Definition For Global Warming

Definition For Global Warming / The Temperature's Rising

Global warming is the biggest threat being faced by mankind today. It refers to the observed and projected increase in the earth’s average temperature due to natural or anthropogenic climate change. The earth's average temperature rose about 0.7° Celsius (1.3° Fahrenheit) in the 20th century.

Gases created through human industrial and agricultural practices (primarily carbon dioxide from burning fossil fuels and wood, as well as methane, nitrous oxide, and chlorofluorocarbons) increase the heat-reflecting potential of the atmosphere, thereby raising the planet's average temperature.

Definition For Global Warming / Greenhouse Gases

In other words, the burning of fossil fuels and deforestation plays a large role in contributing to global warming. These activities have caused the concentrations of heat-trapping "greenhouse gases" to increase in the atmosphere-preventing heat from escaping much like the glass panels of a greenhouse. So global warming is the consequence of increased greenhouse effect.

Carbon dioxide (CO2) accounts for 72 percent of the total emitted greenhouse gases. It is followed by Methane (18 percent) and Nitrous oxide (9 percent). Carbon dioxide emissions therefore are the most important cause of global warming. CO2 is inevitably created by burning fuels like oil, natural gas, diesel, organic-diesel, petrol, organic-petrol, and ethanol. The emissions of CO2 have been dramatically increased within the last 50 years and are still increasing by almost 3 percent each year.

Nowadays, coal-fired power plants used to generate electricity produce the largest chunk of greenhouse gases, while gasoline and diesel powered vehicles account for a strong second place.

Definition For Global Warming / The Earth is Melting

Global warming has led to the melting of polar ice caps and glaciers causing problems, including the displacement of polar bears. Species extinction, extreme weather events, and increases in the range of disease vectors are thought to be potential consequences for global warming. As the oceans are also warming rapidly it causes yet another problematic issue.

More than 25 percent of the world's coral reefs have been completely destroyed by global warming through the human effect of coral bleaching; this is a result of higher water temperatures heating the coral. It just doesn’t seem right that the home to marine ecosystems and various species that should be flourishing are now dying after surviving for 2.5 million years. Furthermore, as a result of global warming, soils are expected to release more carbon dioxide into the atmosphere which in turn creates more warming.

Definition For Global Warming / What Does the Future Hold?

If no action is taken to combat global warming, then it will cause widespread devastation and lead to addition of more extinct species to list, before ultimately our own.

Sources

http://www.epa.gov/climatechange/
http://www.epa.gov/climatechange/effects/health.html
http://www.epa.gov/climatechange/wycd/index.html
http://www.epa.gov/climatechange/emissions/index.html

For more information on Global Warming follow these links:

Ways to Prevent Global Warming

Global Warming is Real

Global Warming is Not Real

Global Warming Predictions

Global Warming Hurricanes

Global Warming Antarctica

Human Effects of Global Warming

Natural Causes of Global Warming

Facts on Global Warming

How To Stop Global Warming

Global Warming For Kids

Global Warming Myths

Global Warming Evidence

Global Warming Green House Effect

Global Warming Polar Bears