Global Warming

What is it?	Causes	Effects	Solution

Global Warming

Global warming refers to the gradual increase of the temperature of the earth's lower atmosphere as a result of the increase in greenhouse gases since the Industrial Revolution.

The temperature of the atmosphere near the earth's surface is warmed through a natural process called the greenhouse effect. Visible, shortwave light comes from the sun to the earth, passing unimpeded through a blanket of thermal, or greenhouse, gases composed largely of water vapor, carbon dioxide, methane, nitrous oxide, and ozone. Infrared radiation reflects off the planet's surface toward space but does not easily pass through the thermal blanket. Some of it is trapped and reflected downward, keeping the planet at an average temperature suitable to life, about 60°F (16°C).

Growth in industry, agriculture, and transportation since the Industrial Revolution has produced additional quantities of the natural greenhouse gases plus chlorofluorocarbons and other gases, augmenting the thermal blanket. This increase in the quantity of greenhouse gases is trapping more heat and increasing global temperatures, making a process that has been beneficial to life potentially disruptive and harmful. Average global temperature has increased by almost 1F over the past century; scientists expect the average global temperature to increase an additional 2 to 6ºF over the next one hundred years. This may not sound like much, but it could change the Earth as never before.

Global warming has a variety of causes. One of the largest factors contributing to global warming is the general problem of overpopulation and its many effects. The greater number of people consumes more items which take more energy to make; they drive more cars, and create larger amounts of garbage. These factors all increase the global warming problem. Many different gases can increase the planet's temperature. The levels of gases covering the Earth have soared with industrialization, and developed countries now produce about 75% of greenhouse gases. The most common gas is carbon dioxide, accounting for about 50% of all greenhouse gases. Other gases, including methane, CFCs, nitrogen oxides, and ozone, also contribute to forming the greenhouse layer. As population increases and Third World countries begin to use greater amounts of energy, the problem may expand rather than contract.

To know just what the effects of global warming will be in the future is extremely difficult, if not impossible. Scientists use computer models to study the effects of global warming. Most scientists are convinced that greenhouse gases are warming the Earth. What they are still trying to figure out is how quickly temperatures are rising, and what will happen as a result. Changing the temperature will likely have some effect on the planet's weather, but just what that effect will be is nearly impossible to predict. If temperatures do indeed rise significantly, the most important result would be that some portion of the polar icecaps would melt, raising global sea levels. The rise in sea levels would be disastrous for some places. Islands would disappear; meaning their millions of inhabitants would have to relocate. Flooding would occur along coastlines all over the world, displacing more people and ruining cropland. In the case of major global warming and melted ice caps, some countries might simply cease to exist.

The threat of global warming is among the most important of all modern environmental problems. There are a variety of ways of dealing with it, each attempting to combat one of the many causes of global warming. The problems that cause global warming include overpopulation, deforestation, ozone depletion, garbage dumping, and many others. These all have unique solutions which are now being promoted by environmentalists. Certain laws and treaties are aimed at reducing the emission of pollutants that result in global warming. In 1988, the International Conference on the Changing Atmosphere drew scientists and decision makers from 48 countries. Some policies could successfully reduce global warming. Raising fossil fuel prices, taxing emissions, and encouraging people to take environmentally friendly action through such activities as planting trees will all help. Because many problems leading to global warming are caused or contributed to by overpopulation, people are beginning to work to reduce family sizes. Family planning services actually help in the fight against global warming. Education is a key method of reducing the greenhouse effect. By teaching people about such things as deforestation, environmental activists hope to prevent the problems that ultimately lead to global warming.

12. Read the statements and decide whether they are true or false. Correct the false ones. Use the following expressions: That’s right; Quite so; I believe; I suppose; I don’t think it’s right; I can’t agree; On the contrary.

1. Greenhouse effect is the gradual warming of the air surrounding the Earth because heat can’t escape through its upper levels.

2. Greenhouse gases make the planet comparable to a greenhouse.

3. It’s due to industrialization that the quantity of the greenhouse gases has increased significantly.

4. The average temperature suitable to life is about 21°C.

5. Greenhouse gases are composed largely of water vapor, carbon dioxide, methane, nitrous oxide, and ozone.

6. The most common greenhouse gas emitted from human activities is carbon dioxide.

7. Greenhouse gases are always bad for humans.

8. Greenhouse gases cause global warming by absorbing and reradiating heat from infrared rays.

9. Only a few scientists are convinced that greenhouse gases are warming the Earth.

10. Using computer models to study the effects of global warming scientists have managed to figure out how quickly temperatures are rising, and what will happen as a result.

11. Due to global warming and melted ice caps, some countries have already ceased to exist.

12. We are experiencing the effects of global warming already.

13. Awareness among masses, regarding the adverse effects of global warming around the world can also help in solving this problem.