Global Warming

Global warming is among the significant crisis that threatens the natural ecosystem of planet earth. Precisely, the average surface temperature has increased exponentially year after year for the past two centuries. Global warming is a consequence of the greenhouse effect caused by human activity and has the potential to disrupt the earth’s ecosystem adversely.

Causes Global Warming

Typically, warming begins when the sunlight reaches the earth. The sunlight has ultraviolet radiation that is partly absorbed by the earth surface, and about 30% is reflected in the space by the shiny earth’s surfaces (Kweku et al. 2). The 70% absorbed by the oceans, land and air warms the earth making is habitable. As the heat buildup, excess energy is forced out of the earth’s surface according to the second law of thermodynamics. Due to conversions, the energy is released into space as weak infrared energy, and the feedback loop continues.

However, the earth’s atmosphere has greenhouse gases that absorb infrared radiation. Thus, the energy is not emitted into space, by continues to build up as heat, causing the global warming (Kweku et al. 3). Greenhouse house gases that absorb infrared radiation include carbon (iv) oxide, methane, oxides of Nitrogen, water vapour, and compounds of carbon. They affect the warming cycle by the greenhouse effect. In that perspective, global warming is generally associated with the greenhouse effect. That is, instead of energy from the sun coming and leaving in full amounts according to the second law of thermodynamics, some amount is continuously trapped in the atmosphere, increasing the earth’s surface temperature.

The natural greenhouse effect is a critical phenomenon, but human-induced greenhouse effect is the root cause of the global warming catastrophe. Notably, in the past century, the amounts of greenhouse gasses have increased at alarming rates, which has led to significant tapping of infrared radiation, hence exponential warming (Kweku et al. 5). The induction is caused by increased industrial activity that has pumped CO₂, Nitrous oxides, and Methane gasses in the air (Shahzad n.p). Besides, most sinks for CO₂ such as vegetation has significantly reduced through deforestation.

Futuristic Effects of Global Warming

Global warming may cause adverse effects on the environment and living things. Concerning the environment, the climate is likely to change in the following ways (Shahzad n.p). The vapor that is held in the atmosphere will fall to cause catastrophic rains. Also, the evaporation rate from the land and the ocean will increase, causing some hotter parts of the world lack rains, hence drought. Consequently, parts of the world that bare snow will change into drylands. Glaciers will melt, and the water bodies will rise to flood the earth. Also, the earth may experience negative temperature anomalies.

Concerning living things, most will suffer famine due to droughts and floods. The environmental changes will lead to migrations, which will cause underlying impacts such as outbreak and spread of diseases, wars for resources, and death of weak species according to the law of natural selection. However, global warming may lead to the realization of the impending danger and intervention by human beings. Some intervention may include reduced usage of carbon fuels, reduced deforestation and to increase forest cover, and use of renewable energy.

Works Cited

Kweku, Darkwah et al. “Greenhouse Effect: Greenhouse Gases And Their Impact On Global Warming”. Journal Of Scientific Research And Reports, vol 17, no. 6, 2018, pp. 1-9. Sciencedomain International, doi:10.9734/jsrr/2017/39630. Accessed 7 May 2020.

Shahzad, Umair. “Global Warming: Causes, Effects and Solutions.” D u r r e e s a m i n J o u r n a l 1.4 (2014).