Introduction
Global warming has been defined as the rising in the average temperatures of the earth surface. The widespread melting of ice found on mountain peaks and the rising sea levels are the main signs of the rising global temperatures. The rising sea level and melting of ice are amongst the main threats to both the human kind and animals alike. The rising global temperatures have caused unpredictable changes in the general climate of the world. this scenario has greatly affected the agricultural activities going on in some parts of the world. To effectively tackle the challenge of global warming, it is important that we understand the main causes of global warming.
The effects of global warming on living organisms are numerous and include poor agricultural products which has led to shortage of food in some parts of the world, lack of sufficient rainfall leading to drought, rise in sea levels; this has resulted in the submergence of some parts of the land viable for inhabitation by people and wildlife and most significant, the global warming ha had serious health consequences on human beings.
Main Causes of Global Warming
Scientists have been working for some decades now trying to find out what the causes of global warming are. For a better understanding of the main causes of global warming, it is important to note that the causes are both natural and human facilitated. Even though global warming has been a major world concern, the main causes have been linked to uncontrolled human activities; substantial attention has not been given to the natural causes, some of which are more dangerous than the anthropogenic causes. In order find effective and efficient ways of dealing with the disaster of global warming, it will be crucial to first examine both the natural and human facilitated causes.
The scientists who have been working of the causes of global warming have finally come up with strategies of explaining the causes of global warming based on both human and natural causes; this has gone along way in assisting in the formulation of necessary interventional strategies.
Natural causes are established by nature
Reliable scientists have managed to prove that the natural rotation of the sun contributes to climate changes due to the intensity of sunrays reaching the earth. This happens as the sun moves closer to the surface of the earth. Scientists have also established that there has been a trend of temperature changes of the earth’s atmosphere over the past millions of years. This explains the reason temperature of earth has been increasing with time.
Volcanic eruptions from active volcanic mountains have also contributed greatly to global warming. Volcanic eruptions lead to emission of carbon dioxide gases which are some of the green house gases responsible for increasing temperatures across the globe.
Ocean currents have some significant impact on the changes of heat around the earth’s surface. This is due to their rise and fall which causes varied heat changes; this is greatly dependent on the rotation of the sun.
Anthropogenic causes
Anthropogenic causes are otherwise known as human causes. The human activities that contribute to global warming include cutting down of trees. Trees are responsible for the absorption of carbon dioxide which are the main green house gases contributing to global warming. Cutting down of trees eliminates the process of removing the CO2 from the atmosphere leading to increased build up of the gas hence cause rise in temperatures. Another cause of global warming stem from the activities that involve burning of various substances like fossil fuels, plastic material wastes. The burning of organic materials by human beings releases heat into the atmosphere thereby causing rise in the global temperature. Example of organic substances that causes heating of the surface include gasoline, natural gases and coal. Mining activities involve digging into the ground to extract minerals. This process opens channels through which green house gases like methane to escape into the atmosphere.
Agricultural activities involves extensive use of fertilizers, especially where agriculture is practiced for commercial purposes; this is coupled by use of dung from cattle. The dung is one of the prominent sources of methane.
It has also been argued that breathing by human beings has significant contributions to global warming. This owes to the fact that human beings breathe out carbon dioxide which is actually known to be one of the major green house gases. But then, it is important to include other animals and or organisms that produce carbon dioxide as a bi-product.
The contribution of industries to global warming started during the period of industrial revolution. Many of the production activities were transferred to industries that were far removed from home places. Most of the industrial activities, both in the past and current, have released pollutants into the atmosphere. The pollutants are mostly in the form of greenhouse gases and waste products which are burnt as a way of disposal. These pollutants have greatly contributed to the ever rising temperatures of the earth’s surface.
Conclusion
Global warming is the process through which the temperature of the surface of the rises. It is a phenomenon that started decades ago and continues to be the main subject of worry in the whole world today since it has serious consequences on both human beings and other animals. causes of global warming can be divided into natural and anthropogenic causes. However, it is argued that the main causes directly result from human activities which include industrial production and burning of organic materials.
Works cited
Chamley, Hervé. “Geosciences, environment and man.” Volume 1 of Developments in earth & environmental sciences. Netherlands: Gulf Professional Publishing, 2003.
Farrar, Amy. “Global Warming.” Essential Viewpoints. Minnesota: ABDO Group, 2007.