Free Custom «Causes of Global Warming» Essay Paper

Global warming describes a phenomenon where the average temperatures across the planet are observed to have increased significantly in the last century. Global warming and climate change have been considered grievous problems by environmentalists and scientists. Climate change has powered the conviction that the globe is soon going to perish and self-destruct. Natural and human (anthropogenic) activities have been blamed as the causes of global warming and climate change.

Causes of Global Warming

As most scientists would agree, global warming is caused by an increase in greenhouse gases such as carbon dioxide. Scientists have chosen seven indicators that show the presence or occurrence of global warming. These indicators include increase in tropospheric temperatures, humidity, temperatures over water bodies, increase in sea level, higher sea surface temperatures, increased temperature over land, and the ocean heat content. A decrease in the following factors also points to global warming, glacier cover, snow cover, and sea ice.

The greenhouse effect, named a leading cause of global warming, is a complicated scientific process. As we know, the Earth derives most of its energy from the Sun. This energy controls the global weather and climate and heats the earth surface. Some energy is absorbed by the earth’s surface while the rest is radiated back into space. It has been observed that some atmospheric gases such as carbon dioxide, water vapor, and carbon monoxide trap some energy from leaving the atmosphere. This results in the greenhouse effect. This problem has been metamorphosing since the beginning of the industrial revolution. The widespread use of coal, petroleum, and other fossil fuels causes emission of carbon dioxide. This gas is suspected to be the main culprit in causing the greenhouse effect. Other anthropogenic activities that lead to the greenhouse effect include deforestation, the use of motor vehicles, and mining.

Effects of Global Warming

The problem caused by the accumulation of the sun’s heat is explained by the rise in global temperatures. Global warming has contributed to climate change. In the past decades, the earth has witnessed increasing cases of tsunamis, hurricanes, extended drought and famine seasons, rising sea levels and rapid loss of glacial cover.

Arguments Proposing the Authenticity of the Global Warming Problem

Proponents of the global warming accept that it has always been there, and climate change is not an entirely new phenomenon. Over many years of scientific observation, NASA has given numerous reports proving the existence of climate change even prior to the current global warming. This leads to the question why we are suddenly exited and shocked by climate change if it has been there all along. Scientists answer to this question by arguing that climate change occurred as a result of natural causes and a natural check. However, nowadays, the climate change has been induced by human interference. This has put the planet out of its equilibrium.

Some scientists blame the Sun for global warming and climate change. It is said that the Sun has slowly been inching towards the Earth. This can be proven by the fact that the temperature on Jupiter, which is not habited by human beings, has also increased significantly.

Arguments against the Authenticity of the Global Warming Problem

Skeptics of the whole global warming story are quickly gaining audience and support from the masses. These skeptics first question the reliability of data used to calculate global warming. For instance, the fact that some weather stations are located near towns leads to the risk of their results being corrupted by the microenvironment. The skeptics have also questioned the reliability of the models used to calculate and prove global warming. According to the skeptics, the models are computer-generated and susceptible to errors. Furthermore, recent cold temperatures and increase in glacier cover in Alaska havae generated momentum for skeptics.