Extreme Weather Events + Geographies of Globalization

Subject: Environment
Pages: 4
Words: 1002
Reading time:
4 min
Study level: College

Introduction

The world is facing a number of disasters and serious problems. The issue of Climate Change specifically because of Global Warming is considered the most significant global environmental problem currently. It is a major concern and a focus of attention of people, communities, politicians, governments, businesses, scientists, environmentalists, and everyone generally. This is because all the people irrespective of age, geographical situation and profession feel its effects. Global warming refers to a situation where there is an increase in the temperature on the surfaces of air that is near the oceans as well as the earth (Gillespie, p. 54).

Evidence of global warming

Global warming has been detected since the mid-years of the 20th century. One of the reports that were released by a panel of intergovernmental about the issues of climate change in the year 2007, described that there was an increase in the earth’s temperature by about 0.320. The reason that was given for this circumstance was greenhouse gases concentration in the atmosphere. This was due to the increase in human activities since that was the period when the world was experiencing the industrial revolution. There was also an increase in the burning of the fossils; much deforestation was also taking place. All of these activities were discovered to have an effect on the atmosphere in the sense that they cause the concentration of aerosols, which are responsible for blocking the sunlight (Victor, p. 45). These rays do not reach the earth’s surface, hence global warming. Projections are that there is likely to be much increase in the surface temperatures from 1.1 to around 6.4 by the 21st century. This is because of the increased industrial activities. The increase in some activities like great masses of ice that have been melting proves the increase in the temperatures. The first map entry (World Meteorological Organization) shows that more than three-quarters of people’s death, 95% are caused by natural disasters. In 2009, 224 disasters were correlated with the weather, causing an effect to 55 million, the economic damage of US$ 15 billion, and killing 7000. In Africa, drought affected 80% of people between 1970 and 2008. For instance, in the current year, 3.8 million Kenyans needed food aid due to drought. In addition, there were other regions outside Africa, which were affected by drought, like Colombia, Central America, and Western Sahel, which were heavily affected by drought. Draught is mainly caused by deforestation, which is a human factor. If the world can join hands to reforestation, then draught will become history.

In our second map entry (RIA Novisti), will look at the natural causes of global warming. These are factors, which exist naturally in nature. There are for instance some gases, which are part of the greenhouses gases that are very influential as far as global warming is concerned (Narottam, p. 12). These gases are known to contribute to about 33o of the temperatures. One of the naturally existing gases in the atmosphere includes water vapor. Another very natural factor that affects the temperatures hence global warming is the clouds. It causes the effect in that it interferes with the balance in radiations. Their effect depends on if they are in the form of ice or liquid. For example, the tropical storm occurred in China and caused more than 270,000 people displaced.

These are the human activities, which contribute to the effect or rather change in the temperatures. These human activities are associated with the industrial revolution, which is the main contributor to the increase in greenhouse gases in the atmosphere. The green gases increase because of industrial processes and emissions that include carbon dioxide, methane, CFCs, troposphere ozone, nitrous oxide, and many others (Oshitani, p. 24). The gases that are mainly increased in the atmosphere due to human activities include carbon dioxide and methane. In addition, there are activities that involve burning fossils in the atmosphere hence causing an increase in the levels of carbon dioxide and hydrocarbons (USA Today, p.1). Deforestation is another factor, which causes global warming. This is because the trees are natural eliminators of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere through the process of photosynthesis, which utilizes carbon dioxide. Other human activities involve the emission of soot and aerosols like the construction and use of vehicles and ships (Davoudi, p. 87).

Moreover, there has been evidence of the changes in temperatures due to the increase in greenhouse gases, which is another environmental that affects rainfall patterns. There has been an increase in the rainfall in some parts while in other parts there has been a decrease in rainfall. The rise in the sea level is another effect, which is because of the melting of the ice in the polar regions of the arctic and the Antarctic. There is also another very significant effect in the coastal region where there has been a recorded increase in typhoons and other great winds (Hufbauer, et al. p. 48).

In our third map entry (Prevention Web), Asia is another region that has been greatly affected by global warming. Being a third-world country, the majority of people relies on agriculture. The issue of climate change causing less or excess rainfall has affected the growth of crops, which are grown for income generation and another domestic purposes. Asia experiences the presence of snow, which interferes with the infrastructure hence in turn affecting the economic activities, which depend on the road, sea, or air transport (RIA Novisti, p. 1).

Global warming also interferes with the social aspect of life though indirectly (Oberthür and Ott, p. 56). Due to the changes in the temperature, the lifestyle in terms of housing and mode of dressing is bound to change. There is also a way in which people are forced to relocate from their houses as well as form some social places like on the beach. This is due to some dangers, which are associated with the changes like the strong waves on the sea, as well as floods on the land of Asia (Prevention Web, p.1).

Works Cited

Davoudi, Simin, et al. Planning For Climate Change Strategies. New York: Pearson Education. 2009.

Gillespie, Alexandra. Climate Change, Ozone Depletion and Air Pollution: Legal Commentaries within the Context Of Science And Policy. London: Kogan Page Publishers. 2005.

Hufbauer, Gary Clyde, et al. Global Warming and The World Trading System. New York: John Wiley & sons. 2009.

Narottam, Gaan. Climate Change And International Politics. Oxford: oxford university press. 2008.

Oberthür, Sebastian and Ott, Hermann. The Kyoto Protocol: International Climate Policy for The 21st Century. California: Cengage Learning EMEA. 1999.

Oshitani, Shizuka. Global Warming Policy in Japan and Britain: Interactions Between Institutions And Issue Characteristics. London: McGraw-Hill Professional. 2006.

Prevention Web. Changing Climate, Extreme Weather Threatening East Asia’s Urban Population. Web.

RIA Novisti. Tropical Storm Hits China, Over 270,000 Displaced. Web.

USA Today. 55 Million People Affected By Extreme Weather Disasters In 2009. Web.

Victor, David. The Collapse of the Kyoto Protocol and the Struggle to Slow Global Warming. London: Her Majesty’s Stationary Office. 2001.