Climate is defined as an expected weather, and climate change is when certain changes occur in the climate. Climate of a particular surrounding varies every now and then, depending upon then times scale and geographical scales. Different activities can cause climate changes. Many changes start to take place on Earth when the climate is changed. Such as droughts, floods, excessive rainfall and severe heat waves. Oceans and glaciers also gets affected by it, as when the oceans gets warm they become acidic, and glaciers starts to melt which result in rise in sea level. A large amount of carbon dioxide and greenhouse gases has been released in the air over a period of time. And most of these gases arises when the fossil fuels are burn in order to produce energy. Greenhouse effect works like a blanket for Earth, which traps the energy into the atmosphere and makes it warm. To support life on earth greenhouse gases are very necessary. But excess of anything is always dangerous. When the gases in the greenhouse start to build up, it leads to disastrous effect on human health and environment. People are used to a stable climate. Every kind of climate brings various changes into the environment, like a hot climate can affect the water supplies, farming, power and transport system, natural environment and sometimes our own wellbeing and safety. There are some changes in the climate which can’t be avoided, like carbon dioxide in the air, which makes the atmosphere warm, and will continue to do so in future.
Global warming:
Over the past few centuries, global warming has taken the upshot in the world. Global warming is the result of greenhouse gases which are making their way to Earth’s atmosphere. Gases which directly affect the environment are water vapors, carbon dioxide, nitrogen-oxide and methane. About 30 % of the sun raises are redirected into the space by bright surfaces like clouds and ice. Whereas the rest of the 70 % of sun raises are absorbed by the land, ocean and atmosphere. The earth gets heated by the absorbed solar energy. This ingestion and emission of hotness by the climate is useful and helpful for life on Earth. Through growing greenhouse gases concentration, the Earth’s atmosphere is becoming more efficient day by day. The sudden change in climate which we are facing on Earth was never seen before in the history of our planet. Volcano explosion and the amount of solar energy are some of the factors that affect the natural climate of Earth. When a volcano is erupted it causes a drastic change in the climate, as it not just release the lava and ash, but more harmful stuff too like small particles of sulfur dioxide. These particles of sulfur dioxide then gets scattered into the stratosphere and solar radiations are reflected back to the space. Climate of Earth is not just affected by the greenhouse gases, but are also affected by the plants, animals and other life on Earth. When the plants make their food by photosynthesis (using sunlight, air and water) then the carbon dioxide is reduced from the stratosphere. But at night time plants release back the carbon dioxide into the atmosphere. The carbon dioxide is released into the air when some kind of wildfire takes place. Scientists have conducted many researches on global warming, and they are very much confident that the overall temperature of Earth is going to rise in coming years, because of the gases of greenhouse produced by the human activities.
Gases that contribute to greenhouse effect:
Scientist have recognized the greenhouse gases since 1824, when it was intended by one of the scientist named as Joseph Fourier that if there will be no atmosphere on Earth, then its temperature will get cold. The greenhouse effect basically makes the Earth’s atmosphere livable. If the greenhouse effect as absent in the atmosphere of Earth, then the overall temperature of the Earth would have been 60 degrees Fahrenheit chiller. The levels of greenhouse gases have always been fluctuating in the history of Earth. But over a period of few years they have become constant. Below mentioned are some of the gases which contribute into greenhouse effect.
1. Water vapor: it is one of the most rich gas of the greenhouse, but also very important at the same time, as it acts as a response to the climate. When the Earth’s atmosphere starts to change and is directed towards the warm side the water vapors start to increase. Due to this the possibility of clouds also gets increased.
2. Carbon dioxide: one of the most vital components of atmosphere is carbon dioxide. It is released with the help of regular procedures like respiration and eruption of volcano. Also through human activities which includes deforestation and burning of fossil fuels. Since the revolution of industries, the concentration of carbon dioxide in atmosphere has been increased by the humans. This is marked as one of the most important force of change in climate.
3. Methane: methane is a type of a hydrocarbon gas which is produced through both i.e. human activities and natural sources. It also includes the breakdown of waste materials, cultivation, specially the cultivation of rice. Among all the gases present in greenhou se, methane is the active most, even if compared with carbon dioxide. It is not much abundant in the atmosphere.
4. Nitrous oxide: another greenhouse gas which is produced by practicing soil cultivation, by using organic and commercial fertilizers, fossil fuels, nitric acid and biomass boiling.
5. Chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs): it is an artificial compound of industrial source which is used for number of applications. But now a day it is used for regulation in production and to release it in the atmosphere for the destruction of ozone layer. This is also one of the gases present in greenhouse.
6. Sulphur hexafluoride: it is also known as SF6. It is specially used for medical procedures, but mainly for dielectric materials. These are mostly used in transformers and grid switching gears as they are high voltage applications, so it becomes an insulator for them. SF6 has the ability of stay in upper most atmospheres for many years, and it has a GWP of 22,800.
Importance of global warming:
Global warming is very much significant as with the help of it we are able to determine the future atmosphere of Earth. With the help of latitude, we get to know the possibility of snowfall, rainfall or hailstorm that will reach the surface of the Earth. By using the sunlight we are able to find the thermal energy that is available to a region. Basically global warming is known as the scientific study of atmosphere of earth over a period of years. After the 20th century, the overall temperature of the surface of sea and global air has increased to 8 percent, and two third of this increase started to take place in 1980.
Causes of Global warming:
When there is excessive amount of carbon dioxide present in the atmosphere it causes global warming. As it then makes the planet warm by acting like a blanket and takes in all the heat. There are three positions of global warming; and they are as following:
Neither the global warming is taking place, nor change in climate.
Both global warming and change in climate is taking place, but are natural in nature and totally unrelated to human activities.
When both global warming and change in climate takes place because of the human activities.
The case that nothing is going on is difficult to protect in the face or masses of visual, arrive based and satellite information that plainly demonstrates rising normal ocean and land temperatures and contracting ice masses. In order to claim that global warming is occurring naturally without the intervention of any kind of human activity, the scientist puts their main focus on the temperature of the world along with the level of carbon dioxide present in the atmosphere, to figure out whether the levels have been high or higher in the past. They also study the overall effect of solar activities on the total amount of emissions that shrinks the Earth. Some more sources through which global warming is taking place is;
Less heat is fleeing from the space.
Cooling and shrinking of upper atmosphere.
The level of tropopause is rising.
Level of oxygen is getting less in the air.
Fossil fuel carbons are found in the atmosphere in excess.
Nights are getting warmer if compared to days.
More heat is coming back on the earth through sunlight.
Excess amount of fossil fuels present in trees.
Different patterns of ocean warming.
Excess amount of fossil fuels present in coral.
Excess amount of fossil fuels present in ocean.
Winters are getting warmer and faster than summers.
Global warming caused by black carbon:
Black carbon (BC) is basically small particles of carbon which are released when the burning process of fossil fuels, biofuels and biomass is not completed properly. The particles of black carbon are really tiny in size i.e. 10 micrometers, 1/3rd of the width i=of human hair, and so small that it can easily pass through the human lungs walls into the bloodstream. The black carbon is mostly generated from the chimneys and fire, which is then spread in the air. It has the ability of absorb more sun’s heat if compared to carbon dioxide. When the wind blows the black carbon present in the atmosphere comes over the snow, glaciers and ice caps. The black carbon contributes to melting of these things, which then result in damage of the Earth’s atmosphere. After carbon dioxide, black carbon is considered to be one of the biggest funders of global warming.
Effects of Global Warming:
Biosphere: it is very much expected that this rapid change in climate will lead to death of many species, which will lead to variety of ecosystem. The continuous rises in the temperature of Earth’s atmosphere have been found to push bees to their physical limits. And this can cause death in bee’s population. In 2012, the researchers have found that the overall intake of carbon dioxide by the ocean affects the brain and nervous system, of fish, which further leads to problems like hearing, smelling an evading of their predators.
Environmental: extreme weather conditions are a result of global warming. Exceptionally wet and dry weathers within the monsoon time period have enlarged ever since 1980. It is to be expected that ecosystem will be affected by rise of carbon dioxide level in the atmosphere.
Social system: the overall human system is affected by the climate change of Earth. It is mainly because if the shifts in patterns that have been detected all over the world. Areas which are not developed much are at high risk of negative impact by the global warming, and it is also concluded from one of the researches done in 2015. The infrastructure and human settlements of Small Island are at high threat due to rise in sea level, and it can lead to issues like homelessness and statelessness. Few of the examples of how global warming will have its effects on humans;
• Researcher found in 2014, that every year temperature of atmosphere is increased, which will increased the violence up to 20 % each year.
• The gasses released from greenhouse damages the economy to US $43 trillion.
• Production of crops are also very much effected by global warming.
• Human health will have more negative impact than positive one. When humans have to face extreme weather conditions it leads to various injuries and deaths. Other indirect effects of severe conditions are; not having enough nutrition due to crop failure.
Regional: the small island and Artic, Africa and Asia are the regions which are most likely to be affected by the climate change in future. Africa is one of the weakest continents that can’t easily adapt the climate change because of the already exiting stresses i.e. poverty, political problems and ecosystem.
Solutions for Global warming:
1. Reduce the usage of fossil fuels, specially the use of coal.
2. Should move from coal to natural gas usage.
3. Efficiency of energy should be improved.
4. Renewable energy resources should be introduced, and should be moved on that.
5. Deforestation should be minimized.
6. More sustainable agriculture should be used.
7. Urban sprawl should be limited
8. Every measure should be taken to reduce poverty.
9. Population growth should be slow.
10. Carbon dioxide should be removed from that smokestack and emissions produced by vehicles.
Conclusion:
The level of global warming is increasing day by day, and it won’t be solved easily of the human beings are not going to cooperate to practice in lowering of carbon emission. The provided solutions will only be effective when people are willing to change their lifestyle. If the people are willing to change their regular and small habits, then a vast difference can be seen in global climate change. Everyone must try hard to overcome this global warming problem, as should strive more to restore our earth, for the sake of our future generation.