Global Warming the Effects Are Real

Global Warming the Effects are Real

The direct effects of CO2 and other greenhouse gases on earth temperature are relatively well understood. However, there is room for debate on what level of impact humans play on the greenhouse effect. This debate comes from two opposing sides of global warming, in those who support that it exists and those who dismiss it. While both have their merit, the argument for global warming has strong scientific backing. There are those who do not agree with this evidence or who think that it is not enough to clearly state the existence of global warming. However climate experts have shown through the use of models the evidence of global warming.  The scientific evidence shows a clear pattern of change in the earth's surface temperatures related to the levels of greenhouse gases in the upper atmosphere.  The effects of global warming natural or not pose a real problem for the planet and every living thing on it.

     Many factors play a role in the advance of global warming. Among these factors is the increased amount of greenhouse gases that have been released into the atmosphere since the industrial revolution. These gases have a long life in the atmosphere with the only exception being water vapor. Where water vapor stays in the atmosphere for a week to ten days. While the other gases remain in the atmosphere decades, or a much as hundreds of decades (Greenhouse effect 6). Without a means to remove these gases from the atmosphere they will continue to build up increasing the greenhouse effect. One of the biggest problems comes from the combined effect of surface temps and evaporation. The Environmental Encyclopedia states that, “Globally, increased temperature will increase evaporation from oceans and ultimately result in more precipitation (Hydrologic cycle 13).” The largest quantity of gas is in the form of water vapor in the atmosphere, and as the surface temps rise so does the amount of H2O through the process of evaporation. The adding of this gas has a combined cyclic effect on the advance of global warming. Where the higher surface temps increase the amount of water that evaporates.

While it becomes clearer that, humanity can play a great role in controlling the rate of anthropogenic global warming. When taking a look at greenhouse gases in a broader light, the combined effect with human activities becomes apparent. One such activity is deforestation could harm the natural balance of greenhouse gases where there are fewer plants that convert CO2 to oxygen (Global Warming 6). Plants lower the CO2 levels by the process of photosynthesis. The impact of deforestation could lead to an even faster rate of global warming. As stated in the article Greenhouse Effect, “The massive increase in the number of dead tree trunks and branches leads to a population explosion of termites, which themselves produce methane” (9).  The anthropogenic factor in global warming is not limited to clear cutting. It is how all these factors could play off each other to add to the total rise in the earth's temp over time.

    The counter augments to global warming attempt to show that the topic does not have merit. One point that that has been make is that climate change has happened before. While this is true, there are always a forces behind these changes. Where sometimes it is a natural factor that can mask the rise of global temperatures. However, as in how the article Greenhouse Effect illustrates by saying, “As all the particulate matter from the Mt. Pinatubo eruption settled out of the atmosphere, the surface cooling effects abated and the climate change trend resumed” (11). Where other factors can hide the rise over longer time periods. Another point that has been made is that increasing CO2 in the atmosphere has little to no effect on global warming. The effect of CO2 and other greenhouse gasses have been confirmed by empirical evidence (Introduction to Global Warming: Current Controversies 4). The current finding shows that global warming has been validated and give strong support to the pro global warming arguments.

...