Global Warming
Global Warming is one of the most serious environmental challenges facing the world today. Global Warming increases the earth’s average temperatures of the atmosphere, oceans and landmasses. Presently the earth is warming at a dramatic rate, which many scientists are attributing to human activities. These changes happening to the climate are very severe and will affect every part of our life, but if we all do our part to adjust our lifestyles we can help stop it before it’s to late.
There are several causes of global warming, such as pollution from factories, carbon dioxide from rotting trees, deforestation, transportation vehicles, the burning of coal, natural gasses, and fossil fuels which have lead methane to travel into the earth’s atmosphere. Another significant contributor to global warming is water vapor. Although water vapor does not directly contribute to global warming, it does contribute to the greenhouse effect, which then leads to global warming. Humans are pouring carbon dioxide into the air at a much faster rate than plants and oceans can absorb it, causing these harmful gases remain in the atmosphere for years.
Scientists have different opinions concerning whether or not the current global warming is natural or unnatural. There are number of scientists that believe that global warming is part of the earth’s natural cycle of warming and cooling. At the same time most scientists believe that what we are now experiencing is unusual and a direct result of human activities. Based on a study done by 2,500 scientists in 130 countries, it was concluded that human activities have caused most or all of the current global warming.
There are numerous effects from global warming concerning the environment and human life. These effects include the destruction of ecosystems, loss of biodiversity, conflicts and war, economic consequences, disease, drought, floods, heat waves, shrinking glaciers, and rising sea levels.