Running head: GLOBAL WARMING: A GLOBAL ISSUE ESSAY 1

Global Warming: Global Issue Essay

Name

Tutor

Course

Institution

Date

This study source was downloaded by 100000799242944 from CourseHero.com on 04-22-2022 12:29:21 GMT -05:00

https://www.coursehero.com/file/50804483/Global-Warming-global-warming-issuedocx/
 GLOBAL WARMING: A GLOBAL ISSUE ESSAY 2

Global Warming

Introduction

Global warming is one of the most popular terms, which have become commonly used

across the universe especially in the 21st century. While its meaning has not been clear to

everyone, researchers have described it as the gradual rise in temperature within the Earth’s

atmosphere (Neubauer, & Megonigal, 2015). Moreover, global warming has been identified as

the biggest problem across the entire world, which has constituted to the witnessed climatic

changes. The slowly mounting temperature of the Earth’s surface increases the fact of global

warming causing climate changes thus enhancing several global problems. Ideally, there are

various activities taking place across the globe, which are definitely leading to the realized

increased temperature. It is important to note that global warming is uncontrollably melting

glaciers, and this is not only harmful to humans but to all other organisms of the ecosystem.

While global warming is manageable, its implications foster several challenges, which make its

control measures seem difficult to abide with. Ideally, the initial stage in any problem solving

strategy is coming up with the sources of the problem faced. That said, solving the global

warming issue needs a prior understanding of its major causes. This essay, therefore, aims at

identifying the causes and effects of global warming as well as determining the relevant

solutions, which can be projected towards its management.

Causes of Global Warming

The major causes of global warming have been associated with human activities whilst

its effects also affect a greater part of human practices across the universe. Firstly, Fatima, Xia,

Cao, Khan, & Fan (2019) argue that greenhouse gases are a major cause of global warming in the

world. These gases occupy a large percentage of atmospheric gases other than the natural gases

This study source was downloaded by 100000799242944 from CourseHero.com on 04-22-2022 12:29:21 GMT -05:00

https://www.coursehero.com/file/50804483/Global-Warming-global-warming-issuedocx/
 GLOBAL WARMING: A GLOBAL ISSUE ESSAY 3

that also exists in the Earth’s atmosphere. Greenhouse gases are the extra gases in the

atmosphere, which are believed to be invented by human beings through various activities in

which they get involved in. The main greenhouse gases include carbon dioxide, water vapor,

methane, nitrous oxide, chlorofluorocarbons, and ozone (Diffenbaugh, Singh, Mankin, Horton,

Swain, Touma, ... & Rajaratnam (2017). These gases have been reported to be the main causes

of air pollution, which then leads to increased Earth’s atmospheric temperature. According to

Henderson, Reinert, Dekhtyar, & Migdal (2015), climate change results from global warming

which is contributed by the various sensitive greenhouse gases. While some sources of these

gases are natural such as water vapor which evaporates from oceans and seas and ozone which is

as result of sun rays, most of them result from human activities such as chlorofluorocarbons,

carbon dioxide, methane, and nitrous oxide which result from biological processes initiated by

human activities (Fatima et al., 2019).

Consequentially, the revolution of industrialization in the previous two centuries has

multiplied human activities, which are responsible for emission of greenhouse gases. Taking for

instance, burning of fossil fuels has been argued as the largest source of carbon dioxide gas

emitted in to the Earth’s atmosphere. In other words, burning of coal, petroleum, and natural gas

constitutes the largest producer of carbon dioxide in the world (Henderson et al., 2015). It is

important to note that these emissions cause atmospheric pollution since they do not escape from

the Earth’s atmosphere hence causing gradual increase of temperature. Besides, deforestation

may also contribute a major role in causing global warming due to the important function of trees

to the ecosystem. It is relevant to note that trees cover provides a ready and appropriate channel

of reducing the amount of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere. That said, desertification through

clearing forests to increase land for human activities such as mining and cattle rearing may lead

This study source was downloaded by 100000799242944 from CourseHero.com on 04-22-2022 12:29:21 GMT -05:00

https://www.coursehero.com/file/50804483/Global-Warming-global-warming-issuedocx/
 GLOBAL WARMING: A GLOBAL ISSUE ESSAY 4

to increased amount of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere. Henderson et al (2015) point out that

one of the most cost-effective ways of controlling climatic changes is by increasing plants cover

through afforestation. This is aimed at reducing the amount of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere

thus regulating the occurrence of global warming. Moreover, there are various natural causes of

greenhouse gases emitters, which have been identified to constitute to the big percentage of these

gases in the atmosphere. According to Fatima et al (2019), volcanic eruptions contribute

immensely to global warming due to emissions of large quantities of carbon dioxide in to the

atmosphere. Similarly, methane is also a component of greenhouse gases, which is also

associated with volcanic eruptions.

This study source was downloaded by 100000799242944 from CourseHero.com on 04-22-2022 12:29:22 GMT -05:00

https://www.coursehero.com/file/50804483/Global-Warming-global-warming-issuedocx/
 GLOBAL WARMING: A GLOBAL ISSUE ESSAY 5

Effects of Global Warming

Global warming has been recognized as a major shortcoming in agricultural activities by

reducing speculated agricultural produce. Karmalkar, & Bradley, (2017) argue that there are

several agricultural practices which may lead to emission of greenhouse gases in to the

atmosphere. The rise of greenhouse gases through agricultural activities, therefore, is associated

with application of chemical substances such as herbicides and insecticides. Climatic changes

occurring from global warming has a great negative impact on environmental implications on

agricultural practices (Harvey, 2018). It is relevant to note that the environment is significant in

determining various agricultural factors such as soil erosion and soil drainage.

That said, the segment of agriculture, which determines the extent of produce, is majorly

associated with the environment. Global warming, on the other hand, contributes to adverse

effects, which lead to increased soil erosion and poor soil drainage hence causing poor

production. Also, Karmalkar, & Bradley, (2017) add that some agricultural practices are also

responsible for emission of greenhouse gases in to the atmosphere. Some of these of these

practices as identified include rice cultivation and over-reliance on fertilizers, which form a

major source of methane gas as well as nitrous oxide. Furthermore, Karmalkar, & Bradley,

(2017) argue that global warming is threateningly causing a rise in sea level especially in the

East of Asia leading to submergence. This phenomenon is identified to not only threaten the lives

of human beings but also loss of agricultural land.

Besides, Neubauer, & Megonigal, (2015) believe that global warming is a harmful

phenomenon to human health. The research associates global warming with humid atmosphere

which increases the probability of disease-causing bacteria by providing an enabling

environment. It is important to note that the most dreadful infectious global diseases such as

This study source was downloaded by 100000799242944 from CourseHero.com on 04-22-2022 12:29:22 GMT -05:00

https://www.coursehero.com/file/50804483/Global-Warming-global-warming-issuedocx/
 GLOBAL WARMING: A GLOBAL ISSUE ESSAY 6

malaria are accumulative in warm regions. Also, disease causing micro-organisms are argued to

exist in polluted water and air in large numbers. Global warming, as identified by researchers, is

the main cause of air and water pollution in the world hence promoting the growth of harmful

organisms in regards to human health. Similarly, the ozone layer concentration is affected by

increased temperature resulting from the effects of global warming. According to Neubauer, &

Megonigal, (2015), high temperatures in the Earth’s atmosphere destroys the ozone layer hence

leading to penetration of harmful sunrays, which lead to skin and respiratory diseases such as

asthma. In addition, the impact of global warming is also identified to affect livestock farming

due to water and pasture shortages resulting from frequent droughts experienced in various

regions in the world. High temperatures due to global warming are associated with drought

implications with scarce water and pasture for livestock hence reduced production.

Global Warming Solutions

As mentioned earlier, controlling global warming may be challenging but it is not

unmanageable. Based on the above commentary, greenhouse gases are the major cause of global

warming. That said, the efforts of global warming management fundamentally begin from initial

measures of reducing emissions of the gases. While the control of global warming is not

impossible, both governments and individuals should team up in realizing that the efforts lead to

a sustainable state of the atmosphere. Governments can achieve this by passing specific policies

aimed at controlling human activities in order to reduce emission of greenhouse gases. For

example, governments can monitor the usage of gasoline and petroleum consumptions by

automobiles. This can be enhanced through switching to hybrid transportation, which will reduce

burning of fossil fuels capable of emitting carbon dioxide and other harmful gases to the

atmosphere (Neubauer, & Megonigal, 2015). In addition, citizens in various countries can be

This study source was downloaded by 100000799242944 from CourseHero.com on 04-22-2022 12:29:22 GMT -05:00

https://www.coursehero.com/file/50804483/Global-Warming-global-warming-issuedocx/
 GLOBAL WARMING: A GLOBAL ISSUE ESSAY 7

mobilized to make use public means of transport or even carpool together in order to reduce the

extent at which fossil fuels are burned. Besides, cycling can also be encouraged to reduce the

usage of fossil fuels.

Conclusion

Conclusively, the major climatic changes experienced in many regions in the world are

contributed by global warming. Global warming phenomenon is contributed by various aspects

including both manmade and natural causes. The main natural cause has been identified to be

volcanic eruptions with several human causes identified such as industrialization and

deforestation (Harvey, 2018). These aspects lead to production of greenhouse gases, which are

emitted to the atmosphere. Once emitted, greenhouse gases cause rise of Earth’s atmospheric

temperature, which results, to major climatic changes, which lead to reduced agricultural yields,

animals’ products, and increased diseases (Harvey, 2018). While managing global warming is

challenging, both government and individuals’ combined efforts can intensively control the

quantity of greenhouse gases emitted in to the atmosphere.

This study source was downloaded by 100000799242944 from CourseHero.com on 04-22-2022 12:29:22 GMT -05:00

https://www.coursehero.com/file/50804483/Global-Warming-global-warming-issuedocx/
 GLOBAL WARMING: A GLOBAL ISSUE ESSAY 8

References

Diffenbaugh, N. S., Singh, D., Mankin, J. S., Horton, D. E., Swain, D. L., Touma, D., ... &

Rajaratnam, B. (2017). Quantifying the influence of global warming on unprecedented

extreme climate events. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, 114(19),

4881-4886.

Fatima T., Xia E., Cao Z., Khan D., & Fan J., (2019). Decomposition analysis of energy-related

CO2 emission in the industrial sector of China: Evidence from the LMDI approach.

Environmental Science and Pollution Research, 26(21), 21736–21749.

https://doi.org/10.1007/s11356-019-05468-5

Harvey, L. D. (2018). Global warming. Routledge.

Henderson RM, Reinert SA, Dekhtyar P, Migdal A (2016) Climate Change in 2018: Implications

for Business. Harvard Business School Background Note 317-032.

https://www.hbs.edu/faculty/Pages/item.aspx?num=51755

Karmalkar, A. V., & Bradley, R. S. (2017). Consequences of global warming of 1.5 C and 2 C for

regional temperature and precipitation changes in the contiguous United States. PLoS

One, 12(1), e0168697. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0168697

Neubauer, S. C., & Megonigal, J. P. (2015). Moving beyond global warming potentials to

quantify the climatic role of ecosystems. Ecosystems, 18(6), 1000-1013.

https://doi.org/10.1007/s10021-019-00422-5.

This study source was downloaded by 100000799242944 from CourseHero.com on 04-22-2022 12:29:22 GMT -05:00

https://www.coursehero.com/file/50804483/Global-Warming-global-warming-issuedocx/
Powered by TCPDF (www.tcpdf.org)