Effects Of Global Warming

Carbon dioxide and other gases present in the atmosphere warm the surface of the earth naturally by trapping solar energy. This is an essential thing, as it keeps our planet habitable. But burning fossil fuels such as coal gas or oil and deforestation has increased the amount of carbon dioxide and other gases like nitrous oxide and methane exponentially.

This causes a world wide increase in the average global temperature .this phenomena is called global warming. It is proved that the rise in temperature will affect the life of humans, animals and birds in a dreadful way. The effects of global warming is already started to appear all over the world. High temperatures, intense floods, cyclones and decreasing crop yields all are indications of global warming.

Though many are aware that global warming is occurring, they are not fully aware of the implications of it on our lives. The main threat due to this rising temperature is the melting of our polar ice-caps. Huge layers of ice or glaciers are started to break apart and melt. It is found that one among the biggest ice sheets, which is located in green land is at high risk .

This ice sheet has started to split apart and melt. This breaking up will cause catastrophes all around the world. Studies have shown that the melting of green land ice sheets can cause an increase in sea-levels as high as 23 feet. That sounds disaster for the coastal areas all around the world .Most of the coastal cities are important commercial or trade centers, this will adversely affect the world economics. Many islands and coastal cities will get wiped out of the earth’s surface. Almost all parts of the world would be affected by this rising sea levels. People from coastal areas will be with out home or work place, this will be a grave issue ever faced by mankind. Many countries would be forced to build adequate sea defences to protect their area from flooding. This will need high financial out put.

The Arctic and Antarctic regions are the places where the adverse effect of global warming is first felt. Any change in the environmental conditions in Polar Regions in turn will affect the conditions in other parts of the world. With the polar ice caps melting, more land area and more water area are exposed to the heat of the sun. Water and land is capable of absorbing more heat than that of ice or snow and can cause more high temperature. The melting ice caps will expose the soil in the arctic region which is a reserve of carbon and methane.

Carbon and methane are the two important green house gases which cause global warming. In the past fifty years the temperature in Alaska, Western Canada and Eastern Russia has increased by 3to 4 degrees Celsius. The reductions in polar ice caps will lead to the extinction of seals. This will adversely affect the life of the people belonging to that region, as they depend on these animals for their food

The rising temperature can affect the various conditions prevailing on the earth. Many of our cultivation lands will turn in to barren lands. Most of our land area will be subjected to the adverse effects of soil erosion.  Drying up of our water resources and polluted water bodies’ will become a common occurrence and transition of these water bodies finally into desert land is inevitable. Global warming will affect the existence of forests, plants and animals. The change in climate can affect the plants and animals in a number of ways.

Early booming of plants, changing patterns of hibernation, birds laying egg earlier than usual are some of the effects caused by high average global temperature. The geographical distribution of various animals is also effected due to temperature changes. It is found that many species of animals are moving towards poles to escape from increasing temperature. Migrating habits of birds, which are necessary for the survival of certain species, are getting changed. This will affect the balance of nature.

Global warming will cause more rains, floods, storms and hotter weather. Countries like Spain and France will experience more heat and will become inhabitable. The increasing rain, floods and sea levels will drown the agricultural areas around the globe, which will result in decreased productivity and scarcity of food. Global warming can cause an increase in wild fires and poor yield of forest products. Global warming affects the quality of the air we breathe. The availability and quality of the food we eat and the very existence of the mankind.

The changes in climate which the people are experiencing the world over are surely an eye-opener. Global warming not only effects the physical environment but also the economic and social aspects. For seeing these developments, many state leaders have started to implement legislations to reduce the man made causes of global warming. Many agencies also create awareness about the causes of global warming and advocate the measures to be taken to reduce global warming. Inorder to give our children a safe and clean planet to live, we should start acting now.