Content Writer-SME
Global warming refers to a long-term heating of the earth's surface that oocurs due to excessive human activities and greenhouse gas emissions. This has been observed since pre-industrial times and since then the Earth's average temperature has been rising due to emissions of greenhouse gases such as carbon dioxide, methane and nitrous oxide.
- Over-accumulation of greenhouse gasses is considered as a primary cause of global warming.
- Climate change is one of the major impacts of global warming which is sometimes used interchangeably.
- The leads to many serious issues such as rising sea levels, plant and animal extinction, air pollution, and melting of glaciers.
Global Warming
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The definition of global warming is given as, “a gradual heating or increase in the temperature that occurs due to accumulation of green house gases in earth’s atmosphere”. Gases like carbon dioxide, nitrous oxide, methane, and water vapor are considered as green house gases which are emitted by combustion of fossil fuels.
- The increase in total population is associated with an increase in the burning of fossil fuels.
- The change in earth’s temperature due to global warming is one of the primary reasons of climate change.
- This can cause a potential threat to both humans and their surrounding environment.
Global warming: Abnormal Heating of Earth
Causes of Global Warming
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Global warming is becoming global concern due to abnormal increase in temperature all over the world is creating various problems such as rise in sea level, climate change, loss of habitat & species, soil erosion, etc. Thus, it is important to first understand the causes of global warming to reduce the risks and find solutions.
The causes of global warming are classified into two types: man-made and natural causes which are explained in detail below.-
Man-made Causes of Global Warming
Man-made causes of global warming includes deforestation, Use of vehicles, industrialization, Use of chlorofluorocarbon etc.
Excessive use of vehicles
Using private vehicles even for a short distance traveling is the reason behind both air pollution and global warming as vehicles burn the fossil fuels and emit several glasses into the atmosphere. It increases the temperature.
Deforestation
Destroying forests for domestic or commercial purposes led to the environmental imbalance. Cutting of trees causes the issue as plants are the major source for oxygen. It takes Carbon dioxide in and gives oxygen in the atmosphere. Removal of green lands causes the imbalance of gasses in the atmosphere and leads to temperature rising issues.
Industrialization
Industrial development has contributed to the rising earth temperature at a huge scale. According to a 2013 report, temperature has increased to 0.9 degree celsius during the period of 1880 to 2012. This difference is about 1:1 degree compared to the pre-industrialization era.
Factories release harmful gasses as a waste or byproducts and emission of these gasses causes rise in the temperature.
Factories releasing harmful gasses
Chlorofluorocarbon (CFC)
Refrigerators and air conditioners release CFC which is another harmful gas for the ozone layer. CFC depletes the ozone layer that protects the earth from UV radiation emitted by the sun. Thinning of the ozone layer loses its ability to prevent direct contact between UV rays and earth and thus rays enter the earth surface, increasing the temperature.
Overpopulation
Overpopulation is the prime cause of human activity that contributes to the majority of environmental issues, including global warming. Increased population means more people utilizing oxygen and releasing carbon dioxide in the atmosphere. Carbon dioxide is the prime gas causing the greenhouse effect.
Along with this, various agricultural activities produce methane gas, another factor that causes greenhouse effect in the environment.
Natural Causes of Global Warming
Apart from human activities, some natural incidences also cause the temperature of earth 's surface to rise. Examples of some natural causes are water vapor, volcanoes, forest fire and melting permafrost.
Volcanoes
Greenhouse gasses are released from volcanic eruptions, and lead to climate change and warming of earth if the carbon dioxide is released at large amounts.
Volcanic eruption and smoke releases carbon dioxide
Water vapor
Water vapor is another kind of greenhouse gas and due to rising temperature, more water gets evaporated releasing more gasses.
Forest fires
Forest fires contain large amounts of smoke and carbon dioxide, adding to the increased atmospheric temperature.
Forest fire
Melting permafrost
Permafrost is frozen soil with environmental gasses trapped in it. It is present below the earth’s surface. When glaciers melt, the permafrost emits the gasses back to the environment which stays in the atmosphere and contributes to the warming. Warming causes more ice to melt and the cycle goes on, causing global warming.
Effects of Global Warming
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All the living organisms and their surrounding environment are adversely affected by the abnormal rise in earth’s temperature. If this abnormal heat is not stopped now, it can have harmful effects on both humans and their surrounding environment.
Climate change
The increased temperature affects change in weather patterns. Climate changes have a huge impact on farming and human health. Storms and droughts are major output of this negative impact.
Effects on Humans
Human diseases that are spread by mosquitoes and other insects are reported to increase due to shifts in heat and humidity. Excessive rise in temperature is also associated with skin-related problems such as cancer, skin burns, etc. Moreover, rise in the rate of death have been reported recently due to heat stroke which is also caused by excessive emission of green house gasses.
Threat to Ecosystem
Global warming results in loss of biodiversity and creates imbalance in the overall ecosystem. Other effects of global warming are rising sea levels, storms and increased droughts that affect plants, animals and humans.
Climate change due to global warming
Solutions to Global Warming
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With every passing year the temperature of the earth is increasing due to global warming and climate change. Reducing the threats of global warming requires a combined approach of the government, local bodies, individuals, societies and communities. Here are some important ways mentioned below that can be followed to reduce the risks.
- Adoption of Green Technologies
- Carbon Sequesteration
- Promoting Sustainable Development Goals
- Innovation & Technology
Things to Remember
- Global warming is the increased temperature of earth’s surface that is majorly caused by excessive greenhouse effect.
- Gasses like carbon dioxide, methane and nitrous oxide are the prime gasses that cause greenhouse effect.
- Both humans and nature are the contributors to global warming.
- Human activities like industrialization, deforestation, overpopulation are the main causes of global warming.
- Natural events like volcanoes, water vapor, melting permafrost adds to the increased temperature.
- Global warming affects all living and nonliving factors such as ecosystems, land, water, climate, humans, plants and animals.
Sample Questions
Ques. What is global warming and how does it affect the climate? (2 marks)
Ans. Global warming is the long-term rising of temperature of the earth’s surface. The increased temperature changes the climate and weather patterns, it causes heat waves,storms, droughts, and melting of ice that is again causing the warming and climate change.
Ques. LIst down the human activities that cause global warming. (5 marks)
Ans. Human activities such as deforestation, overpopulation, CFC, industrialization etc have increased the atmospheric temperature.
- Industrialization: Industrial development and emission of harmful gasses from factories have contributed a lot to warming.
- Deforestation: The removal of green cover from earth surface and cutting down trees to get more land for commercialization or residential purposes has caused global warming. Also it results in an imbalance of oxygen and carbon dioxide in the atmosphere.
- CFC: Release of CFC from excessive use of refrigerators and air conditioners is the reason for ozone depletion and adding to rising temperature of earth’s surface as the ozone layer loses its ability to prevent UV rays from the sun.
- Overpopulation: More carbon dioxide release in the air is causing a greenhouse effect.
- Excessive use of vehicles: Overusing vehicles causes greenhouse gasses to release in the environment and increase pollution as well as heating.
Ques. What are the greenhouse gasses and how does it release in the atmosphere? (4 marks)
Ans. Greenhouse gasses are the glasses that are known to cause global warming by the excessive greenhouse effect. Carbon dioxide, methane and nitrous oxides are the main greenhouse gasses. These glasses are released into the atmosphere in various ways.
- By the respiration of people around the area.
- Deforestation and cutting down the trees-Carbon dioxide intake and oxygen release by trees gets disturbed.
- Melting permafrost emits back the gasses.
- Emission of gasses from factories.
- Volcanic eruption
Ques. Which of the following is not a greenhouse gas? (1 mark)
(a) Carbon dioxide
(b) Methane
(c) Nitrous oxide
(d) None of the above is correct
Ans. d. None of the above is correct
Explanation: Greenhouse gasses are carbon dioxide, methane and nitrous oxide so none of the above falls under the non greenhouse gasses, therefore, d is the correct answer.
Ques. Write a note on effects of global warming. (3 mark)
Ans. Warming of the earth's surface increases the temperature and changes the weather patterns. Storms and droughts are major outcomes of climate change caused by global warming. Another effect of global warming is heat waves and loss of biodiversity due to disturbed ecosystems. Change in humidity and heat causes mortality in humans and animals. Spreading of diseases by insects has increased due to climatic shifts. Overall, each biotic and abiotic factor of the environment is affected negatively by global warming.
Ques. How the disease spread is increased due to warming? (1 mark)
Ans. Global warming increases the heat and humidity shifts in the atmosphere. This can increase the spreading of diseases by pathogens such as mosquitoes.
Ques. What are the natural causes of global warming? (4 marks)
Ans. Natural incidents like volcanic eruptions, water vapor, melting permafrost etc can add to the warming of earth’s surface.
- Water vapor: The vapor contains greenhouse gasses. The more rise in temperature, the more water gets evaporated from the water bodies and adds to the warming.
- Melting permafrost: The frozen soil below the surface at glaciers contains environmental gasses that emit back into the environment when melts.
- Volcanic eruption: Eruption of volcanoes emits the carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gasses into the atmosphere.
- Forest fires: forest fires lead to warming by releasing smoke that contains carbon dioxide.Together, all these events contribute to the greenhouse effect and it increases the temperature of the earth.
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