What is global warming? What causes global warming? Information on greenhouse effect, gases and effects of global warming for life.
Near the earth’s surface, concentrations of atmospheric gases have a very important role in setting the global temperature, which has an enormous effect on the total biosphere. These molecules are carbon dioxide, water, ozone, methane, nitrogen oxides and CFC gases. They are just like a one sided glass, letting all kinds of light- and the heat- in, but not letting infrared rays out, which results in a collective heating just like in a greenhouse. This is the reason why, these gases are called greenhouse gases. Shortly, these gases make the lower atmosphere heat up, which is a case known as greenhouse effect.
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Of course life would maybe be impossible on earth without these gases because the earth would be very cold to live on. But the opposite is not favorable either. The majör effect of global warming is the melting of ice in Polar Regions. The melting will result in the extinction of many endemic species in the polar areas, and of course will result in an increase in the level of seas world-wide. İncrease in the sea level will not only result in high tides and storm waves, but also it will result in damage in agricultural fields.
Moreover, all organisms have a temperature tolerance, which means the range of temperature suitable for life is specific for each species. If you consider of shifts in the temperature, many organisms will be affected negatively; biodiversity will decrease, and maybe most species will become extinct. According to the first scientist ever to mention the name “global warming” in 1980’s; within 20 years, life will be impossible on earth.
Human influences on global warming
Human influence has been a very serious problem now because humans don’t take care of the earth. The humans who cause global warming are more than natural causes of global warming. The earth has been changing for many years now, it is still changing due to the modern lifestyle of humans. Human activities include industrial production, burning fossil fuels, mining, raising livestock, or deforestation.
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The first topic is the industrial revolution. Industrialists have been using fossil fuels for electrical machines. Everything we use is involved in fossil fuels. For example, when we buy a mobile phone, the manufacturing process of a mobile phone involves machines and the machines use fossil fuels, during the process of releasing carbon dioxide into the atmosphere. In addition to industry, transportation such as automobiles is also releasing carbon dioxide from exhaust gases.
Another problem is mining. During the extraction process, the methane will be trapped underground. Furthermore, raising livestock will also cause methane because livestock release the form of manure. However, livestock is important because it makes the latter equally responsible for the occurrence of global warming.
The next is the most common problem which is deforestation. Deforestation is a human influence because humans have been cutting down trees to produce paper, wood, build houses, or more. If human deforestation continues, carbon dioxide will concentrate in the atmosphere because trees can absorb carbon dioxide from the atmosphere. Furthermore, humans also release carbon dioxide when they breathe. Therefore, the amounts that millions of people breathe have released carbon dioxide into the atmosphere. If humans continue deforestation, human respiration that releases carbon dioxide will remain in the atmosphere.
The effect of global warming
Greenhouse gases will remain in the atmosphere for many years for hundreds of years. However, the effects that global warming will cause on Earth are extremely serious. There are many effects that will occur in the future if global warming continues. That includes the melting of the polar ice caps, economic consequences, warmer waters and more hurricanes, the spread of disease and earthquakes.
The first effect is the melting of the polar caps. As the temperature rises, the ice at the North Pole will melt. Once the ice melts, the first effect will increase in sea level because the melting glaciers turn into oceans. According to the National Snow and Ice Data Center, “if the ice were to melt today, the seas would rise about 70 meters.” It affects many low-lying areas like the Netherlands. In the future, the Netherlands will be covered in water once the North Pole melts. However, it will not happen that fast but the sea level will continue to rise.
Another effect is the loss of habitat for the species. Species that include polar bears and tropical frogs will go extinct due to climate change. Also, various birds will migrate to other places because animals are not like humans. They cannot adapt the habitat that changes their life or temperature.
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The next effect is that more hurricanes will occur and the economic consequences will also affect. The hurricane damages homes and the government needs to spend billions of dollars on damage and people need places to stay or they have died. Once a disaster strikes, many people die and disease occurs. Diseases are more serious because they can spread to other people very quickly and more people will get the disease, and the disease can be made worse by different weather conditions.
