What is Global Warming?

Global warming is the rise in temperature of the Earth's atmosphere.

Global Warming

Glaciers are melting, sea levels are rising, cloud forests are drying, and wildlife is scrambling to keep pace. It's becoming clear that humans have caused most of the past century's warming by releasing heat-trapping gases as we power our modern lives. Called greenhouse gases, their levels are higher now than in the last 650,000 years.

The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change

The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change is a group of scientists of the United Nations. This group meets every few years to review the latest scientific findings and write a report summarizing all that is known about global warming.

Causes

Scientists have spent decades figuring out what is causing global warming. They've looked at the natural cycles and events that are known to influence climate. But the amount and pattern of warming that's been measured can't be explained by these factors alone. The only way to explain the pattern is to include the effect of greenhouse gases emitted by humans.

Greenhouse gases

Greenhouse gases are made of water vapour, carbon dioxide, methane, nitrous oxide and ozone.The sunlight enters the atmosphere of the Earth and it is reflected back by its surface. Greenhouse gases prevent the sun radiation from escaping and trap it in the atmosphere. This is one of the biggest causes of global warming.

Greenhouse gases

There are several gases responsible for warming, and humans emit them in a variety of ways. Most come from the combustion of fossil fuels in cars, factories and electricity power plants. The gas responsible for the most warming is carbon dioxide. Other contributors include methane released from landfills and agriculture, nitrous oxide from fertilizers and gases used for refrigeration and industrial processes, and the loss of forests.

Effects

• Ice is melting worldwide, especially at the Earth’s poles.• Some species will be lead to extinction.• Natural disasters will become stronger.• Less fresh water will be available.

What can we do?

We can increase the amount of gases we take out of the atmosphere. Plants and trees absorb carbon dioxide as they grow, "sequestering" carbon naturally.We should avoid to use cars and try to change to electrical cars.Clean power plants are also the way to go.

Conclusion

In the end, whether you believe climate change is naturally occurring or hastened by man's footprints, the truth remains that there are many ways to combat climate change, and they all begin with you. We all must take responsibility for our actions and learn to live sustainably, for us, our future and our world.

Global Warming – “Images”;

Global Warming – “Wikipedia”;

Global Warming – “Natural Resources Defense Council”

News about Global Warming – “ The Telegraph”

http://topics.nytimes.com/top/news/science/topics/globalwarming/index.html - “The New York Times – Science (Global Warming)”

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