Global warming refers to Earth’s average surface temperature increase. Consequences Of Global Warming are human-caused environmental issues, and many forces are to blame. The primary cause of global warming is the unregulated release of greenhouse gases due to activities such as industrialization and the usage of fossil fuels. Greenhouse gases trap the Sun’s heat, preventing it from escaping back into the atmosphere and raising the earth’s surface temperature. Almost 95% of global warming is caused due to greenhouse gases. Even if the increase in Earth’s temperature is only 1 degree Celsius, it impacts the ecosystem. Unexpected climate shifts, floods, droughts, rising ocean water levels, melting glaciers, and dwindling aquatic and terrestrial species are just a few of the severe repercussions of global warming.
Several times, we are confused about the proper global warming definition. Global warming definition is “a gradual increase in the earth’s temperature generally due to the greenhouse effect caused by increased levels of carbon dioxide, CFCs, and other pollutants.”
Global Warming is a harmful effect on our environment. Several causes of global warming threaten the survival of life on Earth. One of the reasons that Global Warming is problematic is that it disrupts the planet’s general ecology. This causes flooding, starvation and cyclones.
Cause of Global Warming:
Global warming has become a serious issue that requires an immediate response. There is not a single cause of global warming but multiple. These reasons are both natural and man-made. Rapid industrialization, population expansion, and pollution are all contributing to an increase in global warming. Carbon dioxide (CO2) and sulfur dioxide (SO2) gas emissions have grown tenfold in recent years.
Carbon dioxide gas emissions vary according to natural and industrial activities, such as photosynthesis and oxidation cycles. Other greenhouse gases include methane, nitrous oxide, halocarbons, chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs), chlorine, and bromine compounds. Such greenhouse gases accumulate in the atmosphere and disrupt the planet’s radiative equilibrium. They can absorb heat radiations and warm the earth’s surface.
The Greenhouse Effect: Essential Balance:
Greenhouse gases such as carbon dioxide, methane, and ozone absorb solar energy. This action forms a natural “blanket,” preventing heat from leaking back into the atmosphere. This is known as the greenhouse effect. However, greenhouse gases are not always harmful. Indeed, the greenhouse effect is essential to life on Earth. Without this effect, the sun’s rays would be trapped in the atmosphere, freezing the earth and making life impossible. However, when excessive volumes of greenhouse gases are trapped, significant consequences begin to emerge.
Another cause of global warming is ozone depletion, which results in a declination of the ozone layer over Antarctica. The ozone layer is deteriorating daily due to the increased production of chlorofluorocarbon gas. Chlorofluorocarbon gas is widely employed as an aerosol propellant in industrial cleaning fluids and freezers, and its steady emission causes ozone layer deterioration in the atmosphere. It is a man-made cause of global warming.
The ozone layer protects the earth’s surface by preventing damaging solar rays from reaching it. On the other hand, the progressively diminishing ozone layer is a major indicator of the growing global warming of the earth’s surface.
Volcanic eruptions are also responsible for global warming. That is, volcanic eruptions emit massive amounts of carbon dioxide, which contributes to global warming. Similarly, methane is a major contributor to global warming. Following that, the excessive use of vehicles and fossil fuels raises carbon dioxide levels. Furthermore, activities such as mining, deforestation, and livestock husbandry are extremely damaging to the ecosystem. All these eliminate the absorption source of carbon dioxide due to which nothing is left to regulate the gas.
Effects of Global Warming:
There are numerous far-reaching, devastating effects of global warming that are affecting human life. Global warming’s consequences may be seen and felt all across the world. The earth’s temperature has risen dramatically as a result of global warming. The earth’s temperature has risen by 1 degree Celsius, causing glaciers to melt more rapidly and raising sea levels. In the past century, the sea level has increased by 8 inches. This might have disastrous consequences for coastal areas. At the North Pole, many areas, like the Netherlands, will be entirely submerged in water in the next few years if the glaciers continue to melt at this increased rate.
Another effect of global warming is climate change. Climate change would lead to the extinction of many animals like polar bears. Various birds and animals are moving to different regions. They can’t adjust to changes in their environment. Global warming has harmed coral reefs. Rising global temperatures have exacerbated the deterioration of coral reefs.
So far, the worst effects of global warming have been a drastic change in climatic circumstances due to global warming. An increase in drought, cyclones, extreme rainfall, hurricane, and the heat wave is wrecking humankind and leading to several deaths.
Solutions to Global Warming:
To prevent global warming, we must lower the number of greenhouse gasses in the atmosphere and the actions that produce global warming. There are now methods to stop global warming. However, both humans and governments must work together to achieve this.
Controlling the discharge of dangerous gasses and reducing the use of coal and petroleum will help reduce global warming. Industrial coal emissions should be reduced or eliminated to reduce the supply of the more hazardous gasses that contribute to global warming. Instead of petroleum, we could use environmentally friendly alternatives such as compressed natural gas (CNG).
Recycling is an effective solution to global warming. Reusing plastic bottles, papers, bags, or glass can help to minimize waste. For example, we can bring cloth bags instead of plastic bags when grocery shopping. Another example is that once we have finished drinking from the bottle, we can reuse it or use our bottle. If all of this is reused, humans may help to minimize deforestation.
Conclusion:
More than natural causes, global warming is driven by human-generated forces and has the potential to devastate the earth in a variety of ways. Furthermore, the severity of global warming increases with each passing year, and if the current trend continues, the consequences will be unthinkable. Only humans have the ability to reverse or at least mitigate the impacts of the transformation, and every effort must be made in this direction for the betterment of humans.
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Disclaimer:- Views expressed are the author’s own.
