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global warming and its effects
global warming and its effects
THE IMPACT OF THE GREENHOUSE EFFECT ON ENVIROMENT
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Introduction
The aim of this report is to evaluate to what extent anthropogenic greenhouse gas emissions are responsible for recent global climate change (Karl and Trenberth, (2003), and to identify the main uncertainties associated with future climate modelling. These queries are firstly explored by analyzing the effects that natural causes such as solar volcanic eruptions and solar output have had on recent global climate. This is then contrasted by looking at the volumes of greenhouse gases that are anthropogenically emitted and the observed effects of this. Finally, uncertainties over future emissions and climate modelling are discussed, along with its associated implications.
3. Materials and methods
Anthropogenic climate change is the belief that greenhouse gases (CO2, NO2 and CH4) emitted by human activity are to blame for the rapid increase in global temperature seen since the industrial revolution (Fig. 1).
Anthropogenic climate occurs through the enhanced greenhouse effect. This is where solar radiation travels through the surface, which then absorbs and reflects
atmosphere to the earth’s surface, which absorbs and reflects this energy back at IR wavelength (700nm-1mm).
About 70% of solar energy is absorbed by the Earth’s surface and lower atmosphere, with the rest being reflected back to space through clouds and albedo (NASA, 2013).
The absorbed radiation warms the planet (Fig. 2) by being re-radiated into the atmosphere, where some of it gets absorbed by greenhouse gases like water vapour and carbon dioxide. These gases then radiate that heat back towards Earth, heating the lower atmosphere and surface, thus enhancing the heating they get from direct sunlight (NASA, 2013).
So we must look as to what ext...
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...egy is put into action, a doubling of CO2 in the atmosphere will result in a 1.5-4.5C increase in global surface temperatures
4. Results and Interpretation
The range of IPCC global surface temperature predictions are quite large from year to year. This is partly to do the uncertainty of future emissions, but also, probably most importantly, due to uncertainties in climate modelling.
This is because while the effect of increased greenhouse gas emission on the climate is well understood, the effects of several positive feedback loops as a result of this, aren’t, so they’re not properly accounted for in the models.
5. Conclusion
So, to summarise:
Anthropogenic climate change happens due to enhanced greenhouse effect and deforestation of carbon sinks.
Recent climate change is partly due to volcanic eruptions and changes in solar output, but an
For years to come there will always be a speculation on whether the climate change has really taken place or not. Many believe that large companies launched this topic in order to benefit from it in profit, as there are also those who are convinced that this are consequences that have emerged from human mistakes in understanding the environment. As humans are struggling to trust one another whether it is just a big conspiracy or not or environment changing itself, we are slowly starting to feel the effects of climate change. Because of the gasses (CO2) that are in the air, atmosphere is getting warmer, thereby triggering the Greenhouse effect. Almost 70% of emitted gasses in air are CO2, which leads us to believe that this is the main cause of Global Warming. Since it is billions and billions of metric tons per year that are being released in air, many scientists conclude that temperature will most likely be more higher in twenty years from now, than it was in near past.
absorb the energy from the sun, but it does absorb some of the heat energy
5) Volcanic eruptions – Effects of a volcanic eruption affects the climate for a long period of time even if the volcanic activity itself lasts only a few hours.
Throughout history climates have drastically changed. There have been shifts from warm climates to the Ice Ages (Cunningham & Cunningham, 2009, p.204). Evidence suggests there have been at least a dozen abrupt climate changes throughout the history of the earth. There are a few suspected reasons for these past climate changes. One reason may be that asteroids hitting the earth and volcanic eruptions caused some of them. A further assumption is that 22-year solar magnetic cycles and 11-year sunspot cycles played a part in the changes. A further possibility is that a regular shifting in the angle of the moon orbiting earth causing changing tides and atmospheric circulation affects the global climate (Cunningham & Cunningham, 2009, p.205). Scientific studies suggest that all these played a role in past global warming and cooling periods. Today, however, there is a lot of conflict on whether humans are causing a global warming that could be disastrous to humans and all species of plants and animals on this earth. This paper will first explain the greenhouse effect, then take a look at both sides argument, and, finally, analyze the effect of global warming on world-wide sustainability
Our world is always changing, so is our climate. Some changes are apparent, others not so much. Climate change is an important issue of concern in the twenty-first century. Environment, if it changes at all, evolves so slowly that the difference cannot be seen in a human lifetime (Wearth, 2014). Mostly all scientists predicted that it would take thousands of years for the planet to warm up due to emissions of carbon dioxide from fossil fuels called greenhouse gases. But in the past 200 years, things began to change. The rate and the amount of warming that is happening on this planet are unprecedented. Wearth says, “People did not grasp the prodigious fact that both population and industrialization were exploding in a pattern of exponential
There is no longer any question that our world climate has changed (King, 2004). Over the last 100 years, "temperatures have risen by about 0.6 degrees Celsius and global sea level has risen by about 20cm" (K...
The truth is that the Earth is not experiencing rapid enough changes for all of that to be necessary (Salmon 25). Salmon also compared the global warming threat to a weekly weather prediction. He says that just like a weatherman is often wrong about the weather of the week, the predictions about Earth’s future weather are a little sketchy. If weather cannot always be predicted a few days in advance, then there is no way the claims of Earth’s weather over several years can be determined true (Salmon 24).
The commonly debated “greenhouse effect” refers to “the global-average temperature increase that has been observed over the last one hundred years or more” (Spencer). President Barack Obama addressed the issue as an effort to highlight its severity, "We have to all shoulder the responsibility for keeping the planet habitable, or we’re going to suffer the consequences – together” (Leader). The earth’s increasing atmospheric and oceanic temperatures result in climate changes due to cumulative amounts of carbon dioxide (CO2) in the atmosphere.
As Americans, we must realize the responsibility to reduce the emissions. Gore, Albert. Water Vapor is eighty percent of greenhouse warming. The last twenty percent results from other gases that are in very little amounts. A huge absorber of the sun’s heat rays is carbon dioxide.
Solomon, S. (Ed.). (2007). Climate change 2007-the physical science basis: Working group I contribution to the fourth assessment report of the IPCC (Vol. 4, pg 501). Cambridge University Press.
Research indicates that anthropogenic climate change is the cause of the increased global warming over the last fifty years. 57% of the carbon dioxide emitted is absorbed into the atmosphere while the rest is absorbed into the oceans. Carbon dioxide in the atmosphere is the most central greenhouse gas that is associated with global warming (Eby, Zickfield, Montenegro, Archer, Meissner, & Weaver, 2009).
An environmental effect of global warming is the fact that higher temperatures will lead to
Transportation sectors like cars, airplanes, motorcycles, and equipment with engines produce carbon dioxide which affects the atmosphere. The number one contributor of carbon dioxide gas to the atmosphere is fossil fuels. According to the World Watch Institute, humans has increased the amount of carbon released into the atmosphere. The increases rate of carbon dioxide into the atmosphere is around 3.8 yearly (Global Fossil Fuel Consumption Surges). According to an UN report, humans have had an influence on climate change and global warming since the mid- twentieth century. Scientists concluded in the report that the increase of gas emissions is one of the main priority causes of climate change. With that conclusion, they predict the probability of mankind producing climate change is from 95 to 100 percent (UNRIC). Meanwhile nature changes on earth at a steady pace, the heat trapping emissions, also known as greenhouse gases, increasing which causes warming up on the earth as year’s progress. The increase of the greenhouse gases may cause human civilization to experienced hot temperature never
The earth is a complex system, which continues to evolve and change. Climate change and global warming are currently popular in the political agenda. But what does “climate” really mean? The difference between weather and climate can be conveyed in a single sentence: “Climate is what you expect; weather is what you get.” Based on research of the geologic record, we know that climate change has happened throughout Earth's history and at present, ever-increasing evidence points to the roles that humans play in altering Earth systems. The Earth and its atmosphere receive heat energy from the sun; the atmospheric heat budget of the Earth depends on the balance between incoming solar radiation and outgoing radiation from the planet; which has been constant over the last few thousand years. However present evidence seems to suggest that the recent increase in temperature has been brought about by pollution of the atmosphere, in particular the release of huge amounts of carbon dioxide, mostly through Anthropogenic Forcing (human activity) and other various internal and external factors. I...
Climate changes occur in our earth's atmosphere due to a buildup of greenhouse gases. Greenhouse gases can occur naturally as well as a result of human activities. The greenhouse gases are carbon dioxide, methane, and nitrous oxide. “Carbon dioxide is released into the atmosphere when solid waste, fossil fuels, and wood are burned.” (2) The gases help to warm the surface of the Earth. Each greenhouse gas absorbs heat differently. If natural gases did not occur, the temperature of the earth would be considerably cooler. “Problems can occur when higher concentrations of greenhouse gases are present in our atmosphere because they have enhanced our earth's heat trapping capability.” (3)