Global Warming Information

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Global Warming Information

What is Global Warming?

Global warming refers to an average increase in the Earth's

temperature, which in turn causes changes in climate. A warmer Earth

may lead to changes in rainfall patterns, a rise in sea level, and a

wide range of impacts on plants, wildlife, and humans.

What is Global Warming caused by?

Global warming is caused by the "Greenhouse effect." Just like any

other planet, the Earth absorbs the sun's heat and radiates it back

towards space. But greenhouse gases trap heat and reflect it back

towards the Earth. The more greenhouse gases in the atmosphere, the

more heat that is trapped. The less the amount of greenhouse gases,

the less heat that is trapped.

schematic of CO2's actions in atmosphereEach greenhouse gas has its

own important role in trapping the sun's heat, the most significant of

which is water vapour. On a clear day, water vapour can comprise 60 to

70 percent of the greenhouse effect. Next in line, carbon dioxide

contributes an additional 25 percent.

The changes in the balance and concentration of all these gases can

affect the Earth's temperature, and these temperature changes are

often referred to as "global warming" or "global cooling." Greenhouse

gas concentrations in the atmosphere have been naturally rising and

falling for billions of years, creating cold and warm periods in the

Earth's history. For example, as the Ice Age went on, scientists

believe the amount of natural carbon dioxide in the atmosphere dropped

over thousands of years, reducing the greenhouse effect, and making

the Earth cooler. But many disagree on how that change in carbon

dioxide ...

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...oo late. If we do not stop it or slow global warming down then our

descendants will have to pay the price for our laziness over the

greenhouse effect. I think that we should be concerned about global

warming because if we are not concerned then we won't do anything

about it and the effects will be irreversible. There are a number of

knock-on effects from global warming, such as; some people are arguing

that lack of water through global warming could mean war between

different countries. This is only a suggestion as yet, but in the

future this suggestion could become very real.

The future looks bleak whilst major polluters, such as the USA are in

denial over the effects, which their massive energy consumption is

having on the planet. The Kyoto agreement must be adhered to by all

countries for mankind to have a future.

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