Answer

Global Warming

Numerous studies performed across the globe have revealed an elevated temperature on the surface of the earth, oceans, together with the atmosphere (Khandekar 34). The witnessed elevated temperature in this industrial era is a product of human activities. Human activities associated with high temperatures as a recipe of global warming include deforestation, excessive combustion of fossil fuels, land-use change, and greenhouse gas emissions.  The majority of these human activities lead to global warming that contributes to climate change (Tomizuka 23). Therefore, the paper will cover global warming regarding its causes and effects.

Causes of Global Warming

The main cause of global warming is the greenhouse effects brought about by greenhouse gases. Examples of greenhouse gases include carbon dioxide, fluorinated gases, nitrous oxide, and methane (Tomizuka 21). The majority of these cases occur naturally and have little effect on the earth’s climate. However, human activities contribute to their high concentrations in the atmosphere that result in undesirable climatic conditions. Greenhouse gases operate in the same manner as glass in the greenhouse. Therefore, they trap heat from the sun from being absorbed back into space. When rays from the sun hit the surface of the earth, they radiate back into the atmosphere and should escape back into space. However, the presences of greenhouse gases prevent them from escaping into space (Tomizuka 23). It means that the heat accumulates in the atmosphere of the earth resulting in global warming.

From all the greenhouse gases, carbon dioxide contributes most to the occurrence of global warming. Statistically, carbon dioxide is responsible for 64% of global warming. Besides, the current concentration of carbon dioxide stands at 40% (Tomizuka 25). It represents the highest carbon dioxide concentration in the atmosphere since the beginning of industrialization. In the United States of America, two billion tons of carbon dioxide are emitted to the atmosphere each year from fossil fuel burning to make electricity. Besides, America also emits approximately 1.7 billion tons of carbon dioxide to the atmosphere each year from the transportation sector (Tomizuka 26).

One factor to keep in mind is that despite carbon dioxide being the leading greenhouse gas that causes global warming, other greenhouse gases are more effective in causing global warming. However, their emissions in small quantities make them less effective in contributing to global warming. It means that methane, despite its higher heat-trapping ability than carbon dioxide, is responsible for 17% of global warming. Moreover, nitrous oxide contributes to only 6% of global warming (Tomizuka 29).

Effects of Global Warming

Every year, scientists study and learn more regarding the consequences associated with global warming. From their study, scientists have agreed that global warming is more likely to influence the world economically, environmentally, and health-wise in case the current trend continues to take place (Khandekar 33). However, the current effects associated with global warming include the melting of glaciers and early snowmelt. The melting of both glaciers and early snowmelts contributes to the rising sea levels (Khandekar 34). Moreover, the rise of sea levels results in coastal flooding, as witnessed in different parts of the world, such as the Eastern Seaboard and the Gulf of Mexico.

Another effect of global warming is unpredictable weather patterns characterized by severe droughts and heavy rains. Severe drought hurts agriculture that leads to food shortages (Tomizuka 31). Moreover, severe droughts cause water shortages in water bodies such as lakes and rivers, impacting wildlife and aquatic life negatively. An excessive drought that results from global warming also causes most of the common wildfires in the American West. In contrast, heavy rains also cause flash floods that result in loss of both lives and properties. Floods destroy buildings in cities that have a poor drainage system (Khandekar 36). Floods also kill both humans and animals.

Global warming is also associated with the emergence of new pests that destroy crops and spread diseases. The destruction of the crops by these pests is contributing to the reduction of foods. Besides, these pests also spread diseases that lead to burdening of the health sector. Additionally, global warming has a close relationship with the emergence of health complications such as asthma, allergies, and the outbreak of infectious diseases (Khandekar 38). The emergence of these health conditions contributes to poor health that affects the development of the economy by lowering labor output.

Conclusion

Global warming has been a world phenomenon since the beginning of the industrial revolution. The main cause of global warming is the greenhouse causes that greenhouse effect leading to the trapping of heads from escaping into space from the earth’s surface. Global warming’s net effect is elevated temperatures both on the earth’s surface, atmosphere, and space. The increased temperatures contribute to the negative effects experienced on earth, such as unpredictable weather characterized by flash floods and severe drought. Global warming also leads to the emergence of new pests and the rise of sea levels. Therefore, the world should take decisive measures of reducing carbon dioxide emission to the atmosphere and practicing reforestation as some of the ways of reducing global warming.