The Alarming Issue of a Warming Earth

The Issue

Some of the scientists, I believe, haven’t they been changing their opinion a little bit on global warming? There’s a lot of differing opinions and before we react I think it’s best to have the full accounting, full understanding of what’s taking place. - GEORGE W. BUSH

Climate Change and Global Warming

Are you affected by the change in the earth's temperature? Why Should We Be Concerned about a Warmer Earth? Do you really know the issues of climate change and global warming? Every one has to be aware of the two issues not only on the concepts involved but also on the solutions we have to adapt for sustainability.

Everyone, almost everybody and the whole entire humanity are now faced with the alarming issues on climate change and global warming. Everyone accepts that climate change is a major issue that affects Mother Earth. Thus making us eventually realized that it is an issue that confronts the entire humanity in the 21st century. An issue that undoubtedly affects not only our country being an archipelago in the biggest ocean of the earth but the whole planet as well. Based on the results of researches and scientific studies, the climatic rise in the world’s temperature, the sea level rise and coastal flooding, abnormal weather patterns, unusually warm weather heat waves, ocean warming, devastating typhoons and tornadoes, El Niño and la Niña, heavy snowfalls in many parts of the world, increased ranges of pests, drought and fires, and loss of biodiversity are the life-threatening results of climate change. As we experienced these phenomena and environmental surprises, we are beginning to realize that climate change is not just an accidental occurrence. We are now aware that the big bulk of problem on climate change is brought about by many years of human recklessness in dealing with the whole natural world… with Mother Earth.

According to several studies, a rapid increase in the temperature of the troposphere would give us little time to deal with and has harmful effect. What do we mean by that? Scientists involved with climate studies warn that it is not just about temperature change but how fast it occurs. The fairly sharp projected increase in temperature of the troposphere at present gives a big disparity in the changes of temperature over thousands of years to a hundred thousand years. According to the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), there is a 90-99% chance that this will be the fastest temperature change of the past 1,000 years. This rapid change might affect the availability of water resources by altering the rates of evaporation and precipitation. It can affect the areas for crop to grow. It can also alter some ocean currents, increase average sea levels and can cause flood in some wetlands, cities and low-lying islands. Likewise, it can also change the structure and location of the world’s biomes and could affect the economic and social fabric of various societies in the entire world. Within a few decades or a century, scientists say that the projected increase in the earth’s atmosphere will give us little time to be able to deal with its effects. These predictions and the results of studies as well were supported by a 2003 analysis conducted by Peter Schwartz and Doug Randall. They therefore concluded that global warming “must be viewed as a serious threat to global stability and should be elevated beyond a scientific debate."

Global Warming and Greenhouse Effect

The world is warming up because carbon dioxide from smoke and car exhausts collect in the atmosphere and traps some of the heat going back to space, like greenhouse. Carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases are expected to raise global temperature by an average of 2 degrees Centigrade by the year 2100 causing the polar ice caps to melt, sea levels to rise and freak weather conditions which may cause millions of deaths.

Solar radiation interacts with the earth’s surface in several ways. Some portion of this energy is reflected back into space by the Earth’s atmosphere, another portion is dispersed and scattered by the molecules in the atmosphere and a large portion penetrates through the Earth’s atmosphere to reach the surface of the Earth. The radiation reaching the earth’s surface is largely absorbed resulting in surface warming.

Much of this absorbed energy is eventually re-radiated in longer infrared wavelengths. As it leaves the Earth, it once again interacts with the atmosphere. Some of this re-radiated energy escapes to space, but much of this is reflected back to the Earth’s surface by molecules in the Earth’s atmosphere.

The molecules responsible for this phenomenon are called greenhouse gases. These are water (H2O), nitrous oxide (N2O), methane (CH4), and carbon dioxide (CO2). They are called greenhouse gases because they act like the glass in the greenhouse, trapping re-radiated energy. Without these gases most life on Earth would not be possible, as the surface temperature of the Earth would likely be about 60 degrees Fahrenheit colder.

The so-called greenhouse gases (GHGs) are naturally occurring gases that keep the Earth warm enough for plants and animals to live in. They are by natural processes like the water cycle, growth and death of plants and animals, decaying of wood and other biodegradable materials, volcanic activities, etc.

In the last two centuries, it has been noted that human activities have increased the production of these gases:

• Methane (CH4), is primarily from agricultural activities such as intensive livestock raising and flooding of rice paddies and also from waste dumps, coal beds and leaks from gas pipelines;
• Carbon dioxide (CO2), these are from machines and motors that use coal, oil, and natural gas, and also from deforestation;
• Nitrous Oxide (N2O generated from intensive agriculture;
• Ozone (O3), in lower atmosphere, indirectly from automobile exhaust fumes;
• Chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs), from industrial processes as the ODS or ozone depleting substances
• Water vapor is also one of the greenhouse gases.

Global warming is caused by the increase in greenhouse gas (GHG) concentration in the atmosphere, trapping more heat near the Earth’s surface. The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) which is a scientific intergovernmental body under the auspices of the United Nation further concluded that this increase in GHG concentration is anthropogenic or man-made.

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Effects of Global Warming:

A warmer weather could mean any or all of the following:

• Extreme weather condition.

Storms, floods, landslides and drought have wreaked havoc on agriculture, infrastructure and the lives of millions of people.

• Rise in sea level

It has been surmised that the 0.3 degrees Celsius to 0.6 degrees Celsius rise in global temperature since 1860 has resulted in a 10 – 25 centimeters rise in sea level. As global temperature increases, thermal expansion of ocean water and melting of glaciers occur.

• Health problems

Higher temperature will induce more cardiovascular and respiratory diseases. Incidents of dengue fever, malaria, yellow fever and other tropical diseases will likewise continue to increase as hotter temperatures are more suitable in breeding of mosquitoes and insect that carry these diseases.

• Destruction of Ecosystems

For every degree Celsius rise in temperature, forest will experience a rise in occurrences of fires and pests. Entire forests could disappear because their functions compositions will be severely affected. Plant species that are unable to cope with severe drought and heat waves could become extinct, and could result to food shortage.

• Coral bleaching and death to corals

Corals, which are home to varieties of fishes and algae, are very sensitive to abrupt changes in weather temperature. When subjected to a 2 degree - Celsius to 3 degree - Celsius increase in water temperature of about three days, the algae will be expelled from the corals, denying the corals of their main food. The corals will turn white and die.

Links

• Basics | Climate Change | US EPA
  
• Climate Change and Global Warming: Vital Signs of the Planet
  
• http://www.nrdc.org/globalwarming/
  
• The oceans are acidifying at the fastest rate in 300 million years. How bad could it get? - Vox
  So how worried should we be?

Coral bleaching happens when corals get too hot. Bleached corals are considered as sick corals . Bleached corals can still recover given the normal temperatur

Conclusion

Most people know that we cannot continue in the future as we have in the past. We can see that our deserts are expanding, the forests are diminishing, and the agricultural land is becoming less fertile and leached of its trace minerals, while the population of the world is increasing. If we do not change our ways, nature will check us in its own way. We have to do our share in saving the earth. What we think will be. The power of the mind and the will to change things can prevent big disasters. And big disasters can be avoided if people join together with possible thoughts and love. Who says we cannot save Mother Earth…? If we have the political will and discipline … Yes we can!

“There is no cause more vital and notable than the survival of the earth, and as its stewards, each and every one of us is responsible for its sustainable use. We have much to do to return our air, our water and our land to the bloom of health, as untrammeled economic development and population growth have exerted tremendous and often destructive pressure on the environment. We must act now to ensure that future generations of Filipinos will have enough to live on and bequeath to their own descendants.” - Sec. Heherson T. Alvarez

A Short Survey on Climate Change

Comments

Jay C OBrien on May 17, 2019:

I suggest reducing the human population by family planning. Vasectomies anyone?

Brad on May 17, 2019:

What is the problem?

What is the time frame?

What is the solution?

What has been done?

What is being done now?

What will be accomplished in the next 12 years?

How does the expansion of some major airport around the world be expanded today and over the next decades to update and accommodate hundreds of millions of more passengers?

It is the jet fuel burning the isotropic layer that is supposed to caused the maximum damage, but yet the world countries are perpetuating burning jet fossil fuel in direct contradiction to a world threat.

Cess Capulong on February 09, 2018:

CAPULONG PRINCESS

BSTM4

FRI-TUTORIAL

"The Alarming Issue of a Warming Earth," we can't deny that the issue on warming the earth is a big deal at the moment. On my personal experience on hiking, I noticed that even the highest mountains are affected on the increase variety of polution. On my field, tourism, besides of the positive side of the environment for us, I can't count on my fingers how many negative cause and effect my field to our mother earth is. Their are over population in one area of tourist and so on.

sangabrielregina on February 09, 2018:

san gabriel regina bstm 4

We need to do something now. What will it take for us to take the dangers of Global Warming seriously? We read about it, hear about it and see the evidence all around us, but we shrug our shoulders when asked to do our share to fix the problem. Yes, it seems like a problem that’s too big for one person to solve, but you’re not just one person. Your efforts when mimicked all over the world will make a big difference. But if everyone starts thinking that nothing can be done, then we’re doomed.

Global warming has thus caused a change in the climate of the Earth, causing temperatures to rise. This, in turn, has an effect on various species dependent on the basic laws of nature. A change in the same makes survival a difficult issue. A warmer Earth also causes changes in the rainfall patterns, and thus affects humans .

Tedyliza Ramos on February 06, 2018:

RAMOS TEDYLIZA ROSE C.

TUTORIAL-FRIDAY

BSTM 4

Global warming has the capability to wipe humanity off the face of the Earth. Our planet is warming up, but it’s been warmer in the ancient past - Mother Earth can handle herself. global warming occurs when carbon dioxide and other air pollutants and greenhouse gases collect in the atmosphere and absorb sunlight and solar radiation that have bounced off the earth’s surface. Normally, this radiation would escape into space—but these pollutants, which can last for years to centuries in the atmosphere, trap the heat and cause the planet to get hotter. That's what's known as the greenhouse effect. Climate change is one of the major challenges of our time and adds considerable stress to our societies and to the environment. From shifting weather patterns that threaten food production, to rising sea levels that increase the risk of catastrophic flooding, the impacts of climate change are global in scope and unprecedented in scale.

Jerielen Mangahas on February 05, 2018:

JERIE LEN MANGAHAS

BSTM 4 (FRIDAY-TUTORIAL)

Global warming is the increase of earth's average surface temperature due to the effect of greenhouse gases. Global warming has emerged has one of the most biggest environmental issue in the two decades.

In the past several years, there has been a growing concern over the effect of global warming on the climate. All around the world, as a tourism student climate changes are becoming more evident, causing flooding and extreme temperatures in different nations. Weather patterns have become unpredictable, which means that summer periods could be extended or winter may be longer than usual. These disturbances in the weather and their impact on the environment are significant to the tourism industry. The tourism industry is dependent on the predictability of the season in order to attract travelers who want to experience different activities related to the season. Those who love skiing would visit ski lodges while the water enthusiasts are going to beaches during summer. But with climate changes, the tourism industry is affected in various ways. Climate changes can directly or indirectly affect the local destinations, which need to retain their appeal to foreign visitors in order for the industry to flourish. With climate change, the beauty of the local destinations is threatened while accessibility too can become a problem especially when airports, roads and bridges are destroyed during extreme weather disturbances.

Jorge Cruz from Canada on January 21, 2018:

Hi,

I am surprised that 100% of voters on your survey say they know something about climate change. I agree, most of us know few things about it, but there is still much more to learn. We shall study and learn more to be prepared to educate those who deny climate change is happening. It is not about opinion, but evidence and facts.

I posted a hub recently on how we could mitigate climate change, at least a little. I invite you and others to check it out. I would like to know your opinion.

Thank you for your article and congratulations on your career.

UZAIR RAJU from PUNJAB PROVINCE PAKISTAN on January 18, 2018:

We are changing our environment for our timely interest. This homeland is not only for us. Our incoming progeny will also have to live on it. And what are we doing for our next progeny? This Earth not only hosts just human beings but it is the home planet of all other life types. We are all alone in the cosmic perspective. This shows the loneliness and uniqueness of life in our vast universe. So the peace and good moral ethics are our only destination. It is the matter of ethics and it is the matter of peace that we should plan for the better environment of our next generation. It is our moral and ethical duty to fight against the drastic climate change.

UZAIR RAJU on January 18, 2018:

We are changing our environment for our timely interest. This homeland is not only for us. Our incoming progeny will also have to live on it. And what are we doing for our next progeny? This Earth not only hosts just human beings but it is the home planet of all other life types. We are all alone in the cosmic perspective. This shows the loneliness and uniqueness of life in our vast universe. So the peace and good moral ethics are our only destination. It is the matter of ethics and it is the matter of peace that we should plan for the better environment of our next generation. It is our moral and ethical duty to fight against the drastic climate change.

Rene Briane on August 18, 2017:

Rene Briane G. Angeles

BSEEC- III

Global warming is now a serious issue that we need to do something. As a student, we should how to take care of ourselves from different illnesses for us to know the ways to prevent Global Warming, because if we have a healthy body we can deeply understand the serious matter about Global Warming.

Melencio, Marc James on August 17, 2017:

Melencio, Marc James

Tourism

Climate change in the world can be caused by various activities. When climate change occurs; temperatures can increase a dramatically. When temperature rises, many different changes can occur on Earth.

Christine San Gabriel BSN1 on August 17, 2017:

This issue is really concerning to the whole world.

An issue about the imbalance temperature of earth that affects all living things.

An imbalance that may trigger sickness,disease and worst promt death towards all living things.

Kensanc on August 17, 2017:

Sanciangco, Kenneth Philip H.

BSHM-3

One of the biggest issues facing us right now is global warming. Its effects on animals and on agriculture are indeed frightening and the effects on the human population are even scarier The facts about global warming are often debated in politics and the media but unfortunately even if we disagree about the causes global warming effects are real global and measurable. The causes are mainly from us the human race and the effects on us will be severe.

Bryan Pangilinan on August 17, 2017:

Bryan P, Pangilinan

BSHM 4-2

Global warming is already having significant and costly effects and these consequences will only intensify as the planet’s temperature continues to rise. In this Problem or what we call the Global warming we have many solutions first Reduce emissions Since people are causing global warming, people can mitigate global warming, if they act in time. Greenhouse gases are long-lived, so the planet will continue to warm and changes will continue to happen far into the future, but the degree to which global warming changes life on Earth depends on our decisions now.

Camille San Mateo on August 17, 2017:

SAN MATEO, CAMILLE C.

BSN-1

Humans are the main cause of climate change because were the one who burn fossil fuels that contribute large amount which releases carbon dioxide gas to the atmosphere and clear trees that absorb carbon dioxide, sending heat trapping gases into the atmosphere. In fact, humans cause climate change than that smoking causes cancer.

Though you might feel like your lifestyle is insignificant compared to things like vehicles emissions, the choices we make in our day to day life, what we eat, how we live those things play a major role in slowing climate change. Even the climate change is already there, we can do anything actions just to slow down it.

Danica Vipinoza on August 16, 2017:

There are several causes of recent climate change, but all have something in common – people. Recent warming is a side effect of many things that people do – like driving cars, heating homes, running factories, and transforming forests into towns. Our landfills and farm animals are to blame for recent climate change too. Changes in the way land is used also have an impact on climate.

Most people aren’t even aware of how their daily choices are affecting the climate or the larger environment. Moreover, their sense of connection to the planet—and their understanding of climate change and environmental processes in general—tend to be quite limited, easily biased, or even readily avoided.

Jasper Sierto on August 16, 2017:

Sierto, Jasper L.

BSHM - 3

As a living species here in the earth. We should know that we just live here in the earth we dont know happen to our future. We should protect our planet for our future generation. Also were also not people living here, we also got a other living species, like animal plants that lives here in the earth. We should consider the, because they need our planet to live. Be responsible what are doing in the earth.

Javy Paul Gonzales from San Ildefonso Bulacan on August 16, 2017:

BSHM 3

As we all know that earth is the only known planet having life in this universe. So we should respect and maintain everything we get from our mother earth. We should save the mother earth so that our future generations can live in a safe environment.I admit that I am one of them but still, I try to avoid it. We need to obey even a small right ways to protect our planet just realize what can we do if we continue doing bad habits that can harm the earth.

Ronniel Legaspi on August 16, 2017:

LEGASPI, RONNIEL AERON R.

BSEEC=3

There are many ways we can help save the environment everyday. First of all, we all need to consume less power. We need to turn off lights, replace inefficient bulbs with low-power ones, and not leave equipment on standby. Secondly, we need to control our surging populations. Each of us can make a decision regarding family size. This has a huge impact on the size of our cities and the need for food and more agricultural land. In addition, we need to consider eating less meat and more vegetables and fruit, As a future engineer we need to make the world more safer and more peaceful because we are not the only one living on it.

RUSSELL BERNARDINO BSTM4 on August 15, 2017:

The whole climate of the world is changing regularly because of the increasing global warming by the natural means and human activities. All the changes have an enormous impact on the people’s lives and ecosystems. Burning coal, oil and natural gases are the main cause of global warming. CO2 gas acts as a blanket which retains environmental heat and warms the earth’s surface. The level of carbon dioxide has become increased to a great level in last century.

The earth surface has become successively warmer than ever in the last three decades. Each month is becoming warmer than ever which we can feel very clearly. This increasing heat affecting the lives of human beings, plants and animals even many species have been endangered. Human activities contribute to climate change by causing changes in Earth's atmosphere in the amounts of greenhouse gases, aerosols (small particles), and cloudiness. The largest known contribution comes from the burning of fossil fuels, which releases carbon dioxide gas to the atmosphere.

Change our unnatural lifestyle to the extent we can. Use a bicycle as much as possible. Don't misuse precious water and electricity. Don't use plastics when we can avoid it.

Jolina Gabriel on August 14, 2017:

Jolina L. Gabriel

BSN - 1

Emissions like carbon dioxide, nitrous oxide and other greenhouses gases will remain in the atmosphere for many years making impossible to eliminate global warming and

Due to global warming and pollution, coral reefs are suffering the worst bleaching with the highest dying record

Dave Joshua Villangca on August 14, 2017:

Dave Joshua B. Villangca

BSN-I

Baliuag University

General Chemistry

T, F 7:30-12:00

Global Warming occurs because too much carbon dioxide is released and goes to the atmosphere. It damages and weakens the ozone layer so too much ultraviolet rays that comes from the sun penetrates it easily. Because of that, our world now is becoming hotter and hotter resulting to the melting of ice in the North pole making the earth's water deeper and deeper that makes the land that we live in lesser. A hotter Earth also contributes to some diseases like hypertension or high blood pressure, and dehydration. It also contributes to what we called "Climate Change", for example, if the weather is cold then it becomes hot and then cold again and then hot again, the homeostasis mechanism of our body will not adapt normally and if that happens, there will be a stress inside our body that results to some illness.

Gil Calderon on August 14, 2017:

Global warming is the increase of earth’s average surface temperature and its oceans due to greenhouse gases released as people burn fossil fuels. These greenhouse gases such as carbon dioxide and methane absorb heat that would otherwise bounced off the Earth’s surface. Global warming has emerged has one of the most biggest environmental issue in the last two decades. As we speak global warming is now impossible to solve since human are already done the damaged to the nature.

Bianca Bernardo on August 10, 2017:

Marucot, Katrina Bianca BSN1

Global warming is real. Global warming is happening now. If we keep on going with how we carelessly treat our nature, it will come to cease. We don't see this now because honestly, we don't care enough. But now we have to wake up that this is happening. And the long term effects of our actions are causing the deterioration of our nature. We are slowly killing Mother Earth. We are murdering innocent animals and organisms that are living peacefully but are disturbed by us humans. Animals are going extinct, abnormal weathers are occurring causing damage not only to nature but to us humans as well, massive increase and decrease in temperatures in different continents, the melting of the ice caps, the thinning of our ozone layer. We need to stop with destroying the nature. Stop thinking for ourselves, because if we keep going, with the production of new machines and cars that emits poisonous gasses, smoking cigarettes and many more, we will destroy the only planet we live in.