Global Warming Essay

Global Warming

Global warming is the rise in the average temperature of the Earth’s surface and oceans. This has contributed to the changes in climatic patterns globally. Global warming has been attributed to a number of causes, ranging from natural to human. However, global warming has been used to refer to the increase in temperatures that occurs from the increased emissions of greenhouse gases as a result of human activities. The term “global warming” can be traced to a 1975 paper named “Are we on the blink of a pronounced global warming?” It was later popularized by the “Stop Global Warming” campaign after a NASA scientist, James Hansen, testified before the US senate in 1988.

The high dependence by industries who freely burn fossil fuels which are cheaply accessible and are not considered “clean” sources of energy with a view of making huge profits, has led to the increased levels of greenhouse gases such as carbon dioxide. This coupled with the fact that governments and leading corporations are big stakeholders in the energy sector and their appreciation that each person while conducting their daily activities requires energy, does not help the situation. The increased carbon dioxide in the atmosphere, otherwise known as “the greenhouse effect” is capable of altering the terrains, from melting glaciers to expanding savannahs and deserts. (Oerlemans, 1994) In the last century, nine out of the eleven hottest years have occurred after 1985 which is an inconsistent trend over history. (Haines, McMichael & Epstein, 2000)

Global warming has been observed to affect people in different zones in different ways. While temperate areas may experience “warmer” winters and a boost in their crop production people in other areas may suffer from increasing heat waves, rising sea levels and experience droughts. Their crops may also not be able to adapt to the new climatic changes.