Global Warming - the Increase in Heat-Emitting Gases

Abstract

This paper highlights the issue of Global Warming. It describes the impacts of global warming and all its basic elements. Furthermore, being a position paper, it also takes up a position to the issue and at the same time discusses another opposing viewpoint too. To conclude, the paper also consists of a reasonable plan of action to counter the harmful effects of Global Warming.

Introduction

Global Warming is the increase in heat-emitting gases. When the sun radiates heat to the Earth’s surface, some of it is utilized by the Earth and some of it is radiated back to the sun. In this process, a concentration of these heat-emitting gases is trapped by the atmosphere and this leads towards Global Warming. The temperature of the Earth’s surface rises and the ice especially on the North and South Pole starts melting. However, since Global Warming is already beginning to grow universally, it has been observed that most of the warning signs have already begun to get more and more prominent day by day.

The early warning signs for global warming include heat waves, warm weather, and rise in sea-level, coastal flooding, melting glaciers and the Arctic and Antarctic warming. All these symptoms are observed in our world today. As such, global warming is becoming more and more important day by day. However, the irony of the situation is that the very humans who are responsible for this sudden rise in global warming, are the ones who will be most affected by its devastating effects. On the other hand, there are some authorities who claim that the benefits of global warming outweigh its costs. I am against this notion and I will present my claims stating the harmful costs associated with global warming in the forthcoming pages. Global warming leads to the following harmful effects;

Intense rainstorms, decline in soil moisture, extreme heat, increase in risks associated with climate change, deforestation, increase in sea level, decrease in productivity of farms and forests, increase in the earth’s surface temperature.

Causes of Global Warming

The following four factors cause global warming;

Pollution, volcanic eruptions and increase in the sun’s radiation levels act as negative backups to global warming. These factors force the climatic change and thus increase the earth’s surface temperature. As the sun’s radiation and other factors raise the heat level, the oceans al over the world get warm. This warmth is radiated throughout the depths of all these water reservoirs and so, heat is emanated from every drop.

With the same increase in pollution levels, heat emitting gases and other human-related activities, the atmosphere shifts upwards causing an alteration in the ozone layer levels and this resulting in increase in the heat levels. Finally, due to the above steps, the surface temperature heats up and this is the final link to global warming.

If we evaluate the root cause of global warming relate to specific human-related activities, it would include the burning of fossil fuel which is needed for running different vehicles, including cars and trucks, etc. at the same time, this fossil fuel is used as fuel power for factories and industries and is also a part of electricity uses and heating homes. Besides the abundant use of fossil fuel, the clearing of forests also leads towards global warming. The idea is simple; without forests, deforestation occurs and plants are the major sources for intake of carbon dioxide. When there are no plants, carbon dioxide is not inhaled by them, thus leading to an excess supply of the gas in the atmosphere. This heat-emitting gas is then trapped in the earth’s atmosphere and so the temperature warms up. Similarly, the increasing fashion of growing rice and raising cattle has led to a rise in the heat-emitting gas methane.

Counter Argument

The view that global warming has more benefits than costs states the following main benefits of global warming;

Global warming has a positive economic impact, which means that with the rise in earth’s temperature, there will be a positive impact on agriculture and commercial fishing. So, those countries which rely on agriculture and commercial fishing as their main source of income will greatly benefit by the boost in productivity and sales.

Another benefit is that if the temperature increases at the north and south poles, it will lead towards a more livable climate in these parts of the world. So the population residing in these areas will benefit the most as the weather will move towards a pleasant degree.

Another extension of the above point is that if winters are warm, it will be good. Not only in the north and South Pole, but even generally,