Global Warming

Possibly the biggest problem facing the world today is global warming. It is a problem which will affect everybody, and could be having a large impact on the world in the near future.

Global warming is the increase in the average measured temperature of Earth’s near surface air and oceans, specifically since the mid 20th century, and its projected continuation. The average surface temperature on Earth has increased approximately 3 quarters of a degree during the last hundred years, and is predicted to rise another 1.1 degrees during the 21st century. The main cause of global warming is the greenhouse gas effect. When solar radiation enters the earth’s atmosphere, part of it is absorbed by the Earth’s surface, and part of it is radiated back out towards the atmosphere. Greenhouse gases prevent a lot of the radiation from escaping into space, and thereby warm earth further. As the amount of Greenhouse gases has increased, so has the amount of radiation from earth being prevented from escaping, and therefore the temperature on earth increases.

The main gases that contribute to global warming are carbon dioxide, which makes up 76% of greenhouse gases, and methane, which makes up 13% of greenhouse gases.

The amount of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere has increased by 30% since 1750. This is mainly due to the burning of fossil fuels, and deforestation. The amount of methane in the air has doubled since 1750, mainly caused by livestock, mining and drilling for fossil fuels, growing rice, and garbage in landfills.

There are many possible effects of global warming, and most of them are negative. These are some of the main theories about what could happen if global warming continues.

1. Global warming is causing the melting of glaciers and polar ice caps, which results in the level of the ocean rising. The ocean rise will cover low lying lands with water, and result in millions of people having to move from their homes.
2. There will be an increase in the number and intensity of extreme weather events, such as Droughts, Floods, and Hurricanes.
3. Increases in temperatures near the poles will allow insects carrying diseases such as malaria to spread to places where it is currently to cold for them.
4. Global warming is slowing down the Gulf Stream, Ocean currents that circulate warm water from the tropics to the north Atlantic. This could result in a mini ice age in parts of the northern hemisphere.
5.  Increases in temperatures could cause certain species, such as polar bears, to become extinct.

There are also some positive effects that global warming could result in.

One of these is that, increases in temperature could result in longer growing seasons for food, and could allow countries that were previously to cold, to grow certain crops.

There are currently a few things that are being done in an effort to slow down Global warming. The Kyoto Protocol was introduced at a United Nations conference in 1992.

Under the Kyoto Protocol, countries agreed to reduce their Green House gas emissions. Countries have been set limits to which they must aim for. USA is the only major country not to have ratified it. As well as the Kyoto Protocol, many countries are also acting individually by doing things such as introducing new laws on emissions. Individuals can also help in many different ways, such as by biking to work, or by buying appliances with an energy star label.

Even with these efforts, Global Warming is continuing to happen, and at a very fast rate. Overall, Global Warming will have a clear negative effect on Earth, and everybody living in the world, regardless of the few possible positives that could happen. And that is why Global Warming is possibly the biggest problem facing the world today.