Examining the information that involve the global warming, many can find the data deceitful or inaccurate. The internet is a channel for sharing incorrect information, including global warming. This revelation can make people disregard completely the precise and true information.
Considering that, our extensive quantity of research about this topic, made us write this article containing valuable notes that are worth reading. On this article, you will have the guarantee to find all the essential information about our current stage of the global warming.
Besides, sharing this article is extremely useful and highly recommended. This occurs because sharing such an article with your acquaintances, friends and relatives will offer them valuable information to alert them about the dangers of increasing the greenhouse effect and the effects that are caused by the global warming. Thus, it also helps other people to be conscious to avoid that the global warming gets even worse.
How critic is global warming nowadays?
At this moment, global warming is critic. There are no doubts about that. How do we know about that? There is more carbon dioxide in the atmosphere today than in any other moment in the last 800.000 years. This can not seem very alarming but it means some disturbing facts.
The biggest mistake is that global warming and climate change are terms that can be used alternately. However, this is not the case. Most of the scientists classify global warming as the increase in the temperature on the Earth’s surface. This increase on the temperature is what causes the climate changes.
From the increase in the temperature of the Earth’s surface, there are many impacts that can occur in the whole planet. This includes the increase in the water’s temperature, the increase in the level of the sea and the change in the animal population and their habitats. Nonetheless, there are many other significant impacts that global warming has in our planet, that will be discussed posteriorly in this article.
Said that, it is really revealing that there is more carbon dioxide in the world than in any other moment in the last 800.000 years. The effects of the climate changes also developed a role in the generation of extreme climate conditions. It occurred mass deforestation which let our planet with less trees and less oxygen production. This only reiterates that global warming is changing negatively the way our world is working.
Thus, it is clear that global warming is critic, once the climate change is letting our planet with less oxygen and more carbon dioxide. This, as you know, is not something we want to happen on Earth because we need oxygen to live, not carbon dioxide.
Issues about Climate Change
It is not any secret that the global climate change had many observable effects in our environment. The animals were extinct, the level of the sea increased and the glaciers diminished. After discovering the effect that human beings were having on the planet, the scientists previewed that the climate change would result in what we are living now. This includes more intense heating waves that last for longer periods, an accelerate increase in the level of sea and a loss of the marine ice.
When examining the gamma of published evidences, all these information indicate that the net costs of the climate change damages are incredibly significant and probably will increase as the time passes. Experienced and well-informed scientists are totally confident that the global temperatures will continue increasing for many decades. This is a result of the gases from the greenhouse effect produced by the human activities.
The Intergovernmental Panel of Climate Changes (IPCC) is composed by more than 1.300 scientists from many different countries, including the United States. The sharing knowledge among these scientists took the IPCC to believe that the future temperatures will probably increase up to 10 degrees Fahrenheit during the next century.
Besides, the scientists that make part of the IPCC also believe that the extension of the consequences brought by the climate changes in specific regions will vary with time. Not mentioning that these higher temperatures produce beneficial impacts in a variety of areas while causing many prejudicial effects in other regions due to the increase on the temperature. Even with the beneficial effects of the increase on the temperature in some areas, the annual net costs of the climate change may still increase with time due to the increase on global temperatures.
With all the things that were mentioned above, there are many long-term effects from the global warming and the climate changes. some of these effects were identified through the Third and Fourth National Reports of Climate Evaluation and are detailed below:
Global temperature and increase in the sea level
A global increase in the temperatures is being experienced and led to a change in many different elements. One of the things that were affected by the climate global warming is the ocean water. As a result of the increase in the temperatures, the oceans got warmer. It led to a melting of the ice in the coldest regions of the ocean.
The glaciers diminished in size while the ice sheets also diminished. However, this ice does not evaporate in the air. Instead, it becomes water and increases the ocean. As a result, more water accumulates in the oceans, which increases the sea level.
The coastal regions may be the most affected by this elevation of the sea level. The scientists believe that the elevation of the sea level has a potentially massive impact in many different areas. Besides, it is previewed that Venice city, in Italy, will be completely underwater in the next 50 years due to the increase in the sea level. The scientists determined that the worldwide sea level has been increasing continuously since 1900. During this time, the sea levels increased a tax of no longer 0,04 inches each year.
Heating and ocean acidification
The increase on pollution by the greenhouse effect gases and fossil fuels does not affect only the sea level. Looking at the general board, this carbon pollution is also changing the chemistry of the ocean. It Is diminishing the capacity of the ocean to absorb carbon dioxide. As a result, it is happening the acidification of the oceans, what prejudices the mollusks and other marine organisms that depend on the permanency of the ocean with a more alkaline solution.
However, this increasing level of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere is elevating the temperatures from the ocean’s surface. Thus, the oceans heating is occurring and taking to prejudicial environments for the marine life survival. As the ocean waters are becoming more and more hot, the marine wild life is not having the opportunity to adapt fast enough to these changes.
An example are the coral reefs along many worldwide shores. The coral reefs are susceptible mechanisms, which means that the adaptability to changes in specific environments does not prevail. Due to this, many diseases can be spread exceptionally fast and cause the occurrence of whiteness. All these threats can kill many coral reefs in the world while others have already suffered.
The scientists registered that the oceans acidification developed a significant role in the biggest water mass in the world. The superficial waters that constitute the ocean are now known for being 30% more acid than in the beginning of the industrial era. Not mentioning that the oceans acidification is happening nowadays in a faster rhythm than in any other moment. Besides, the research took many scientists to believe that the superficial waters of the oceans will probably have more than the double of acid from the last century if we do not stablish some plans to reduce our carbon footprints.
Choosing ice sheets
There is no doubt that the shrinkage of the ice sheets is a problem to the world. The scientists have found out that these ice layers have shrunk more than 4.000 giga tons since 1994. It is believed that the main reason for the reduction of these ice layers is the heating of the ocean that is present above these ice layers.
Said that, one of the biggest concerns that comes out with the shrinkage of the ice sheets is the global increase of the sea level. However, this is not the only problem to be. The ice layers melting can also change the oceans circulation and the global temperature patterns. Not mentioning that this shrinkage of the ice layers also has the potential to impulse extreme climate events all around the world.
Besides, the ice layers melting in Greenland may do the sea currents diminish. As a result, the heating transportation can become lower, which can impact negatively the climate patterns in all North Atlantic. The worst is that many scientists believe that this process has already started.
The collected research indicates that ice sheets localized in polar regions have a crucial role in the worldwide climate in the future. This can cause the occurrence of extreme climate conditions, at the same time that it interrupts the mechanisms that constitute the ocean.
This occurs because the shrinkage of the ice layers produces big influxes of fresh water in the ocean, and its failure in mixing with the rest of the sea may cause some catastrophic problems. This fresh water influx forms a layer in the water surface. This layer retains the heat above the ocean, which takes to the heating of the deepest layers in the ocean.
As a result, it is created hot oceanic currents. These hot oceanic currents represent a threat for more structures in the worldwide oceans. It is known that these currents melt more and more the glaciers in many parts of the ice sheet. These information indicate that this shrink of the ice layers can change the climate system, making it more variable and subject to disturbance and floating as extreme climate events.
Glacial Retreat
It is known that a glacial retreat occurs when its end does not extend so much as before. There are many reasons why the glaciers can retreat and this is caused by the melting or the ablation of the ice in a rhythm faster than the snow can accumulate and produce new glacial ice.
The glaciers are known by demanding private climate conditions and they are commonly found in regions of high snowfall during the winter months and in areas with cold temperatures in the summer months. These specific conditions guarantee that the snow that accumulates during winter is not lost during the summer months. It is because of this that many glaciers are present in the high alpine and polar regions.
The glaciers retreat is an urgent issue for many reasons. This occurs because the glaciers act like water reservoirs that are available during all the summer. The glaciers melting supplies water for the ecosystem along the driest months, what generates a perennial water flow for animals and plants.
Nonetheless, these glaciers need to be replenished or the structures that constitute them are doomed to retreat. That’s why the benefits of the glacier melt in the summer months are not going to be on, what will let animals and plants without a constant water flow.
The climate change caused by the global heating is making the glaciers diminish more and more. This is a direct answer to the highest temperatures and it also takes to the ice layer loss. The scientists understand that the glaciers are sentries for the current climate changes. this occurs because the glacial retreat is one of the most visible evidences of the global warming.
An example is that the white surfaces of the glaciers have the functionality to reflect the sun rays, what aims to maintain the current climate that we have in the world. However, when these glaciers retreat, we get darker exposed surfaces that work for absorbing the sun rays and liberate heat. This is contributing for the increase in the temperatures of the Earth surface.
Many problems come from the glaciers retreat. The glaciers melting contribute to the elevation of the sea level, which we have already alerted about the adverse effects that it imposes to the ocean’s mechanisms and to the climate changes. Nonetheless, the glacial retreat also increases the coastal erosion and increases the storm wave. It occurs because the heating in the temperatures of the oceans produce more intense and frequent coastal storms, like typhoons and hurricanes.
A decrease in the snow cover
The snow cover is frequently referred as the quantity of land covered by the snow on a determined moment. Said that, having more snow cover offers many benefits. One of these advantages is that having more snow means that more energy is reflected in space. It results in cooling. Thus, less snow cover will increase the Earth temperature as more energy is absorbed in the Earth’s surface.
This snow cover has a huge impact in the climate, while the changes in the environment affect the snow cover in the world. Looking at the biggest picture, the highest temperatures are reducing directly the time that the snow is on the soil. This is specifically evident in the North Hemisphere.
Besides, the climate changes arose by the global warming also develop a role in the reduction of the snow fall. This limits the quantity of snow present before the spring melts it. The increase in the Earth’s surface temperature is also shortening the seasons of snow covering.
An example is that the climate change led to higher temperatures In Alaska, which led to a snow melting in the beginning of spring, resulting in a summer season without a prolonged snow. Said that, the climate change does not mean only that the temperatures are increasing. Extreme climate patterns also result on heavy snow storms in some regions. However, this does not necessarily mean that the snow will continue to fall.
Many scientists have identified that it exists a huge threat to the world as a result of the climate change. Because the increase on the Earth’s surface temperatures can cause the extinction of snow. Although it looks far-fetched, it is completely not in some regions. From many studies, the scientists have identified that the total quantity of snow that is falling in some areas can fall for only 65% of what is being produced now. From this on, it is probable that the snow diminishes each year, as the carbon emissions in the air increase and the surface’s temperatures increase.
Arctic marine ice decline
The Arctic Sea is classified as an ocean basin surrounded by land mass with mountain characteristics. The extension of the marine ice present in the Arctic is limited by the land masses that surround it and this extension of marine ice changes frequently with the seasons.
However, with the help of satellites registers, the Arctic marine ice diminished drastically since the end of 1970’ decade. This satellite record started in 1978 and it was demonstrated that the minimum extension of the Arctic ice (usually happening in September) diminished approximately 40%.
This marine ice expands to cover a bigger area each Arctic winter. However, this marine ice is produced to be thinner than before. The evidences suggest that this marine ice decline has never been seen in the last 1.450 years.
The fact that the Arctic marine ice is diminishing represents a serious problem. It occurs because the ice decline means a water increase, what triggers the seas elevation. The elevation of the sea level, as we discussed, is a serious problem that can put in danger the coastal cities and the little insular nations. The results of the sea level elevation are exacerbated storms and coastal floods, making the dangerous climate events more frequent and intense.
Besides, the changes in the quantity of marine ice present have the capacity to interrupt the average circulation of the oceans. As a result, more changes can occur in the global climate. The interruption of these oceanic circulations develops an important role in the increase of temperature of these waters and even the smallest change in the temperature may result in a more meaningful heating along the time.
Not mentioning that this marine ice works to reflect the sun heat away from the planet. However, as the Arctic marine ice is diminishing, the same is happening with the white cover that reflects the heat from the sun rays. Thus, it is being exposed deeper seas that are dark and absorb the heat from the solar light. As a result, the water temperatures are again being exposed to condition that increase their temperature, what forms an environment for the climate change to prosper.
Extreme Events
The economic impact that the extreme climate conditions have is a measure that shows that the climate changes are affecting the number of extreme events that the world is facing nowadays. This is shown as the number of extreme events of billions of dollars is increasing drastically. There are many different extreme events that are influenced by the climate changes. This includes tropical storms and floods.
From extensive researches and studies, the scientists were led to believe that the climate changes have the capacity to worst the impacts, the intensity and the frequency of many different extreme climate events. The Climate National Evaluation showed that the number and the intensity of big hurricanes, torrential rains and heat waves increased in the United States and in other countries.
One example of this is that the sea level showed to increase the impacts of the coastal storms while the global warming is capable of putting more pressure over the water supply during the drought. However, the connection between the climate changes and the several extreme events has different causes and impacts, like:
Forest Fires
It is not difficult to believe that the climate change develops a role in the increase of the risk and the extension of forest fires. The risk of forest fires depends on a variety of factors, including the presence of bushes, trees and other potential fuels, soil humidity and temperature. Said that, all these variables have strong indirect and direct connections with the climate changes and the climate variability.
It is scientifically proved that the climate changes increase the drying of the forest organic matter. These are the materials that work to spread the forest fire. Thus, the presence of the climate changes has been the reason for the number of big fires to double between the years of 1984 and 2015.
The researchers believe that a more prolonged fire season is formed through the presence of climate changes because it created dryer and warmer conditions in many different regions in the world. As a result, the risk of forest fires increases (with the increase of frequency and intensity too).
Hurricanes
The scientists are more and more confident that it has a definitive connection between the climate changes and the presence of hurricanes. Researchers have found out that higher ocean temperatures and higher sea levels are directly causing hurricanes to become more frequent and intense.
The highest sea’s surface temperatures are associated to the intensification in the wind speed from tropical storms that have the capacity to cause more damage when these hurricanes arrive in the continent. Besides, it is believed that the sea level elevation will also become the future coastal storms, like hurricanes, more expensive and damaging.
Furthermore, the areas most affected by hurricanes are changing in direction to the polos. This is mainly associated to the tropic’s expansion and global average high temperatures. These changes according to the patterns of tropical storms are moving towards the north of Atlantic. It is said that it puts more human lives in danger and more properties in risk.
Extreme Precipitation
Extreme precipitation events made more rain to occur. Besides, the increase of the rain also became more frequent. Many scientists believe that this tendency will continue as the temperature of the Earth’s surface continue to heat.
It occurs because the hotter air has the capacity to retain more steam. Said that, a wetter atmosphere was observed to produce more extreme precipitation events.
Extreme Heat
It is no secret that the hot days all around the world are getting more frequent and hotter while we experience less colder days. From this, the heat waves are becoming more and more common and even more intense. These temperatures are increasing once the emission of the greenhouse effect gases in the atmosphere are becoming more powerful. A recent study concluded that the annual number of days with a heating index of more than 100 degrees Fahrenheit will double in the future.
This information is alarming enough but this extreme heat represents a new problem. The extreme heat is known for increasing the risk of occurrences of other kinds of disasters. This heat has the capacity to increase drought. Extremely dry conditions commonly found in areas with drought increase the risk of forming forest fires. In general, the increase in the temperature worldwide creates a massive threat to people, to economy and to the ecosystems all around the world.
Drought
The presence of the climate changes increases the chances of worsening droughts in several parts worldwide. The research shows that there are many ways in which the climate changes contribute to drought. The hotter superficial temperatures increase the soil evaporation, which makes the periods that receive low precipitation dryer than if these areas would be under colder conditions.
Furthermore, the climate change also alters the atmospheric rivers. These atmospheric rivers are classified as narrow wet flows that are transported in the atmosphere. This forms the risk to interrupt the precipitation patterns. The combination of higher temperatures and changes in the atmospheric rivers can also affect adversely the snow layer and melt it in many areas, what can decimate the supply of essential water.
The increase on the frequency and on the intensity of droughts presents many threats. It includes to impact negatively the water transportation and the effective functioning of the agricultural sector. Besides, the forest fires tend to increase in conditions like the drought while the reliability of the electricity production factories is questioned if these factories demand cooling water to conduce the operations safely.
Prevention Measures: how can we stop the climate change?
By discussing for the first time how we can stop the climate changes, first we need to understand how the climate changes are caused. In summary, the climate change is linked to the presence of the global warming. Thus, if we want to stop the climate changes, we need to invest in measures that prevent the global warming aggravation. It can be done through a variety of methods that must be implemented simultaneously. Nonetheless, a great beginning would be to participate of one or two methods described below:
Start talking
One of the most important ways to make a change in the world and prevent the global warming is to express your concerning. Doing this, you are sending a message to other people that you care about our planet. You can talk about this problem in many different ways. However, the social media is one of the best ways because it has the capacity to reach millions of people in a short space of time.
Protect your property with renewable energy
Investing in a property built to generate a good quantity of energy used through solar or Eolic energy can help you to reduce the quantity of the greenhouse effect gases emission that you have been producing, what affects positively the atmosphere and helps to prevent global warming.
Reduce the water waste
Saving water is known by reducing the carbon pollution. It occurs because it is needed much energy to pump the water, thus to heat it and treat it. So, take shorter showers and close the tap while you brush your teeth is an excellent way to reduce the quantity of carbon pollution that you are attributing and to reduce the global warming.
Which authorities are able to assume responsibility?
It is an incredibly challenging task to try to find the authorities that need to assume the responsibilities for the global warming. All human beings developed a role in the cause of global warming because we all believe in the production of carbon pollution during our life. However, there is no doubt that some authorities are more responsible than others.
By observing the collected data, it becomes clear that the most meaningful contributors for the global warming can be linked to the electricity and heating production, sectors that attributed around 25% of the global emissions of the greenhouse effect gases. It includes the burning coal, oil and natural gas for heating and electricity. This industry is the biggest unique source of global emission of greenhouse effect gases.
Said that, there are still other 75% that need to be counted. It would be a waste to start pointing the finger because the damage has already been done. We would be losing a valued time that could be used to reverse global warming.
It is more important to understand who is responsible to help improving the world and improving global warming. Looking at the big picture, we are all responsible for fighting against the climate changes. You are responsible as well as politicians, activists and energy productors. We all have roles that we can develop to stop global warming and to make the world where we live in a better place.
Personal Responsibility
The individual action to deal with the issue of climate changes includes personal choices in a variety of areas. These areas include food, short and long distance trips, as well as the use of domestic energy. Not mentioning that the size of your family and the consumption of goods and services are attributed to areas that have potential to soften the crisis of global warming. Besides, the individuals also have the opportunity to engage in the political and local defense evolving issues of climate change and global warming.
Facts about global warming that you need to know
Learning about the climate changes and the global warming is important. However, learn and do something about what you have learned is crucial to have a change in our world for the better. Here are some of the most interesting facts about global warming that you need to know:
Global warming is causing the average temperature of the Earth’s surface to increase. This is the result of the greenhouse effect gases that accumulate in the atmosphere (as a thicker and thicker blanket) and retain the sun heat, resulting in the increase of the planet’s temperature.
The greenhouse effect gases have the functionality to maintain the heat next to the Earth’s surface. It is this that makes the Earth’s surface habitable for animals and humans. Said that, the global warming is being caused by the excess of greenhouse effect gases and fossil fuels emission, like charcoal, gasoline and natural oil.
The humans started producing and distributing more fossil fuels in the air since the beginning of industry in 1700. These fossil fuels were generated through gas, petroleum and charcoal to operate factories, truck and cars. One of the most meaningful contributors for the fossil fuel emission was, and still is, the cars. That’s why a smart or electric car was created. By driving a car like that you will not only save money with gas but you will also help to prevent new emission of fossil fuels in the terrestrial atmosphere and to prevent the increasing of global warming.
In this moment, there is more carbon dioxide in the atmosphere than in any other moment in the last 800.000 years. It shows that the global warming is worse than ever. The effects felt by this change in the average temperatures were never registered before, what is alarming.
Although the USA represents only 4% of all the worldwide population, this country is responsible for the production of 25% of the carbon dioxide pollution related to the fossil fuels. This is the biggest parcel of air pollution caused by any country all around the world.
The Environmental Protection Agency, known as EPA, has the responsibility and the authority to reduce the pollution caused by electric energy companies. This is possible with the Clean Air Law, that is seen as the main air pollution law from the country and it was adopted for the first time in 1970.
It is reported that the sea level all around the world increased more than 20 centimeters since 1870. It is said that this is due to the melting of the glaciers and the ice sheets localized in the North Pole and in the South Pole.
The climate change that is happening worldwide has already materialized in many different ways that provided notable effects to the environment. Due to the global climate change, it is believed that many glaciers have shrunk while lakes and rivers in the ice are breaking sooner, the population of animals and habitats are varying and the trees are blooming very early.
The heat waves are becoming more frequent as the climate changes are becoming more drastic. These heat waves show a higher risk of death and diseases related to the warm weather. This usually materializes among the people with diabetes, being them old or young.
According to the Global Changes Researching Program from the USA, the average temperature of the USA’s surface has increased two degrees in the last 50 years. Moreover, the perception in all the regions that compose the United States is considered, on average, an increase of five percent more than the usual.
The global warming effects put the coral reefs in extreme danger. It occurs because the ocean’s water temperature is increasing in a drastic rhythm. Due to the velocity of these increasing temperatures, the coral reefs and the mechanisms that compose these environments do not have time to adapt fast enough to these hotter waters. As a result, the coral reefs become vulnerable to changes in the conditions, to the probability of increasing diseases and to the whiteness incidents.
Conclusion
The change in the mechanisms of our planet will probably continue along this century and after. The presence of global warming and the climate changes prevails in our day-by-day. It is time for us to understand these impacts.
It is not “crazy” that we are passing through so many extreme conditions and climate events. It is a sign of heating that shows that these events will not stop. These problems will just get worse from now on, unless we all do an effect to turn our planet and to reduce the emission of the greenhouse effect gases that we have been producing as a society.
The threat of snow extinction is not a myth. It is a reality that our great-grandchildren will probably live if we do not stop destroying our planet right now. The temperatures will continue raising and we are the only ones that can stop them. This is the only Earth we have, so we need to protect it. Take care of the nature. Share this list with your friends to increase society’s conscientization.
By: Grace Gagnon
Source: https://www.tomorrow.io/weather/blog/global-warming-status/
