Climate Change : Global Warming

Climate change is the most serious issue humankind is facing in the 21th century. Future generations depend on our ability to make the necessary social changes, before reaching the tipping point of irreversibility, which will lead the planet into a catastrophe incompatible with life.

An urgent issue, climate change is undoubtedly a sweeping global dilemma of paramount importance. Though most people are aware of this fact, many either choose to ignore it, or acknowledge it, but take no action against it. Those who do choose to take action usually attempt to combat climate change by using the methods that are most commonly discussed: becoming more energy efficient, recycling, and reducing emissions through using more sustainable transportation. Though these actions are helpful, they are not the most efficient way to counter climate change.

During the past several hundred years, civilization has made rapid progress in industries like air travel, automobiles, and energy production. These developments were made without consideration of the long-term effects that their emissions may have on the planet. Changing weather patterns are now wreaking havoc around the world, and scientists attribute this to human-caused climate change. During President Obama’s State of the Union address in 2015, he stated that, “No challenge poses a greater threat to future generations than climate change,” (“Remarks by the President”). Warming temperatures caused by anthropogenic climate change have disastrous consequences that pose a threat to humanity and the environment.

Global warming is defined as the recent increase in the world 's temperature that is believed to be caused by the increase of certain gases (such as carbon dioxide) in the atmosphere. There are many different theories on whether global warming is similar or not to climate change. Simplistically, climate change is different because climate change is defined as a change in global or regional climate patterns or, in particular, a change apparent from the mid to late 20th century onwards and attributed largely to the increased levels of atmospheric carbon dioxide produced by the use of fossil fuels, having been measured over long periods of time, due to the changes in Earth’s orbit and organic carbon which reflect sunlight. Global warming and climate change are not to be confused because global warming is caused mainly by anthropogenic factors like the emission of carbon dioxide gas and use of fossil fuels whereas climate change is completely natural, however, according to Milan Radovanovic, “it is clear that the anthropogenic factors dominate the increasing temperature and the natural ones have the maximum influence…” (Radovanovic). Therefore, “the contribution to global warming from natural forcings and from natural internal variability is in the range between -0.2 to 0.2 [degrees] celsius over the period 1951-2010…” (Radovanovic). Natural factors have had the most effect on global temperature in the past 59 years totaling a 0.4 degrees celsius increase in

The earth as we know it is steadily changing. Weather its evolution, technology, weather or our environment, nothings is what it used to be. Climate is a major factor that is changing. This has been going on for quite some time yet, not taken seriously. Our planet has been much warmer in the past 2 centuries then ever before and scientist are working frantically to reduce this trend,

The world is home to billions of people, living all across the globe. There are hundreds of countries and they all have different problems. Yet there is one issue that is worldwide, which is global warming. Global warming is a colossal problem to the United States and the world that threatens the very existence of humankind; further action must be taken by the United States’ government in order to minimize and counteract global warming.

Probably the most anxious threat to our earth in these two decades is climate change. Climate change refers to any significant change in the measures of climate lasting for an extended period of time. In other saying, climate change includes major changes in temperature, precipitation, or wind patterns, among other effects, that occur over several decades or longer (Epa.gov, 2015). The rate of warming is increasing. The United Nations ' Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) reports that 11 of the past 12 years are among the dozen warmest since 1850 (News.nationalgeographic.com, 2015). The temperature keeps increasing year by year. The scientists at NASA’s Goddard Institute for Space Studies (GISS) reported that the average global temperature on earth has increase by about 0.8° Celsius since 1880 (Earthobservatory.nasa.gov, 2015). This essay will talk about the causes and effects of climate change, and also present some possible solutions which relevant to the issues.

For the past years, global warming and climate change became important issues of science and the environment. However, with the realization of the possible threats it poses to humankind in general, global warming gained international significance. Climate change is a global problem that requires a global response embracing the needs and interests of all countries (Boer, 2008). Countries around the world, convinced by the threats of the global warming, choose to act hand-in-hand to face to the issue.

Climate change is resulted due to unrestrained pollution. Carbon emissions that enter the earth’s atmosphere have a very dangerous effect on our environment, economy and wellbeing. This major problem earth is facing can be fixed if we all work as one.

With global warming concerns on the rise and growing pollution levels, we as a planet need to step back and take a look at what we can do for us and future generations. For too long now, we have been ignoring the fact that global warming is not only a national concern, but a concern for us as human beings on this planet.

Global climate change is no big secret--things are heating up and humans are starting to

Global climate has been changing throughout history; just in the last 650,000 years there have been seven cycles of glacial advances and retreats. The abrupt end of the last ice age, about 7,000 years ago, marked the beginning of the modern climate era and of human civilization. Global warming has gradually increased the overall temperature of the earth’s atmosphere generally attributed to the greenhouse effect caused by increased levels of carbon dioxide, chlorofluorocarbons, and other pollutants. There is compelling evidence of rapid climate change because of different sea levels rising, glacial retreat, warming oceans, shrinking ice sheets, extreme weather, ocean acidification and decreased snow cover.

A tremendous amount of concern regarding climate change has emerged recently as most of the human population is adversely affected by it and adapting to current and projected rates of climate change could be very challenging. There have been observed increases in global average air and ocean temperatures, widespread melting of snow and ice, rising global sea level and small increase in growing seasons (Learner, 2007). Although climate change is attributed to both natural processes and human activities, this term has become synonymous with anthropogenic global warming (Berliner, 2003). Humans have been modifying the environment with processes associated with industrialisation and urbanisation, resulting in increased emissions of carbon dioxide (CO2). The excess amounts of CO2 generated primarily due to burning of fossil fuels like coal, oil and natural gas, as well as the release of gases such as methane, nitrous dioxide, aerosols and other pollutants has led to the enhanced greenhouse effect, causing an unnatural warming of the Earth’s surface (Berliner, 2003). It is estimated that the global temperature will increase substantially by the year 2100 and that this warming will have widespread and irreversible impacts on human life and natural ecosystems (Learner, 2007). Therefore, there is a universal consensus for the need to deeply cut CO2 emissions to limit this temperature growth to below 2 degrees Celsius (McKibben, 2010).

Throughout the earth’s history, global climate patterns have fluctuated, with these climate patterns going through glacial retreat and advance (NASA 2014). Currently the earth is experiencing a retreat, this significant trend single handily points to human influence being the dominant cause of the observed temperature rise in global climate patterns since the mid-century (NASA 2014). The warming of global climate systems is undisputable supported by unprecedented observations, based upon direct measurements and remote sensing from satellites and other platforms (IPCC 2013, pg.2). The IPCC (2013) outlines climate change as “a change of climate which is attributed directly or indirectly to human activity that alters the composition of the global atmosphere”.

Global Warming, much of what does or does not happen forty years from now rests on our actions or inactions taken between now and then. The crucial question is whether we should pour all our resources into mitigation – reducing our carbon emissions. According to scientists who study the climate there are other environmental problems; “we now face a global crises in land use and agriculture that could undermine the health, security, and sustainability of our civilization”.