." New York Times 19 November 2000 http://www.nytimes.com/2000/11/19/science/19CLIM.html
5. Revkin, Andrew C. "Effort to Cut Warming Lacks Time and Unity." New York Times 24 November 2000 http://www.nytimes.com/2000/11/24/science/24CLIM.html
6. Zengerle, Patricia. "World Powers Trade Charges on Climate Talks' Failure" 26 November 2000 http://dialynews.yahoo.com/h/nm/20001126/ts/environment_climate_dc_28.html
Sunday, March 13, 2011
Global Warming
Global Warming
Global Warming or Climate Change is quantifiable boost in the average temperature of Earth’s oceans, landmasses, and atmosphere. Scientists consider Earth is presently facing an era of rapid warming brought on by increasing levels of heat-trapping gases, known as greenhouse gases, in the ambiance. Greenhouse gases keep the radiant energy (heat) supply to Earth by the Sun in a procedure known as the greenhouse effect (Silver, 2008). Greenhouse gases appear naturally, and without them the earth would be too cold to continue life as we know it. Since the starting of the Industrial Revolution in the mid year 1700, though, human being actions have added increasingly of these gases into the atmosphere. For instance, levels of carbon dioxide, an influential greenhouse gas, have increasing by thirty-five percent since year 1750, largely from the burning of fossil fuel such as oil, coal, and natural gas. With extra greenhouse gases in the merge, the ambiance acts like a congealing blanket and ensnare more heat. (Silver, 2008)
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Planet Earth has warmed and cooled lots of times since its formation approximately 4.6 billion years ago. Global climate changes were owing to lots of factors, comprising massive volcanic emissions, which boost carbon dioxide in the ambiance; changes in the strength of energy released by the Sun; and changing in Earth’s position relation to the Sun, both in its orbit and in the leaning of its rotate axis. Changing in Earth’s position, recognized as Milankovitch cycles, unite to produce cyclical variations in the global temperature. These cycles are supposed to be accountable for the repeated move forward and move away of glaciers and ice layers throughout the Pleistocene Era, when planet Earth went from side to side rather usual cycles of colder “glacial” era and heater “interglacial” era. Glacial era occurred at approximately 100,000-year gaps. (Archer, 2006)
An interglacial era began approximately 10,000 years ago, when the last glacial period came to an end. Earlier to that glacial period, an interglacial period happened approximately 125,000 years ago (Silver, 2008). Throughout interglacial periods, greenhouse gases such as methane and carbon dioxide naturally boost in the ambiance from boosted animal and plant life. But since year 1750 greenhouse gases have boosted radically to levels not observed in hundreds of thousands of years, owing to the quick growth of the human being population joint with growth in agriculture and technology. Human being actions now are a powerful issue effecting Earth’s vigorous temperature. (Silver, 2008)
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The ice of the Polar area provides clues to the structure of planet Earth’s early atmosphere. Ice cores that scientists have bored from the ice layers of Antarctica and Greenland provide natural records of both atmospheric and temperature greenhouse gases leaving back hundreds of thousands of years. Sheets in these ice cores shaped by regular snowfall patterns let scientists to decide the glacial period in each core. By calculating small air bubbles trapped in the ice and properties of the ice itself, scientists can approximation the temperature and quantity of greenhouse gases in planet Earth’s earlier period atmosphere at the time every sheet shaped. Stand on this data, scientists identify that greenhouse gases have now raised to higher levels than at any period in the last 650,000 years.(David, 2007)
Greenhouse gases are increasing and hotness are following. Before the late year 1800, the normal surface hotness of planet Earth was approximately 15°C (59°F). More than the past hundreds years, the normal surface temperature has increased by about 0.7°C (1.3°F) with largely of the boost occurring since the year 1970. Scientists have connected even this quantity of temperate to various changes taking place round the globe, comprising melting polar ice and mountain glaciers, rising sea level, additional strong and longer droughts, additional strong storms, additional numerous heat waves, and changes in the life cycles of lots of animals and plants. (Archer, 2006)Temperate has been largely dramatic in the Arctic, where warmth have increased roughly twice as much as the worldwide average.
Global Warming Causes
Planet Earth absorbs largely of the heat spread out by the sun and reproduces back the remaining part. Greenhouse gases such as methane, carbon dioxide, ozone and water vapor trap the reflected warmth (Silver, 2008). Therefore prohibited from escaping, the reflected warmth insert to the heat of surface air. An irresistible majority of our scientific society agrees that human being activities have an important influence on global warming. Fossil-fuel-burning, vehicles Factories emitting smoke and even the burning of firewood direct to boosts releases of carbon dioxide gas. Carbon dioxide gas is one of the “greenhouse” gases that catch the warmth from the sun. The heater air direct to boost water desertion, and water vapor is one more greenhouse gas that catch the heat. Another human being activity that direct to global warming is the cut downing of trees for firewood and timber. (David, 2007)
Global Warming Effects
Warmer air warmth causes glaciers to melt, with the resulting water running into the oceans. This directs to increase in sea levels that can go under water populated areas, including entire countries such as the Maldives (Stow, 2007). Global warming directs to alter in temperature. Climate alters decrease agricultural yields and boosts the strength of severe weather measures such as cyclones and flooding. Tree cut downing has its own influence. Except every tree felling is replaced by planting one or more trees in its area, once wooded areas become deserts. Trees absorb carbon dioxide gas in the ambiance. Smaller numbers of trees mean higher absorption of carbon dioxide gas. Alters in weather, rainfall levels and land use patterns can direct to extermination of species, and boosts in the occurrence of mosquito-borne and other types of illness. Global warming results are therefore different and extremely troublemaking to human being survival. (Houghton, 2009)
Reducing Global Warming
Global warming costs are therefore is too grave to be unnoticed. Corrective action is making difficult by the truth that some human being scientists differ with the consensus. According to a number of, the cyclical weather patterns are nothing new. The planet earth has gone from side to side such cycles and endured several glacial periods. Planet earth may have survived, but not planet earth inhabitant such as dinosaurs. (Houghton, 2009)
Regardless of the argument, governments are taking steps to defend the atmosphere. An effort is being made to decrease greenhouse gas releases, and to penalize the releases. In numerous countries, the law necessitate that each felled tree have to be replaced by planting two new seeding. At an individual level, we too can contribute (Silver, 2008). For instance, we can:
· Burn fewer fossil fuel by going in for fuel-competent small cars, or even improved, using community transport
· Decrease energy expenditure by switching off electrical devices while not wanted
· Utilize energy-competent light bulbs and heating devices
· Reduce the utilize of wood-based yields such as paper, and fossil-based yields such as plastic
· Recycle plastic and paper products
Lastly the general agreement is that human being activity such as tree-felling and fossil-fuel burning, other practices direct to global warming. Global warming has numerous trouble making effects as sketch above. In calculation to governments, we as persons can do much to decrease global warming.
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References
David, Laurie. (2007). Down-to-Earth Guide To Global Warming. New York: Orchard Books.
Archer, David. (2006). Global Warming: Understanding the Forecast. New York: Wiley-Blackwell.
Houghton, John. (2009). Global Warming: The Complete Briefing. New York: Cambridge University Press.
Silver, Jerry. (2008). Global Warming and Climate Change Demystified. New York: McGraw-Hill Professional, 2008.
Stow, Dorrik. (2007). “Climate control: ocean and atmosphere are intricately linked. Dorrik Stow explores some of the facts, effects and challenges of global warming”. London: Thomson Gale.
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