global warming is one of the major environmental issues facing the world today. Global warming refers to an average increase in the Earth’s temperature, which in turn causes changes in climate. An increase in the temperature of the Earths surface may lead to changes in rainfall patterns, a rise in sea level, and a wide range of impacts on plants, wildlife, and humans. One cause for Global Warming is called the Greenhouse Effect. The Greenhouse Effect results from a four step process. First, sunlight radiates from the sun, through space, to Earth’s atmosphere.
Second, the sunlight enters the atmosphere and hits Earth. Some of it turns into heat energy in the form of infrared light. The heat is absorbed by surrounding air and land, which in turn makes it warm. Third, infrared rays, which are remitted into the atmosphere, are trapped by greenhouse gases. Finally, the gas then absorbs the light and is remitted back to the Earth’s surface and warms it even more. Human activities have altered the chemical composition of the atmosphere through the buildup of greenhouse gases primarily carbon dioxide, methane, and nitrous oxide. While on average the globe will get warmer and receive more precipitation; individual regions will experience different climatic changes, with different consequences for the local environment.
Those changes which are the subject of greatest concern are: a rise in sea level, climatic changes and more extreme weather events, and a greater potential for heat-related illnesses and deaths. First, an increase in the Earths surface temperature is causing mountain glaciers the world over to recede resulting in a rise in sea levels. According to the Union of Concerned Scientist of USA (ucsusa) the Arctic ice pack has lost about 40 percent of its thickness over the past four decades. Global sea level is rising about three times faster over the past 100 years compared with the previous 3,000 years (ucsusa).
The Essay on Earth Heat Global Atmosphere
Humans have adjusted agricultural and other activities to the current climatic configuration of the Earth. Climatic conditions, however, change with time, as, for example, from the apparent warm, humid global conditions of the Carboniferous Period to the widespread continental glaciations of the Pleistocene Epoch. Using fossils and other geologic evidence (e. g. , Erosional landforms, shoreline ...
Melting of glaciers could raise sea levels and devastate flat and low-lying coastal regions. Fresh water from glaciers could also disrupt the churning flow of sea water that normally blunts extreme temperature changes. The oceans ice cover has thinned by an average of four feet- some 40 percent- since the 1960s, and satellite data show that the ices reach has receded 5 percent. More recently, relatively warm Atlantic water has pushed 20 percent farther into the Arctic than scientists have ever seen – and that water is 1.6 degree f warmer than it was only a decade or so ago ( Hodges 19).
If the arctic continues to warm, the consequences could be grave. Some scientists think theres a chance- remote but conceivable- that the oceans summer ice cover could completely melt at some point in coming decades. Dave Clark, a marine geologist at the University of Wisconsin says: The absence of ice in the Arctic would completely change climate pattern for the northern Hemisphere. In computer modeling if you take off the ice, even the circulation of the ocean reverses. (Hodges 20) Global warming and sea level rising is no longer a debatable argument. In fact the impacts of global warming are real.
For example, rising sea levels are endangering the tiny Pacific Island nation of Tuvalu. The leaders of Tuvalua tiny island country in the Pacific Ocean midway between Hawaii and Australiahave conceded defeat in their battle with the rising sea, announcing that they will abandon their homeland. After being rebuffed by Australia, the Tuvaluan asked New Zealand to accept its 11,000 citizens (Brown).
The Term Paper on Enviormental Affects Of Global Warming
... melting, which would raise the water level even more. Global warming will not just make sea levels rise, it will also affect sea life. Corals “are intolerant ... An environmental effect of global warming is the fact that higher temperatures will lead to a change in the water cycle. Some places may ...
In addition to island nations, low-lying coastal countries are also threatened by rising sea level. In 2000 the World Bank published a map showing that a 1-meter rise in sea level would inundate half of Bangladesh’s riceland. With a rise in sea level of up to 1 meter forecast for this century, Bangladeshis would be forced to migrate not by the thousands but by the millions( Brown).
Secondly, global warming can cause climate changes and extreme weather events. According to Union of Concerned Scientist of USA (ucsusa) since the beginning of the 20th century, Earth’s mean surface temperature has increased by about 1.1F (0.6C).
Warming in the 20th century is greater than at any time during the past 400 to 600 years (ucsusa).
Globally average precipitation is projected to increase, but both increase and decrease will occur depending on the specific global region. Precipitation is projected to increase in both summer and winter over high latitude regions; in winter over northern mid-latitudes, tropical Africa and Antarctica; and in summer over south and East Asia. Conversely, precipitation is projected to decrease in winter over Australia, Central America and southern Africa (Watson 27).
Major climate-driven changes across five continents, changes that are leaving millions homeless, destitute and in danger. Global warming can cause more heat waves and droughts, resulting in more and more conflicts over water resources. Global warming is a major threat for fresh water supplies.
In many parts of the world, the signs of global warming are very dramatic. Journalist and environmental activist Mark Lynas expressed his experience about impacting of global warming in Alaska, The manager of the hostel where I stayed, a keen hunter, told me how ducks had been swimming on the river in December (its supposed to freeze over in autumn); how bears had become so confused they didnt know whether to hibernate or stay awake, and that winter temperatures, which used to plummet to 40 degrees below zero, now barely touched 25 below. (Lynas 60) Finally, rising temperatures and increased precipitation are likely to have detrimental effects on human health. The result of climate changes could be a greater potential for heat-related illnesses and deaths, as well as an opportunity for infectious diseases, such as, malaria, encephalitis, and Ebola to spread into new geographical areas that were previously free from them. Assessing what global warming will mean for human health, however, is a very hugely complex task, clouded by uncertainties. The US National academy of sciences conducted a study on global warming and infectious diseases that was published in April 2001.
The Term Paper on Climate Change And Health
... predictions of global warming and health is the uncertainty and complexity of attributing increased disease burden to global warming. However, the uncertainty is not that global warming will be ... [25]. The major NGOs approach to climate change and health reflects their broader approaches to global health delivery. For example the Gates Foundation states ...
Among the climate triggered health threats that the studies spotlight are these: vector-born infectious diseases-such as malaria, dengue, schistosomiasis, leishmaniasis and encephalitis- may alter their geographical ranges and seasonality, spreading into new regions and declining in others. Heat-related deaths could rise in response to more frequent and more intense heat-waves, particularly in temperate-zone cities and among the elderly. Cold-related mortality might decline but this reduction might be offset by the increase in heat-stress mortality. Air pollution in urban areas would likely increase as air temperatures warm- particularly the concentration of ground-level ozone, which is damaging to respiratory health. Malnutrition risks, and the diseases that accompany malnutrition, would rise as agricultural practices adapt to new patterns of temperature, rainfall and soil-moisture conditions. Warming oceans could promote more frequent toxic algal blooms, increase the incidence of diarrhea related diseases, and spread the risk of poisonings from fish and shellfish toxin (Agnew 71).
Population displacement, forced by rising sea levels or extreme weather or agricultural collapse, would complicate the public health challenge. Large numbers of refugees moving into already populated areas, crowded together, hungry and perhaps starving, without shelter or adequate sanitation, is a formula for spreading infectious diseases. Environmental health expert of WHO (World Health Organization) Dr. Carlos Corvalan says, We dont yet know how severe the impacts are going to be or how accurate the predictions of environmental change are, but the evidence is accumulating, and ecological and human impacts of global warming will strike hardest at developing nations, particularly the poorest. (Agnew 70) There is much debate about the causes and effects of global warming, but with the benefit of scientific data, the trends toward a change in the makeup of the atmosphere are clear. Global Warming is a problem that we must deal with immediately. The changes in precipitation and temperature patterns, ocean circulations, polar cap coverage, and mountain ice will impact all peoples of the world.
The Term Paper on Sociological Perspective On Global Warming And Health Problems Associated With It
Sociological Perspective on Global Warming and Health Problems, Associated With It (1) The effects of Global have been discussed from different perspectives; however, only in recent years, it became obvious to many scientists that rising of Earths atmosphere affects the lives of people in very immediate manner. Therefore, those who suggest that humanity have another hundred years, before Global ...
It is important that governments, industries and communities understand the changes that are occurring and take immediate steps to alter the rate of change where possible and to prepare for the impacts on populations that will occur with global warming. Works Cited Agnew, Bruce, The Potential Effects of Global Warming on Human Health. Global Warming. Ed.Shasta Gaughen. Thomson Gale, 2005. 69-74 Brown, Lester R.
Rising Sea Level Forcing Evacuation of Island Country, Earth Policy Institute, November 15, 2001-2, , June 25, 2005. Hodges, Glenn, Global warming research in the Arctic, Global Warming. Ed.Shasta Gaughen. Thomson Gale, 2005. 18-23 Lynas, Mark, The worldwide effects of Global Warming. Global Warming. Ed.Shasta Gaughen.
Thomson Gale, 2005. 59-63 Union of Concerned Scientist of USA (UCSUSA), global warming, June 17.2005, , 20 June, 2005. Watson, Robert T., Scientific Evidence for Global Warming, Global Warming. Ed.Shasta Gaughen. Thomson Gale, 2005. 24-28.
