Global Warming Effects » Cause Of Global Warming

Facts About Global Warming you Should Know

admin — Wed, 26 Nov 2008 02:59:55 +0000

Global warming is not a 20th century phenomenon. It has, in fact, occurred in the past more than once, along with periods of extreme cold known as the ice ages. With so much written and reported about global warming, sometimes it’s difficult to detect which is fact and which is just part of scientific scaretactics. Here are some facts about global warming that might help:

What exactly is global warming?

Global warming is basically the increase in the temperatures of the Earth’s atmosphere, land masses and oceans. The Earth’s surface temperature is at an average of 59F and over the last hundred years, this figure has risen to about 1F. By the year 2100, the average change in the temperature of the Earth could range from 2.5F to about 10F, enough to melt glaciers and polar ice caps.

The cause of global warming

Global warming has and will always occur naturally. Why it has become such a concern in our lifetime is due to the fact that human activities and practices have contributed significantly to its occurrence and severity. With the advent of industrialization and careless environmental practices, we have caused the increase in the average global temperatures by contributing negatively to the greenhouse effect.

This began about 240 years ago, when the Industrial Revolution was born. As more and more fossil fuels in the form of oil were mined and burned, gases as the by-product of that process began to be released in the atmosphere. Currently, it is estimated that 75% of the increase in the carbon dioxide content of the Earth’s atmosphere is caused by the burning of these fossil fuels.

Global warming and the greenhouse effect

Global warming is related to changes in the Earth’s greenhouse effect. Gases naturally occur in the Earth’s atmosphere and act both to protect and retain heat. These gases include carbon dioxide, methane, nitrous oxide and water vapor. Of these, water vapor is the most dominant and abundant greenhouse gas.

Global warming and the greenhouse effect are not the same thing. The greenhouse effect refers to a natural process that occurs in the Earth’s atmosphere. If this process is disrupted, then it could contribute to global warming.

As the sun’s rays hit the Earth, heat is bounced back to the atmosphere where these gases contain the heat and keep it there to warm the planet. This is an important natural process and allows life forms to flourish and survive. Problems only occur when these gases multiply and build-up, containing heat too efficiently and thus warming the Earth’s atmosphere.

As the Earth’s average temperature rises, effects in its landmasses and sea water level become apparent. Polar ice caps melt along with glaciers, contributing to higher and warmer sea levels. By the end of the century, it is estimated that sea levels can increase from 4 inches to a high of about 40 inches if global warming continues unabated.

Global warming can also affect the behavior of the winds and can also contribute to a harsher and drier climate, with frequent visitings of strong hurricanes. Water from heavier rainfall will not stay long to irrigate the land, however because with a warmer climate, water on the Earth’s surface will evaporate quickly. This has a significant effect on agricultural practices not only in the US but also for the rest of the world.

Another phenomenon that is equated with global warming is the El Nino. The El Nino phenomenon has occurred for possibly thousands of years and is not caused directly by global warming. However, changes in the average temperature of the planet can contribute to its severity and frequency.

Other human practices that contribute to global warming

The agricultural revolution has also contributed to global warming. As more and more communities need lands converted from forests to residential and commercial areas, biomass is reduced, contributing to the increase in the presence of carbon dioxide in those regions. Since carbon dioxide is processed by plants and trees, their absence contributes to its increase.

It is estimated that about 25% of the annual increase in the carbon dioxide found in the Earth’s atmosphere is caused by extreme changes and usage of the Earth’s natural resources. Other practices also include deforestation, salinization, desertification and overgrazing also contribute to global warming. However, many scientists surmise and agree that the contribution is slight and indirect.

Facing the facts of global warming

Countries all over the world have just begun to acknowledge the negative effects of global warming not only to the world’s politics and economy but also to humankind in general. Many of the world’s governments have encouraged implementation of measures to try to counteract the problem of global warming through careful measures and practices designed to protect and respect the environment.

How these measures will fare and contribute to the long-term maintenance of our planet, though, remains to be seen.

Are Humans the Real Cause of Global Warming at the Poles?

admin — Thu, 06 Nov 2008 18:25:21 +0000

Increasing temperature of Earth has has put poles for the first time directly attributable to human activities, according to a study. The work, by an international team, is published in the journal Nature Geoscience. In 2007, the UN body on climate change presented strong evidence that the global average temperature increase is largely due to human activities. That contradicts the idea that this was a result of natural processes, such as an increase in intensity on sun.

At the time, there was sufficient evidence to say this for sure about the Arctic and Antarctic.
We really can not continue to pretend that it is natural that guides these variations to such big changes. Now this gap in research was connected, according to scientists who have made a detailed analysis of changes in temperature at both poles. The study indicates that humans have contributed to global warming in both regions. Researchers result was expected in the Arctic – a result of the recent sharp increase in melting of sea ice in summer in the region – but the temperature changes in Antarctica have been so far difficult to interpret.

Today study, according to the researchers, suggests for the first time there is a discernable human influence on both the Arctic and Antarctica.
The research team took the temperature changes over Earth’s polar regions and compared with two sets of climate models.
A series assumes that there were no human influenza set the other was taken there. The best fit was with models that assumption that human activity including burning of fossil fuels and ozone depletion has played a role. According to one of the researchers involved in the study, Peter Stott, head of climate and monitoring for the award Met Office, formally showing that the Antarctic has been influenced by human activity was the main development:

In recent IPCC (Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change) report, for example, he said, “unable to make a statement on the Antarctic, because this was not done a study at that time.
“But yet, when you do that you can clearly see a fingerprint found in humans. We really can not claim more than is natural that guides these variations are very big changes that we are seeing in our climate system.”
Professor Phil Jones, director of the Climate Research Unit of the University of East Anglia, said: “Our study is certainly close some loopholes in the latest report by the IPCC.
“But I still think a number of people, including some politicians are reluctant to accept the evidence or do nothing until they refused to say specifically that a particular event was caused by humans as a serious flood or somewhere even a heatwave.
“Until you go to small events in time and space, there will be people who still doubt the evidence.”

Global Warming Causes?

admin — Fri, 24 Oct 2008 21:57:53 +0000

Global Warming is caused by many things. The causes are split up into two groups, man-made or anthropogenic causes, and natural causes.

Man-made Causes

Pollution is one of the biggest man-made problems. Burning fossil fuels is one thing that causes pollution. Fossil fuels are fuels made of organic matter such as coal, or oil. When fossil fuels are burned they give off a green house gas called CO2. Also mining coal and oil allows methane to escape. Methane is naturally in the ground. When you dig up the fossil fuels you dig up the methane as well.

Another major man-made cause of Global Warming is population. More people means more food, and more methods of transportation, right? Now your probably thinking, “Wait a minute, you said agriculture is going to be damaged by Global Warming, but now you’re saying agriculture is going to help cause Global Warming?” You’re smelling methane. Another source of methane is manure. Because more food is needed we have to raise food. More people means more cars, and more cars means more pollution. Global Warming is caused by many things. While many greenhouse gases occur naturally and are needed to create the greenhouse effect that keeps the Earth warm enough to support life, human use of fossil fuels is the main source of excess greenhouse gases. By driving cars, using electricity from coal-fired power plants, or heating our homes with oil or natural gas, we release carbon dioxide and other heat-trapping gases into the atmosphere. Deforestation is another significant source of greenhouse gases, because fewer trees means less carbon dioxide conversion to oxygen.

During the 150 years of the industrial age, the atmospheric concentration of carbon dioxide has increased by 31 percent. This increase in trapped heat changes the climate and alters weather patterns, which may hasten species extinction, influence the length of seasons, cause coastal flooding, and lead to more frequent and severe storms.

Natural Causes

Natural causes are causes created by nature. One natural cause is a release of methane gas from arctic tundra and wetlands. Methane is a greenhouse gas. A greenhouse gas is a gas that traps heat in the earth’s atmosphere. Another natural cause is that the earth goes through a cycle of climate change.