Posted on June 26, 2007 in Global Warming Effects
Global warming deals with the observed increases in the average temperature of the Earth’s atmosphere and oceans in recent decades and this is generally attributed to the greenhouse effect caused by emission of green house gases, mainly carbon dioxide. This increase in global temperatures causes many changes, including rise in sea level, changes in the amount and pattern of precipitation. In recent times, the excess of GHGs emitted is because of the rise in production of power and energy for homes, offices and automobiles. The alarming fact is that in the U.S. alone, close to 6.6 tons of greenhouse gases are released for every American citizen, which is greater than in any other country in the world.
The impact of global warming on Earth
- Changing climates are one of the major results of global warming and this weather-changing factor has contributed to many differences in society and economy. Fish stocks have plummeted in proportion to the rise in temperatures. Scientists working in the National department of Fisheries attribute this decline in salmon stocks to the sharp rise in sea temperature having increased (by 0.6 – 0.7 degree centigrade) since the change of the century. Furthermore, freshwater from melting glaciers flooding the ocean’s surface has resulting in diluting the salinity and disturbing the flow of nutrients from the subterranean ocean to the surface where fish feed.
- Deforestation, land clearing and rise or fall in agriculture, are related to greenhouse gases (GHGs) released by the burning of fossil fuels, responsible for global warming on the earth.
- The melting or vanishing of glaciers due to rise in global temperatures has spelt disaster for the colder climes in South America and other parts of the world, especially affecting adversely the low-lying islands which stand to face a watery end as sea levels rise.
- Far reaching effects for third world countries could mean overly populated low-lying countries being particularly susceptible to climate extremes- due to a dearth of funds for building sufficient flood defenses. If global warming is a continual and a regular phenomenon, it could mean the greater threat of total annihilation for the inhabitants due to rise in sea levels.
- Health risks increase too. Recent studies link a rise in asthma cases to the intensity in atmospheric temperatures combined with air pollution resulting from increasing amounts of ground level ozone, or smog. Malaria is attributed to global warming, proving fatal in warm climates. The cooler highland regions, of course, are considerable safer from this health and hygiene effect of global warming.
Individual efforts to counter effects of global warming on Earth
Some ways to reduce global warming include reducing the time spent in a car in order to burn less fossil fuel, recycling goods to conserve energy so that it is not necessary to go into production over-drive, and considering ways to harvest solar and wind power to provide electricity for homes and offices-economical and earth friendly!
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