Global warming
For many years( over 100 years ), Earth has gone warmed and gone cooled time and again.During this period, the Earth has experienced increases in temperature which was a result of natural causes, or subtle shifts in its orbit, as the atmosphere or surface changed. But today, global warming is been caused by the accumulation of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere produced by other forces: humanity. Now the question is this.
- How can we be certain that greenhouse gases released by humans are causing the warming?
- How much more will the Earth warm?
- How will Earth respond?
The answers to these questions should be the most significant scientific challenge of our time.
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What is global warming?
Global warming(also referred to as climate change) is the continuous increase in temperature of the Earth's climate system (both land and water) as well as its atmosphere due to the greenhouse gases released as people burn fossil fuels.
During the period from 1880 to 2013/14, the global average surface temperature increased to 0.6 to 0.9 degrees Celsius (1.1 to 1.6° F), and the rate of increase in temperature has almost doubled in the past 60 years.
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Greenhouse effect
A process(natural) that warms up the Earth’s surface or the exchange of outgoing and incoming radiation that tends to warm up the Earth surface is often referred to as the greenhouse effect. When the energy that descends from the sun down to the earth reaches the Earth’s atmosphere, a major part of it is reflected back to space and the others are taken in and re-radiated by greenhouse gases. In other words, the incoming (Ultraviolet)UV radiation easily passes through the greenhouse wall and is then taken in by the plants and hard surfaces inside.
Weaker (Infrared radiation) IR radiation, sometimes, find it difficult to pass through the walls of the greenhouse and therefore, it's trapped inside, therefore causing the greenhouse to become warm. The flourishment of plants inside a greenhouse is the cause of this effect.
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The taking in and radiation of heat by the atmosphere—( which is the process of the natural greenhouse effect)—is beneficial for life on Earth.Because if there were no greenhouse effect, I think the average surface Earth’s temperature would have been very chilly -18°C (0°F) instead of being comfortable 15°C (59°F) as it is today.
Visit Climate and Earth’s Energy Budget to read more about how sunlight fuels Earth’s climate.
The natural greenhouse effect also regulates the Earth's temperature at a secure level which makes it possible for humans and many other living things to exist.
Major causes of global warming?
The increasing amount of greenhouse gases which is produced by human activities in our atmospheres, perhaps burning of fossil fuels or deforestation and others. These activities actually lead to a large formation of greenhouse gas emissions which is causing global warming.
Greenhouse gas emissions and the enhanced greenhouse effect
Greenhouse gases are formed in different ways, through human activities and natural means too. Unfortunately, greenhouse gases generated by human activities are contributing to the atmosphere at a much faster rate than even any natural process can't remove them . Since the revolution of industries, global standard of greenhouse gases have increased rapidly. There's less Human activities which causes the concentration of greenhouse gases (carbon dioxide, methane, nitrous oxide and fluorinated gases) to
- The majority of man-made carbon dioxide emissions is from the burning of fossil fuels such as coal and oil so that humans can power various vehicles, machinery, keep warm and create electricity. Other important sources come from land-use changes (ex: deforestation) and industry (ex: cement production).
- Methane is created by humans during fossil fuel production and use, livestock and rice farming, as well as landfills.14
- Nitrous oxide emissions are mainly caused by the use of synthetic fertilizers for agriculture, fossil fuel combustion and livestock manure management.
- Fluorinated gases are used mainly in refrigeration, cooling and manufacturing applications.
Deforestation
Deforestation is also another large contributor to excessive CO2 in the atmosphere. The transformation of forests into farms today, has a huge amount of impacts as far as greenhouse gas emissions are invovlved. According to the 2010 Global Forest Resources Assessment, deforestation unveil almost a billion tons of carbon to the atmosphere each year.
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What are the effects of global warming?
Among all, One of the most physical effects derived from global warming can be seen in the Arctic as
- glaciers
- permafrost
- rapid melting of sea ice.
Global warming is causing arm to the environment in several ways which includes: - Desertification
- Increased melting of snow and ice
- Sea level rise
- Stronger hurricanes and cyclones
How to solve global warming
Consecutive numbers of people are now being concerned about global warming and are finding a means on how to reverse the trends.
"some others argue that the Earth will heal itself grdually, but the natural processes for removing this CO2 caused by human from the atmosphere work on the timescale of hundreds of thousands to millions of years," University of Pittsburgh's Werne said.
"So, yes, the Earth will heal itself, but not in time for our cultural institutions to be preserved as they are. Therefore, in our own self-interests, we must act in one way or another to deal with the changes in climate we are causing.".
The process of solving this climate change will require a big shifts in the production of energy, including the fossil fuels, down to less carbon-intensive sources. Some scientists even think geoengineering will be needed to cool the planet..
Global warming fast facts
- Carbon dioxide levels in the atmosphere are at 406.5 ppm as of 2017, their highest levels in 650,000 years.
- Average global temperature is up 1.7 degrees F (0.94 degrees C) since 1880.
- The minimum expanse of Arctic summer sea ice has declined 13.3 percent per decade since the 1980s.
- Land ice has declined at the poles by 286 gigatons a year since 2002.
- Global sea level has risen 7 inches (176 millimetres) in the past century.
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