Is global climate change man-made - Essay Example

Academia Research 15 March People change over time and with them, the world and its nature as well. However, as years have passed, global climate change is a transition that is affecting people and the world; yet, humans have only contributed towards the increment of this problem.Approximately every 100,000 years Earths climate warms up temporarily. These warm periods, called interglacial periods, appear to last approximately 15,000 to 20,000 years before regressing back to a cold ice age climate.

At year 18,000 and counting our current interglacial vacation from the Ice Age is closer to its end than its beginning. This leads to the growing debate of today, is global warming man-made? Or is it just a cycle that the Earth goes through?Greenhouse gases affect the Earth’s climate by increasing the greenhouse effect, which is a natural phenomenon whereby water vapor, CO2, and other gases in the atmosphere allow sunlight to pass through, but then absorb much of the heat from the earth that otherwise would have escaped to outer space.

Without the natural greenhouse effect, the mean temperature would be about minus 18°C, and the Earth would be uninhabitable Emitting greenhouse gases in large amounts increases the concentration of these gases in the atmosphere, which then increases the greenhouse effect so that more heat is trapped by the atmosphere. This can increase the temperature of the atmosphere and change the climate on Earth.Probably the most harmful contaminant that people are responsible for releasing into the atmosphere is carbon dioxide.

The energy sector has been cited as being responsible for three fourths of the carbon dioxide emissions, one fifth of the methane emissions and a good portion of the nitrous oxide released into the earth’s atmosphere. Most of this comes from the burning of fossil fuels, although deforestation, land clearing, and other agricultural practices have all led to rises in pollution levels. Without some sort of agreement between countries, this could become the factor that tips the scales toward mankind as being the biggest cause of climate change.

Many of the statements that are for climate change being a natural event are true. Global climate change is natural, but it is due to men selfishness, and the fact that we are so inconsiderate, that it is taking place at such an alarmingly rapid rate.