The Global Warming - Essay Example

Consequences of Global Warming and Effective Solution Introduction Generally ‘global warming’ is considered as a global crisis that is supposed tothreaten the existence of life on the earth by bringing about radical and drastic changes in the ecosystem. But from an academic perspective, it can be “defined as the raising of the Earth’s temperature” (Dispensa & Brule, 2003, p.87) due to the increasing solar-heat in the atmosphere trapped by the greenhouse gasses such as “the introduction of Carbon dioxide, Methane, and other gases” (Dispensa & Brule, 2003, p.87) etc. Scientists note that during the past 200 years the average global has increased about .40C to .80C (in Fahrenheit Scale about .70 to 1.40).

Experts also estimate that if this rate of increase in the temperature remains uninterrupted, the average temperature is supposed to rise up to 10.4 degrees F by 2100. Overview of the Situation Studies show that the occurring of “killer heat-waves” (Houghton, 2004, p.188) is more frequent than ever. The August of 2003 was the hottest summer in the European continent in 500 years killing almost 27000 people. The rise in the global atmospheric temperature is closely related to abnormal behavioral and characteristic weather changes such as “greater likelihood of droughts and heat waves; a greater incidence of floods” (Houghton, 2004, p.188), wild-fires, spread of cold season insects, occurrences of “climate extremes”, “spread of certain tropical diseases”(Houghton, 2004, p.188), diminishing glaciers and ice-sheets in the North and the South poles, changes in the genetic behaviors in living organisms, spread of seasonal diseases, etc.

Identifications of the Problems of Global Warming The increase in the atmospheric temperature is mostly a response to a process called greenhouse effect that “is a natural phenomenon….whereby certain gasses in the atmosphere keep the earth’s temperature significantly higher than it would otherwise be, making it suitable for life” (Dispensa & Brule, 2003, p. 87). The gasses prevent the magnified heat radiation to return to the space and preserve it as heat in the environment. Climatologists suggest that global warming is caused mainly by human activities that contribute to the increase in the green-house gas in the atmosphere.

Natural causes such as “sunspots and natural variation of temperature change by the evolution of earth” (Dispensa & Brule, 2003, p. 87) may increase the temperature of earth. Though some natural causes are found responsible for the emission of greenhouse gasses, environment also has its own process to absorb them. But the emission of these gasses caused by human activities is so excessive that natural absorption process cannot consume all of the produced gasses. In this regard, Dispensa and Brule (2003) notes, “The IPCC…uses the term climate change to refer exclusively to change in the climate brought about by human activities.” (p.87) Solution to the Problem of Global Warming Human activities such as burning of fossil fuel-coal, oil, and natural gas- and the clearing of land for cultivation are mainly responsible for the emission of the bigger share of greenhouse gasses.

The key solution to the problem of global warming is to reduce the emission of greenhouse gasses. In order to achieve this goal, it is necessary introduce the use of non-conventional and non-fossil fuel energies such as “sunlight, wind power, tidal energy, geothermal energy, hydro energy, hydrogen fuel” etc (Anonymous, 2006). Also policies regarding the development of “fuel efficient cars and trucks”, “introduction of battery driven cars and solar” (Anonymous, 2006) vehicles, making laws and strict enforcement of them should be implemented.

Evaluation of the solution But this reduction is not as easy as it sounds, because industry-based modern crucially pivots on the burning of fossil fuels in various purposes such as transportation, mills, factories, constructions, etc. Therefore a solution plan needs to retain the current development of the society as well as reducing. An effective strategy to reduce the emission of greenhouse gasses must focus on the replacement of fossil fuels with non-greenhouse-gas-discharging fuels. Conclusion Global warming is supposed to bring about both visible and invisible changes in the global ecosystem.

The invisible impacts of global warming are matters of thorough research, whereas the visible ones can easily be discernible through careful observations. The impacts of global warming are fairly visible in the changes that took place the past two hundred years or so. References Anonymous 2006-2009. ‘Solution of Global Warming’, Accessed: [24/Nov/2010] http://www.consequencesofglobalwarming.com/articles/ways-to-prevent-and-stop-global-warming-prevention.html Dispensa, J. and Brule, R. J. (2003) ‘Media’s social construction of environment issues: Focus on global warming’, International Journal of Sociology and Social Policy- A Comparative Study, Vol. 23, No. 10, p. 87. Houghton, J. 2004. Global Warming, 3rd Ed.

The Press Syndicate of the University of Cambridge, United Kingdom, p. 188