An Analysis of Global Warming: Causes, Impacts, and Mitigation

This essay provides a comprehensive overview of global warming, defining it as an increase in the Earth's average surface temperature primarily due to the rise in greenhouse gases like carbon dioxide, stemming from fossil fuel burning and deforestation. The essay explains the 'greenhouse effect' and highlights the role of CO2, which remains in the atmosphere for extended periods, contributing to rising temperatures. It references predictions by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) and discusses the impacts of global warming, such as increased storm intensity and frequency, and the melting of glaciers and polar ice caps, linking these effects to human activities. The essay also addresses the Paris Agreement, which sets a limit to the temperature increase, and emphasizes the importance of transitioning to renewable energy sources and implementing coastal protection measures. The conclusion underscores the urgency of global warming and the necessity for investment in clean energy resources.

Running head: GLOBAL WARMING
Global Warming

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Global warming
Global warming (Dai et al., 2013) occurs when there is increase in the Earth’s average
surface temperature. The reason for which is increase in the level of greenhouse gases such as
carbon dioxide (CO2), coming from burning of fossil fuels or from deforestation, this traps
heat the heat which would have escaped from earth in absence of these gases. This is known
as a type of ‘greenhouse effect’ (Samimi et al., 2012).
The main greenhouse gas is water vapour which is not produced directly by human beings.
Even little increase in levels of carbon dioxide can lead to increase in temperature. The basic
reason for this is that, CO2 remains in atmosphere for a very long time which could be
hundreds of years. And water vapour can get condensed easily and even evaporate depending
upon the local conditions.
Currently, almost half of the amount of CO2 which is released by the burning of fossil fuels is
there in the atmosphere and the rest is absorbed by the green cover on planet and the oceans.
Scientists of Intergovernmental panel on Climate which are researching on the subject of
global warming have recently predicted that there could be increase in average global
temperature which could be in between 1.4 and 5.8 degrees Celsius by the year 2100.
Global warming has become representative of other issues in following ways: (Hardoy et al.,
2014)
- Prevalence of storms
The increase in temperature of water especially sea water leads to formation of storms of
great intensity and frequency. For example- Haiyan a super typhoon which destroyed

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Philippines in 2013. The change in climate and global warming is increasing at a greater rate
than it was anticipated by the experts. Earlier it was anticipated that there would be 2-degrees
Celsius rise in average global temperature by end of the century but now scientists have
measured that it could be between 4 and 6 degrees.
-Melting of glaciers, polar ice caps, etc.
According to scientists, electricity produced using coal, petroleum and other fossil fuels
which are used in transportation and industries affects the environment to a great extent and
as these activities increase due to increase in population the effects has also increased rapidly.
It leads to greenhouse effect. The other reasons in increasing temperature are increased levels
of dust and soot due to activities like grazing, farming, etc. All the mentioned acts by human
beings have lead to glacier retreat.
After facing these issues globally, The Paris agreement formed by United Nation Convention
on Climate Change (UNFCCC) (Rogelj et al., 2016) was made which was concluded by 195
countries and applicable to all of them. According to this agreement, a limitation to increase
in temperature was set which is 2°C. It tends to flexible according to the needs and capacities
of the various countries.
As per the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), global warming above the
level of 2°C would have serious consequences on the environment, like increase in the
number of extreme climate changing events. The Principle of this framework convention is
the notion of ‘Common but differentiated responsibility and respective capabilities’.

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Following are various steps which will be taken in order to combat the situation:
- Building of sea walls along the coast by the countries in order to reduce the negative impact
of climate change that is rise in sea level, droughts, etc.
-Promoting the idea of using renewable energy sources in daily life and also using the
transport which is on low-emission levels
So, it is confirmed that global warming has become the major challenge for the world. There
should be basic funding available for production of cheap and clean energy resources and this
should available easily as the development of the economy is dependent on increasing usage
of energy.

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References
Dai, A. (2013). Increasing drought under global warming in observations and models.
Nature Climate Change, 3(1), 52-58.
Samimi, A., & Zarinabadi, S. (2012). Reduction of greenhouse gases emission and effect
on environment. Journal of American Science, 8(8), 1011-1015.
Hardoy, J. E., & Satterthwaite, D. (2014). Environmental Problems of Third World
Cities: A Global Issue Ignored?. Cities of the Global South Reader, 155.
Rogelj, J., Den Elzen, M., Höhne, N., Fransen, T., Fekete, H., Winkler, H., ... &
Meinshausen, M. (2016). Paris Agreement climate proposals need a boost to keep
warming well below 2 C. Nature, 534(7609), 631-639.