Article on Global Warming – Long and short articles for students
Article on Global Warming: Global warming or climate change has become a worldwide concern. It is gradually developing into an unprecedented environmental crisis evident in melting glaciers, changing weather patterns, rising sea levels, floods, cyclones and droughts. Global warming implies an increase in the average temperature of the Earth due to entrapment of greenhouse gases in the earth’s atmosphere.
There is a crying need to raise awareness about global warming if we have to save the world from disaster. Here we are providing you some useful article on global warming under various categories according to varying words limits. You can choose any of them as per your need:
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Article on Global Warming
Article on global warming 1 (300 words).
Global warming or climate change has today become a major threat to the mankind. The Earth’s temperature is on the rise and there are various reasons for it such as greenhouse gases emanating from carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions, burning of fossil fuels or deforestation.
Impact of Greenhouse Gases
The rise in the levels of carbon dioxide (CO2) leads to substantial increase in temperature. It is because CO2 remains concentrated in the atmosphere for even hundreds of years. Due to activities like fossil fuel combustion for electricity generation, transportation, and heating, human beings have contributed to increase in the CO2 concentration in the atmosphere.
Global Warming: A Gradual Phenomenon
Recent years have been unusually warm, causing worldwide concern. But the fact is that the increase in carbon dioxide actually began in 1800, due to the deforestation of a large chunk of North-eastern American, besides forested parts of the world. The things became worse with emissions in the wake of the industrial revolution, leading to increase in carbon dioxide level by 1900.
Cause of Concern
According to the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), global temperature is likely to rise by about 1-3.5 Celsius by the year 2100. It has also suggested that the climate might warm by as much as 10 degrees Fahrenheit over the next 100 years.
Impact of Global Warming
- The sea levels are constantly rising as fresh water marshlands, low-lying cities, and islands have been inundated with seawater.
- There have been changes in rainfall patterns, leading to droughts and fires in some areas, and flooding in other areas.
- Ice caps are constantly melting posing a threat to polar bears as their feeding season stands reduced.
- Glaciers are gradually melting.
- Animal populations are gradually vanishing as there has been a widespread loss of their habitat.
As per Kyoto protocol, developed countries are required to cut back their emissions. There is a need to reduce coal-fired electricity, increase energy efficiency through wind and solar power, and also high efficiency natural gas generation.
Article of Global Warming 2 (500 words)
Global warming has become a serious environmental problem which threatens to put the future of humankind in peril. According to experts, the major factor behind this rising phenomena of excessive emissions of carbon dioxide, as well as other greenhouse gases could lead to the flooding of lower lying coastal areas and also cities. It is even feared that some countries might even disappear completely in near future. Another worrisome fallout of global warming manifests in the changes in the weather patterns leading to severe weather conditions, drought, floods, and other uncommon extreme weather conditions.
Reasons for Global Warming
The biggest culprit is Carbon dioxide (CO2), a major constituent of the environment. It is causing a warming effect on the Earth’s surface area by increasing the evaporation of water into the atmosphere. Now water vapours itself being a greenhouse gas, this aggravates warming further due to the heating of more water vapour to be evaporated. The CO2 levels are unlikely to come down in the wake of the continuing burning of fossil fuels. Apart from CO2, Sulphur, CFCs, and Methane are also contributing to global warming.
Over-exploitation of natural resources, coupled with population growth, technological advancement, industrialization, urbanization, and deforestation are also leading to increase in the production of these gases. Even when we cook food, we produce a huge amount of CO2. We are over-utilizing technologies, burning fossil fuels, coal, lubricate, and gas. When gasoline is burned in internal-combustion motor of automobiles, it produces huge emission. Besides, Sulphur has formed a cluster resulting in adverse impact on environmental pollution.
Steps to curb Global Warming
Several measures are required to curb the problem of global warming. We can contribute towards less production of CO2 by adopting renewable energy instead of consuming oil, coal and gas. Tree plantation is another way-out as we know that trees absorb carbon dioxide and produce oxygen. We will also do well to use less energy and to recycle more products. Especially, we should reduce our over-dependence on electricity as it is one of the main sources of carbon dioxide.
We can save Planet Earth, only by tackling the problem of global warming. Let’s resolve to reduce the production of CO2. The way to do it is to less use of oil, coal and gas. Rather we should embrace renewable energy. Let us reduce our dependence on electricity, as its production releases a huge amount of CO2 simultaneously. So, less use of energy and electricity can help us in dealing with the problem of global warming. We have to avoid producing a great amount of CO2, Sulphur, CFCs, and Methane gases as they are harmful to the environment. A massive tree plantation drive should be undertaken as trees soak up CO2 and at the same time trees generate more oxygen.
There is also the need for going for plant-derived plastics, biodiesel, wind power and solar power. At individual levels, people should prefer buying cars with the best fuel economy, and should not unnecessarily use them.
Article on Global Warming 3 (600 words)
Due to various socio-economic factors, the Earth is getting warmer year by year. According to experts, since 1900, the whole planet has warmed up only by around 0.8 degrees Celsius. By the end of the 21 st century, however, global warming is likely to cause an increase in the Earth’s temperature of around 2-5 degrees Celsius. It has led to Climate Change with frequent changes in the Earth’s weather, which is harmful to the planet.
Factors leading to global warming
As the average temperature of the Earth’s atmosphere (air) is warming up, the gases in the atmosphere are unable to prevent heat from leaving the planet. Due to large-scale de-forestation, we have too much carbon dioxide, methane and other gases that are holding in too much heat.
Impact of human activities on Global Warming
We do some things in everyday life that create much more gas than needed in the Earth’s atmosphere. For instance: burning oil, gas, and coal for energy for our cars, our homes and industry. This creates too much greenhouse gases in our atmosphere.
Climate change is causing extremes of hot and cold weather. This can harm the plants and animals of the Earth and it may even cause more extreme storms and droughts.
Also Read: Article of Human Activities in Global Warming for Children and Students
Step to slow down the warming
We can begin by using less energy in our own home, school or church. Let’s make it a habit to turn down our heat, turn off lights and electronics. Let’s reduce our dependence on our vehicles, and walk and car pool more. Also, let’s go for renewable energy such as wind power and sun power, and recycling as it uses less energy. Buying energy-efficient LED bulbs is another good idea. They last 25 times longer and save 75% of energy compared to incandescent light bulbs. We also need more forests, as they soak up some of the greenhouse gases that warm up our Earth. So, more and more tree plantation drives are needed.
The responses of India to Climate Change
Ahead of UN climate conference in December 2016, India has rightly said that the developed countries should not only talk about mitigation through emission cuts but also lay greater emphasis on adaptation and extending adequate finance and technology to poor nations so that they can prepare themselves for the adverse effects of climate change.
Union environment minister Prakash Javadekar said adaptation was vital to respond to the impacts of climate change. He said adaptation, capacity building, and strengthening rural communities would be the top priority for the government to address the challenges posed by climate change.
Conclusion:
We must enhance the understanding of the interconnectedness between climate change and the nature around us. We should strive for the possible mitigation options which could be a sensible combination of technical and social adaptations that would be required to deal with the consequences of global warming. According to a 1991 report to Congress by the U.S. National Academy of Sciences, Policy Implications of Greenhouse Warming, the U.S. could reduce current emissions by 50 percent at zero cost to the economy as a result of full use of cost-effective efficiency improvements. We should stop using fossil fuels in the way we presently do, otherwise, the amount of carbon we will release will soon exceed the amount of carbon in the living biosphere. We must achieve a major increase in renewable energy use to help offset the ill-effects of global warming. Clearly, apart from the initiatives by the government and voluntary organizations, complete people’s participation and efforts are needed to check the menace of global warming.
Article on Global Warming 4 (800 words)
Global warming or climate change is a serious problem. It is one of the biggest threats to mankind. It is mainly caused by emission of carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases due to rapid industrialization, urbanization and other air polluting sources. Continuous discharge of these gases results into enormous rise in temperature.
The world as a whole is facing the problem of global warming. The increasing level of carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases has been heating up the atmosphere of earth.
The causes and consequences of global warming: Global warming is responsible for rising of sea levels as it melts the glaciers gradually. Glaciers are the perennial source of water in most of the rivers and other water bodies across the world. Rising of sea level is the one of the biggest problems faced by the whole world due to global warming. Already several countries in the world settled along the coastline of different seas are bearing the threat of extinction due to massive flood which has engulfed their low lying land considerably.
Frequent hurricanes and unusual weather patterns are the other problems associated with climate change. Moreover, rising temperature due to global warming is also responsible for loss of aquatic life and spread of dreaded diseases due to insects.
Continuous production of Carbon Dioxide (CO2) gas is the biggest demon responsible for global warming, which is manifested in the continuous rise in the level of Earth’s temperature.
In fact, gases like carbon dioxide (CO2), sulphur, CFCs, and methane are responsible for global warming. The continuous burning of fossil fuels leads to an increase in the carbon dioxide level. CO2, which is itself a greenhouse gas, causes a warming effect on the earth’s surface area by increasing the evaporation of water into the atmosphere due to heating. Other factors responsible for increasing the production of greenhouse gases are population growth, technological advancement, industrialization, urbanization, and deforestation.
Greenhouse gases have a heating impact on the environment, which is very adverse to human life. Due to increase in the sea level, lower lying coastal areas as well as cities face the danger of flooding. It is feared that this way some countries might even cease to exist. Global warming also leads to change in weather patterns. It leads to many areas of the earth experiencing severe weather conditions, such as drought, floods, and other unusual weather conditions.
Huge population growth too is a factor for increase in global warming. We are over-exploiting technologies, which is manifest in the burning of fossil fuels, coal, and emission of gas. Burning of gasoline in internal-combustion of automobiles leads to great amount of carbon emission. Apart from it, sulphur cluster gas also has a harmful impact on environmental pollution. Even simple task such as cooking food produces a big amount of CO2.
Long-term effects of global warming may manifest in submarine landslides and increased seismic and volcanic activities. It could lead to tsunamis as warmer ocean water thaws ocean-floor permafrost or releases gas hydrates. An increase in landslide frequency has already been reported in some world regions such as the French Alps. Due to ice melting and deglaciation, the Earth’s crust may be impacted leading to post-glacial rebound, with land masses experiencing no depression by the weight of ice.
What’s the way-out?
We need to spread adequate awareness with regard to the menace of global warming. It can be fought only by the collective efforts of the world community.
We have to take proper initiatives to prevent global warming such as stop producing more CO2. For this, we should reduce the consumption of oil, coal and gas. We should concentrate on using renewable energy. Additionally, we can plant more trees because trees are very helpful to soak up CO2 and at the same time generate more oxygen. When we generate electricity, we produce a huge amount of CO2 simultaneously. We have to use less energy and electricity. We have to avoid producing a great amount of CO2, Sulphur, CFCs, and Methane gases as they are out-and-out harmful to the environment.
We need to curb the emission of CO2 by undertaking massive plantation of trees. Let trees absorb carbon dioxide and release oxygen. Let’s reduce our dependence on the consumption of electricity, oil, coal and gas – sources of carbon dioxide – and switch to renewable energy. Let’s make less of energy and embrace recycling of products. There is a need to make suitable changes in the modern consumerist lifestyle that tends to overuse the resources of the world. There is a need to make collective efforts on the part of scientists, governments and individuals to tide over the problem of global warming. If urgent efforts are not mounted by all countries to check the problem of global warming worldwide, it would threatens to put the future of mankind in peril.
Also Read: Global warming world wide
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- Article Writing
Write an article on Global warming in about 200 words
Global warming or climate change has today become a major threat to the mankind. The Earth’s temperature is on the rise and there are various reasons for it such as greenhouse gases emanating from carbon dioxide ($CO_2$) emissions, burning of fossil fuels or deforestation.
Impact of Greenhouse Gases
The rise in the levels of carbon dioxide ($CO_2$) leads to substantial increase in temperature. It is because $CO_2$ remains concentrated in the atmosphere for even hundreds of years. Due to activities like fossil fuel combustion for electricity generation, transportation, and heating, human beings have contributed to increase in the $CO_2$ concentration in the atmosphere.
Global Warming: A Gradual Phenomenon
Recent years have been unusually warm, causing worldwide concern. But the fact is that the increase in carbon dioxide actually began in 1800, due to the deforestation of a large chunk of North-eastern American, besides forested parts of the world. The things became worse with emissions in the wake of the industrial revolution, leading to increase in carbon dioxide level by 1900.
Cause of Concern
According to the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), global temperature is likely to rise by about 1-3.5 Celsius by the year 2100. It has also suggested that the climate might warm by as much as 10 degrees Fahrenheit over the next 100 years.
Impact of Global Warming
The sea levels are constantly rising as fresh water marshlands, low-lying cities, and islands have been inundated with seawater.
There have been changes in rainfall patterns, leading to droughts and fires in some areas, and flooding in other areas.
Ice caps are constantly melting posing a threat to polar bears as their feeding season stands reduced.
Glaciers are gradually melting.
Animal populations are gradually vanishing as there has been a widespread loss of their habitat.
As per Kyoto protocol, developed countries are required to cut back their emissions. There is a need to reduce coal-fired electricity, increase energy efficiency through wind and solar power, and also high efficiency natural gas generation
- Give this article
The Science of Climate Change Explained: Facts, Evidence and Proof
Definitive answers to the big questions.
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By Julia Rosen
Ms. Rosen is a journalist with a Ph.D. in geology. Her research involved studying ice cores from Greenland and Antarctica to understand past climate changes.
- Published April 19, 2021 Updated Nov. 6, 2021
The science of climate change is more solid and widely agreed upon than you might think. But the scope of the topic, as well as rampant disinformation, can make it hard to separate fact from fiction. Here, we’ve done our best to present you with not only the most accurate scientific information, but also an explanation of how we know it.
How do we know climate change is really happening?
How much agreement is there among scientists about climate change, do we really only have 150 years of climate data how is that enough to tell us about centuries of change, how do we know climate change is caused by humans, since greenhouse gases occur naturally, how do we know they’re causing earth’s temperature to rise, why should we be worried that the planet has warmed 2°f since the 1800s, is climate change a part of the planet’s natural warming and cooling cycles, how do we know global warming is not because of the sun or volcanoes, how can winters and certain places be getting colder if the planet is warming, wildfires and bad weather have always happened. how do we know there’s a connection to climate change, how bad are the effects of climate change going to be, what will it cost to do something about climate change, versus doing nothing.
Climate change is often cast as a prediction made by complicated computer models. But the scientific basis for climate change is much broader, and models are actually only one part of it (and, for what it’s worth, they’re surprisingly accurate ).
For more than a century , scientists have understood the basic physics behind why greenhouse gases like carbon dioxide cause warming. These gases make up just a small fraction of the atmosphere but exert outsized control on Earth’s climate by trapping some of the planet’s heat before it escapes into space. This greenhouse effect is important: It’s why a planet so far from the sun has liquid water and life!
However, during the Industrial Revolution, people started burning coal and other fossil fuels to power factories, smelters and steam engines, which added more greenhouse gases to the atmosphere. Ever since, human activities have been heating the planet.
We know this is true thanks to an overwhelming body of evidence that begins with temperature measurements taken at weather stations and on ships starting in the mid-1800s. Later, scientists began tracking surface temperatures with satellites and looking for clues about climate change in geologic records. Together, these data all tell the same story: Earth is getting hotter.
Average global temperatures have increased by 2.2 degrees Fahrenheit, or 1.2 degrees Celsius, since 1880, with the greatest changes happening in the late 20th century. Land areas have warmed more than the sea surface and the Arctic has warmed the most — by more than 4 degrees Fahrenheit just since the 1960s. Temperature extremes have also shifted. In the United States, daily record highs now outnumber record lows two-to-one.
Where it was cooler or warmer in 2020 compared with the middle of the 20th century
This warming is unprecedented in recent geologic history. A famous illustration, first published in 1998 and often called the hockey-stick graph, shows how temperatures remained fairly flat for centuries (the shaft of the stick) before turning sharply upward (the blade). It’s based on data from tree rings, ice cores and other natural indicators. And the basic picture , which has withstood decades of scrutiny from climate scientists and contrarians alike, shows that Earth is hotter today than it’s been in at least 1,000 years, and probably much longer.
In fact, surface temperatures actually mask the true scale of climate change, because the ocean has absorbed 90 percent of the heat trapped by greenhouse gases . Measurements collected over the last six decades by oceanographic expeditions and networks of floating instruments show that every layer of the ocean is warming up. According to one study , the ocean has absorbed as much heat between 1997 and 2015 as it did in the previous 130 years.
We also know that climate change is happening because we see the effects everywhere. Ice sheets and glaciers are shrinking while sea levels are rising. Arctic sea ice is disappearing. In the spring, snow melts sooner and plants flower earlier. Animals are moving to higher elevations and latitudes to find cooler conditions. And droughts, floods and wildfires have all gotten more extreme. Models predicted many of these changes, but observations show they are now coming to pass.
Back to top .
There’s no denying that scientists love a good, old-fashioned argument. But when it comes to climate change, there is virtually no debate: Numerous studies have found that more than 90 percent of scientists who study Earth’s climate agree that the planet is warming and that humans are the primary cause. Most major scientific bodies, from NASA to the World Meteorological Organization , endorse this view. That’s an astounding level of consensus given the contrarian, competitive nature of the scientific enterprise, where questions like what killed the dinosaurs remain bitterly contested .
Scientific agreement about climate change started to emerge in the late 1980s, when the influence of human-caused warming began to rise above natural climate variability. By 1991, two-thirds of earth and atmospheric scientists surveyed for an early consensus study said that they accepted the idea of anthropogenic global warming. And by 1995, the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, a famously conservative body that periodically takes stock of the state of scientific knowledge, concluded that “the balance of evidence suggests that there is a discernible human influence on global climate.” Currently, more than 97 percent of publishing climate scientists agree on the existence and cause of climate change (as does nearly 60 percent of the general population of the United States).
So where did we get the idea that there’s still debate about climate change? A lot of it came from coordinated messaging campaigns by companies and politicians that opposed climate action. Many pushed the narrative that scientists still hadn’t made up their minds about climate change, even though that was misleading. Frank Luntz, a Republican consultant, explained the rationale in an infamous 2002 memo to conservative lawmakers: “Should the public come to believe that the scientific issues are settled, their views about global warming will change accordingly,” he wrote. Questioning consensus remains a common talking point today, and the 97 percent figure has become something of a lightning rod .
To bolster the falsehood of lingering scientific doubt, some people have pointed to things like the Global Warming Petition Project, which urged the United States government to reject the Kyoto Protocol of 1997, an early international climate agreement. The petition proclaimed that climate change wasn’t happening, and even if it were, it wouldn’t be bad for humanity. Since 1998, more than 30,000 people with science degrees have signed it. However, nearly 90 percent of them studied something other than Earth, atmospheric or environmental science, and the signatories included just 39 climatologists. Most were engineers, doctors, and others whose training had little to do with the physics of the climate system.
A few well-known researchers remain opposed to the scientific consensus. Some, like Willie Soon, a researcher affiliated with the Harvard-Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics, have ties to the fossil fuel industry . Others do not, but their assertions have not held up under the weight of evidence. At least one prominent skeptic, the physicist Richard Muller, changed his mind after reassessing historical temperature data as part of the Berkeley Earth project. His team’s findings essentially confirmed the results he had set out to investigate, and he came away firmly convinced that human activities were warming the planet. “Call me a converted skeptic,” he wrote in an Op-Ed for the Times in 2012.
Mr. Luntz, the Republican pollster, has also reversed his position on climate change and now advises politicians on how to motivate climate action.
A final note on uncertainty: Denialists often use it as evidence that climate science isn’t settled. However, in science, uncertainty doesn’t imply a lack of knowledge. Rather, it’s a measure of how well something is known. In the case of climate change, scientists have found a range of possible future changes in temperature, precipitation and other important variables — which will depend largely on how quickly we reduce emissions. But uncertainty does not undermine their confidence that climate change is real and that people are causing it.
Earth’s climate is inherently variable. Some years are hot and others are cold, some decades bring more hurricanes than others, some ancient droughts spanned the better part of centuries. Glacial cycles operate over many millenniums. So how can scientists look at data collected over a relatively short period of time and conclude that humans are warming the planet? The answer is that the instrumental temperature data that we have tells us a lot, but it’s not all we have to go on.
Understand the Latest News on Climate Change
PFAS chemicals. The Environmental Protection Agency announced that the U.S. government intends to require utilities to remove from drinking water perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl substances , part of a class of chemicals known as PFAS. Exposure to the chemicals, which are found in countless household items , has been linked to cancer, liver damage and other health effects.
Measuring droughts and deluges. Scientists have long cautioned that warming temperatures would lead to wetter and drier global extremes with increasingly severe rainfall and more intense droughts. A new study that used satellites that can detect changes in gravity to measure fluctuations in water shows where that may already be happening .
Willow oil project. President Biden gave formal approval for a huge oil drilling project in Alaska known as Willow, despite widespread opposition because of its likely environmental and climate impacts. The Biden administration also announced new limits on Arctic drilling in an apparent effort to temper criticism over the $8 billion oil project.
The race for green hydrogen. Hundreds of billions of dollars are being invested in a high-tech global gamble to make hydrogen clean, cheap and widely available. One quiet, unremarkable place in the Australian Outback is set for an imminent transformation — starting with 10 million new solar panels.
A climate-proof refuge. Hundreds of people from states vulnerable to climate change are relocating to the industrial town of Duluth in Minnesota . They are drawn to the area by its ample supply of freshwater, as well as its location — buffered from sea-level rise in the Upper Midwest — and temperatures, which run mild in the summer and colder than cold in the winter.
Historical records stretch back to the 1880s (and often before), when people began to regularly measure temperatures at weather stations and on ships as they traversed the world’s oceans. These data show a clear warming trend during the 20th century.
Global average temperature compared with the middle of the 20th century
+0.75°C
–0.25°
Some have questioned whether these records could be skewed, for instance, by the fact that a disproportionate number of weather stations are near cities, which tend to be hotter than surrounding areas as a result of the so-called urban heat island effect. However, researchers regularly correct for these potential biases when reconstructing global temperatures. In addition, warming is corroborated by independent data like satellite observations, which cover the whole planet, and other ways of measuring temperature changes.
Much has also been made of the small dips and pauses that punctuate the rising temperature trend of the last 150 years. But these are just the result of natural climate variability or other human activities that temporarily counteract greenhouse warming. For instance, in the mid-1900s, internal climate dynamics and light-blocking pollution from coal-fired power plants halted global warming for a few decades. (Eventually, rising greenhouse gases and pollution-control laws caused the planet to start heating up again.) Likewise, the so-called warming hiatus of the 2000s was partly a result of natural climate variability that allowed more heat to enter the ocean rather than warm the atmosphere. The years since have been the hottest on record .
Still, could the entire 20th century just be one big natural climate wiggle? To address that question, we can look at other kinds of data that give a longer perspective. Researchers have used geologic records like tree rings, ice cores, corals and sediments that preserve information about prehistoric climates to extend the climate record. The resulting picture of global temperature change is basically flat for centuries, then turns sharply upward over the last 150 years. It has been a target of climate denialists for decades. However, study after study has confirmed the results , which show that the planet hasn’t been this hot in at least 1,000 years, and probably longer.
Scientists have studied past climate changes to understand the factors that can cause the planet to warm or cool. The big ones are changes in solar energy, ocean circulation, volcanic activity and the amount of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere. And they have each played a role at times.
For example, 300 years ago, a combination of reduced solar output and increased volcanic activity cooled parts of the planet enough that Londoners regularly ice skated on the Thames . About 12,000 years ago, major changes in Atlantic circulation plunged the Northern Hemisphere into a frigid state. And 56 million years ago, a giant burst of greenhouse gases, from volcanic activity or vast deposits of methane (or both), abruptly warmed the planet by at least 9 degrees Fahrenheit, scrambling the climate, choking the oceans and triggering mass extinctions.
In trying to determine the cause of current climate changes, scientists have looked at all of these factors . The first three have varied a bit over the last few centuries and they have quite likely had modest effects on climate , particularly before 1950. But they cannot account for the planet’s rapidly rising temperature, especially in the second half of the 20th century, when solar output actually declined and volcanic eruptions exerted a cooling effect.
That warming is best explained by rising greenhouse gas concentrations . Greenhouse gases have a powerful effect on climate (see the next question for why). And since the Industrial Revolution, humans have been adding more of them to the atmosphere, primarily by extracting and burning fossil fuels like coal, oil and gas, which releases carbon dioxide.
Bubbles of ancient air trapped in ice show that, before about 1750, the concentration of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere was roughly 280 parts per million. It began to rise slowly and crossed the 300 p.p.m. threshold around 1900. CO2 levels then accelerated as cars and electricity became big parts of modern life, recently topping 420 p.p.m . The concentration of methane, the second most important greenhouse gas, has more than doubled. We’re now emitting carbon much faster than it was released 56 million years ago .
30 billion metric tons
Carbon dioxide emitted worldwide 1850-2017
Rest of world
Other developed
European Union
Developed economies
Other countries
United States
E.U. and U.K.
These rapid increases in greenhouse gases have caused the climate to warm abruptly. In fact, climate models suggest that greenhouse warming can explain virtually all of the temperature change since 1950. According to the most recent report by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, which assesses published scientific literature, natural drivers and internal climate variability can only explain a small fraction of late-20th century warming.
Another study put it this way: The odds of current warming occurring without anthropogenic greenhouse gas emissions are less than 1 in 100,000 .
But greenhouse gases aren’t the only climate-altering compounds people put into the air. Burning fossil fuels also produces particulate pollution that reflects sunlight and cools the planet. Scientists estimate that this pollution has masked up to half of the greenhouse warming we would have otherwise experienced.
Greenhouse gases like water vapor and carbon dioxide serve an important role in the climate. Without them, Earth would be far too cold to maintain liquid water and humans would not exist!
Here’s how it works: the planet’s temperature is basically a function of the energy the Earth absorbs from the sun (which heats it up) and the energy Earth emits to space as infrared radiation (which cools it down). Because of their molecular structure, greenhouse gases temporarily absorb some of that outgoing infrared radiation and then re-emit it in all directions, sending some of that energy back toward the surface and heating the planet . Scientists have understood this process since the 1850s .
Greenhouse gas concentrations have varied naturally in the past. Over millions of years, atmospheric CO2 levels have changed depending on how much of the gas volcanoes belched into the air and how much got removed through geologic processes. On time scales of hundreds to thousands of years, concentrations have changed as carbon has cycled between the ocean, soil and air.
Today, however, we are the ones causing CO2 levels to increase at an unprecedented pace by taking ancient carbon from geologic deposits of fossil fuels and putting it into the atmosphere when we burn them. Since 1750, carbon dioxide concentrations have increased by almost 50 percent. Methane and nitrous oxide, other important anthropogenic greenhouse gases that are released mainly by agricultural activities, have also spiked over the last 250 years.
We know based on the physics described above that this should cause the climate to warm. We also see certain telltale “fingerprints” of greenhouse warming. For example, nights are warming even faster than days because greenhouse gases don’t go away when the sun sets. And upper layers of the atmosphere have actually cooled, because more energy is being trapped by greenhouse gases in the lower atmosphere.
We also know that we are the cause of rising greenhouse gas concentrations — and not just because we can measure the CO2 coming out of tailpipes and smokestacks. We can see it in the chemical signature of the carbon in CO2.
Carbon comes in three different masses: 12, 13 and 14. Things made of organic matter (including fossil fuels) tend to have relatively less carbon-13. Volcanoes tend to produce CO2 with relatively more carbon-13. And over the last century, the carbon in atmospheric CO2 has gotten lighter, pointing to an organic source.
We can tell it’s old organic matter by looking for carbon-14, which is radioactive and decays over time. Fossil fuels are too ancient to have any carbon-14 left in them, so if they were behind rising CO2 levels, you would expect the amount of carbon-14 in the atmosphere to drop, which is exactly what the data show .
It’s important to note that water vapor is the most abundant greenhouse gas in the atmosphere. However, it does not cause warming; instead it responds to it . That’s because warmer air holds more moisture, which creates a snowball effect in which human-caused warming allows the atmosphere to hold more water vapor and further amplifies climate change. This so-called feedback cycle has doubled the warming caused by anthropogenic greenhouse gas emissions.
A common source of confusion when it comes to climate change is the difference between weather and climate. Weather is the constantly changing set of meteorological conditions that we experience when we step outside, whereas climate is the long-term average of those conditions, usually calculated over a 30-year period. Or, as some say: Weather is your mood and climate is your personality.
So while 2 degrees Fahrenheit doesn’t represent a big change in the weather, it’s a huge change in climate. As we’ve already seen, it’s enough to melt ice and raise sea levels, to shift rainfall patterns around the world and to reorganize ecosystems, sending animals scurrying toward cooler habitats and killing trees by the millions.
It’s also important to remember that two degrees represents the global average, and many parts of the world have already warmed by more than that. For example, land areas have warmed about twice as much as the sea surface. And the Arctic has warmed by about 5 degrees. That’s because the loss of snow and ice at high latitudes allows the ground to absorb more energy, causing additional heating on top of greenhouse warming.
Relatively small long-term changes in climate averages also shift extremes in significant ways. For instance, heat waves have always happened, but they have shattered records in recent years. In June of 2020, a town in Siberia registered temperatures of 100 degrees . And in Australia, meteorologists have added a new color to their weather maps to show areas where temperatures exceed 125 degrees. Rising sea levels have also increased the risk of flooding because of storm surges and high tides. These are the foreshocks of climate change.
And we are in for more changes in the future — up to 9 degrees Fahrenheit of average global warming by the end of the century, in the worst-case scenario . For reference, the difference in global average temperatures between now and the peak of the last ice age, when ice sheets covered large parts of North America and Europe, is about 11 degrees Fahrenheit.
Under the Paris Climate Agreement, which President Biden recently rejoined, countries have agreed to try to limit total warming to between 1.5 and 2 degrees Celsius, or 2.7 and 3.6 degrees Fahrenheit, since preindustrial times. And even this narrow range has huge implications . According to scientific studies, the difference between 2.7 and 3.6 degrees Fahrenheit will very likely mean the difference between coral reefs hanging on or going extinct, and between summer sea ice persisting in the Arctic or disappearing completely. It will also determine how many millions of people suffer from water scarcity and crop failures, and how many are driven from their homes by rising seas. In other words, one degree Fahrenheit makes a world of difference.
Earth’s climate has always changed. Hundreds of millions of years ago, the entire planet froze . Fifty million years ago, alligators lived in what we now call the Arctic . And for the last 2.6 million years, the planet has cycled between ice ages when the planet was up to 11 degrees cooler and ice sheets covered much of North America and Europe, and milder interglacial periods like the one we’re in now.
Climate denialists often point to these natural climate changes as a way to cast doubt on the idea that humans are causing climate to change today. However, that argument rests on a logical fallacy. It’s like “seeing a murdered body and concluding that people have died of natural causes in the past, so the murder victim must also have died of natural causes,” a team of social scientists wrote in The Debunking Handbook , which explains the misinformation strategies behind many climate myths.
Indeed, we know that different mechanisms caused the climate to change in the past. Glacial cycles, for example, were triggered by periodic variations in Earth’s orbit , which take place over tens of thousands of years and change how solar energy gets distributed around the globe and across the seasons.
These orbital variations don’t affect the planet’s temperature much on their own. But they set off a cascade of other changes in the climate system; for instance, growing or melting vast Northern Hemisphere ice sheets and altering ocean circulation. These changes, in turn, affect climate by altering the amount of snow and ice, which reflect sunlight, and by changing greenhouse gas concentrations. This is actually part of how we know that greenhouse gases have the ability to significantly affect Earth’s temperature.
For at least the last 800,000 years , atmospheric CO2 concentrations oscillated between about 180 parts per million during ice ages and about 280 p.p.m. during warmer periods, as carbon moved between oceans, forests, soils and the atmosphere. These changes occurred in lock step with global temperatures, and are a major reason the entire planet warmed and cooled during glacial cycles, not just the frozen poles.
Today, however, CO2 levels have soared to 420 p.p.m. — the highest they’ve been in at least three million years . The concentration of CO2 is also increasing about 100 times faster than it did at the end of the last ice age. This suggests something else is going on, and we know what it is: Since the Industrial Revolution, humans have been burning fossil fuels and releasing greenhouse gases that are heating the planet now (see Question 5 for more details on how we know this, and Questions 4 and 8 for how we know that other natural forces aren’t to blame).
Over the next century or two, societies and ecosystems will experience the consequences of this climate change. But our emissions will have even more lasting geologic impacts: According to some studies, greenhouse gas levels may have already warmed the planet enough to delay the onset of the next glacial cycle for at least an additional 50,000 years.
The sun is the ultimate source of energy in Earth’s climate system, so it’s a natural candidate for causing climate change. And solar activity has certainly changed over time. We know from satellite measurements and other astronomical observations that the sun’s output changes on 11-year cycles. Geologic records and sunspot numbers, which astronomers have tracked for centuries, also show long-term variations in the sun’s activity, including some exceptionally quiet periods in the late 1600s and early 1800s.
We know that, from 1900 until the 1950s, solar irradiance increased. And studies suggest that this had a modest effect on early 20th century climate, explaining up to 10 percent of the warming that’s occurred since the late 1800s. However, in the second half of the century, when the most warming occurred, solar activity actually declined . This disparity is one of the main reasons we know that the sun is not the driving force behind climate change.
Another reason we know that solar activity hasn’t caused recent warming is that, if it had, all the layers of the atmosphere should be heating up. Instead, data show that the upper atmosphere has actually cooled in recent decades — a hallmark of greenhouse warming .
So how about volcanoes? Eruptions cool the planet by injecting ash and aerosol particles into the atmosphere that reflect sunlight. We’ve observed this effect in the years following large eruptions. There are also some notable historical examples, like when Iceland’s Laki volcano erupted in 1783, causing widespread crop failures in Europe and beyond, and the “ year without a summer ,” which followed the 1815 eruption of Mount Tambora in Indonesia.
Since volcanoes mainly act as climate coolers, they can’t really explain recent warming. However, scientists say that they may also have contributed slightly to rising temperatures in the early 20th century. That’s because there were several large eruptions in the late 1800s that cooled the planet, followed by a few decades with no major volcanic events when warming caught up. During the second half of the 20th century, though, several big eruptions occurred as the planet was heating up fast. If anything, they temporarily masked some amount of human-caused warming.
The second way volcanoes can impact climate is by emitting carbon dioxide. This is important on time scales of millions of years — it’s what keeps the planet habitable (see Question 5 for more on the greenhouse effect). But by comparison to modern anthropogenic emissions, even big eruptions like Krakatoa and Mount St. Helens are just a drop in the bucket. After all, they last only a few hours or days, while we burn fossil fuels 24-7. Studies suggest that, today, volcanoes account for 1 to 2 percent of total CO2 emissions.
When a big snowstorm hits the United States, climate denialists can try to cite it as proof that climate change isn’t happening. In 2015, Senator James Inhofe, an Oklahoma Republican, famously lobbed a snowball in the Senate as he denounced climate science. But these events don’t actually disprove climate change.
While there have been some memorable storms in recent years, winters are actually warming across the world. In the United States, average temperatures in December, January and February have increased by about 2.5 degrees this century.
On the flip side, record cold days are becoming less common than record warm days. In the United States, record highs now outnumber record lows two-to-one . And ever-smaller areas of the country experience extremely cold winter temperatures . (The same trends are happening globally.)
So what’s with the blizzards? Weather always varies, so it’s no surprise that we still have severe winter storms even as average temperatures rise. However, some studies suggest that climate change may be to blame. One possibility is that rapid Arctic warming has affected atmospheric circulation, including the fast-flowing, high-altitude air that usually swirls over the North Pole (a.k.a. the Polar Vortex ). Some studies suggest that these changes are bringing more frigid temperatures to lower latitudes and causing weather systems to stall , allowing storms to produce more snowfall. This may explain what we’ve experienced in the U.S. over the past few decades, as well as a wintertime cooling trend in Siberia , although exactly how the Arctic affects global weather remains a topic of ongoing scientific debate .
Climate change may also explain the apparent paradox behind some of the other places on Earth that haven’t warmed much. For instance, a splotch of water in the North Atlantic has cooled in recent years, and scientists say they suspect that may be because ocean circulation is slowing as a result of freshwater streaming off a melting Greenland . If this circulation grinds almost to a halt, as it’s done in the geologic past, it would alter weather patterns around the world.
Not all cold weather stems from some counterintuitive consequence of climate change. But it’s a good reminder that Earth’s climate system is complex and chaotic, so the effects of human-caused changes will play out differently in different places. That’s why “global warming” is a bit of an oversimplification. Instead, some scientists have suggested that the phenomenon of human-caused climate change would more aptly be called “ global weirding .”
Extreme weather and natural disasters are part of life on Earth — just ask the dinosaurs. But there is good evidence that climate change has increased the frequency and severity of certain phenomena like heat waves, droughts and floods. Recent research has also allowed scientists to identify the influence of climate change on specific events.
Let’s start with heat waves . Studies show that stretches of abnormally high temperatures now happen about five times more often than they would without climate change, and they last longer, too. Climate models project that, by the 2040s, heat waves will be about 12 times more frequent. And that’s concerning since extreme heat often causes increased hospitalizations and deaths, particularly among older people and those with underlying health conditions. In the summer of 2003, for example, a heat wave caused an estimated 70,000 excess deaths across Europe. (Human-caused warming amplified the death toll .)
Climate change has also exacerbated droughts , primarily by increasing evaporation. Droughts occur naturally because of random climate variability and factors like whether El Niño or La Niña conditions prevail in the tropical Pacific. But some researchers have found evidence that greenhouse warming has been affecting droughts since even before the Dust Bowl . And it continues to do so today. According to one analysis , the drought that afflicted the American Southwest from 2000 to 2018 was almost 50 percent more severe because of climate change. It was the worst drought the region had experienced in more than 1,000 years.
Rising temperatures have also increased the intensity of heavy precipitation events and the flooding that often follows. For example, studies have found that, because warmer air holds more moisture, Hurricane Harvey, which struck Houston in 2017, dropped between 15 and 40 percent more rainfall than it would have without climate change.
It’s still unclear whether climate change is changing the overall frequency of hurricanes, but it is making them stronger . And warming appears to favor certain kinds of weather patterns, like the “ Midwest Water Hose ” events that caused devastating flooding across the Midwest in 2019 .
It’s important to remember that in most natural disasters, there are multiple factors at play. For instance, the 2019 Midwest floods occurred after a recent cold snap had frozen the ground solid, preventing the soil from absorbing rainwater and increasing runoff into the Missouri and Mississippi Rivers. These waterways have also been reshaped by levees and other forms of river engineering, some of which failed in the floods.
Wildfires are another phenomenon with multiple causes. In many places, fire risk has increased because humans have aggressively fought natural fires and prevented Indigenous peoples from carrying out traditional burning practices. This has allowed fuel to accumulate that makes current fires worse .
However, climate change still plays a major role by heating and drying forests, turning them into tinderboxes. Studies show that warming is the driving factor behind the recent increases in wildfires; one analysis found that climate change is responsible for doubling the area burned across the American West between 1984 and 2015. And researchers say that warming will only make fires bigger and more dangerous in the future.
It depends on how aggressively we act to address climate change. If we continue with business as usual, by the end of the century, it will be too hot to go outside during heat waves in the Middle East and South Asia . Droughts will grip Central America, the Mediterranean and southern Africa. And many island nations and low-lying areas, from Texas to Bangladesh, will be overtaken by rising seas. Conversely, climate change could bring welcome warming and extended growing seasons to the upper Midwest , Canada, the Nordic countries and Russia . Farther north, however, the loss of snow, ice and permafrost will upend the traditions of Indigenous peoples and threaten infrastructure.
It’s complicated, but the underlying message is simple: unchecked climate change will likely exacerbate existing inequalities . At a national level, poorer countries will be hit hardest, even though they have historically emitted only a fraction of the greenhouse gases that cause warming. That’s because many less developed countries tend to be in tropical regions where additional warming will make the climate increasingly intolerable for humans and crops. These nations also often have greater vulnerabilities, like large coastal populations and people living in improvised housing that is easily damaged in storms. And they have fewer resources to adapt, which will require expensive measures like redesigning cities, engineering coastlines and changing how people grow food.
Already, between 1961 and 2000, climate change appears to have harmed the economies of the poorest countries while boosting the fortunes of the wealthiest nations that have done the most to cause the problem, making the global wealth gap 25 percent bigger than it would otherwise have been. Similarly, the Global Climate Risk Index found that lower income countries — like Myanmar, Haiti and Nepal — rank high on the list of nations most affected by extreme weather between 1999 and 2018. Climate change has also contributed to increased human migration, which is expected to increase significantly .
Even within wealthy countries, the poor and marginalized will suffer the most. People with more resources have greater buffers, like air-conditioners to keep their houses cool during dangerous heat waves, and the means to pay the resulting energy bills. They also have an easier time evacuating their homes before disasters, and recovering afterward. Lower income people have fewer of these advantages, and they are also more likely to live in hotter neighborhoods and work outdoors, where they face the brunt of climate change.
These inequalities will play out on an individual, community, and regional level. A 2017 analysis of the U.S. found that, under business as usual, the poorest one-third of counties, which are concentrated in the South, will experience damages totaling as much as 20 percent of gross domestic product, while others, mostly in the northern part of the country, will see modest economic gains. Solomon Hsiang, an economist at University of California, Berkeley, and the lead author of the study, has said that climate change “may result in the largest transfer of wealth from the poor to the rich in the country’s history.”
Even the climate “winners” will not be immune from all climate impacts, though. Desirable locations will face an influx of migrants. And as the coronavirus pandemic has demonstrated, disasters in one place quickly ripple across our globalized economy. For instance, scientists expect climate change to increase the odds of multiple crop failures occurring at the same time in different places, throwing the world into a food crisis .
On top of that, warmer weather is aiding the spread of infectious diseases and the vectors that transmit them, like ticks and mosquitoes . Research has also identified troubling correlations between rising temperatures and increased interpersonal violence , and climate change is widely recognized as a “threat multiplier” that increases the odds of larger conflicts within and between countries. In other words, climate change will bring many changes that no amount of money can stop. What could help is taking action to limit warming.
One of the most common arguments against taking aggressive action to combat climate change is that doing so will kill jobs and cripple the economy. But this implies that there’s an alternative in which we pay nothing for climate change. And unfortunately, there isn’t. In reality, not tackling climate change will cost a lot , and cause enormous human suffering and ecological damage, while transitioning to a greener economy would benefit many people and ecosystems around the world.
Let’s start with how much it will cost to address climate change. To keep warming well below 2 degrees Celsius, the goal of the Paris Climate Agreement, society will have to reach net zero greenhouse gas emissions by the middle of this century. That will require significant investments in things like renewable energy, electric cars and charging infrastructure, not to mention efforts to adapt to hotter temperatures, rising sea-levels and other unavoidable effects of current climate changes. And we’ll have to make changes fast.
Estimates of the cost vary widely. One recent study found that keeping warming to 2 degrees Celsius would require a total investment of between $4 trillion and $60 trillion, with a median estimate of $16 trillion, while keeping warming to 1.5 degrees Celsius could cost between $10 trillion and $100 trillion, with a median estimate of $30 trillion. (For reference, the entire world economy was about $88 trillion in 2019.) Other studies have found that reaching net zero will require annual investments ranging from less than 1.5 percent of global gross domestic product to as much as 4 percent . That’s a lot, but within the range of historical energy investments in countries like the U.S.
Now, let’s consider the costs of unchecked climate change, which will fall hardest on the most vulnerable. These include damage to property and infrastructure from sea-level rise and extreme weather, death and sickness linked to natural disasters, pollution and infectious disease, reduced agricultural yields and lost labor productivity because of rising temperatures, decreased water availability and increased energy costs, and species extinction and habitat destruction. Dr. Hsiang, the U.C. Berkeley economist, describes it as “death by a thousand cuts.”
As a result, climate damages are hard to quantify. Moody’s Analytics estimates that even 2 degrees Celsius of warming will cost the world $69 trillion by 2100, and economists expect the toll to keep rising with the temperature. In a recent survey , economists estimated the cost would equal 5 percent of global G.D.P. at 3 degrees Celsius of warming (our trajectory under current policies) and 10 percent for 5 degrees Celsius. Other research indicates that, if current warming trends continue, global G.D.P. per capita will decrease between 7 percent and 23 percent by the end of the century — an economic blow equivalent to multiple coronavirus pandemics every year. And some fear these are vast underestimates .
Already, studies suggest that climate change has slashed incomes in the poorest countries by as much as 30 percent and reduced global agricultural productivity by 21 percent since 1961. Extreme weather events have also racked up a large bill. In 2020, in the United States alone, climate-related disasters like hurricanes, droughts, and wildfires caused nearly $100 billion in damages to businesses, property and infrastructure, compared to an average of $18 billion per year in the 1980s.
Given the steep price of inaction, many economists say that addressing climate change is a better deal . It’s like that old saying: an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure. In this case, limiting warming will greatly reduce future damage and inequality caused by climate change. It will also produce so-called co-benefits, like saving one million lives every year by reducing air pollution, and millions more from eating healthier, climate-friendly diets. Some studies even find that meeting the Paris Agreement goals could create jobs and increase global G.D.P . And, of course, reining in climate change will spare many species and ecosystems upon which humans depend — and which many people believe to have their own innate value.
The challenge is that we need to reduce emissions now to avoid damages later, which requires big investments over the next few decades. And the longer we delay, the more we will pay to meet the Paris goals. One recent analysis found that reaching net-zero by 2050 would cost the U.S. almost twice as much if we waited until 2030 instead of acting now. But even if we miss the Paris target, the economics still make a strong case for climate action, because every additional degree of warming will cost us more — in dollars, and in lives.
Veronica Penney contributed reporting.
Illustration photographs by Esther Horvath, Max Whittaker, David Maurice Smith and Talia Herman for The New York Times; Esther Horvath/Alfred-Wegener-Institut
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Global Warming
Long-term warming trends and increases in extreme weather events have the potential to impact all life on Earth. Even though at least 97 percent of climate scientists agree that human activities have contributed to rising global temperatures, the predominance and causes of these phenomena continue to be debated and many Americans deny global warming.
Read the overview below to gain a balanced understanding of the issues and explore the previews of opinion articles that highlight many perspectives on the response to global warming and climate change.
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Global warming topic overview.
"Global Warming and Climate Change." Opposing Viewpoints Online Collection , Gale, 2021.
Though the terms global warming and climate change are often used interchangeably, they have different meanings. Climate change describes long-term shifts in the Earth's weather patterns, which affect such factors as temperature, humidity, wind, cloud cover, and precipitation levels. Global warming specifically refers to an increase in the Earth's average surface temperatures caused by human activities, primarily the burning of fossil fuels.
Overwhelming scientific evidence supports the reality of both global warming and climate change. In 2021 the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) released its Sixth Assessment Report (AR6) revealing how human activity has induced rapid climate change. AR6 covers how specific regions experienced the effects of climate change, projecting how these changes will likely play out in the future and identifying what interventions could limit increased global temperatures. AR6 estimates a rise in the global surface temperature by 1.07°C (1.93°F) from the latter half the nineteenth century through the first two decades of the twenty-first century, primarily as a result of increasing greenhouse gas and particulate emissions that trap heat in the earth's atmosphere.
The IPCC emphasizes the key role of humans in the causes of global warming and climate change. The scientific model uses decades of research and peer-reviewed studies to provide evidence that global warming and climate change are being caused and accelerated by the release of carbon dioxide and other pollutants into the atmosphere during human agricultural and industrial processes and the continued extraction, production, and consumption of fossil fuels. They note that climate change and global warming have already led to increased numbers of and more severe storms, floods, droughts, and wildfires, which will only continue if humans continue to utilize fossil fuels and other processes that contribute to the greenhouse effect.
A vocal minority disagree with the scientific consensus that these climate trends are being driven by human activity. Opponents believe that severe changes in climate and weather patterns are the result of natural cycles that have repeated again and again over the course of Earth's history.
Concerns about the phenomena have inspired activism, laws, and international treaties while also sparking heated debate because of the political implications of trying to change the processes and practices scientists have linked to climate change. The debate over climate change influences social and economic policy, and many environmental and economic experts believe shifts in everything from food production to transportation to electricity production would be needed to curb or stop further climate change. Some opponents of such changes believe they are unnecessary, that they cause major job losses and decimate entire industries, or that it will be easier to adapt to future environmental changes than projected. Voters have demonstrated a growing willingness to cast ballots in favor of political candidates who share their views about how to deal with the issue, whether that means maintaining the status quo or implementing sweeping changes.
- Climate change refers to long-term shifts in the earth's weather patterns; global warming is the increase in the earth's average surface temperatures caused by human activities such as the burning of fossil fuels.
Causes of climate change related to human activity are referred to as anthropogenic; natural causes of climate change are called naturogenic.
Earth's atmosphere contains several gases that trap heat from the sun and prevent it from escaping into space. These gases are called greenhouse gases.
Global warming could have a long-term impact on ecosystems and wildlife habitats, negatively impacting Earth's biodiversity.
Economic and political issues play a role in how governments respond to global warming and climate change.
Global warming has been linked to more frequent heat waves. July 2021 was the earth's hottest month on record.
Causes of Climate Change
Earth's atmosphere contains several gases that trap heat from the sun and prevent it from escaping into space. This phenomenon is known as the greenhouse effect, and the gases are referred to as greenhouse gases. The main greenhouse gases that occur in nature are carbon dioxide, methane, and nitrous oxide. Without the greenhouse effect, Earth would be too cold to support life. Over time, the amount of greenhouse gases trapped in Earth's atmosphere has increased significantly, causing worldwide temperatures to rise.
Natural processes on Earth constantly create and destroy greenhouse gases. For example, the decay of plant and animal matter produces carbon dioxide, which plants then absorb during photosynthesis. This natural cycle stabilizes atmospheric levels of carbon dioxide. Shifts in the planet's crust and changes in ocean patterns impact weather, as do fluctuations in the sun's output of radiation. Volcanic activity also affects the climate because eruptions discharge greenhouse gases and other contaminants into the atmosphere. Climate change scientists at the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) and other federal and international agencies recognize that these natural factors continue to play a role in climate change, but they generally agree that the impact of these factors alone does not explain the substantial recent rise in Earth's temperature. Natural causes of climate change are referred to as naturogenic, while causes of climate change related to human activity are called anthropogenic.
Earth's vegetation releases and absorbs more than two hundred billion metric tons of carbon dioxide annually. Human activities, such as the burning of fossil fuels, add approximately seven billion more metric tons per year. Climate scientists believe the cumulative effect of this additional carbon dioxide has had a dramatic effect on the atmosphere. According to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), the 20 percent increase in the average global concentration of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere that occurred between 1980 and 2020 accounted for over half of the total increase since the Industrial Revolution began around 1750. Deforestation has also played a role in this increase by eliminating forests that would otherwise have absorbed many tons of carbon dioxide.
Increased levels of other greenhouse gases such as nitrous oxide and methane have also resulted from human activity. Several agricultural and industrial processes, such as the use of certain fertilizers in farming, produce nitrous oxide on a mass scale. Methane emissions come from the production of fossil fuels as well as from landfills and livestock. Though much smaller quantities of these gases exist in Earth's atmosphere, some scientists believe they cause more harm than carbon dioxide. Methane, for example, is about twenty-one times as potent as carbon dioxide at trapping heat. Humans have also created and released greenhouse gases that do not occur in nature. These include hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs), perfluorocarbons (PFCs), and sulfur hexafluoride (SF6). These gases, released during such industrial processes as aluminum production and electrical transmission, trap thousands of times more heat in the atmosphere than carbon dioxide.
Climate Change Predictions
A broad consensus exists in the scientific community that the consequences of climate change may be devastating, though the exact nature of the changes is difficult to assess. No climate model formulated by scientists to chart climate patterns has had 100 percent accuracy in predicting changes. For instance, most climate models failed to predict a slowdown in rising temperatures starting in 1998 and ending in 2012. The slowdown was attributed to volcanic eruptions that blocked out the sun and cooled temperatures, low levels of solar activity, and naturally occurring variability. Similarly, some predictions have underestimated threats.
In its initial assessment of rising sea levels in 1990, the IPCC originally anticipated a sea level rise of 1.9 millimeters per year from that year onward. However, in its sixth report, released in 2021, the IPCC found that sea levels have risen at a rate of 3.7 millimeters per year between 2006 and 2018. The IPCC predicts that global warming will cause the global sea level to rise two to six meters by 2150. Sea level rise contributes to increased flooding and to the damage caused by extreme storms such as hurricanes in coastal cities.
Because of the difficulties in creating completely accurate climate change models, skeptics of global warming and climate change note that Earth has experienced cyclical changes in its climate patterns for eons. They also tend to believe that recent climatic shifts are not as severe as indicated and may not necessarily be a direct consequence of human activity. Climate scientists contend that such skepticism may stem from an unwillingness to face the scope of the threat posed to the planet by human activity. Additionally, fossil fuel companies and major agricultural and industrial companies that might be affected by changes recommended by climate scientists have contributed large amounts of money to organizations and politicians that promote climate change denial.
Effects of Global Warming
The potential future consequences of global warming remain an issue of great debate and uncertainty. However, most experts predict dramatic and serious problems for future generations. Warmer oceans could result in stronger and more frequent hurricanes. As temperatures climb, some regions could experience frequent heat waves along with devastating droughts and wildfires. A heat wave in 2021 led to record-breaking temperatures. NOAA reported that June was the hottest month on record in the United States and July was the hottest month recorded on Earth. During the US heat wave, temperatures in the Pacific Northwest reached triple digits and led to the deaths of more than two hundred people in the region.
Climate change has been linked to the severe, exceptional drought that has occurred over the last twenty years in parts or all of several western states including Arizona, California, Colorado, Idaho, Montana, Nevada, New Mexico, Oregon, Utah, and Washington. Some observers have labeled this phenomenon a "megadrought," and it has led to massive wildfires and water shortages. From 2018 to 2021, California and Oregon endured massive wildfires that burned millions of acres and led to the displacement of thousands of residents, widespread destruction of property, and the deaths of dozens of people. California had a record-breaking wildfire season in 2020, including the state's first gigafire—a blaze that burned more than one million acres of land. By the end of the year, wildfires burned more than four million acres throughout the state. Scientists have attributed the fires to high levels of extremely dry vegetation, desiccated by rising temperatures and low soil moisture, that created conditions enabling the fires to spread rapidly and burn with fierce intensity. A federal water shortage was declared for the Colorado River in August 2021, impacting states that rely on the river for water. Cuts to state water supplies, projected to heavily affect agriculture and residential consumers, took effect beginning in October in Arizona and Nevada. If the drought continued, future cuts were expected for other states in the river basin including California and in several Native American nations.
Many coastal areas around the world could also face severe flooding due to rising sea levels. Low-lying islands in the Pacific Ocean would eventually become uninhabitable. Since the beginning of the twentieth century, sea level has risen about eight inches worldwide. The hurricane season of 2017 proved to be the costliest hurricane season since 1900, with over $265 billion of property damage in the United States and the tragic loss of life in Florida, Texas, and Puerto Rico. The 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019, and 2020 seasons all brought powerful Category 5 hurricanes, indicating a possible trend toward increasing storm intensities. The year 2020 broke records with thirty named storms—the most to ever occur in a single hurricane season. By September 6, 2021, it was predicted that the 2021 season, which ends in November, would be nearly as active as 2020.
Global warming could also have a major impact on ecosystems and wildlife habitats. Some areas might become too dry or too wet to support agriculture. Long periods of drought could turn fertile lands into deserts with little vegetation. Plants and animals might not be able to survive the rapid changes caused by global warming and could become extinct. Over the long term, such changes would negatively impact Earth's biodiversity. Some ecosystems such as coral reefs and coastal mangrove swamps appear likely to disappear completely.
Human populations would also face serious problems. Loss of farmland, for example, would cause major disruptions in the food supply, bringing about famine in many areas. More frequent and intense heat waves could result in more heat-related deaths, and changes in air quality could also affect human health. Other experts warn of potential impacts on migration and geopolitical conflict as populations flee areas most impacted by climate change and rival countries go to war over dwindling resources.
U.S. Attitudes About Climate Change
The effects of human activities on global warming and climate change are acknowledged and accepted by the majority of people in the United States. According to annual polls conducted by Gallup since 2001, the public's beliefs in anthropogenic climate change had increased slightly by 2021. That year, 64 percent of Americans accepted that human activities cause climate change (up from 61 percent in 2001), 59 percent believed that the effects have begun (up from 54 percent), and 43 percent stated that that global warming will soon pose a serious threat and that they worry a great deal about it (up from 31 and 33 percent, respectively).
Researchers have observed a strong correlation between people's political affiliations and their acceptance of climate science and levels of concern about global warming. In 2021 about 82 percent of Democrats believed effects of global warming were already apparent and 88 percent believed they were caused by humans, while only 29 percent of Republicans agreed with the first statement and 32 with the second. The majority of independents believed both statements (59 and 65 percent, respectively).
International Response
Economic and political issues influence how governments choose to respond to climate change and global warming. To reduce global warming in years to come, nations may need to implement policies with the potential to inhibit their economies. Efforts to tighten restrictions on greenhouse emissions may reduce production capacity, foreign investment, and household purchasing power. They could also lead to higher prices on consumer goods. However, some economists believe that investments in clean energy and alternative agricultural and industrial practices could offset financial losses or higher prices on certain goods. For these reasons, governments have encountered great difficulty in agreeing on a global plan to deal with Earth's changing climate.
Wealthier countries produce far more greenhouse gases than poorer countries, thus contributing more to the process of global warming. At the same time, the negative effects of climate change impact developing countries to a greater degree than developed countries. Many people believe that industrialized nations should take on greater responsibility in reducing emissions of these gases. In many cases, leaders of developed nations have resisted this idea.
Since 1995 the United Nations (UN) has hosted annual conferences to discuss climate change as part of its Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC). In 1997 delegates gathered in Kyoto, Japan, to negotiate an international treaty known as the Kyoto Protocol. This treaty required industrialized countries to reduce their greenhouse gas emissions by a certain percentage over a five-year period. As of August 2021, 192 parties, composed of 191 countries and the European Union, had ratified the Kyoto Protocol. Notable exceptions from the list of signatories include the United States, which has never ratified the treaty, and Canada, which announced its withdrawal from the agreement in 2011.
In 2015 world leaders set new climate goals at the UNFCCC conference in Paris, France. The resultant Paris Agreement aimed to limit the rise in global temperatures to less than 2°C (approximately 3.6°F) above preindustrial levels and provide countries with the tools needed to counteract climate change. US president Barack Obama played a central role in brokering the Paris Agreement and pushed for greater environmental restrictions during his presidency. On November 4, 2016, the Paris Agreement went into effect with the commitment of the United States and seventy-three other parties.
In June 2017 President Donald Trump announced that the United States would withdraw from the Paris Agreement, sparking widespread controversy. Shortly after the president's announcement, a bipartisan coalition of governors, tribal leaders, mayors, and business leaders pledged their commitment to work toward the goals of the Paris Agreement by signing on to the We Are Still In declaration. The United States officially withdrew from the agreement in November 2020.
When President Joe Biden took office in January 2021, he reentered the country into the Paris Agreement on his first day. Biden vowed that his administration would prioritize climate policy, and he issued several executive orders that made sustainability and addressing climate change important considerations across all federal government agencies. In April 2021 he hosted a virtual climate summit attended by forty world leaders and pledged that, by 2030, the United States would reduce its carbon emissions to half of 2005 levels.
Critical Thinking Questions
According to climate experts, how could global warming impact human populations in the future? What do you believe should be done about it? Explain your answer.
Why do you think that there is a correlation between political ideology and belief in the anthropogenic causes of climate change?
Do you believe wealthy, industrialized nations should take on greater responsibility than developing nations in reducing emissions? Why or why not?
Climate Activism
In 2018 Swedish teenager Greta Thunberg (2003–) emerged as the face of a new youth-oriented movement seeking to prompt global leaders to take dramatic action to fight climate change. Thunberg started alone protesting political inaction on climate change outside of her country's parliament and, within a year, had become a global phenomenon, delivering powerful speeches attacking world leaders for their lack of urgency in addressing the root causes of climate change. Time magazine named Thunberg its "Person of the Year" for 2019. On Friday, September 20, 2019, thanks in large part to Thunberg's urging, four million people participated in a global climate strike. The event was the largest climate protest in history.
Climate experts have labeled the 2020s as the "decisive decade" for climate action. In April 2021 Christiana Figueres, the former executive secretary of the UNFCCC, wrote: "History will remember this decade as the climate turning point, the moment we finally woke up to the fact that despite (and because of) shocks like COVID-19, decarbonization—the reduction of carbon dioxide emissions—is now inevitable. … We've crossed a new threshold, there's no going back to a high-emissions trajectory."
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Global warming and climate change can be stopped if people try harder.
“Nations need to accelerate deployment of existing technologies to lock in and build on the gains of the last three years.”
Dr. Pep Canadell is Executive Director of the Global Carbon Project, Deputy Research Director at Atmosphere and Land Observation Assessment, and a research scientist at CSIRO Marine and Atmospheric Research.
In the following viewpoint, Canadell argues that recent efforts to improve energy efficiency and increase the use of clean energy have contributed to a stalling in fossil fuel emissions. However, Canadell contends that governments will need to increase their efforts to meet the climate goals established in the 2015 Paris Agreement. He compares the successes and shortcomings of China, the United States, India, Australia, and the European Union in reducing emissions. He examines the practice of storing carbon dioxide underground through carbon capture and storage (CCS) and concludes that thousands of CCS facilities will be necessary to meet climate goals.
Politicians Use Climate Change as an Excuse to Limit Personal Freedom
"Repetition is precisely what we are experiencing in the major media, which have selectively interviewed people who promote the climate change myth."
Cal Thomas is a syndicated columnist and the author of several books, including What Works: Common Sense Solutions for a Stronger America .
In the following viewpoint, Thomas argues that politicians use the issue of climate change as an excuse for the government to interfere in the lives of private citizens. Noting that some climate predictions have overestimated the impact of global warming, the author disputes the widely held belief that global temperatures are rising as a result of human activity. He contends that politicians and the mainstream media encourage public outrage and generate panic over climate change by promoting the opinions and predictions of alarmists while ignoring the views of skeptics.
Renewable Energy Sources Benefit Health, Climate, and the Economy
The Union of Concerned Scientists is a membership organization of citizens and scientists who work together to promote the responsible use of science to improve the world.
Renewable energy sources, such as solar, wind, geothermal, hydroelectric, and biomass, each come with their own set of unique costs and benefits, but overall these cleaner energy sources have overwhelmingly positive effects on the climate, human health, and the economy. Renewable energy sources represent a vast and inexhaustible supply of energy, produce little or no global warming emissions, improve public health and environmental quality, help stabilize energy prices, create jobs and other economic benefits, and contribute to a more reliable and resilient energy system. The costs of renewable energy have declined in recent years and are projected to continue decreasing, making renewables more accessible and affordable for consumers than ever.
Biomass Power Plants Produce Just as Much Pollution as Coal-Fired Power Plants
"There is no quicker way to move carbon into the atmosphere—the opposite of what we want—than through utility-scale biomass energy plants that burn millions of trees per year."
In the following viewpoint, Gordon Clark and Mary Booth point out that although biomass energy has been promoted as environmentally friendly, new and proposed biomass power plants emit just as much pollution and carbon dioxide as those using fossil fuels, sometimes even more. The arguments favoring biomass power plants as a renewable energy source are not valid, they say; recent studies have shown this, and some states are eliminating subsidies and tightening regulations requiring efficiency. The authors speculate whether the Environmental Protection Agency will take federal action and formulate rules that make biomass power plants responsible for the greenhouse gases they release. Booth is the director of the Partnership for Policy Integrity, and Clark is its communications director.
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Global Warming
Earth is warming up, and humans are at least partially to blame. The causes, effects, and complexities of global warming are important to understand so that we can fight for the health of our planet.
Earth Science, Climatology
Tennessee Power Plant
Ash spews from a coal-fueled power plant in New Johnsonville, Tennessee, United States.
Photograph by Emory Kristof/ National Geographic
Global warming is the long-term warming of the planet’s overall temperature. Though this warming trend has been going on for a long time, its pace has significantly increased in the last hundred years due to the burning of fossil fuels . As the human population has increased, so has the volume of fossil fuels burned. Fossil fuels include coal, oil, and natural gas, and burning them causes what is known as the “greenhouse effect” in Earth’s atmosphere.
The greenhouse effect is when the sun’s rays penetrate the atmosphere, but when that heat is reflected off the surface cannot escape back into space. Gases produced by the burning of fossil fuels prevent the heat from leaving the atmosphere. These greenhouse gasses are carbon dioxide , chlorofluorocarbons, water vapor , methane , and nitrous oxide . The excess heat in the atmosphere has caused the average global temperature to rise overtime, otherwise known as global warming.
Global warming has presented another issue called climate change. Sometimes these phrases are used interchangeably, however, they are different. Climate change refers to changes in weather patterns and growing seasons around the world. It also refers to sea level rise caused by the expansion of warmer seas and melting ice sheets and glaciers . Global warming causes climate change, which poses a serious threat to life on Earth in the forms of widespread flooding and extreme weather. Scientists continue to study global warming and its impact on Earth.
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Article on Global Warming 500, 300 Words for Kids, Children and Students in English
July 18, 2020 by Prasanna
Article on Global Warming: Global Warming is defined as the rise in temperature of the earth’s atmosphere due to the excess release of greenhouse gas in the environment. These greenhouse gases generally include gases like Carbon dioxide, Carbon monoxide, etc.
You can read more Article Writing about people, sports, technology many more.
Short Article on Global Warming for Classes 1, 2 & 3
As stated in the introduction we know that Global Warming is caused by the increase in the number of greenhouse gases in the environment. These gases are mainly released by the combustion of fuels like Petroleum, Coal, Diesel etc. As the number of people is rising they release a lot of Carbon dioxide every day. Also, as the human population is growing we are capturing more land by cutting trees. As the number of trees decreases they inhale less Carbon dioxide. Sometimes to remove these trees people burn them. It also leads to more increase in greenhouse gas in the environment. Some other causes of global warming are industrialization, globalization, consumerism etc.
Short and Long Articles on Global Warming for Classes 4, 5
There could be very bad impacts of Global Warming . Some we could see in the coming and some we can even experience now.
One of the major problems of Global Warming is the rising temperatures. Greenhouse gases like Carbon dioxide have the capacity to hold the heat. As the abundance of such gases increases the temperature of the environment also increases. The temperature will increase at a rate to which humans can’t adopt which will challenge the survival of living beings. The rise in temperature also leads to the melting of the glaciers and icebergs in the North pole and South pole. It eventually leads to an increase in sea levels and will submerge the coastal areas of the world.
One another bad impact of Global Warming is the extreme weather events and drastic climate change. These include cyclones, bushfires, etc. Since most of the Carbon dioxide is absorbed by the oceans, they are becoming very acidic and thus destroying the aquatic life. The coral life is getting destroyed.
Long Article on Global Warming for Classes 6, 7 & 8
We need to solve this problem otherwise we will end up destroying our beautiful planet. The government and the public needs to work hand in hand to reduces the release of greenhouse gases.
One of the major steps we could take forward is to use renewable sources of energy. To run our home equipment we need to use the Solar panels. The government also needs to find ways to use the green energy of electricity production through Windmill, Solar panels, etc. We need to use public transport as much as possible. It will reduce the consumption of fuels and thus reduce greenhouse gases. Cycles can also be used for traveling a small distance. We know that while operating, refrigerators and air conditioners release ChloroFluoroCarbons(CFC). When released to the atmosphere they go and react with the ozone and creating a hole in the ozone layer. Through this hole, humans are now exposed to the ultraviolet rays which comes with the sunlight.
Humans can’t protect themselves from these rays and it can cause skin cancer. So, we need to use this equipment as less as possible or the manufacturers need to make the necessary changes and make this equipment environment friendly. Plastics are also a very big problem for the environment as they are non-biodegradable. They are creating water and land pollution. We can’t dispose of them so we burn them and which release more lethal gases. Sometimes we also burn leaves and biodegradable waste which also causes pollution. So, we need to stop doing that and instead create a better waste management system. We need to change our behavior and lifestyle to protect and preserve our planet.
Long Article on Global Warming 500 Words in English
Long Article on Global Warming is helpful to the students of classes 9,10, 11,12 & Competitive examinations.
As far as Global Warming is concerned all governments of the world are also taking steps to reduce the emission of greenhouse gases. Countries around the world have recognised this problem and signed a pact in Paris called The Paris Agreement in 2015. They all pledged to reduce their carbon footprints. The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), has set a target of not increasing the temperature more than around 2 degrees Celcius and in the later years around 1.5 degrees.
Although everything is not going very well with this agreement. Recently, Donald Trump – president of the United Nations of America pulled out of this agreement citing that developing nations are not doing enough to control their Carbon emission and all the money is going in vain. On the other hand, developing nations like China have argued that the developed nations like the United States of America have already developed their nations while polluting the planet. But, it’s now their turn to develop their country and they are doing their bit to curb the carbon emissions.
India is also doing their bit to control the carbon footprint. Under the leadership of prime minister, Modi India is taking very active steps in the field of renewable energy. Many Solar panel power plants have been opened. Ujjwala scheme was launched to provide LPG connection to the poor which led to an increase in clean fuel consumption in the rural area. We have also been trying to increase our Forrest are by extensively planting trees.
In conclusion, we are on the right path to achieve sustainable development. If we come together and take initiatives then we can save our planet.
FAQ’s on Article on Global Warming
Question 1. What is Global Warming?
Answer: Global Warming is defined as the rise in temperature of the earth’s atmosphere due to the excess release of greenhouse gas in the environment. These greenhouse gases generally includes gases like Carbon dioxide, Carbon monoxide etc.
Question 2. What are the major causes of Global warming?
Answer: The main reasons of global warming are industrialization, globalisation, deforestation and excessive use fuels which leads to Carbon Emissions.
Question 3. How global warming can cause skin cancer?
Answer: We know that while operating, refrigerators and air conditioners releases ChloroFluoroCarbons(CFC). When released to the atmosphere they go and react with the ozone and creating a hole in the ozone layer. Through this hole humans are now exposed to the ultraviolet rays which comes with the sunlight. Humans can’t protect themselves from these rays and it can cause skin cancer.
Question 4. When was Paris Agreement signed?
Answer: Paris Agreement was signed in 2015.
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CAUSES AND EFFECTS OF CLIMATE CHANGE
The planet is warming, from North Pole to South Pole. Since 1906, the global average surface temperature has increased by more than 1.6 degrees Fahrenheit (0.9 degrees Celsius)— even more in sensitive polar regions. And the impacts of rising temperatures aren’t waiting for some far-flung future–the effects of global warming are appearing right now. The heat is melting glaciers and sea ice , shifting precipitation patterns , and setting animals on the move.
Many people think of global warming and climate change as synonyms, but scientists prefer to use “climate change” when describing the complex shifts now affecting our planet’s weather and climate systems. Climate change encompasses not only rising average temperatures but also extreme weather events, shifting wildlife populations and habitats, rising seas , and a range of other impacts. All of these changes are emerging as humans continue to add heat-trapping greenhouse gases to the atmosphere.
Scientists already have documented these impacts of climate change:
- Ice is melting worldwide, especially at the Earth’s poles. This includes mountain glaciers, ice sheets covering West Antarctica and Greenland, and Arctic sea ice. In Montana's Glacier National Park the number of glaciers has declined to fewer than 30 from more than 150 in 1910.
- Much of this melting ice contributes to sea-level rise . Global sea levels are rising 0.13 inches (3.2 millimeters) a year . The rise is occurring at a faster rate in recent years and is predicted to accelerate in the coming decades.
- Rising temperatures are affecting wildlife and their habitats. Vanishing ice has challenged species such as the Adélie penguin in Antarctica , where some populations on the western peninsula have collapsed by 90 percent or more.
- As temperatures change, many species are on the move . Some butterflies, foxes, and alpine plants have migrated farther north or to higher, cooler areas.
- Precipitation (rain and snowfall) has increased across the globe, on average. Yet some regions are experiencing more severe drought , increasing the risk of wildfires, lost crops, and drinking water shortages .
- Some species—including mosquitoes , ticks , jellyfish , and crop pests—are thriving. Booming populations of bark beetles that feed on spruce and pine trees, for example, have devastated millions of forested acres in the U.S.
An iceberg melts in the waters off Antarctica. Climate change has accelerated the rate of ice loss across the continent.
Other effects could take place later this century, if warming continues. These include:
- Sea levels are expected to rise between 10 and 32 inches (26 and 82 centimeters) or higher by the end of the century.
- Hurricanes and other storms are likely to become stronger. Floods and droughts will become more common. Large parts of the U.S., for example, face a higher risk of decades-long " megadroughts " by 2100.
- Less freshwater will be available, since glaciers store about three-quarters of the world's freshwater .
- Some diseases will spread, such as mosquito-borne malaria (and the 2016 resurgence of the Zika virus ).
- Ecosystems will continue to change: Some species will move farther north or become more successful; others, such as polar bears , won’t be able to adapt and could become extinct.
Read next: Is Global Warming Real?
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Essay on Global Warming
- Updated on
- Nov 18, 2022
Being able to write an essay is an integral part of mastering any language. Essays form an integral part of many academic and scholastic exams like SAT , and UPSC amongst many others. It is a crucial evaluative part of English proficiency tests as well like IELTS , TOEFL , etc. Major essays are meant to emphasize issues of concern that can have significant consequences on the world. In this blog, we seek to explore the skills needed and learn how to write an essay on global warming.
This Blog Includes:
What is climate change, what is global warming, what are the causes of global warming, solutions for global warming, effects of global warming, essay on global warming in 100 – 150 words, essay on global warming in 250 words, essay on global warming in 500 words, essay on global warming upsc, climate change and global warming essay, tips to write an essay.
Since the industrial and scientific revolutions, Earth’s resources have been gradually depleted. Furthermore, the start of the world’s population’s exponential expansion is particularly hard on the environment. Simply put, as the population’s need for consumption grows, so does the use of natural resources, as well as the waste generated by that consumption.
Climate change has been one of the most significant long-term consequences of this. Climate change is more than just the rise or fall of global temperatures; it also affects rain cycles, wind patterns, cyclone frequencies, sea levels, and other factors. It has an impact on all major life groupings on the planet.
Global warming is the unusually rapid increase in Earth’s average surface temperature over the past century, primarily due to the greenhouse gases released by people burning fossil fuels. The greenhouse gases consist of methane, nitrous oxide, ozone, carbon dioxide, water vapour, and chlorofluorocarbons. The weather prediction has been becoming more complex with every passing year, with seasons more indistinguishable, and the general temperatures hotter. The number of hurricanes, cyclones, droughts, floods, etc., has risen steadily since the onset of the 21st century. The supervillain behind all these changes is Global Warming. The name is quite self-explanatory; it means the rise in the temperature of the Earth.
According to recent studies, many scientists believe the following are the primary four causes of global warming:
- Deforestation
- Greenhouse emissions
- Carbon emissions per capita
Extreme global warming is causing natural disasters , which can be seen all around us. One of the causes of global warming is the extreme release of greenhouse gases that become trapped on the earth’s surface, causing the temperature to rise. Similarly, volcanoes contribute to global warming by spewing excessive CO2 into the atmosphere.
The increase in population is one of the major causes of Global Warming. This increase in population also leads to increased air pollution . Automobiles emit a lot of CO2, which remains in the atmosphere. This increase in population is also causing deforestation, which contributes to global warming.
The earth’s surface emits energy into the atmosphere in the form of heat, keeping the balance with the incoming energy. Global warming depletes the ozone layer, bringing about the end of the world. There is a clear indication that increased global warming will result in the extinction of all life on Earth’s surface.
Of course, industries and multinational conglomerates emit more carbon than the average citizen. Nonetheless, activism and community effort are the only viable ways to slow the worsening effects of global warming. Furthermore, at the state or government level, world leaders must develop concrete plans and step-by-step programmes to ensure that no further harm is done to the environment in general.
Although we are almost too late to slow the rate of global warming, finding the right solution is critical. Everyone, from individuals to governments, must work together to find a solution to Global Warming. Some of the factors to consider are pollution control, population growth, and the use of natural resources.
One very important contribution you can make is to reduce your use of plastic. Plastic is the primary cause of global warming, and recycling it takes years. Another factor to consider is deforestation, which will aid in the control of global warming. More tree planting should be encouraged to green the environment. Certain rules should also govern industrialization. Building industries in green zones that affect plants and species should be prohibited.
Global warming is a real problem that many people want to disprove to gain political advantage. However, as global citizens, we must ensure that only the truth is presented in the media.
This decade has seen a significant impact from global warming. The two most common phenomena observed are glacier retreat and arctic shrinkage. Glaciers are rapidly melting. These are clear manifestations of climate change.
Another significant effect of global warming is the rise in sea level. Flooding is occurring in low-lying areas as a result of sea-level rise. Many countries have experienced extreme weather conditions. Every year, we have unusually heavy rain, extreme heat and cold, wildfires, and other natural disasters.
Similarly, as global warming continues, marine life is being severely impacted. This is causing the extinction of marine species as well as other problems. Furthermore, changes are expected in coral reefs, which will face extinction in the coming years. These effects will intensify in the coming years, effectively halting species expansion. Furthermore, humans will eventually feel the negative effects of Global Warming.
Sample Essays on Global Warming
Here are some sample essays on Global Warming:
Global Warming is caused by the increase of carbon dioxide levels in the earth’s atmosphere and is a result of human activities that have been causing harm to our environment for the past few centuries now. Global Warming is something that can’t be ignored and steps have to be taken to tackle the situation globally. The average temperature is constantly rising by 1.5 degrees Celsius over the last few years. The best method to prevent future damage to the earth, cutting down more forests should be banned and Afforestation should be encouraged. Start by planting trees near your homes and offices, participate in events, and teach the importance of planting trees. It is impossible to undo the damage but it is possible to stop further harm.
Over a long period, it is observed that the rising temperatures of the earth. This affected wildlife, animals, humans, and every living organism on earth. Glaciers have been melting, and many countries have started water shortages, flooding, and erosion and all this is because of global warming. No one can be blamed for global warming except for humans. Human activities such as gases released from power plants, transportation, and deforestation have increased gases such as carbon dioxide, CFCs, and other pollutants in the earth’s atmosphere. The main question is how can we control the current situation and build a better world for future generations. It starts with little steps by every individual. Start using cloth bags made from sustainable materials for all shopping purposes, instead of using high-watt lights use energy-efficient bulbs, switch off the electricity, don’t waste water, abolish deforestation and encourage planting more trees. Shift the use of energy from petroleum or other fossil fuels to wind and solar energy. Instead of throwing out the old clothes donate them to someone so that it is recycled. Donate old books, don’t waste paper. Above all, spread awareness about global warming. Every little thing a person does towards saving the earth will contribute in big or small amounts. We must learn that 1% effort is better than no effort. Pledge to take care of mother nature and speak up about global warming.
Global warming isn’t a prediction, it is happening! A person denying it or unaware of it is in the most simple terms complicit. Do we have another planet to live on? Unfortunately, we have been bestowed with this one planet only that can sustain life yet over the years we have turned a blind eye to the plight it is in. Global warming is not an abstract concept but a global phenomenon occurring ever so slowly even at this moment.
Global Warming is a phenomenon that is occurring every minute resulting in a gradual increase in the Earth’s overall climate. Brought about by greenhouse gases that trap the solar radiation in the atmosphere, global warming can change the entire map of the earth, displacing areas, flooding many countries, and destroying multiple lifeforms. Extreme weather is a direct consequence of global warming but it is not an exhaustive consequence. There are virtually limitless effects of global warming which are all harmful to life on earth.
The sea level is increasing by 0.12 inches per year worldwide. This is happening because of the melting of polar ice caps because of global warming. This has increased the frequency of floods in many lowland areas and has caused damage to coral reefs. The Arctic is one of the worst-hit areas affected by global warming. Air quality has been adversely affected and the acidity of the seawater has also increased causing severe damage to marine life forms. Severe natural disasters are brought about by global warming which has had dire effects on life and property.
As long as mankind produces greenhouse gases, global warming will continue to accelerate. The consequences are felt at a much smaller scale which will increase to become drastic shortly. The power to save the day lies in the hands of humans, the need is to seize the day. Energy consumption should be reduced on an individual basis. Fuel-efficient cars and other electronics should be encouraged to reduce the wastage of energy sources. This will also improve air quality and reduce the concentration of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere. Global warming is an evil that can only be defeated when fought together.
It is better late than never. If we all take steps today, we will have a much brighter future tomorrow. Global warming is the bane of our existence and various policies have come up worldwide to fight it but that is not enough. The actual difference is made when we work at an individual level to fight it. Understanding its import now is crucial before it becomes an irrevocable mistake. Exterminating global warming is of utmost importance and each one of us is as responsible for it as the next.
Always hear about global warming everywhere, but do we know what it is? The evil of the worst form, global warming is a phenomenon that can affect life more fatally. Global warming refers to the increase in the earth’s temperature as a result of various human activities. The planet is gradually getting hotter and threatening the existence of lifeforms on it. Despite being relentlessly studied and researched, global warming for the majority of the population remains an abstract concept of science. It is this concept that over the years has culminated in making global warming a stark reality and not a concept covered in books.
Global warming is not caused by one sole reason that can be curbed. There are multifarious factors that cause global warming most of which are a part of an individual’s daily existence. Burning of fuels for cooking, in vehicles, and for other conventional uses, a large amount of greenhouse gases like carbon dioxide, and methane amongst many others is produced which accelerates global warming. Rampant deforestation also results in global warming as lesser green cover results in an increased presence of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere which is a greenhouse gas.
Finding a solution to global warming is of immediate importance. Global warming is a phenomenon that has to be fought unitedly. Planting more trees can be the first step that can be taken toward warding off the severe consequences of global warming. Increasing the green cover will result in regulating the carbon cycle. There should be a shift from using nonrenewable energy to renewable energy such as wind or solar energy which causes less pollution and thereby hinder the acceleration of global warming. Reducing energy needs at an individual level and not wasting energy in any form is the most important step to be taken against global warming.
The warning bells are tolling to awaken us from the deep slumber of complacency we have slipped into. Humans can fight against nature and it is high time we acknowledged that. With all our scientific progress and technological inventions, fighting off the negative effects of global warming is implausible. We have to remember that we do not inherit the earth from our ancestors but borrow it from our future generations and the responsibility lies on our shoulders to bequeath them a healthy planet for life to exist.
One good action in a day to combat the heat.
Global Warming and Climate Change are two sides of the same coin. Both are interrelated with each other and are two issues of major concern worldwide. Greenhouse gases released such as carbon dioxide, CFCs, and other pollutants in the earth’s atmosphere cause Global Warming which leads to climate change. Black holes have started to form in the ozone layer that protects the earth from harmful ultraviolet rays. Human activities have created climate change and global warming. Industrial waste and fumes are the major contributors to global warming. Another factor affecting is the burning of fossil fuels, deforestation and also one of the reasons for climate change. Global warming has resulted in shrinking mountain glaciers in Antarctica, Greenland, and the Arctic and causing climate change. Switching from the use of fossil fuels to energy sources like wind and solar. When buying any electronic appliance buy the best quality with energy savings stars. Don’t waste water and encourage rainwater harvesting in your community.
Writing an effective essay needs skills that few people possess and even fewer know how to implement. While writing an essay can be an assiduous task that can be unnerving at times, some key pointers can be inculcated to draft a successful essay. These involve focusing on the structure of the essay, planning it out well, and emphasizing crucial details. Mentioned below are some pointers that can help you write better structure and more thoughtful essays that will get across to your readers:
- Prepare an outline for the essay to ensure continuity and relevance and no break in the structure of the essay
- Decide on a thesis statement that will form the basis of your essay. It will be the point of your essay and help readers understand your contention
- Follow the structure of an introduction, a detailed body followed by a conclusion so that the readers can comprehend the essay in a particular manner without any dissonance.
- Make your beginning catchy and include solutions in your conclusion to make the essay insightful and lucrative to read
- Reread before putting it out and add your flair to the essay to make it more personal and thereby unique and intriguing for readers
Both natural and man-made factors contribute to global warming. The natural one also contains methane gas, volcanic eruptions, and greenhouse gases. Deforestation, mining, livestock raising, burning fossil fuels, and other man-made causes are next.
The government and the general public can work together to stop global warming. Trees must be planted more often, and deforestation must be prohibited. Auto usage needs to be curbed, and recycling needs to be promoted.
Switching to renewable energy sources, adopting sustainable farming, transportation, and energy methods, and conserving water and other natural resources.
We hope this blog gave you an idea about how to write and present an essay on global warming that put forth your opinions. The skill of writing an essay come in handy when appearing for standardized language tests. Thinking of taking one soon? Leverage Edu provides the best online test prep for the same via Leverage Live . Register today to know more!
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This was really a good essay on global warming… There has been used many unic words..and I really liked it!!!Seriously I had been looking for a essay about Global warming just like this…
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I want to learn how to write essay writing so I joined this page.This page is very useful for everyone.
Hi, we are glad that we could help you to write essays. We have a beginner’s guide to write essays ( https://leverageedu.com/blog/essay-writing/ ) and we think this might help you.
It is not good , to have global warming in our earth .So we all have to afforestation program on all the world.
thank you so much
Very educative , helpful and it is really going to strength my English knowledge to structure my essay in future
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Global warming is the increase in 𝓽𝓱𝓮 ᴀᴠᴇʀᴀɢᴇ ᴛᴇᴍᴘᴇʀᴀᴛᴜʀᴇs ᴏғ ᴇᴀʀᴛʜ🌎 ᴀᴛᴍᴏsᴘʜᴇʀᴇ
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Students express understanding and viewpoints about climate change
S tudent essays about climate change offer unique perspectives on the problem, potential solutions, and their thoughts about short and long-term consequences.
Back row: Jacob Onorado, Mashael Khuda Karam, Courtney Turbaczewski, Tamaria Jones, Jolene Smock. Front row: Alyssa Cranston, Nadieshka Perez, and Keyasia Duck
Jolene Smock, a science teacher at Charter School of Excellence in Erie, PA recently engaged her 11th grade science class to think about science and climate change a little differently. Their challenge: to choose a focus of interest from a list of 29 climate change related topics, research it, and write an essay. Their essays were to describe the issue at hand, offer ideas to solve the problem, consider the types of careers that could help solve the problem, and to express themselves and their opinions.
Smock, who is a second-year participant in Sea Grant’s Center for Great Lakes Literacy (CGLL) teacher training program, says she was trying to find a new way to translate climate change studies to her students. After talking with PA Sea Grant’s senior education specialist, Marti Martz, she decided to engage her students in doing their own research about a topic they found interesting, and to write about it. “My students didn’t realize how much impact climate change has on things like our food, health, and energy. I’m glad I made the choice to do something a little different, because they really excelled at this assignment.”
Marti Martz thought it would be an interesting opportunity to showcase the students as spokespeople on the topic of climate change, and to share what they had learned this year. “I think these essays do a great job of demonstrating how Jolene’s efforts have brought the issue of climate change home to her students,” Martz said. “It’s a great opportunity to hear the voices and opinions of young students instead of hearing our adult voices all the time.”
"Disclaimer: the following essays are the expressions and opinions of the individual student authors, and are not to be construed as statement of fact, nor the opinion of Pennsylvania Sea Grant. This content is being shared to encourage student engagement and participation in environmental issues, and to validate the importance of learning and the processes involved in better understanding complex scientific issues, such as climate change."
Climate Change and the Artic By Alyssa Cranston
Climate change is an important, current and ongoing issue. This is especially true in the Arctic region. If you are unaware of what climate change is, it is a global or regional change in weather patterns that lasts for a long period of time. Climate change is greatly caused by the increased levels of atmospheric carbon dioxide which is produced by the use of fossil fuels, such as exhaust from cars and trucks, burning trash, and factory emissions. These are also contributing to global warming which is, a gradual increase in the overall temperature of the Earth's atmosphere. Some effects of global warming in the Arctic are rising temperatures in the air and in the water surrounding the Arctic. Another is the loss of sea ice and melting of ice sheets which is caused by the increased temperatures. This also greatly impacts the Arctic plants and animals, they are rapidly dying, decreasing in numbers, possibly leading to their extinction. The melting ice sheets are destroying the wildlife population and increasing the sea level.
Humans play a huge role in climate change and global warming on Earth.
Human activities are the leading cause of climate change in the Arctic. Humans using fossil fuels is one of the biggest causes of climate change, fossil fuel combustion releases harmful chemicals into the atmosphere, negatively affecting it, leading to problems in the atmosphere such as, the hole in the ozone layer (created by CFCs). Pollution is also a huge factor of climate change, air pollutants affect the amount of sunlight coming into the atmosphere, some pollutants warm the Earth, while others cool it down, the most common pollutants are methane, black carbon, ground-level ozone, and sulfate aerosols. Deforestation is another huge leading cause to climate change by reversing the effects of carbon sequestration and releasing greenhouse gases into the atmosphere, deforestation is also responsible for about 18% of all global greenhouse gas emissions from human activities, even more than from transportation. Building houses and other structures affects the environment because it produces a ton of waste and harmful chemicals, which pollutes the land and air. The transportation needed to move supplies and the waste from the building site also has a very negative impact on the environment. As you can see, climate change is a huge issue that needs taken care of.
We started to realize and correct the problem in the late 1970s. The event that lead up to this point was in 1800-1870, when people noticed the level of carbon dioxide gas in the atmosphere was increasing after the industrial revolution. Humans are causing the problem by polluting the air and water and releasing greenhouse gases into the atmosphere, increasing the temperatures, causing global warming in the Arctic region. There are some environmental laws/treaties that were passed to help stop the problem. These laws/treaties are, The Polar Code, The Barents Sea fisheries agreement, and United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS). Most people now realize that climate change is a huge problem and needs to be fixed.
There are solutions to this problem, as long as we actually use and perform them. We can save gas and reduce its emission into the air by walking and biking more. We could also use electric cars, instead of using vehicles that emit gas and other chemicals into the air. Planting more trees and plants can help because they take in the carbon dioxide, removing it from the air and replacing it with oxygen, which is healthy for us and the Earth/atmosphere. We should plant as many or more trees than we are cutting down, because we’re cutting down a ton of trees without replacing them and we need trees, they are essential for life and the air on Earth, without trees we wouldn’t have oxygen and our atmosphere wouldn’t be the same. We can eat more locally grown food that will reduce gas emissions from transporting food to us from out of town. Using less heat and air conditioning can also help, just lowering your house temperature two degrees in the winter and keeping it two degrees higher in the summer can make a pretty big difference. Saving electricity by turning off all lights, computers, TVs, and other electrical devices when you are not using them can also help. Also, if we use less hot water by lowering the temperature on your hot water tank, using low flow shower heads, washing clothes with cold water, and using the energy saving mode on dishwashers can also be very helpful. You could also use the reduce, reuse, recycle model. There are some technological advancements that could help with climate change in the Arctic. One that could really help is building giant walls around glaciers that can prevent warm ocean water from eroding the glaciers’ edges, by doing this, you can block the flow of warm water, shielding the glacier from warm water and reducing the melting rate significantly. Another technological advancement that could greatly help is creating cooling tunnels in the ice by drilling holes in glaciers, creating tunnels in the bedrock and pouring cold brine into them, which would freeze some of the water underneath the glacier, and slow the moving ice, and give the glacier more time to solidify once the brine starts flowing through the glaciers. Implementing new and improved navigation and communications satellites because the current ones are inaccurate and unreliable at higher heights can also help. You can educate others and raise awareness about this problem by testing and training oil companies to clean up possible oil spills, donating time and money, posting about it on social media, putting it in the news, writing news articles or blogs about it, signing petitions, and using and attending different programs and training courses relating to it. It is possible to solve this issue, but the majority of us, humans have to be willing to work together and perform different actions to help stop climate change. There are many different careers and people that help to stop and limit climate change. Some people who work to reduce climate change are Environmental Engineers, Environmental Scientists, and Public Relations Specialists. Environmental Engineers work to figure out ways to protect or fix and correct environmental damages. Environmental Scientists mainly focus on forming and devising ways to prevent or reduce pollution and improve the health of Earth and its dwellers. Public Relations Specialists work in media and communications to spread information to the public, they aim to get the public to support environmental causes, inform them, and increase their understanding of issues such as climate change. People who really care about the detrimental effects of climate change on the environment and want to help stop it, can get a job in this field or just doing some of the things mentioned can also help stop climate change.
Climate change is a very real and important problem that we need to pay more attention to and do more to reduce and limit climate change.
The Arctic sea is important because its ice keeps the Polar Regions cool and helps moderate global climate. With climate change on the rise, the temperature of the sea is increasing and the ice is melting, which is very bad. If the temperature increases too much, the ice will melt, destroying habitats for wildlife, but will also raise the sea levels, causing flooding to coastal cities. As the temperature rises and the ice melts, Arctic animals and plants will die and their numbers will decrease, even possibly becoming extinct eventually. Some ways to bring more attention to this problem are, to inform more and more people about it, show more of it in the news and media, post more on social media, promote it more, sign petitions, and donate time & money to the issue. We can help ease this problem by reducing the amount of pollution in the air and water and decreasing the use of fossil fuels, so greenhouse gases do not rise into the atmosphere, heating up the Arctic air and sea temperatures. Figuring out another way to power cars without using dangerous fossil fuels, to reduce the emission of greenhouse gases into the atmosphere could also help. Also, using less electricity and more solar energy would be helpful. In conclusion, we, humans really need to pay more attention to the climate change in the Arctic and work together to help minimize the dangerous effects of global warming in the Arctic region.
Resources: GuJune, Katt. “The Arctic is not doomed: 8 Easy Ways You Can Stop the Arctic Ice from Melting.” BetterWorldInternational.org, https://www.betterworldinternational.org/planet/8-easy-ways-stop-arctic-... Cox, David. “Two audacious plans for saving the world's ice sheets.” NBCnews.com, https://www.nbcnews.com/mach/science/can-these-bold-plans-keep-world-s-i... Rascoe, Ayesha and Shalal, Andrea. “U.S. Needs to Invest in Arctic Ships, Technology to Prepare for Climate Change.” Scientific American, https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/u-s-needs-to-invest-in-arctic... Sheng Hu, Feng. “Effects Of Human Activities And Climate Change.” Encyclopedia Britannica, https://www.britannica.com/science/tundra/Effects-of-human-activities-an...
Climate Change & Extreme Weather Conditions By Keyasia Duck
Climate change is a change in the statistical distribution of weather patterns when that change lasts for an extended period of time. Climate change can be caused by factors such as biotic processes, variations in solar radiation received by Earth, plate tectonics, & volcanic eruptions. Human activities contribute to climate change by causing changes in Earth’s atmosphere in the amounts of greenhouse gases, aerosols, (small particles), and cloudiness. The largest known contribution comes from the burning of fossil fuels, which releases carbon dioxide gas into the atmosphere.
It is very important people become aware of this because it causes more extreme weather.
We discovered Climate Change & Extreme Weather existed when we burn fossil fuels, such as coal & gas and we release carbon and it builds up in the atmosphere. Greenhouse gases and aerosols affect climate by altering incoming solar radiation and outgoing infrared (thermal) radiation that are part of Earth’s energy balance. River floods worldwide shows that 21 million people worldwide are affected by river floods each year on average. This number could increase to 54 million in 2030 due to climate change and socio-economic development. The following laws have been passed to help with increased flooding. The national Flood Insurance Act of 1968, The Flood Insurance Protection Act of 1937, & The National Flood Insurance Reform Act of 1994.
Some solutions to fix this problem is we can take sensible steps towards protecting our environment and human health. We can also take actions to prepare our communities for present and future effects of climate change. We can also reduce the release of heat trapping gases like carbon can help protect our health and well being by decreasing impacts on our climate system. We can educate people and raise awareness by making posters about it or the reporters can talk about it around the world to spread it around.
Solving this problem is very important because it can prevent a lot of things from happening or even beginning like houses and buildings being damaged by flooding from extreme weather. It can also be important because it can save people's lives.
Resources: https://www.nationalgeographic.com/environment/natural-disasters/floods/...
Climate Change and Asthma By Tamaria Jones
Climate change is associated with rising temperatures, changes in worldwide weather patterns, airborne pollution levels, and duration. Climate changes have also been observed to impact human health, including that of allergic individuals. When we burn carbon-based materials, carbon dioxide is emitted from what we burn and therefore, emits C02 into the atmosphere. Carbon dioxide absorbs heat, and increases in atmospheric C02 levels suggest that the increase is coming from burning fossil fuels.
The warming of the earth is correlated to, and follows rising C02 emissions, which can influence climate. It can affect sun and ocean cycles, which can impact experiments relating to natural versus human influenced simulations of changes to the Earth. Increased water temperatures from climate change causes flowers to bloom earlier and increase the amount of carbon dioxide emitted. The changes in temperatures cause an increase in the concentration of pollen in the air. This increases the strength of airborne allergens and causes an increase in allergy symptoms.
People need to know this because allergies can be deadly. Everyone has different allergies and different reactions. The severity of allergies varies from person to person and can range from minor irritation to anaphylaxis, a potentially life threatening emergency. While most allergies can´t be cured, treatments can help relieve your allergy symptoms.
I think if people know how much climate change hurt them and someone with allergies they would help stop things that pollute the air and cause climate change.
In 1984 corticosteroids were first used to treat asthma and allergic reactions. They worked by reducing the inflammation that would be caused by the allergens. The discovery of most cells in 1953 helped to identify what caused allergies to set off the immune response of the body. Maybe standoff with laws that were passed to slow climate change.
An Environmental law was passed and signed in March 2017 at the environment protection agency headquarters. This act saw the dismantling of the clean power plan of 2015. under the clean air act, the plan set state by targets for carbon emissions reductions and aimed to lower national electricity sector emissions overall by 32% below 2005 levels by 2050.
Eating healthy, can help people with allergies if you eat lots of fresh vegetables, fruits, nuts, grapes, apples, oranges, and tomatoes you will have fewer allergy symptoms. A nasal rinse tube that cleans your nose also reduces symptoms.
You can bring awareness to climate change and how it affects allergies by going more into depth with about climate change and explaining it to people all around the world.
Immunologists and doctors work with patients of all ages with allergic problems. Doctors can help you find some type of cure to stop it at the moment or reduce it. Stopping climate change is important for people who have allergies because in a way it helps them with their allergies. We need to talk about it more and bring more attention to the topic by seeing a doctor or immunologists or using technological tools to help.
Resources used: www.aaaai.org; www.webmd.com
Climate Change and Food By Mashael Khuda Karam
Climate change is a change in the statistical distribution of weather patterns when that change lasts for an extended period of time. Human activities that cause climate change are: Human burning fuel and coal which release too much greenhouse gasses into the atmosphere like carbon dioxide that traps the heat in the atmosphere which, leads to a faster climate change. People and companies started to cut down forests by cutting a huge amount of trees each year from 3.5 to 7 billion trees each year and then they sell the timber to other countries in order to make furniture. Smaller trees are used for the production of charcoal, and human agriculture by replacing large trees with smaller plants that absorbs fewer amounts of carbon dioxide from the atmosphere. Which is another reason why the rate of carbon dioxide keeps increasing.
Human activities have increased greenhouse gas concentrations in the atmosphere.
Scientists notices changes in average temperatures, rainfall, pests, diseases; atmospheric carbon dioxide, ground-level ozone concentrations, and changes in the nutritional quality of some foods. Causes to all of these problems are human activities that lead to increasing amounts of greenhouse gasses in the atmosphere.
Some of the laws or treaties that have been passed to slow or stop the problem of climate change are: The Kyoto Protocol, an international treaty which extends the 1992 United Nations Framework Convention on climate change (UNFCCC) that commits state parties to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. The Paris Agreement (French: Accord de Paris) is an agreement within the United Nations, itś long-term goal is to keep the increase in global temperatures down since this would substantially reduce the risks and effects of climate change. Presidents signing treaties with other countries to help the environment and slow or stop climate change will encourage other governments or countries to get involved in the treaty too; which will allow for better collaboration and better solutions.
It is important to solve climate change because the impacts of it will put every organism on the Earth at a big risk.
One of the dangerous effects are drought which leads to a lack of water, and without water, we die. Some possible solutions are: reducing food waste by storing food in the right place, saving leftovers, keeping track of what is being thrown away, work on preserving food, keeping the fridge clutter-free, eat the skins of the fruits and vegetables, and shop smart. Encourage tropical forest restoration by starting organizations, groups, or associations, or even school groups that can save seeds, plant some trees, and work on planting native trees that belong to the area that is being restored. We should also limit power plant pollution by preventing about 90% of the mercury in the coal burned in power plants from being emitted to the air. This would reduce 88% of acid gas emissions, and reduce 41% of sulfur dioxide emissions from power plants. Having companies go beyond the reductions expected from the cross-state air pollution rule would help reduce climate change even more.
There are some technological advancements to help deal with the problem of climate change. Some of them are: sensors that help farmers reduce the number of chemicals in their fields. Smart boats which can help the fishermen manage their catch effectively, increasing profits and fish in the sea. Google cars mapping air pollution and its health effects. Wearable bracelets that track your daily chemical exposure.
There are different ways to educate or raise awareness by persuading others to collaborate toward a possible solution that is easy for everyone in the group. It can be a solution that can be done in a reasonable amount of time. You can encourage family and friends to spread the word, and join organizations such as the UNESCO association, and work with different schools and Universities. Another way to tell others about the impacts of climate change like drought, the rise in temperature, rise in sea level, fire danger in forests, and severe storms is by encouraging others to care about this climate change and collaborate to find a solution that will help our planet, the organisms, and our health.
There are careers where people work on ways to stop the problem. They are: Atmospheric Scientists/Meteorologists, environment Scientists, and Specialists, and Environmental Engineers. Atmospheric Scientists and Meteorologists are commonly associated with producing weather forecasts, and they are concerned with understanding climate and some specialize in understanding how Earth’s climate is changing while others concentrate on determining the long-term impacts of climate change.
Environmental Scientists and Specialists specifically focus on developing ways to reduce or prevent pollution and improve the health of the planet and its inhabitants. Some specialize in their field and work as climate change analysts and are responsible for conducting research specifically related to the impact climate change is having on the world. Environmental Engineers are professionals who work to find ways to correct or prevent environmental damage, and their duties can involve researching climate change and developing ways to protect the environment, different scientists and people are working in careers related to the environment and the atmosphere. They are working hard to slow climate change and the impact of its occurrence.
It is important to solve climate change because the long-term impacts of it will put every organism on the Earth at a big risk. One of the effects is drought which leads to a lack of water, and without water, we die. Ways to bring more attention to climate change and its impact on food are by making posters to describe the problem, ways to solve it and show others that is something that needs to be solved. Posts on social media about the dangers on the food supply from changing the weather like: climate change increasing the risk of foodborne illness, lowering the nutritional value of the food. Climate change can also lead to chemical contaminants in the food chain, and extreme weather limits access to safe foods. Lastly, you can attract people to join environmental organizations that talk about the environment and the impacts of climate change on it, so they have a better understanding of the problems and know what should be done. There are plenty of ways to attract people’s attention to climate change, but we need to find the best way.
References used: United states environmental protection agency. “Causes of Climate Change.” EPA, https://19january2017snapshot.epa.gov/climate-change-science/causes-clim... Unesco. “Climate Change Education and Awareness.” Unesco organization, https://en.unesco.org/themes/addressing-climate-change/climate-change-ed... David Suzuki. “Food and climate change.” David Suzuki foundation, https://davidsuzuki.org/queen-of-green/food-climate-change/; Nanyang Technological University. “How can human activities cause climate change?” EarthObservatory, https://earthobservatory.sg/faq-on-earth-sciences/how-can-human-activiti...
Climate Change and Strength of Hurricanes - Mostly Just Climate Change Cus It’s Hard To Just Focus On Hurricanes Alone... By Jacob Onorado
Climate change is the gradual change in average global weather activities caused by multiple factors, including the average temperature of the Earth (Known as global warming) due to excess greenhouse gas emissions, such as carbon dioxide, as-well-as others. Climate change contains many effects prevalent in the atmosphere, from increased overall temperatures to rising sea levels, to stronger storm and hurricane strength, to heatwaves, droughts, and floods, as-well-as other notable effects.
Although there are many causes of climate change, especially those caused by humans, the most notable/obvious human-related causes of climate change include that of global warming, in the form of an increase in greenhouse gas emissions from sources such as the burning of fossil fuels, agriculture, and other areas of activity.
There are many problems that climate change and global warming bring, and we’re just making them worse. We need to change how we do things, and we need to work on how to fix the problems we’re causing, as-well-as fixing the causes.
The average amount of carbon dioxide in our atmosphere is approximately 400 ppm (parts per million). That’s 100 ppm higher than the previous highest carbon dioxide density in our atmosphere for the last Million years! This is undoubtedly causing problems in our atmosphere. Over the course of human history, we have witnessed natural events caused by climate change and global warming, such as storms, hurricanes, droughts, heatwaves. We’ve been able to see the correlation of the change in the strength and amount of these events with the change in the average global temperature of Earth. Now, of course, it is good to note that correlation does not necessarily equal causation, although based on the evidence, it’s very hard to argue that climate change hasn't had an effect.
Although there are some who believe otherwise, the main cause of Climate Change, and Global Warming, is humans. We release so much pollution and greenhouse gases into the atmosphere, that we’re changing an entire planet. From cars to power plants to agriculture, and more.
As the knowledge of global warming, climate change, and pollution, and their consequences, such as the increasing power and frequency of ocean storms has been increasing over the years, more and more laws and regulations have been proposed and passed in order to cope. Such laws as the Clean Air Act of 1963 or the Paris Climate Agreement are notable examples.
We know that we’re causing a problem, and many of us are trying to fix it, and so the main problem lies not in that we are causing a problem, but that there are those who disbelieve in the evidence and try and turn back the progress we’ve made in trying to fix it.
We’re slowly killing an entire planet, but not just any old rock in space, but our home. If we don’t fix what we’re breaking, we won’t have a home to live in. Our successors that we try our best to make a good future for, won’t have a future in the first place.
But what can we do to fix this? • Increasing awareness of climate change and the consequences • Doing our best to reduce our use of greenhouse gas emitting sources, such as fossil fuels from cars, or power plants, to finding better food production techniques. • Finding better ways to accomplish the same things we use greenhouse gas producing sources for, such as heat, transportation, food production, electricity, and more.
We’ve made many technological advancements that are very promising, such as renewable energy. These technologies allow us to replace the main use of fossil fuels, and decrease a large portion of our greenhouse gas emissions. There are also advancements made in agriculture that allow us to be much more efficient.
In regards to the effects of climate change, such as increased extreme weather conditions (droughts, heatwaves, storms, hurricanes, etcetera) certain advancements such as better transportation, storage of goods, and early warning systems, have helped us deal with the largest portion of problems.
The best way to deal with these issues, though, is to raise awareness of them.
We need to make these issues widely known and talked about. The more people know of these issues and the problems they cause, the more push there will be to change policies and laws to prevent and fix them. There are organizations and websites that allow people to gain information and research the problems that are being caused by Climate Change, and make their voices heard. If you believe Climate Change is an issue, I urge you to go to these websites, learn as much as you can about the problems being made, and make your voice heard.
There are many people who work to reverse climate change. Activists that help raise awareness of the issues that we have to deal with. Scientists study the climate and the effects of its changes. Engineers advance technologies to allow us to use more efficient and eco-friendly sources and products. These people help to change our world for the better, and hopefully, their efforts work.
Climate Change is not natural, at least not how we’re seeing it. What we’re seeing is caused by humans, we’ve exploited our planet too much, and we’re seeing the effects of it. We’re experiencing not only small weather problems, but big ones, and we’re seeing more of them too. Heat waves, droughts, storms, hurricanes: All of these used to be rare issues, or at the very least they used to be less of a common issue. The thing is though, we already have solutions to these problems! The only thing we need to do now raise awareness of these problems, and enact these solutions by replacing all our problematic technologies with less problematic, and more efficient ones!
Resources: C2es.org https://www.c2es.org/content/international-emissions/; Climate.Gov https://www.climate.gov/news-features/understanding-climate/climate-chan... https://www.wikipedia.com/ https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Clean_Air_Act_ (United_States)
The Greenhouse Effect By Nadieshka Perez
Climate change is the changes that occur in the Earth's climate system, resulting in new weather that lasts for a few decades or millions of years. A few human activities that cause climate change are the burning of fossil fuels (such as oil and coal), deforestation, and agriculture. Those three things emit greenhouse gases into the atmosphere. Though some of the things that release greenhouse gases occur naturally, the concentration of CO2 did not rise above 300 parts per million (ppm) in the past. Today the concentration of CO2 in the atmosphere is about 400 parts per million.
The greenhouse effect is the trapping of the Sun's warmth in the planet's lower atmosphere. The combustion of fossil fuels, deforestation, fertilizer usage (which increases the nitrous oxide emissions), and the transporting, extracting, processing, and distributing of fossil fuels all release greenhouse gases into the atmosphere. There have been many attempts to slow down greenhouse gas emissions by making laws. Examples include a law introduced by Senator Chuck Grassley, who added the renewable energy production tax credit to the energy policy. Another example would be June 2009, when the House passed the American Clean Energy and Security Act of 2009 by a vote of 219 to 212.
It's important to find a solution to the increase in greenhouse gas emissions. Increases in greenhouse gases can result in climate change and temperatures getting out of control. Some simple solutions to the problem could be ‘reducing, reusing, and recycling’, driving less and walking or riding a bike instead, or using less electricity. A way of releasing less greenhouse gases could be using the heater and air conditioning less.
There's quite a few jobs that attempt to prevent climate change and slowing down the greenhouse effect. There are environmental scientists, environmental engineers, environmental protection specialist, etc. There's also greenhouse gas verifiers and greenhouse gas program managers. Greenhouse gas verifiers collect data and audits as well as develop verification reports and sampling plans. Greenhouse gas program managers are responsible for defining and executing greenhouse gas compliance strategies for North America and other places.
Climate change is any specific long term change in the pattern of average weather of a region over a significant amount of time. Some ways of bringing more attention to the greenhouse effect and its causes in climate change are talking about it with others who are interested in reducing their greenhouse gas thus slowing climate change.
You could talk about it on social media, or make a video or blog about the subject and posting it since many people are online a lot.
It's important to find a way to slow the greenhouse effect before temperatures get out of control.
Resources: “How human activities produce greenhouse gases” -United Nations Environment Program https://unfccc.int/cop3/fccc/climate/fact22.htm; “Discovery of the greenhouse effect” - J.M.K.C. Donev et al. (2019). Energy Education https://energyeducation.ca/encyclopedia/Discovery_of_the_greenhouse_effe... “ Congress Climate History” - Center For Climate And Energy Solutions https://www.c2es.org/content/congress-climate-history/; “Ten Ways To Reduce Greenhouse gases” http://www.eastgwillimbury.ca/services/Environment/Ten_ways_to_Reduce_Gr... “Innovating Energy Solutions: Research and Development highlights” https://corporate.exxonmobil.com/en/Research-and-innovation/Research-and...
Climate Change in the Arctic By Courtney Turbaczewski
About half of the light reaching Earth's atmosphere passes through the air and clouds to the surface, where it is absorbed and then radiated upward in the form of infrared heat. About 90 percent of this heat is then absorbed by the greenhouse gases and radiated back toward the surface, which is warmed to a life-supporting average of 59 degrees Fahrenheit (15 degrees Celsius).
Scientists agree that today’s warming is primarily caused by humans putting too much carbon in the atmosphere, like when we choose to extract and burn coal, oil, and gas, or cut down and burn forests.
Many Places like India and china (places that are overpopulated) are much more a main part of why this is happening.
My project is on climate change in the arctic. The arctic region is warmer than it used to be and it continues to get warmer. Over the past 30 years it has warmed more than any other region on Earth. Most scientists agree that Arctic weather changes and climate change, generally, are a result of human activity. Because, the Arctic is warming the sea ice, snow cover, ice caps and the permafrost are all changing and not in a good way. Arctic sea ice cover has declined by 30 percent in the past 30 years. Studies also show that overall snow in the Arctic has also decreased.
Changes in the Arctic climate are important because the Arctic acts as a refrigerator for the rest of the world. The arctic region gives off more heat to space than it absorbs from outside, which helps cool the planet.
Changes in the Arctic climate could affect the climate in the rest of the world.
I do think solving this problem is important because after it keeps happening for a while it could be dangerous, the Earth could overheat and humans could die.
Flooding could also occur due to an increased amount of water in the ocean. This will cause some low lying areas to be covered in water.
To solve this problem we would probably have to find different sources for things we use that cause climate change.
Sources: Callery, Susan.” How’s our planet doing.” https://climate.nasa.gov/; No author. “The Arctic and Global warming” https://www.greenpeace.org/usa/arctic/issues/global-warming/
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Global warming or climate change is a serious problem. It is one of the biggest threats to mankind. It is mainly caused by emission of carbon dioxide and other
Global warming or climate change has today become a major threat to the mankind. The Earth's temperature is on the rise and there are
For more than a century, scientists have understood the basic physics behind why greenhouse gases like carbon dioxide cause warming. These gases
Plants and animals might not be able to survive the rapid changes caused by global warming and could become extinct. Over the long term, such changes would
Global warming is the long-term warming of the planet's overall temperature. Though this warming trend has been going on for a long time, its
As stated in the introduction we know that Global Warming is caused by the increase in the number of greenhouse gases in the environment. These
What is global warming, explained ... The planet is heating up—and fast. ... Glaciers are melting, sea levels are rising, cloud forests are dying
Ice is melting worldwide, especially at the Earth's poles. · Much of this melting ice contributes to sea-level rise. · Rising temperatures are affecting wildlife
Global warming is the unusually rapid increase in Earth's average surface temperature over the past century, primarily due to the greenhouse gases released by
The warming of the earth is correlated to, and follows rising C02 emissions, which can influence climate. It can affect sun and ocean cycles, which can impact