Global Warming, an boost in the earth's temperature due to the use of fuels, chemicals and certain industrial and agricultural

Global Warming, an boost in the earth's temperature due to the use of fuels, chemicals and certain industrial and agricultural processes. This leads to the buildup of “greenhouse gasses” (essentially carbon dioxide, methane, nitrous oxide, chlorofluorocarbons, and water vapor) in the atmosphere. Since 1986 it has been well-known that these gasses reduce the escape of the earth’s infrared radiation into space and thus function to maintain the earth’s somewhat warm temperatures (Which is called “The Greenhouse Effect”.)

Even though there is large agreement that human actions, such as burning fossil fuels, has reached a level that is beginning to influence climate, there is a great deal of doubt and dispute over how much and how fast the climate will increase. Elevated global temperatures could result in coastal flooding and the shifting of major climatic zones and may have serious implications for agricultural productivity.

Sciences have noticed that since 1850, there has been a mean rise in the temperature of the earth of approximately 1º Celsius. There has also been a 28% rise in the carbon dioxide levels. Most scientists however link this rise in the temperature to the increase of the carbon dioxide levels, other scientists argue that this change in the temperature could just be part of a natural fluctuation. These fluctuations have been recorded for tens of thousands of years and function in short-term as well as long-term cycles. Due to the difficulty of distinguishing between emissions caused by humans and those caused by natural sources, and a number of other uncertainties, in 1995 the United Nations convened a panel of leading scientists to evaluate the causes and probable effects of global warming.

This panel accredited the warming to human influence. They predicted that if greenhouse-gas emissions are not reduced, the average global temperature will rise by 1.0º to 3.5º Celsius, with a best estimate of 2.0º Celsius, by 2100. This would cause sea levels to rise by 50 cm; further warming and sea-level rise would follow. The possible costs of global warming are so great that many of the world's top scientists have urged immediate action and have called for international cooperation on the problem.

Several international efforts have been undertaken to reduce greenhouse-gas emissions, the most recent effort undertaken occurred in December 1997.

This effort took place in Kyoto. Japan. The delegates approved an agreement, known as the Kyoto Protocol. This protocol required industrialized nations to limit emissions of greenhouse gases. The settlement, signed by officials from 160 countries, requires 38 industrialized nations to accept legally binding limits reducing greenhouse emissions to levels that are an average of 5 percent below the emission levels of 1990. These reduced levels are to be achieved between 2008 and 2012. The United States, the largest emitter of greenhouse gases, pledged to reduce its emissions to 7 percent below 1990 levels, while the European Union pledged to reduce their emissions to 8 percent below 1990 levels.

The thinning of the ozone layer increases the UV Rays that come through our atmosphere. Prolonged exposure to the UV Rays can and will cause Skin Cancer.
- Changes in Crop and Plant Life

If the earth’s climate increases, the amount of moisture in the ground will decrease. When the weather is in the mild-latitudes (this includes most of the United States), the amount of moisture in the soil will decrease in the summer. In the winter, higher temperatures will melt the snow earlier in the year and the land will have a longer time to dry out. Crops that now grow in these regions may not survive this added warmth and dryness. But other changes, such as the amount of rainfall and local temperature differences, may affect which crops will do well and which ones will not.

Winters in the northern polar zone could be 18 degrees warmer according to some studies. This increase in temperature could cause sea ice to melt, which can result in a rise in sea level. Just how much it will rise is not clear. Surprisingly, some scientists do not think there will be warming in the southern polar areas! However, if this does occur, most of the earth’s land masses will be flooded. This will decrease the liveable area of the earth.

As the temperature increases, there will be more evaporation from large bodies of water. This increased evaporation will cause more clouds and more rainfall. Scientists are certain that there will be increased precipitation in the northern polar zone, but in other areas they are not as sure. Some regions may actually have less rainfall than there is right now.

There are many solutions to Global Warming. The biggest problem is getting everyone in the world to do there part. Some solutions might cause certain industries to reasonably suffer, or just cost too much money.

The first step in stopping global warming is to make sure people do their part in helping stop it. Governments all over the world have passed policies insuring that this happens. Environmentalists all over the world are coming together to encourage governments everywhere to start reducing greenhouse gas emissions. Many nations already have the Clean Air act that banned a total end to the use of chlorofluorocarbons, or CFC's. CFC's come from aerosol cans, solvents etc. and basically eat away at our ozone, allowing more heat to penetrate the atmosphere. In time, more governments will pass laws similar to the Clean Air Act that will help prevent global warming. Some of the possible solutions the government is discussing are expanding on the use of other sorts of power, and working on reducing greenhouse gas emissions. Solar energy and nuclear energy do not produce greenhouse gases, therefore would help prevent global warming. The idea of solar powered cars has been milling through technology forever and is now a very important consideration for the safety of the earth. Another idea is to have cars run on alcohol, instead of gasoline. Alcohol-run cars would produce fewer greenhouse gases. Some countries around the world already use alcohol run cars, and the United States has a few gas stations that sell alcohol, not just gasoline. The government has also considered raising prices on fossil fuels so people would be more inclined to walk or take public transportation instead of spending money on gasoline and oil just to drive themselves. Environmentalists are also doing crop testing to see how much strain crops can handle for more efficient adaptation to higher Carbon dioxide levels.