Introduction
Global warming effects is currently one of the global threats with each nation suffering economically due to the observed climatic changes. This discussion aims to provide effects of the current global warming threats which is affecting the whole world. Due to changes in the distribution of the weather pattern for an extended period, global warming results in climatic changes. Global warming is associated with climate change and the discussion will focus about the causes, effects and some of the viable solutions to global warming. According to Keohane and Olmstead, there are two key factors which are associated with global warming, the human and the natural causes (2018). These, if controlled, reduce the effects of global warming on the environment and animals. At the end of the discussion, one will have a clear understanding of the causes and solutions to global warming.
During the early industrialization periods, the world still recorded high temperatures but the changes were not destructive to the environment. However, the recent global warming effects have resulted in various man made and natural causal effects. The accumulation of greenhouse gases in the earth’s atmosphere is largely due to the human activities. Increased human activities is as a result of capitalism. There is high demand for goods and services that lead to elimination of gases that destroy the ozone layer; the ozone protects the earth against the UV rays that are responsible for direct sun ray that heat the surface (Khare et al., 2020). Various activities, both natural and man-made, have had a negatively on biodiversity. Some of these activities include climate change, pollution, the spread of invasive species and overexploitation (Keohane & Olmstead, 2018). Globalization has led to the establishment of industries that increase the release of greenhouse gas. Consequently, harming the environment and its contribution to plant and animal life.
Causes of Global Warming
Global warming is caused by two things which include: the natural causes and the human causes. Human Causes are the primary cause of global warming. The human activities that result in climate change include the burning of fossil fuels and the clearing of land for agriculture. In addition to this, the onset of industrialization has resulted in an enhancement of human influences significantly. The impact of human activities is in changing the land surface and release of several substances to the atmosphere (Keohane & Olmstead, 2018). The resultant effect is the manipulation of the amount of incoming energy and an outgoing energy that have warming and cooling effect on the climate.
The main effect of industrialization on the climate has been a warming effect since there is increased burning of fossil fuels. Agriculture activities have been contributors of global warming effect. The livestock produce the methane gas, a greenhouse gas. The use of fertilizers and agrochemicals which contain the nitrous oxide which causes the global warming effect (Khare et al., 2020). the industries release greenhouse gases including sulfur and hydrofluorocarbon. Greenhouse gases from the burning of the fossil fuel result in significant percentage of CO2 in the atmosphere. The transport industry has been cited as lead contributor to the greenhouse gas especially carbon.
The natural causes only contribute to a very minimum percentage of global warming. The natural greenhouse gases are water vapor, carbon dioxide, methane, and ozone. Khare et al. reinstate that although these gases alone are not destructive, but the induced gases due to human activities increase their percentages in the atmosphere thus making them destructive as well (2020). These gases originate from the volcanic eruptions which release them into the atmosphere. Another source merely is from the sun radiation which heats the earth thus increasing the temperatures. Natural fires also contribute to the global warming because as the fire burns, it releases the greenhouse gases into the atmosphere.
Effects of Global Warming
On the Environment
The changes in temperature bring about some other extreme weather events such as floods and drought. When there is flooding, properties are destroyed and also many dies during such events. An additional effect of global warming is on agricultural practices especially farming. The crops are damaged by the floods or drought thus reducing the yields at a high level which in the long run affects the economy of a nation (Rezai, Foley & Taylor, 2019). Diseases such as malaria are known to occur during the wet seasons, thus in case of flooding, there will be a lot of stagnant water which is a good breeding ground for the mosquitoes. The sun rays can also cause the skin cancer which leads to death if not treated early.
Global warming has proven to be a subject of intense debate in recent years. Evidence has shown an increase in temperatures all over the world with the rise being attributed to global warming caused by increased human activities. Since weather records were formally kept in the late 1800s to the present, the period between 2001 and 2010 had the highest temperatures on record (Newbold et al., 2019). Events such as the rising ocean levels, melting ice caps and rising temperatures can be directly attributed to global warming. The rising temperatures globally have led to the evaporation of surface water to increase which has caused high levels of precipitation. There has been analysis carried out in different countries and regions, and the observations have been that there has been an increase in very heavy and extreme precipitation events (Newbold et al., 2019). Temperatures recorded during have shown that cold nights have decreased in major parts of the world and warm nights are on the increase. The temperatures are directly related to global warming.
This is brought by the melting of the ice which is due to the thermal expansion of the oceans leading to some changes in the amount of precipitation. The number of hurricanes, elninos and tsunamis has dramatically increased. Global warming will cause and is causing the melting of ice at the North Pole (Chan et al., 2018). Therefore, the water produced by the melting ice will find its way into the seas causing a rise in sea levels. This will lead to people at the coasts drowning (Newbold et al., 2019). Majority of the people might not understand the reason but they just think it is a reasonable change in weather pattern but all those changes are due to global warming. The rise of sea level is associated with property destruction, the death of people and animals, destruction of crops, displacement of people and extinction of some creatures among many other related problems.
Destructive weather events such as hurricanes have been on the rise since the 1970s. The Hurricanes have been linked with tropical sea surface temperature. Hurricanes under the category four and five have recorded a 75% increase since the year 1970 (Newbold et al., 2019). In the same period, global warming has maintained the same upward trend. In the United States, snow and rain falling has risen by 20% in the last fifty years (Baer & Singer, 2018). The steady rise has been the result of the rapid rise in global temperatures that have acted as catalysts in the rainmaking process. Government agencies concerned with the weather have had to redraw flood maps all over the United States due to rapid weather changes that have occurred in the last few decades. The reason the changes have been rapid in the recent past is that industrialization has rapidly increased human activity, and this has led to large increases in emissions. Therefore, global is the causative agent of recent extreme weather activities.
On Animals
Overpopulation also places a strain on the available natural resources as man strives to build his habitat at the expense of other species. Trees have been cut down to accommodate the growing human population. On the other hand, population growth also increases the demand for food and water and this has led to the depletion of certain animal and plant species. The once vibrant and vast biodiversity has been threatened by global warming. This has impacted the habitats of the animals, their breeding partners and food availability. Global warming is leading to extinction and low population of plant and animal life (Ascione et al., 2021). The other key environmental issue is pollution. This ranges from air pollution to water pollution among other forms of pollution. Human beings are the main pollutants as they release toxic airborne substances such as gases and aerosols that deplete the ozone layer thus causing global warming (Khare et al., 2020). Industries also release their industrial waste into water bodies such as oceans and this leads to water pollution which can destroy aquatic life.
Habitat disruption is another critical global warming impact on animals. Animals like polar bears, penguins, fish and seals prefer living in icy areas since most of these animals are heterotherms. Their bodies are well adopted to cold regions and the mechanism such as thick fur help them survive in these temperate areas. During global warming, both the surface and the oceanic temperature rice, causing a cycle of melting and warming of the surrounding ice. Warm water often prevents the formation of ice during winter seasons and also accelerates the rate of melting of the already formed ice. As a result, the habitat for temperate animals like the polar bears is disrupted causing them to migrate to warmer regions, where most of them die (Newbold et al., 2019). The ultimate result of habitat disruption is species extinction as animals are unable to cope in the new environment.
Managing Global Warming
There are various solutions which have been identified that can help to reduce the effects of global warming. Through the United Nation’s commitment towards climate change and sustainable development (Baer & Singer, 2018). Nations have developed and agreed on plans that benefit to them today without depletion of the resources because of the future generation. The industries which release the greenhouse gases are looking and devising other ways of utilizing those gases instead of releasing to the environment (Kweku et al., 2018). If the earth is destroyed today by the greenhouse gases, it means that the coming generations will not have a safe place to live.
The development of new carbon laws will be beneficial because those nations that are found to be the leading emitters of carbon IV oxide will be fined. Low carbon technologies can also be developed to minimize the release of CO2. This allows for the use of alternatives when it comes to sources of energy including solar power, wind power, hydroelectric power and energy generated from biomass. The world needs to fight for the management of forest cover and control of agriculture activities. The fight against global warming can be informed by planting of more trees in the degraded forests and establishment of new forests covers (Baer & Singer, 2018). There has to be stringent measures on the use of nitrous fertilizers in the farm can also be reduced because they release the greenhouse gas.
Production industries need new approaches towards energy needs and consumption. This is to ensure that they stay away from the reliance on fossil fuels for their energy needs. The burning of fossil fuels has been the primary contributor to global warming. Industries need to be mandated to use renewable sources of energy to meet some if not all their energy needs (Rezai et al., 2019). Although the oil prices keep fluctuating, they are relatively low. This encourages its consumption and people, together with industries, have grown accustomed to these prices that they find it hard to drop it for alternative sources of the same. The transport industry needs a complete overhaul and the introduction of green transportation for reduced emission of carbon.
Conclusion
Global warming is a threat to the survival and well-being of the human and animal life. Consequently, it is crucial to understand the causes of global climate change in order to come up with appropriate mitigation measures. Historically, the climate of the earth has been changing over the years. However, these changes were as a result of natural causes due to the rotation of the earth. The current warming is vital since it is attributed to be as a result of human activity. Due to the evolution of technology, it is possible for a scientist to obtain information on the earth’s climate. Studies reveal that the climate of the earth has been undergoing changes due to effects of global warming. Countries have teamed up to establish measures and reforms in curbing global warming effects experienced in the last century.
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