Category: Climate Change

How should the oil and gas industry respond to global warming?

Global warming is a contemporary serious threat to our planet for the combustion of oil, coal, and natural gas contributes in changing the atmospheric balance of carbon dioxide, and other naturally occurring trace gases as well as chemicals created by various oil and gas industries. Current threat to global warming is from the oil industries which after burning petroleum products seek ways to reduce carbon dioxide emissions while looking after investment in sustainable energy.

The oil industry has been periodically threatened by public perceptions as monopolistic, greedy, and, in the later part of the century, insensitive to the natural environment, however this is not the case (Livesey, 2002). On tackling global warming, many suggestions and policies have been adopted up till now of which the most implementable were taxation system on carbon, trading system, or adopting some kind of climate policy so as to devise an effective energy strategy are the most well known (Krauss & Mouawad, 11 Feb 2009). U.S oil refinery was the first to admit the inefficiency of Kyoto Pact, and the failure to limit emissions of greenhouse gases.

Even sustainable alternative solutions to our oil addiction have been provided to the oil and gas sector like implementing taxes on profits, closing the room escape paying royalties, dedicating fresh revenues to clean energy, establishing strategies, and improving fuel consumption to reduce gasoline demand (Slocum, Sept 2006). Despite all the deployed strategies of oil industry to reduce global warming, Oil and gas sector is yet seeking alternatives to control global warming or greenhouse effect.

Being the worlds largest solar-energy company, British Petroleum seeks ways to reduce greenhouse-gas emissions from its refineries and increase use of cleaner natural gas as opposed to oil. When company officials believe they can reduce greenhouse-gas emissions even without compromising either growth or profits, it seems they are in a surrealistic position (Johansen, 2002, p. 110) since British Petroleums 90 business units plan to reduce greenhouse-gas emissions mainly by improving energy efficiency and using new technology have not worked well enough to cope up with the problem. For example, British Petroleum despite installing new technology to enhance oil flow has not completely eliminated a number of pumping stations on various pipelines. No doubt this move has reduced carbon dioxide emissions on sites by 236,000 tons a year but still is not an ideal mode of response to global warming (BP, 2009a). Therefore oil and gas refineries now plans to meet its goals with advice from groups such as Environmental Defense, as well as its own engineers and other employees.

The oil companies wanting to contribute towards global warming phenomenon actually mean that they want to continue to install the process of bringing more alternative sustainable energy sources on-line. In other words it indicates the inability of the oil sector to be involved in lowering emissions which is because they are unable to stop producing oil, at least until their operations and the burning of fossil fuels are 100% neutral in terms of their impacts on climate change (GlobalWarming, 2009a).

European Commission in January was criticised for the increased global warming that has touched off a chain of regional conflicts over dwindling resources including worsening poverty, famine, mass migrations and the proliferation of infectious diseases such as malaria, cholera and dengue fever (Blanche, Feb 2008).

The best what science suggests oil and gas refineries is to maintain a stabilising atmospheric concentrations at safe levels that will require a 60 to 80 percent cut in carbon emissions from current levels over the next century. Since, everyone is aware that our global energy system has been decarbonising over the last 200 years, moving to less carbon-intensive fuels and improving energy efficiency, therefore such a maintained rate of change will need to accelerate significantly to meet this objective (Flavin & Dunn, 1999).

Putting an end to oil spilling and toxic wastes

Dumping oil spilling and toxic wastes inappropriately and oil-related accidents cannot be ignored anymore, since this cumulative problem must be put to an end. We are well aware of the fact that worlds demand for this non-renewable resource is increasing with the passage of time and would increase more rapidly than what it is today because of the demand of petroleum products. Recent studies confirm that exposure to airborne particles from combustion of residual oil alters the functioning of fossil fuels burning (Cormier et al, 2006).

In limited circumstances, oil industry often witnesses situations which invite even conventional fossil fuels to enter the category of waste material, which allows certification as a small power project. Such wastes include natural gas, which is often flared to be utilised as refuse lignite, this when combines with low or medium quality natural gas gives no commercial value therefore it enters as a waste material resource (Ferrey, 2003).

Alternative Energy Programs

Alternative energy development programs are already helping oil companies to increase energy availability and efficiency, since energy sources into fossil fuels and nuclear power, as the conventional sources, and renewable and geothermal energy, as the alternatives. There is a need to use conventional and geothermal sources as energy capital, to reduce the future threats so as the renewable energy sources employ energy income (i.e., the stock remains constant).

The contemporary problem in utilising capital appears to be most efficient; however, the true cost of fossil fuel use is misrepresented by market prices. For example, fossil fuel combustion produces emissions that play an active role in global warming and impose costs on society for example, through poorer health. Thus, excessive energy usage results in global warming effect; therefore there is a need to investigate the hidden factors behind environmental crises that renewable energy sources are falsely seen as too expensive because their external benefits to society, such as energy capital maintenance and lower pollution (Shojai, 1995, p. 159).

Private participation in such energy programs has shifted attention of oil refineries from instrumental criteria of performance to efficiency and profitability considerations. Many rural areas have face prolong delays in securing prized energy connections, and meanwhile aggravate biomass depletion and coal based pollution, were it not for important technological developments. Contemporary oil planners have considered decentralised energy production and explored rather than assumed the nature of emerging demand (Chasek, 2000, p. 37).

Transformation

With the help of technological innovation, refineries can transform themselves from traditional renewable energy to fast growing energy sources. Windmills can be used for such purpose to generate electricity, other renewable sources include geothermal energy which serves to increase slowly but steadily with less even distribution, it can contribute towards power generation (Flavin & Dunn, 1999).

Oil and gas refineries should seek renewable energy resources to get the maximum hold on retaining energy and development standards of countries throughout the world. Refineries along with the help of Government can rely on biomass as an attractive energy resource since it uses local feed stocks and labour with contribution from crop wastes, cellulosic biomass, and crops.

Energy crops have been consumed by many countries like Brazil to utilise the energy crops of sugar to produce ethanol for use in vehicles, as an alternate of oil imports. Besides other alternates, Hydrogen serves to be the most less polluting processed hydrant which promises an effective alternative fuel for the future, and is currently produced from natural gas in a less pollutant process with more improved and more economic technology, hydrogen also can be produced from photovoltaic or wind-powered electrolysis, separating hydrogen from water, and from some seawater algae (Ottinger & Williams, 2002).

There is a scope for refineries to utilise in the near-term, hydrogen as a most likely solution to be used in fuel cells that can power vehicles or stationary electric generators. Oil sector should utilise hydrogen combustion for it is virtually pollution free when recombines with hydrogen and oxygen to release water, and the gas is economically transportable in pipelines, minimising the threat of oil spillage. Other benefits include its cost effectiveness in context with reducing the cost of both hydrogen production and fuel cells.

There is a need to build an infrastructure so as to transport the hydrogen along with treating the natural gas pipelines through a distribution network established for vehicle use. However, in order to develop this infrastructure huge initial capital expenses would occur because hydrogen is developed today to the extent to be used as an electric power source.

Political Solution to Political Problem

Fossil fuel energy production in addressing global warming is a logic which has informed the climate strategies of most industrial states and environmental groups. The key reason for why global warming becomes politically so problematic refers to the industrialised nations where CO2 emissions are in need to be reduced immediately by over 60 per cent if concentrations are to be stabilised at existing levels. In most industrialised countries, oil and gas companies have energy lobbies that are politically very powerful, and in most countries a culture exists whereby the assumption is that energy use must grow in order to sustain economic growth.

The continuing political wrangling over the Kyoto Protocol illustrates why the oil refineries are responding so slowly to the impending crisis of global warming. Climate diplomacy remains an arena dominated by competition of special interests in which a few European countries, are taking steps to mitigate greenhouse forcing on their own. While British emissions of greenhouse gases by the year 2000 had fallen between five and six percent compared to the Kyoto Protocol 1990 targets, emissions in the United States rose 11 percent between 1990 and 1998, while several European countries (including Britain) made substantial progress toward meeting the goals of the Kyoto Protocol by reducing their greenhouse-gas emissions as much as 10 percent compared to 1990 levels (Johansen, 2002, p. 254).

Woloski (2006) points out that the main problem is that sky touching global prices of oil which have been driven by various factors including unease in global markets, but this would not be a long-term concern, since the continued fossil fuel use is the expectation that oil reserves will be exhausted by 2045 (Woloski, 2006) and the rocketing prices of gasoline would ultimately escort the global market to search for alternative energy sources.

In one aspect, we can see that the way sustainable development have raised the issue of climate change, is more greater in magnitude and potentially more threatening to oil companies than anything that had gone before. IPCC (Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change) points out that the link between global warming and greenhouse gas emissions in context with the oil sector production by the burning of fossil fuels has been one of the reasons of satisfaction of many scientists and government policy makers (Livesey, 2002).

Ever since 1996, British Petroleum (BP) has abandoned the industry coalition while understanding the political advocacy towards fossil fuels and has modified its position on Kyoto. BP this way has cope up in reducing the environmental threats by supporting the principle advocated by IPCC climate scientists that precautionary measures are necessary, BP even has not lagged behind in reducing its own emissions voluntarily. BP along with the Shell Group promises to meet political steps towards reducing global warming and has exceeded even Kyoto guidelines by instituting new businesses in renewable energy and mounted public relations campaigns to announce strategies based on responsible corporate citizenship.

Publishing texts on global warming threats has never been considered enough, since to policy makers, the ads address the complex issue in a conversational style, which presents a view to offsetting, in terms familiar in public discourse, the increasingly dire warnings of climate scientists urged at international climate negotiations and appearing in the popular press. Corporate actors in the political arena have accuses the oil companies of distorting and misrepresenting the science of global warming, which to environmentalists have only problematised the issue (Leggett, 2001, p. 16).

References

Blanche Ed, (2008) Climate Conflicts: Oil, Money, Land-The Opportunities for Argument in the Volatile Middle East Region Are Myriad. but It Is Water and the Results of Global Warming That Present the Region with Its Greatest Potential Hazard over the Coming Decades, The Middle East, 386: 8. BP, 2009a. Web.

Chasek S. Pamela, (2000) The Global Environment in the Twenty-First Century: Prospects for International Cooperation: United Nations University Press: New York.

Cormier A. Stephania, Lomnicki Slawo, Backes Wayne & Dellinger Barry, (2006) Origin and Health Impacts of Emissions of Toxic By-Products and Fine Particles from Combustion and Thermal Treatment of Hazardous Wastes and Materials, Environmental Health Perspectives, 114(6): 810.

Ferrey Steven, (2003) Nothing but Net: Renewable Energy and the Environment, MidAmerican Legal Fictions, and Supremacy Doctrine, Duke Environmental Law & Policy Forum, 14(1): 1.

Flavin Christopher & Dunn Seth, (1999) A New Energy Paradigm for the 21st Century, Journal of International Affairs, 53(1): 167. GlobalWarming, 2009a. Web.

Johansen E. Bruce, (2002) The Global Warming Desk Reference: Greenwood Press: Westport, CT. Krauss Clifford & Mouawad Jad, Web.

Leggett, J. (2001). The carbon war: Global warming and the end of the oil era. New York: Routledge.

Livesey M. Sharon, (2002) Global Warming Wars: Rhetorical and Discourse Analytic Approaches to ExxonMobils Corporate Public Discourse, The Journal of Business Communication, 39(1): 117.

Ottinger L. Richard & Williams Rebecca, (2002) Renewable Energy Sources for Development, Environmental Law, 32(2): 331. Web.

Shojai Siamack, (1995) The New Global Oil Market: Understanding Energy Issues in the World Economy: Praeger Publishers: Westport, CT.

Woloski Andrea, (2006) Fuel of the Future: A Global Push toward New Energy, Harvard International Review, 27(4): 40.

Over the last 50 years, human activities have considerably worsened the ecological situation. The Earth suffers from heat-trapping gases that lead to global warming. The rise of temperature increased the sea level that made the Arctic ice melt. As a result, the survival of polar bear population is under the threat of extinction. Global warming caused the disappearance of ocean ice thus limiting the food supply for these animals. Therefore, there is an urgent necessity to prevent global warming from expanding as it may lead to the extinction of that species.

Global warming contributes to the lessening of the ice area. In that regard, Sonne et al. (1) state that the reduction of the sea ice will hamper the bears access to seals thus causing adverse effects on the their population. As the food chain is interrupted, the polar bear would be able to find enough food fro existence. The polar bears are suffering from an extreme lack of food as the outcome of carbon dioxide dramatic increase. The increase of this gas is caused by such human activities as deforestation and industrialization, which are unlike to stop. Relying in this, Arctic could be free-ice in summer by 2050 (Parry 15). As Arctic see ice is melting, it provides the lessening of hunting ground for polar bears as well as the shelter for their breed. Gradual melting only causes global warming to develop quicker.

The rise of the temperature can cause volatility of chemicals resulting in the extinction of zooplankton. Under the high temperatures the contaminants are spreading faster that could be disastrous to the population of Polar bears. The contamination could destroy the food chain at higher levels of the food web thus causing the reduction of species and further increase of temperature. For instance, bears are already scrawnier in places like Canadas Hudson Bay so that Arctics entire population of 22.000 bears could become extinct (Cone 170). Global warming fosters the poison spread resulting in bear population decrease. To be more exact DDT spraying and chemical emissions are significantly enhanced by the temperature increase. Thus, the burning of fossil fuels  coal, oil, and gas  releases carbon dioxide into the atmosphere (Singer and Avery 35).

Owing to the fact that specific temperature is required for normal existence of polar bears, global warming negatively influences the bodys state of animals so that they are not able to survive. Carbon dioxide emission enhances the extinction of bears due to the worsening of biological state of the animals. According to the forecast the temperature could higher up to 0.07 degree by 2005 (William 74). Even this slight temperature would be enough to harm the health of the bear. Such an increase could hinge the bears function of reproduction. The refusal to reproduce the new generation of bears causes the decline in possibility to hunt. Numerous researchers prove that global warming obviously destroy the population of bears in Hudson Bay and Alaska.

In conclusion, it must be stressed that the natural existence of bears directly depends on the global warming process due to numerous reasons. First, global warming fosters the spread of poisoned substances. Secondly, it contributes to the reduction of ice areas that limits the hunting space for bears. Finally, the temperature rise aggravates the body conditions of bears thus lessening their reproduction function.

Works Cited

Cone, Marla. Silent Snow: The Slow Poisoning of the Arctic.

Endangered; Can You Imagine a World without Them? but Polar Bears Are Now Under Threat from Global Warming. The Mirror (London, England) 2005: 15.

Singer, Fred Siefried and Avery, Dennis T. Unstoppable global warming: every 1,500 years. US :Rowman & Littlefield, 2007.

Sonne, Christian, et al. Is Bone Mineral Composition Disrupted by Organochlorines in East Greenland Polar Bears (Ursus Maritimus)?. Environmental Health Perspectives 112.17 (2004): 1711+

Willis, William. SYS Performance AX-500P3 Pentium III PC. T H E Journal (Technological Horizons In Education) 27.1 (1999): 74

Introduction

Global warming refers to the increase in the temperatures of the global surface causing various effects on the climate of the world, (Spencer, 2003). Changes in climate will include change in the patterns of rainfall, rise in the sea level among other climate changes. This affects the life of many organisms within the surface especially the living organism and also human beings. The impact of global warming varies as it influences the lives of the vegetation, wildlife, and also human beings. The changes in climate as a result of global warming normally varies from place to place. This brings a lot of long term changes that individuals have to deal with in their every day life.

Climate changes result because the warming normally results to evaporation and changes in the patterns of precipitation within the earths surface. Glaciers and the sea ice will also experience various changes as a result of the warming. Global warming was first reported in the 20^th century and this has continued over the years. Various reasons have been attributed to the causes of global warming within the earths surface. The effects of global warming have continued to be felt all over the world and this has provided a basis of argument for scientist who will not agree on the various effects that result from global warming. This paper analyses the effects of global warming on the health of human beings. The resulting health effects have been a topic of controversy with some scientist claiming that global warming will have major effects on human health while others disagree with this claims.

Causes of global warming

The main factors that have been attributed to the resulting global warming are the green house gas effects, differences in the solar and also volcanoes. Most scientists have blamed the resulting global warming on the human activities which in turn causes various changes in the atmospheric gases. (Global warming in Chicago)

Human interferance especially the release of green house gasescauses a build up of gases which leads to changes in temperatures. The green house effect itself has been as a result of the absorption of heat or radiation by the atmospheric gases which retain heat and this then causes changes in the earths temperature. The green house gases have been estimated to cause an effect of around 33 degrees in the atmosphere. The greenhouse gases normally comprise of carbon dioxide, ozone, methane and water vapor. All this components of the greenhouse gases cause different effects on the atmospheric temperatures. The human activities in the earths surface are especially blamed for the increase in the green house effects. The industrial activities which took root in the 20^th century have caused major changes on the atmospheric gases. Pollutants that are released from the industrial activities will have a major effect on the atmospheric gases, (Spencer, 2003).

Other human activities include deforestation which involves cutting down of trees at very high rates. This causes an increase in the amount of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere thus increasing the effects of the green house effect. Burning of fossil fuels is also another factor that is considered a cause of global warming. Burning of fossil fuels adds on to the amount of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere. The warming of the atmosphere causes effects on the clouding patterns. Radiation from the earth is usually reflected back to the earth by the clouds and this causes further warming. On the other hand, warming results to a lot of water evaporation thus increasing the water vapor in the atmosphere thus more green house effect. Changes in climate as a result of this atmospheric changes causes effects on the human activities and also their health, (Joshua, 1997). One of the major effect is changes on the agricultural production. Global warming will cause changes in the patterns of rainfall and this affects the agricultural yields. Global warming has resulted to a lot of economic costs to most continents and its future mainly depends on the trend of the human activities that result to this changes.

Effects of global warming on Human health

Global warming has been blamed for the spread of various diseases. The effects that result from global warming are said to create atmospheric conditions that favor the spread of very infectious diseases and thus risking the lives of very many individuals. Global warming has been blamed for the spread of the following infectious diseases.

Dengue fever

This is a disease which is spread by the mosquitoes. There has been no vaccination that has been developed to curb the spread of this fever. The spread of the disease is said to increase with rises in temperatures that is global warming. This disease has been a threat in the United States and doctors have declared it as a very deadly disease, (David, 2005). In some regions, it is very challenging to diagnose the disease and also to treat it and this is what makes the disease spread even more and claim very many lives. Spread of this disease is usually dependent upon the atmospheric temperatures. History has indicated that very low temperatures have resulted to the death of the larvae and also adult mosquitoes that spread the fever. High temperatures however favor their survival and thus increase the chances of spreading the fever to the humans. The mosquitoes are said to have spread the disease in most parts of the United States especially in Texas and Chicago. The disease has been cited as very dangerous by the medical fraternity in the U.S.

Cholera

Global warming results to higher sea level and this has raised the spread of infectious water born disease,(Anne, 2006). One of the major water borne disease that results from global warming include cholera. The bacteria that cause this water borne disease thrive better in very warm conditions and thus global warming acts as a reservoir for the vectors of such a disease. The disease has resulted to major deaths especially in the African continent. The children within the population have been the worst affected by the spread of the water borne diseases. This has in turn increased the mortality rates during the extreme periods of global warming. Cholera and other water borne diseases increase as the effects of global warming worsen.

For example global warming is likely to result to extreme flooding in some regions. This results to the contamination of water in most regions. This especially affects those who live in the African continent where they depend on rivers and other flowing sources for drinking water. Flooding will contaminate clean water as the water flows from many sources thus mixing clean and dirty water. This results to many water borne diseases. On the other hand, flooding and destruction of property that results from changes in weather such as hurricanes and heavy down poor may result to displacement of individuals from their homes. This results to such refugees camping in one area which often results to congestion of people. Such congestion normally results to poor sanitation and thus causing a lot of waterborne among other diarrhea and infectious diseases, (Bruce, 2001).

Malaria

Malaria just like the dengue fever is spread by mosquitoes. It is also a disease whose spread is controlled by the prevailing temperatures in the globe. Very high temperatures which result from global warming have favored the spread of the disease. This exposes the population to the risks of the disease mainly the children and the pregnant mothers. Scientists have claimed that the malaria carrying mosquitoes usually spread with the warmer temperatures as they move to the north and south to regions of higher latitudes. Malaria outbreaks have been very commonly reported as a result of the high temperatures

Asthma, dysentery, Ebola, Lyme, sleeping sickness and intestinal parasites

Global warming is said to increase the chances of individuals suffering from asthma. This happens when the resulting global warming is as a result of high levels of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere, (David, 2005). High levels of carbon dioxide favor the process of pollination and growth of other pathogens that affect the respiratory system. Scientists have indicated that warm temperatures increase the growth of molds which attach themselves easily to the diesel particles emitted from the engines. When individuals breath in this air and gases, it is likely to cause allergies and thus asthma in the respiratory system. Another disease mentioned to increase with temperatures is dysentery which results from snails. Snails normally thrive well during the wet seasons and if they contaminate the water sources then the disease is likely to spread very fast to human beings. Another disease that scientist have mentioned to increase with global warming is Ebola, (Bruce, 2001).

They argue that the spread of the disease normally depends on the weather patterns. Major outbreaks of the disease normally result from dry and wet conditions of the weather. Lyme is a another disease that is normally spread through parasites which are referred to as ticks. Humans get this disease from a simple bite of an infected tick. The disease also varies with the changes in temperature. Tick distribution changes with weather patterns and thus global warming may increase the rates of infection to human beings. Intestinal parasites are claimed to survive better during the warm seasons, (Anne, 2005). This on the other hand increases the chances of humans and also animals being infected with intestinal worms. The biggest risk lies with human beings since consumption of animal products such as infected meat will also result to being infected with the parasites. Another disease caused by parasites is sleeping sickness which is spread by the tsetse flies. This parasites also spread depending on the weather patterns. Climate changes as a result of global warming will therefore increase the chances of human getting infected with sleeping sickness.

Other effects on health

Other effects on health of human beings which may be indirect include malnutrition as a result of destruction of crops. Global warming normally results to very heavy down poor which in most cases results to damaging of crops especially due to flooding. Such flooding destroys the crops in the fields or it mays result to very poor conditions that do not favor good produce. This threatens the food security of most countries and may result to very adverse drought effects. With such droughts food is usually a major problem resulting to malnutrition on human beings. This has been reported to result to major deaths as a result of malnutrition during the drought periods. Global warming has caused the heat related deaths. This is especially reported among the elderly people and also people living in urban regions where there is poor air conditioning, (Bruce, 2001). This condition is more prevalent in the developed countries as opposed to the developing countries. On other cases global warming has had positive effects on the human health especially by reducing the deaths that are cold related. Such individuals would have died if the cold conditions prevailed but their lives are saved with global warming.

Opposing opinions

Some scientist have come up with refuting studies that the effects brought by global warming do not necessarily affect the human health. Some have actually argued that global warming has resulted to improved human health other than affecting it. Even though malaria is a tropical disease, it is argued that most politicians and the proponents of effects of global warming have misled the public on the factors related to the climate and the disease. The opinion that global warming results to heat related deaths has especially been disapproved. The claim that heat wave caused thousands of death in Europe has actually being cleared by the medical doctors who claim that the heats related diseases were much lower than it was claimed, (Kendra, 2006).

Such individuals are usually suffering from other ailments and they would have died even without global warming. What global warming does is only hastening their death but not causing it. The spread of malaria, cholera, dengue fever and other tropical diseases has been attributed to migration rather than global warming. Other respiratory and chronic diseases have been attributed to age and not global warming. Poverty has been cited as the major cause of deaths in Africa where the individuals lack enough resources to ensure proper sanitation and deal with calamities and thus an increase of spread of diseases such as waterborne diseases, malaria and the diarrhea diseases. The spread of such diseases is said not to be related to the changes in weather as a result of global warming. The scientist claim that the insect borne diseases which are claimed to increase with warm temperatures were present even before the twentieth century and during this period there were no effects of global warming, (Thomas, 1998). The fact that global warming causes major effects on human health have been disputed by the scientists who claim that climate has nothing to do with spread of diseases and warm climate in particular cannot move diseases from one region to another

Solutions to global warming

The effects of global warming can be prevented by the precautionary principal. In this case the environmentalist have put effort to campaign for better use of technology that results to major effects of global warming, (Kendra, 2006). In particular they campaign for putting a limit on the use of the modern technologies especially the nuclear power. The precautionary principal has two major components. The first component emphasis that individuals should always ensure that technology they want to use is actually safe before using it. The second principal campaigns for increased standards of proofing that technologies are safe before they are used. Such principals are advocated by the environmental organizations such as the green peace organization which ficus on the factors that affect the environment.

Conclusion

In conclusion, the effects that result from global warming will always remain a topic of controversy in the public eye. Most scientists will always agree and disagree an the real effects of global warming to human life. However governments should focus on policies of disaster management in order to ensure its population are on the safe side. Whether global warming results to diseases or not, the resulting repercussions from changes in weather such as flooding and destruction of property should always be handled in a manner that will not compromise the health of human beings. Use of technologies that result to effects on the atmospheric gases should be limited in order to reduce the effects of global warming on the earths surface.

References

Anne. N, 2005. Global Warming in our environment: A Health Perspective. Waveland Press, p32-56.

Bruce A, 2001. Potential effects of global warming on human health. World Health Organization, p1-9.

David F. M, 2005. Human Diseases caused by global warming. Sage publishers, p17-28.

Joshua. R and Francesca. G, 1997. Global warming and human health. Prentice Hall Publishers, p15-32.

Kendra. O and Julian. M, 2006. The threat that pollution poses to human health has been exaggerated. Green House Press p1-8.

Spencer R. W, 2003. The Discovery of Global Warming. Harvard University Press. p8-19.

Thomas G. M, 1998. Climate of fear: Why we shouldnt worry about global Warming. Washington D.C. Cato Institute, p1-11.

Introduction

Global warming is a process that heats up the earths surface. The activities on earths surface produce green house gases, which entrap light and heat from the sun causing temperature of the earth surface to increase. The green house gases include nitrous oxide, water vapor, methane, and carbon dioxide. Other dangerous gases include volatile organic compound, ozone, carbon monoxide, nitrogen monoxide, particulate matter, sulfur dioxide, and lead.

When the surface temperature increases the animals, plants, and human beings are affected. The high temperatures raise the sea levels, which then submerge the island; this threatens human livelihood in those islands. The increases in sea levels also threaten the lives of plant and animal around the sea environment. The sources of green house gases are burning of oil to produce energy, uses of missiles and bombs during wars, manufacturing and the destruction of forests and other vegetation cover.

The reality of Global Warming Skepticism

It is right to argue that global warming skepticism is real; Skeptics of global warming are numerous and they continue to come up with new perceptions on global warming. The global warming skepticism is about the controversies that have rocked the nature and causes of global warming as an issue. The controversy is all about whether the foregoing arguments that global warming is caused by poor human activities that emit green house gases into the atmosphere is real or it is an exaggerations, lie and poor measurements by the scientific community and the political class of the world.

Skeptics argue that climate change is a normal natural phenomenon. They say, in the past climate had changed and human beings, animals and plants had adapted to the new and all forms of climate changes. There has been great concern with human activities otherwise referred to as anthropogenic to be the route causes of climate change, however, some skeptics have doubted this view and instead they strongly believe that causes of global warming emanates from the natural factors. Skeptics have adopted the idea of scrutinizing the findings on global warming; many of them term the current scientific facts on global warming as the greatest scandal of the modern world.

While doubting anthropogenic activities as the main cause of global warming, skeptics see the sun as the main source of the problem. It is argued that climate change is not experienced on earth only, that other planets revolving around the sun are also having the experiences of heating up (Marshall, 2010). A number of astronomers have specifically provided information that the planet Pluto has also been under the experience of global warming.

In this school of thought, the global warming is as a result of changing seasons of the earth just like different hemispherical change of inclinations to the sun (Marshall, 2010). This is an indication that it is the sun that has the power to change seasons on earth and other planets; it has a greater impact on earths climate than the human beings can attempt to accomplish (Ball, 2007).

Scientist has also argued that alongside high temperatures on earth surface, planet Mars is also experiencing increasing temperatures and the main cause is attributed to natural phenomena; that is, the increasing radiations from the sun (Marshall, 2010). Several scientific reports have revealed that the temperature of the sun has been increasing and that the sun is currently hotter than it has ever been. Swiss and German scientist propagated a claim that radiation from the sun to the earth surface has increased; they ague that it is the increased radiation that causes temperature changes on earths the surface (Marshall, 2010).

Some skeptics have advanced an argument that rise in temperatures started approximately over eight hundred years ago, long before carbon dioxide level became high. In fact they believe that the level of carbon dioxide is high due to rise in temperature. This means according to them high carbon dioxide level is a resultant outcome of the rising surface temperatures.

Global warming skepticism not real

There are the section of both scientist and environmentalists who strong believe that global warming is a direct consequence of human activities. This section argues that scientific research has found out that there is explicit link connecting human activities that produce greenhouse gases and the spectacular heating of the oceans of the earth (Connor, 2005). This contradicts skeptics argument that global warming is a natural process because of the suns increasing radiation to the earths surface. Some of the climatologists say the oceans are major influencers of the earths climates. Several experiments done in different oceans have shown different temperatures at different depths (Connor, 2005). This has been attributed to the possible volcanic activities under the sea.

Yet other scientists believe that the increased amount of carbon dioxide released into the atmosphere by human activities is the prime cause of global warming. This process is called Anthropogenic Global Warming. According to supporters of anthropogenic, the human activities that contribute to the global warming started during industrial revolution; that was when new industrial practices and agricultural activities started to contribute to the change of environment and global climate. They argue that before then, mans activities did not produce lots of green-house gases as witnessed today (West, 2010). Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) reported that activities of human beings have been the predominant source of global warming from the years 1950.

Global dimming is another ideology advanced by those who believe human actions are the main causes of climate change. Global dimming has been described as a situation in which atmospheric pollutants from fossil fuel emissions move and mixes with the clouds; the clouds are then able to reverse much of rays from the sun into the space. This process should naturally lead to cooling of the earths surface, which still could be dangerous. However, the whole process does live greenhouse gases surmounted thereby causing rise in surface temperatures still.

Historical arguments state that the most industrialized nations led by the United States of America have discharged most greenhouse gases into the atmosphere yet it is the less developed nations, which are faced with the greatest responsibility to tackle climate change.

Impact of global warming on sustainable world

A study by scientists claims that the current stage of global warming is irreversible for at least the next one thousand years and that the damage it has already caused is permanent. It is projected that the increasing global warming has an impact of reducing species and the habitats in which they live (Manabe, 1997). This diminishes the chances of natural adaptation of the ecosystem. Climate change affects both the current and the future generation.

The constant upward trend in temperature increase threats the survival of human beings, animals and plants. The temperatures are likely to have health consequences, lead to unpredictable weather changes and poor agricultural activities. The increase in temperature causes ice on mountaintops to melt there thereby causing sea levels to increase. The increase in sea levels threatens the existence of human beings, animals and plants living on islands, which faces submergence (Manabe, 1997)

Poor weather has also led to heavy rains known as El-Niño, which have caused many destructive and dangerous floods in some parts of the world. It is also predicted that the changes of weather due to global warming are likely to result in tsunamis, hurricanes, tornadoes, blizzards and thunderstorms.

There are more changes that global warming is expected to cause. These include serious decrease in the West Antarctic and Greenland sheets of ice, slowing the ocean transmission of warm water to North Atlantic and accelerate global warming because of carbon cycle feedback in the biosphere.

Conclusion

There have been two different schools of thought regarding the facts about global change. There is the group known as skeptics who cast aspersions on the argument that global warming is anthropogenic. They believe that global warming is because of natural factors like heating of the oceans and increased radiations from the sun. Skeptics consider the current global warming debate as a scam of the modern times. Amongst the skeptics are well-known world scientists (Ball, 2007)

Those who believe that global warming is because of exclusive human activities support another school of thought advanced on the global warming. These individuals do not subscribe to the idea that global warming is a natural occurrence. According to this school of thought greenhouse gases emitted from burning of fossil fuel by human beings cause global warming. The green house gases are also generated by burning of garbage and some flowers.

Trees are known to absorb excess carbon dioxide from the atmosphere. Cutting down of these trees and destruction of forests and other vegetative covers reduces the rate of carbon dioxide elimination from the atmosphere. However, carbon dioxide is known to increase atmospheric temperatures.

Global warming threatens the survival of human beings, animals and plants. Global warming causes glacier retreats, reduced flows of summer stream, increased diseases, it also leads to reduced yield in agriculture, and natural disasters like hurricanes, thunderstorms and tornadoes.

There have been heated debates on how the challenge of global warming can be tackled. Some of the remedies to the problem are by reducing greenhouse gas emissions through seeking alternative sources of energy as opposed to the use of fossil fuel, preserving the forestlands and avoiding the activities which lead to emission carbon dioxide and other green house gases.

With the two schools of thoughts both having scientists on their sides, the whole world has been thrown into confusion with regards to the real causes of global warming. The two sides seem to have genuine arguments. The radiations from the sun, volcanic activities and heating of the ocean waters are likely natural causes to global warming. Volcanic activities on the surface of the earth emit greenhouse gases. Those who argue that human activities also contribute to global warming cannot be ignored. If it is true that carbon dioxide is one of the green-house gases contributing to global warming then human beings have a direct link to global warming.

The two schools of thought should be integrated and the solution to global warming be found based on the two camps of arguments.

Reference List

Ball, T. (2007). Global Warming: The Cold, Hard Fact? Web.

Connor, S. (2005). The Final Proof: Global Warming is a Man-Made Disaster. Web.

Manabe, S. (1997). Exploring the way to sustainable world. Web.

Marshall, G. (2010). Global Warming-A convenient Lie. Web.

West, L. (2010). Industrial Age Accelerates Global Warming. Web.

Introduction

The greenhouse effect is a term that describes an increase of the average global temperature and is often associated with global warming which is the subject of great debate and concern worldwide. Although warnings about the human generated causes of an enhanced greenhouse effect and the subsequent catastrophic outcomes have been sounded for over 100 years, global warming has only recently become an important political matter. This discussion will first define the greenhouse effect then explain how naturally occurring and man-made gases affect it along with examples of the consequences of these forces. Greenhouse gasses are produced by nature and man but the excess produced by man is causing the earth too warm. Most scientists worldwide accept the sufficient evidence that suggests global warming is already well underway and cannot be reversed anytime soon. The question before us is, are we stewards of our earth and will we preserve it for future generations?

Greenhouse Gases

How it Works

Essentially, the greenhouse effect functions in the following manner. When sunlight pierces the atmosphere and hits the earths surface, not all of the suns solar energy is absorbed. Approximately a third of it is reflected back into space. Specific atmospheric gases serve in much the same way as does the glass of a greenhouse, thus the terminology. These gases allow sunlight to penetrate then trap some of the solar energy which heats the earth (Breuer, 1980). It is a delicate balance and because these greenhouse gases have been artificially augmented by man-made sources, more build up in the atmosphere has occurred thus trapping more of the suns energy and reflecting less back in to space. This occurrence is causing the earth to warm.

Carbon Dioxide

Carbon Dioxide (CO₂) is the most prevalent of the greenhouse gases. Trees absorb CO₂ and when they die, CO₂ is restored to the atmosphere. The clearing of forests by mass burning, which is happening at a phenomenal rate in the tropical rain forests, is decreasing the amount of CO₂ that is absorbed and increasing the amount that is added to the atmosphere. CO₂ supplies about half of the total gases that create the greenhouse effect (Breuer, 1980). Although deforestation is contributing heavily to the excess of CO₂ in the atmosphere, a larger portion is caused by the burning of fossil fuels such as oil and coal.

Fossil fuels are burned by factories, vehicles and electricity-producing power plants to name a few sources. The vast majority of this excessive fuel consumption and its poisonous, pollutant and greenhouse-enhancing byproducts are located in the U.S., Europe and Russia (Breuer, 1980). Other greenhouse gases include methane, which is released when vegetation is burned during land clearing, during oil exploration activities and the coal-mining process; chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs), which is the substance that cools refrigerators and provides the propulsion in aerosol cans and nitrous oxide (N₂O) which is the lesser cause of CO₂ (Breuer, 1980). It is generated from both man-made and natural processes. It is estimated that man-made influences represents about half of the CO₂ output.

What and Who Are to Blame

The rising levels of carbon dioxide (CO₂) in the atmosphere are becoming increasingly disconcerting. The concentrations of CO₂ in the air around 1860 before the effects of industrialization were felt, is assumed to have been about 290 parts per million (ppm). In the hundred years and more since then, the concentration has increased by about 10 percent. (Breuer, 1980, p. 67). Eighty percent of the worlds population accounts for just 35 percent of CO₂ emissions while the United States and Soviet Union combined are responsible for generating half. Worldwide, carbon dioxide emissions are increasing by four percent a year. (Miller, 1990, p. 450). Motor vehicles are a major cause of air pollution as is fuel burned for the heating of homes and powering industry along with the toxins emitted from stacks at coal-burning power plants. Vehicles produce high levels of carbon monoxides (CO) and a major source of hydrocarbons (HC) and nitrogen oxides (NOx), whereas, fuel combustion in stationary sources is the dominant source of sulfur dioxide (SO₂) (Breuer, 1980, p. 70).

A Delicate Balance

If the balance between the CO₂ levels in the ocean and atmosphere is disturbed by interjecting increasing amounts of CO₂, the oceans would continually absorb higher concentrations than it does naturally. The subsequent warming ocean waters are less effective in their ability to absorb CO₂ and when the oceans can no longer keep pace with the intrusion of this naturally equalized cycle, and then more CO₂ will remain in the atmosphere. Increasing the amount of CO₂ in the atmosphere is expected to result in a warming of the Earths surface accelerating the greenhouse effect. Currently carbon dioxide is responsible for 57 percent of the global warming trend. Nitrogen oxides contribute most of the atmospheric contaminants (Miller, 1990, p. 498).

The Effects of Climate Change

Unbalanced Results

Future scenarios for greenhouse gas quantities, especially regarding CO₂ and CH₄, are hardly an exact known when attempting to project future climate changes. Formulating the net greenhouse effect is complex because of its associations to supplementary aspects of energy cycles. However, the period of time that records have been kept is sufficient now so as to make comparative trends regarding the effects of climate change. One of the problems regarding to measuring global warming is that the phenomenon is not occurring in an obviously uniform and steady manner. Many areas of the world, in fact most, experience a wide variation of temperature and climactic effects from year to year (Wunderlich & Kohler, 2001). Thus the feedback from studies are vulnerable to challenges made by a minority of scientists, politicians and other citizens who have, for whatever reason, an agenda that compels them to rebuke the overwhelming evidence that man-made causes are accelerating the greenhouse effect.

Denial

Although science has identified a radically changing climate as the result of human activity, many will not admit it to themselves. A parallel here is trying to link lung cancer to smoking. There are always some people who smoke who do not get lung cancer, and some who get lung cancer who do not smoke. Yet the evidence is compelling that there is a link. Still there are always people who do not want to believe and justify their beliefs by feeding on the legitimate uncertainties that exist (Trenberth 1997). This is, essentially, the same faction of those who think that change is inevitable, that our advancing technologies will enable us to adapt to climate change as it happens. In other words just ignore the problem by continuing to pollute for economic reasons and the problem will just go away. That doesnt work for any other type of problem and wont with this one either.

The Thermohaline Effect

One would have to wonder what enormous problems this will cause not only to people and property but to the health of the global economy as a whole. Entire sections of various countries will be forced to abandon their homes and businesses. The process will be a slow and torturous one. Scientists also worry about the effects of a changing climate on the Gulf Stream, a massive ocean current which acts to warm the continent of Europe. Ocean currents transport large amounts of heat around the world: climatologists call it thermohaline circulation (THC) (Climate Crisis 2000). If it slows down or moves further south as a result of Greenland melting, Europe could end up with a climate more like that of present-day Greenland. A BBC-produced television program documented recently that Greenland is in fact melting at an alarming rate providing photographic evidence taken in the 1970s in contrast to photographs taken in the present day. This leads one to wonder if forces act to warm the climate yet at the same time cool it too, will these things balance each other to then have a neutral effect? Wishful thinking does no harm. Yes it does. Thats what much of the world leaders have done for thirty years. Thats how long we have known about the greenhouse effect, why it happened and what the results would be, but we have done little to avoid this calamity.

Harm to Crops

There are many scenarios that should be examined from a multiple of perspectives when contemplating the development of strategies for managing transformations in the global climate. One effect of global warming is that although trees could greatly benefit from an increase of CO₂, which is the prime means by which photosynthesis is processed, the long term effect to trees is as yet unclear (Hanson et al, 2000). Generally, trees can be divided into either C₃ or C₄ plants. In both groups, net CO₂ assimilation occurs in the chloroplast through the reductive pentose phosphate (RPP) pathway, or the Calvin Cycle (Monson, Edwards & Ku, 1984: 563). In the short term, forests and agricultural products will probably benefit from the increased fertilization and water efficiency effects of higher CO₂ concentrations. In the long term, the regional distribution of crops will be altered, thus requiring significant regional adaptations. Many studies have been performed; however, all they have proved thus far is that sufficient information is still not known regarding specifically how atmospheric changes may affect these innumerable components that play a role in a healthy eco-system.

Melting Ice Caps

The effects of melting snow caps and the resulting rise of sea levels have been well documented. In An Inconvenient Truth Gore systematically describes the perils to civilization potentially caused by global warming. The recent surge in land-based ice melting is alarming because of the implications for global sea levels. Land-based ice is ice propped up above sea level. If it melts, the runoff increases sea levels, if a big chunk of land ice were to melt, world sea levels could rise by up to 20 feet (Beyerstein, 2006). Gore displays a series of maps simulating the effect such a sea level rise on coastal cities in several low-lying regions of the world. Sea levels would rise by another 20 feet if a chunk of Greenland melted.

If sea levels rose by 20 to 40 feet, rain patterns would radically change and flooding would inundate many regions while others experienced droughts on an unprecedented scale. With Katrinas devastating effects on the Gulf Coast fresh in our memories, Gore notes that weve seen the effects of 200,000 refugees and to then imagine the effects of a hundred million (Chutry Experiment, 2006). Gore then demonstrates that rising water levels and the massive human misery it would cause is not the worst effect of melting ice. As Greenland melts, cold water mixes into the warm Gulf Stream currents in the Atlantic which acts to keep Europe warmer than other regions of similar latitude. If this warmer current turns cold, as it would if half of Greenland melted, a present-day ice age would envelope all of Europe. Rising temperatures also give rise to more violent storms by increasing evaporation from the seas (Chutry Experiment, 2006).

Lesser Known Effects

Other effects of global warming are known but not as universally. A reduction of snow cover in addition to lake and sea ice will have dire consequences for locations at higher latitudes and lower elevations, especially in the winter and spring months. At increased temperatures, the atmospheric water vapor and resulting precipitation will be proportionately higher (Wunderlich & Kohler, 2001). Cloud compositions will change which will amplify the greenhouse effect. The increased levels of precipitation because of the warming at the Polar Regions will increase the effect. Shifting vegetation patterns, types and regional variations, will cause major human adaptations, the degree to which is open to speculation.

The elevated evaporation rate will hasten the drying effect of soil subsequent to rainfall which will result in drier conditions in many regions. Places that presently suffer through periodic drought conditions in the warmer months will be hardest hit. The more rapid water recycling rate will result in heavier rainfall amounts and the number of extreme rainfall events. Higher rainfall rates will cause increased tropical storm intensity in addition to the warmer temperatures. Hurricanes may be even more frequent and intense than presently predicted. As horrific as this near-future scenario is, it remains the land masses that will suffer the greatest changes as a result of the greenhouse effect. Temperatures are expected to increase more rapidly over land compared to oceans because of the oceans higher heat capacity and because it can transfer more of the trapped heat to the atmosphere by evaporation. Over land, the warming has been and is expected to continue to be larger during nighttime than during daytime (Wunderlich & Kohler, 2001).

Conclusion

If the past 30 years are any indication, then the answer is no. Noticeable effects of global warming are fairly insignificant right now to the average person, but its effects are unquestionably growing in scale. If the population of the planet were to immediately discontinue polluting the air with carbon dioxide emissions, climate changes would still continue long into the future. This is because of the long lifetimes of carbon dioxide (centuries) and other greenhouse gases in the atmosphere and because of the thermal inertia of the oceans. The oceans overturn very slowly and take hundreds of years to adjust fully to changes, so that manifestations of changes that have already occurred are not yet fully seen (Trenberth 1997).

It is vitally important that the people of the world realize that we have set in motion an experiment on planet Earth which we cannot simply turn off because we finally realized the dire consequences. If we injure the planet in this selfish, cataclysmic method, we kill future generations of humankind. Agriculture activity, land masses and the very air we breathe will suffer a radical change from the effects of global warming, but to what degree? The projected rate of climate change is very alarming to many scientists but not as much to politicians as this topic isnt as high on the political agenda as some others. It seems that the world leaders have no sense of urgency about them regarding global warming. They place great importance on the popular items of the day such as education, crime, economics and war so as to be reelected but if they dont address this issue, there will be nothing to politicize in the future as we will have no future. Reasonable people of all backgrounds and nationalities agree that if CO₂ emissions are not greatly reduced and soon, the resulting greenhouse effect will alter the climate and possibly the sustainability of humankind.

Works Cited

Breuer, Georg. Air in Danger: Ecological Perspectives of the Atmosphere. New York: Cambridge University Press. (1980). Cited in Air Pollution Causes and Effects by Tom Socha. Web.

Beyerstein, Lindsay. An Inconvenient Truth: Review. Magikthese. (2006). Web.

(The) Chutry Experiment. An Inconvenient Truth. (2006). Web.

Climate Crisis: All Change in the UK? BBC News. (2000). Web.

Hansen, J., M. Sato, R. Ruedy, A. Lacis, and V. Oinas. Global Warming in the Twenty-first Century: An Alternative Scenario. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. Vol. 97, pp. 9875-9880. (2000).

Miller, G. Tyler. Living in the Environment: An Introduction to Environmental Science. Belmont: Wadsworth. (1990). Cited in Air Pollution Causes and Effects by Tom Socha. Web.

Monson, Russell K.; Edwards, Gerald E.; Ku, Maurice S.B. C₃-C₄ Intermediate Photosynthesis in Plants. Bioscience. Vol. 34, N. 9, pp. 563-566 + 577-574. (1984).

Trenberth, Kevin E. Global Warming: Its Happening. National Center for Atmospheric Research. (1997). Web.

Wunderlich, Gooloo S.; Kohler, Peter O. Improving the Quality of Long-Term Care. The National Academies Press. p.18. (2001).

Introduction

To effectively mitigate the effects of global warming in my community, my team would be composed of three experts in different disciplines that are closely connected to the environment. In understanding that calls for green technology and greater investments in environmental solutions, I would take with me Prof. Hannington Brown, an expert in Atmospheric Research and Applied Meteorology, Dr. Kenneth Checkle, A Leed Professional and Engineer Mohammed Al Husami, a Civil and Environmental Engineer.

The first team

My first expert team Member, Prof. Brown will bring a lot of information on the changes that occur in the atmosphere. According to American Meteorological Society Atmospheric Research and Applied Meteorology is a discipline that seeks answers to a number of questions that directly affect our environment. By the application of some of the most complicated and high tech computes to collect and analyze both past and present data in the global atmospheric temperature trends, Prof.

Brown would bring in the much needed data to assess the present and past global warming trends to enable us carry out a comparative analysis and come up with vital statistics on the rate at which our globe is warming up. They also are studying interactions among the atmosphere and the oceans, the polar ice caps, and the earths plants and animals; these studies are part of a growing field that is known as global change research or earth systems science (American Meteorological Society).

In addition to the above, he will be instrumental in this team of experts in coming up with vital statistics on the rising levels of carbon dioxide and other trace gases that are as a result of human activities. The major sources of these gases and carbon dioxide can be detected and mitigation measures put in place. Finally, the availability and expertise in the handling of super fast computers that are able to analyze the complex simulations and vast quantities of data are within the grasp and knowledge of Atmospheric Research and Applied Meteorologists.

The second team

The second expert team member, Dr. Kenneth Checkle is a lead professional with 31 years in accepted environmental design and green building technology. Leed technology credential attests to basic knowledge and skills in understanding and supporting green design, construction, and operations (American Meteorological Society). After retrieving data from Prof. Brown, there is the obvious need to make sure that these data translate to better environmental management.

His approach to combat global warming would be based on his expertise to make use of the green technology in enhancing the capacity of institutions, governments, companies, car manufactures and other stake holders to make use of green technology in their productions. While Dr. Checkles contribution to the team will be in its advance stages, there is need to include him from the beginning and receive his expert views on how data can be translated to benefit the overall strategy in reducing the effect of global warming.

The third team

The third and last expert team member will be Engineer Mohammed Al Husami, a Civil and Environmental Engineer with over twenty years in identifying and designing practical solutions for environmental problems today and in the future. Environmental engineers possess the scientific and technical knowledge to identify, design, build, and operate systems that make modern society possible in that in addition to being a field for doing, the environmental engineering field and environmental engineering education are multi-disciplinary (CWRU).

Conclusion

In conclusion, I believe this team has all the necessary knowledge, expertise and experience to address the issue of global warming.

Works Cited

American Meteorological Society. Challenges of our Changing Atmosphere. 1993. Web.

CWRU. What is Environmental Engineering? 2010. Web.

There is a number of science and fiction works on global warming covering this issue from different angles. The philosophical work of the American professor of ethical sciences Sinnott-Armstrong approaches the phenomenon of global warming in terms of individual and collective responsibility. The author is convinced that global warming exists and that it has the potential to become a significant problem (Sinnott-Armstrong, 2005). As if stirring up readers interest, Sinnott-Armstrong, in the first section of his work, outlines the biological aspect of warming and, throughout the following pages, makes little reference to it. The main question that the professor addresses is determining the moral responsibility of the individual for their contribution to global warming.

It is not my fault: global warming and individual moral obligations consists of several chapters designed to gradually bring the reader to the main idea of the author. It is worth considering that the article is constructed in the form of an interview, where the correspondent and the respondents are the same people. In the article, there are fifteen different views on human moral behavior. For each of the rules and principles, Sinnott-Armstrong gives his own opinion, which is supported by examples. It should be noted that while the author agrees with some principles (your actions should not harm people), he refutes others.

The professors research work is rich in illustrative examples that allow the reader to perceive the authors thoughts. With examples of a Sunday trip or cyanide pouring into a river followed by human poisoning, Sinnott-Armstrong seeks to demonstrate that the moral responsibility of the individual is insignificant concerning what can be done about global warming (Sinnott-Armstrong, 2005). In other words, the central thesis of the American professor and philosopher is that there is no single persons responsibility to the global problem.

References

Sinnott-Armstrong, W. (2005). Its not my fault: global warming and individual moral obligations. Web.

The responsibility of people regarding global warming and its prevention is a fact underpinned by theories aimed at describing the connection between their actions and the negative outcome in terms of this problem. This situation is complicated by the lack of awareness of the scope of the potential influence of the world population and the unwillingness to take measures until the crisis emerges. Therefore, it is no wonder that the concerns of geography include both climate and demography since these notions are interrelated (Hunt & Colander, 2016). From this perspective, social science can serve as the link between humans and nature, which is essential for the resolution of the specified issue. Indeed, it is difficult to cover all the aspects of the matter, such as agriculture, transportation, fossil fuel mining, and many others. Meanwhile, it is clear that any kind of human activity inevitably affects the issue of global warming, sometimes in the most unexpected ways.

The inability to find a balance between human needs and the consequences of their realization for the environment leads to conflict resulting in global warming. However, indeed, the situation is not improving under the influence of numerous initiatives and policies developed by world governments (Smelser & Reed, 2012). It allows a conclusion on the necessity to take personal responsibility for the outcomes of human activity. Considering the rapid pace of climate change and global warming combined with the lack of modifications in terms of the necessity to readjust the political efforts, individual actions seem to be an optimal approach. Meanwhile, it is impossible to assess the usefulness of this approach due to the absence of prior evidence. Therefore, its benefits for the resolution of the specified issues remain dubious.

References

Hunt, E. & Colander, D. (2016). Social science: An introduction to the study of society (15^th ed.). Routledge.

Smelser, N. J., & Reed, J. S. (2012). Usable social science. University of California Press.

One of the major issues confronting the current world is global warming. Scientists have argued that our production of greenhouse gases and carbon dioxide is having an impact of heating on the atmosphere, and as a result, this could be harmful to for human life. The Global warming is a bad phenomenon that is causing to see level raise, change weather pattern, and create alteration in animal life.

Many problems are associated with global warming. Among them, the biggest one is rising sea level. This can lead to flooding of low-lying coastal cities and areas, for example, Egypt, Bangladesh and the Netherlands. There is a possibility that some nations can totally disappear! Global warming also causes changes in weather patterns. Some parts of the world are experiencing floods, increased hurricanes, and other unusual weather. Thirdly, global warming is associated with some effects on animals. For instance, a population of fish stands to be affected, while some insects that spread diseases may become prevalent (Treberth et al., 2014).

There are some things we as the human can execute in solving the global warming problems. One of them is to quit producing carbon dioxide. This can be achieved by switching from coal, gas and oil to renewable energy. Also, we can solve the problem by planting trees. Trees produce oxygen while absorbing carbon dioxide. Additionally, we can utilize less energy and recycle more products. When we generate electricity we, increase the levels of carbon dioxide. Using less electricity will consequently reduce C02 levels (Treberth et al., 2014).

In conclusion, we need to make small changes in the way we live so that we avoid huge alterations in the future. Governments, scientists, and everyone must pull together to overcome this impending danger.

Increase in Sea Levels

Since the Industrial Revolution, global warming is the major contributor to the rise in the global sea levels. Burning oil and cutting down the forested areas cause the increase in the concentration of the heat-trapping gases that exist in the atmosphere. Thus, since 1880, our planet has already warmed by 1.5°F. Furthermore, the rise in the air temperature also contributes to the warming of the ocean waters. The land ice such as ice sheets and glaciers store more than a half of the global reserves of fresh water and is also declining due to the increase in the temperature. The devastating result is that the majority of the global glaciers, including the Greenland ice sheet, are rapidly loosing ice thus adding unnecessary amounts of water to the oceans (Union of Concerned Scientists, 2013).

Other factors like land sinking and the change in ocean currents also greatly contribute to the rise in the sea levels. Such influences are the major contributors to the hot spots that face the above-average local sea levels, namely the Gulf and East coasts of the U.S. The issue of rising in sea levels is important because a third of the States population lives in the coastal areas. Furthermore, the pre-coastal areas account for approximately forty percent of the countrys GDP. Florida, California, North Carolina, South Carolina, and Louisiana are the coastal states that are extremely vulnerable to the flooding caused by the warming in temperature. The mentioned states have residents that live less than 3.3 feet above the rising tides. Depending on the future emissions of greenhouse houses and the resulting loss of land ice, the average sea level might increase to a higher level in the following century (Union of Concerned Scientists, 2013).

Weather Change

Almost all weather events are nowadays influenced by the changes in climate caused by global warming. While the variousness of nature remains a great contributor to extreme weather, global warming increases its influence with every year. Indeed, the extreme changes in the weather conditions that are more likely to occur in the warming climate continue to appear. On the other hand, the understanding of how global warming influences the changes in weather continues to expand. Since warmer air means more moisture, the recent changes in precipitation are greater than the changes predicted by the majority of climate models (Treberth et al., 2011).

Negative Effects on Animals

The climate changes caused by global warming have enormous negative effects on the wildlife as well as domestic animals. The increasing temperature alongside with the increases in humidity and precipitation are the main contributors to the diseases spread among all animals; however, the wildlife is under a greater among all. In the territories situated in the Northern Hemisphere, the global warming has been a major contributor to the parasitic diseases with complex life cycles. For instance, the black-legged tick that carries an array of dangerous diseases including the Lyme diseases has been spreading throughout North America, harming the local wildlife and stock. When it comes to Europe, the bean tick that transmits similar diseases has been spotted in Swede and Norway. The likely reason for this issue for this are the migrating birds that carry the feeding ticks (USGS, 2012).

Research Justification

The sources used in the assignment include the USGS report on Climate Change and Wildlife Health that provides in-depth information on the affects of global warming on the worlds wildlife as well as domestic animals. The report offers an analysis of the changes in the planets ecosystem as well as provides imagery such as photographs, maps, and graphs that support the outlined claims. Furthermore, the wildlife diseases are examined carefully alongside with drawing a conclusion that global warming and changes in climate are one of the main contributors to the decline of the animal population around the globe. The second source used is a report conducted by the Climate Communication organization on the Current Extreme Weather and Climate Change. Again, the report includes graphs and images that present the factual material in a visual manner while the main body of the report supports and explains the factual data. The report outlines such issues as the decrease in cold weather, precipitation, floods and droughts are the main problems caused by the global warming.

The fact sheet created by the Union of Concerned Scientists on Causes of Sea Level Rise is a well-researched article that outlines the significant changes in climate influenced by the global warming. Lastly, the article written by Treberth et al. gives a profound review of the changes in the global drought. The weaknesses of the presented assignment may include the lack of detailed exploration; however it is justified by the fact that such an extensive topic is complicated to cover in a couple of pages. The strongest point is that the main issues caused by global warming are outlined with the use of scientific reports and articles provided as references.

References

Treberth, K. E., Dai, A., van der Schrier, G., Jones, P. D., Barichivich, J., Briffa, K. R., & Sheffield, J. (2014). Global warming and changes in drought. Nature Climate Change, 4(1), 17-22.

Treberth, K., Meehl, J., Masters, L., & Somerville, R. (2011). Current Extreme Weather and Climate Change. Web. 

Union of Concerned Scientists. (2013). Causes of Sea Level Rise. 

USGS. (2012). Climate Change and Wildlife Health: Direct and Indirect Effects. Web. 

Is climate change natural? Is global warming a myth? Essay samples like this one will help you find the answer. Check it out if you need to write a global warming is not a myth essay.

Forewords

Whether global warming is a theory or a reality has been a matter of debate over the years. In fact, global warming and the evident climatic change poses as one of the most controversial, unclear, and highly debated phenomena in the world today with proponents and skeptics taking different sides of the argument.

While the proponents of global warming strongly believe that the phenomenon is a reality and is greatly responsible for the variations in climate witnessed in the last few years resulting from increased emission of greenhouse gases (Proctor, 2009), the skeptics and those opposed to the concept of global warming have dismissed it as a mere myth or rather an assumption with no-scientific evidence linking it to anthropogenic activities and which is greatly non-apprehensive (Wollstein, 2007).

In their own argument, the proponents of global warming argue that the increased human activities that have led to increased emission of greenhouse gases such as carbon dioxide into the atmosphere are responsible for the erratic climatic changes and global warming (Wollstein, 2007).

Although scientists are yet to come up with a comprehensive and clear scientific evidence linking the changing climatic changes with the depletion of ozone layer due to increased emission of greenhouse gases (the latter of which are believed to be the craft behind the global warming phenomenon), the recent suspicious climatic variations, steadily increasing temperatures and depletion of ice cover are indications that global warming issue may not be a myth after all (IPCC, 2001).

For instance, the recent unprecedented global variations in climatic conditions have escalated further the worlds worlds global warming debate.

Furthermore, the 1997 El Nino coupled with scores of other climatic signs that appear to evidence the myth of the global warming has turned the world attention to the phenomenon leading to staging of global platform to discuss the issues and seek solutions with a unified objective of saving the world from the looming catastrophe (IPCC, 2001).

One of the most famous and recent such conferences is the Kyoto conference which was held in Japan in 1997 and that sought to discuss the global warming phenomenon as well as find suitable solution to either prevent its escalation or mitigate the effects of the same.

As a result, the conference led to the participantsparticipants consensus on global warming and ended with the signing of an international decree to stem further emission of greenhouse gases to stem global warming, famously known as the Kyoto protocol (COP-3, 1997).

Irrespective of the fact that the partial consensus on global warming greatly brought out the issue of global warming as reality, skeptics and a number of climate scientist have stepped forward to disapprove that global warming is in indeed a reality and that gases emissions as a result of human activities were responsible for global warming and evidenced variations in climate.

This paper, therefore, presents an in-depth argument for the global warming theory and aims at disapproving skeptics of global warming that it is indeed a reality and not a myth. It seeks to prove that it is indeed human activities that are responsible for global warming, particular via increased emission of greenhouse gases-predominantly CO2.

The changing climatic conditions

The underlying principle behind the global warming phenomena and the ensuing debate is the unprecedented variations in climate that continues to be witnessed in different parts of the world (IPCC, 2001). Ideally, such changes in climate can be vividly observed and undeniable even by the skeptics.

Although the observed changing climatic conditions are greatly reliant on global climatic trends observation rather than global climate models, the worlds worlds scientist (including the skeptics of the future global warming) have unanimously accepted that there are unusual and unmatched variations in the global climate and which have steadily continued to change over the last few decades.

However, those opposed to global warming have adamantly continued to refute the proponents augment that climate changes are a direct result of increased emission of greenhouse gases, particularly carbon dioxide into the atmosphere resulting from increased human activities (Wollstein, 2007).

As such, the latter has dismissed the global warming issue as a myth that can hardly be proven by scientific evidence. However, facts about suspicious variations in climatic conditions greatly raised the alarm and presented an authentic pedestal for proponents to stage their argument for global warming.

Greenhouse gases & the changing global temperatures

According to the proponents of global warming, irrespective of the fact that water vapor is the largest constituent of greenhouse gases, its concentration in the atmosphere has been proven to be consistent in determining temperature trends (Wollstein, 2007).

According to the latter, enhanced human activities have led to increased concentration of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere, including carbon dioxide that is consistently being emitted from the burning of fossil fuels and increased deforestation.

Furthermore, emissions from global wetlands, termites and world water bodies particularly oceans coupled with gaseous emissions from ruminant animals, rice paddies, natural gases operations, and landfills among other sources of natural methane have led to an indisputable increase in the concentration of methane and related gases in the atmosphere (Archer, 2005).

In addition, Archer argues that increased use of nitrogen fertilizers in agriculture has led to an escalation in the levels of nitrous oxide and related gases in the atmosphere. Furthermore, the role of human activities in global warming is greatly evidenced by the fact that any of the chlorofluorocarbons have no known natural sources. Hence, their increased concentration in the atmosphere is solely as a result of human activities.

According to Proctor (2009), scientific evidence reveals that higher concentration of greenhouse gases are associated with higher temperature based on the underpinning evidence that the increasing concentration of greenhouse gases keep the globe warmer than it could have been if such gases were less concentrated than they are present.

From the facts, it has been proven that durations that have in the past been characterized by high levels of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere recorded higher temperature levels with the vice versa also holding to be true (Hansen, 2006).

The latter argues that the presence of increasing levels of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere has seen the earth temperature escalate by approximately 50oF, an implication that the surface temperature would have been 50oF lower than it currently is if such gases were virtually absent in the atmosphere.

According to the proponents of global warming (Archer, 2005), the increasing concentration of greenhouse gases has the potential for influencing global climate change long in the future after their emission into the atmosphere.

This is particularly because the greenhouse gases have a long life and long term atmospheric effects ranging from a decade for methane gases, approximately a century for carbon dioxide to one and half-century for nitrous oxide gases; a factor that has made the climatic system to have high climatic inertia, basically as a result of long lifetimes of the oceanic dynamical processes.

Irrespective of the fact that the degree of cooling effects from the sulfate particles that constitute sulfur dioxide has not been clearly ascertained, there is slight evidence that the higher their concentration in the atmosphere, the lower the global temperature as a result of their cooling effects.

Contracting evidence also points out the depletion of the ozone has had a positive contribution to global cooling, a factor that supports the global warming theory (Archer, 2005).

Over the last decade, however, evidence from the climate scientists approximates that the global temperatures have increased by a range of 0.3oC and 0.7oC (PIRCS, 1998).

The latter asserts that despite the fact that natural factors have played a role in the variations of the climatic condition and that it is almost impossible to accurately ascertain the contributions of human activities, increased greenhouse gases emission and resulting global warming in the same, the fact is that the latter is real, and its contributions to the changing global climatic conditions is equally significant.

However, the proof of global warming and its contribution to global climatic variations greatly depend on the ability and accuracy of the climatic scientists as well as the proponents of global warming to significantly reduce the uncertainty on the role of clouds variations, changes in water vapor, ice, oceanic circulation as well as regional variation of the respective climatic conditions (PIRCS, 1998).

Is global warming a myth?: Skeptics argument

Despite the presence of massive substantiation of global warming (that ranges from instrumental surface temperature records, withdrawer of mountain glaciers, and borehole temperature trends to blanching of coral reefs) those opposed to global warming theory have cited two main studies to push their argument through.

First, although the satellite temperature measurements from 1979 cited in Christy, Spencer & McNider (1995) revealed evidence of warming, skeptics argued that the later was only half the value of surface temperature values in this time.

Furthermore, an empirical survey in 1995 suggested that variations in the seasons cycle were solely responsible for the witnessed variations in the global temperatures (IPCC, 1995). However, the study failed to present any link whatsoever to radioactive forcing for the identification of the physical processes responsible for the variations.

In effect, the studies have been dismissed by the proponents of global warming as lacking in authenticity and apprehensiveness, thus requiring further investigations and falling short of the ability to offer a substantial base for anyone to conclude that global warming is a myth (Wollstein, 2007).

The global warming skeptics, while dismissing the proponents argument that the increase in the global temperature is as a result of increased emission of greenhouse gases, they argued that the steady increase in the worlds temperatures over the past a hundred and thirty years was still evident in the early years of the 20th century long before the purported inflation of carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases began (Wollstein, 2007).

As a result, skeptics argue that the warming must have been as a result of variation in natural factors and not a result of anthropogenic causes (Proctor, 2009).

However, the proof of the cooling effects and brightening of clouds by sulfate particles of sulfur dioxide, which results from the combustion of coal by human beings, counters the earlier argument by the skeptics presenting an ideal prove that global warming has a high possibility of having an anthropogenic link.

Global warming is not a myth: what proponents say?

The militant proponents of global warming theory continue to insist that the globe is greatly threatened by the steadily increasing levels of greenhouse gases and which poses a potential of completely bringing to the end of life of the human race as well as all other forms of life on earth (Wollstein, 2007).

According to the latter, the basic cause of global warming and which is currently being evidenced by drastic variations in climatic conditions is the increased emission of greenhouse gases  mainly carbon dioxide from anthropogenic sources which includes but not limited to emission from cars, widespread industries and factories, barbecues grills or even via the most natural act of breathing.

Going by the proponentsproponents theory of global warming and which the latter has presented as mere facts, it is only a comprehensive drastic reduction in emission of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere, which can, in fact, save the world from the imminent danger of extinction (Wollstein, 2007).

At one point, the proponents of the global warming have asserted that continued debate on the global warming phenomenon was greatly uncalled for and its time long gone in fact suggested that the global warming skeptics needed to be categorized and treated as Islamic terrorists as their continued skeptics meant the end of human race (Proctor, 2009).

The current worsening of climatic conditions under increased anthropogenic operations and increased atmospheric pollution greatly justify the seriousness in which the proponents have taken the issue of global warming. In fact, they adamantly continue to insist that the international scientists must unanimously reach a consensus that global warming is a reality and not a myth as skeptics would like to make people believe.

The proponents have relentlessly carried on with their endeavor to prove to the people that global warming is a direct result of human activities and the resultant atmospheric pollution via emission of greenhouse gases predominantly CO2.

As such, the proponents of global warming have tended to dismiss the global warming skeptics as either industrial trills, unbelievably misadvised individuals, or simply evil fellows who should not be allowed to mislead others further, thus deserving immediate silencing (Proctor, 2009).

At one point, Jackstraw  the British foreign secretary  the latter of whom is a strong proponent of global warming, indicated that skeptics deserved being treated the same as supporters of Islamic terrorists who didnt even deserve to be allowed access to the media.

Also, grist magazine in the representation of true believers of global warming strongly indicated that climatic change was a result of anthropogenic activities, thus suggested that those who adamantly continued to deny this fact be tried using Nuremberg-style war crime (Wollstein, 2007).

The proponents win: signing of the Kyoto protocol

In what seemed initially as the proponents win, the international conference that was held in Tokyo Japan in 1997 and which sought to reach consensus that global warming and the climate change were direct results of human activities particularly via admission of greenhouse gases into the atmosphere, led to the signing of the Kyoto protocol by almost all the participants (COP-3, 1997).

In fact, the nations represented in the conference unanimously agreed that increased emission of greenhouse gases predominantly carbon dioxide was the chief cause of global warming and responsible for the evidenced climatic change. As such, the objective of the conference i.e., basically to seek effective ways of acquiring control of carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases, was achieved by the signing of the accord.

In effect, the decree bound all its signatories to exhibit responsibility in the absolute control of greenhouse emission by controlling anthropogenic activities that led to the same as a desperate measure of salvaging the earth from the potentially imminent extinction (COP-3, 1997).

Conclusion

All facts point out that the ranging debate on whether global warming is a myth or reality has been squarely won by global warming proponents. Ideally, the effects of global warming evidenced by drastic and live threatening variations in the global climatic conditions and increasing world temperatures are vivid and indisputable and provide ideal pedestals for proponents to place their argument for global warming.

Although there is little evidence by the proponents linking global warming with the anthropogenic sources i.e. human activities that leads to emissions of greenhouse gases chiefly carbon dioxide, the skeptics have adamantly denied the role of human beings in the same without even little evidence to substantiate their claim or to virtually detach human activities and emission of greenhouse gases from global warming.

All evidence points out that global warming is not a myth but an absolute reality, and just as proponents insist, the time for debate is long gone, and drastic measures need to be taken to control such activities as a last resort to save planet earth from potentially imminent extinction.

Reference List

Archer, D. (2005). Fate of fossil fuel CO2 in geologic time: Journal of Geophysical Research 110 (C9): p.163

Christy, J., Spencer, R., & McNider, R. T. (1995). Reducing noise in the MSU daily lower tropospheric global temperature data set. J. Climate 8,888-896.

COP-3, 1997: United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change, Conference of Parties  3, Kyoto, Japan.

Hansen, J. (2006-01-12). Goddard Institute for Space Studies, GISS Surface Temperature Analysis, NASA Goddard Institute for Space Studies.

IPCC (1995). Summary for Policymakers: The Science of Climate Change. IPCC Working Group.

IPCC, (2001). Global Warming: The Early Signs; An Increasing Body Of Observations Gives A Collective Picture Of A Warming World And Other Changes In The Climate System, Climate hot map.

PIRCS, (1998). Project to Intercompare Regional Climate Simulations, Iowa State University. Web.

Proctor, J. (2009). Is Global Warming a Myth? How to respond to people who doubt the human impact on the climate: scientific American.

Wollstein, J. (2007). Global Warming: Myths and Reality, ISIL home.