exposition on global warming
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Global warming happens and even become worse as a result of several human activities. Decreasing the number of plants in the world lead to higher concentration of carbon dioxide gases in the atmosphere and act as a blanket, then heat trapping, and warming the earth. ...
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Global warming refers to a trend of rising temperatures both at the Earth’s surface and in the lower atmosphere. As carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases accumulate in the atmosphere, these gases trap the Earth’s heat and thereby cause temperatures to rise. The burning of fossil fuels (oil, coal, and natural gas) accounts for about three-fourths of global carbon emissions. Deforestation is the second main source, representing at least 20% of all carbon emissions. The clearing and burning of forests releases carbon stored in trees into the atmosphere as carbon dioxide (CO2). Forests have historically absorbed a large portion of carbon emissions as plants photosynthesize water and carbon dioxide into plant growth, thereby slowing the rate of CO2 accumulation in the atmosphere. Deforestation eliminates these carbon sinks, further accelerating global warming.
Four main sectors are responsible for the bulk of carbon emissions from burning fossil fuels: electricity generation, transportation, industrial processes, and residential and commercial buildings. Agriculture and forestry management also influence the amount of carbon released into the atmosphere.
The US and Europe accounted for the major part of the atmospheric buildup of heat-trapping emissions over the last century. In recent times, Europe has taken the lead in curtailing carbon emissions. With 5% of the world’s population, the United States represented 21% of annual global carbon emissions in 2005. Fast-growing economies such as China and India are expected to represent a growing share of global emissions in the upcoming years. In 2005, China was already the second major carbon emitter, representing 18% of the global total.
In 2006, China surpassed the United States in recorded annual CO2 emissions from fossil fuel burning and cement production, according to the Netherlands Environmental Assessment Agency, though these figures do not include heat-trapping emissions from other sources. Taking into account its large population, China’s per capita emissions are at about a quarter of that in the United States.
Meanwhile, Africa represents less than 3% of global CO2 emissions from fuel burning since 1900. While contributing least to the problem, Africa will suffer some of the most severe consequences of global warming. Equity issues remain at the core of negotiations around the global response to climate change, as discussed further in ‘Part two’.
Scientific Consensus on Global Warming and Evolving Political Debates
Since its founding in 1988, the UN Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) has tracked scientific understanding of the causes and consequences of global warming, issuing comprehensive assessments about every 5 years. Comprised of a worldwide network of scientists, the IPCC is the main authoritative source on this topic. The IPCC issued its fourth assessment in 2007, which consisted of three reports on (1) the state of climate change science; (2) expected impacts of climate change at different degrees of warming; and (3) options for reducing greenhouse gas emissions to limit temperature increases.
In February 2007, the IPCC reported a 90% likelihood that man-made emissions, mainly from the burning of fossil fuels and deforestation, have caused most global warming since 1950. The significance of this finding becomes more apparent in the light of earlier reports:
•1990: The IPCC reported that there was evidence of global warming, but its causes could be natural or human.1995: The panel concluded that the balance of evidence pointed to a discernible human influence on global climate.2001: The scientists reached consensus on a likely probability (66–90%) that human activity caused most of the warming since 1950.
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