Global Warming
Global warming is one of the most-talked about issues of modern life. Almost
every day we read stories about how the Earth is warming and the implications of
that process for future generations.
There is widespread consensus in scientific communities that the temperature of
the earth has risen by about 0.6°C since the late 1800s. This seems like a very
small amount, but the belief is that the rate of global warming is increasing.
This means that by the year 2100, there could be an increase in temperature by
as much as 5.8°C.
This is a significant temperature rise which could cause massive alterations to
the earth. One of the most significant effects of global warming would be rising
sea levels which could put coastal cities under water.
It is believed that global warming is predominantly caused by human activity,
although some scientists dispute this. The theory is that the burning of fossil
fuels such as oil and coal releases large amounts of carbon dioxide into the
atmosphere where it traps heat which would otherwise escape from the earth.
The major contributors to global warming are believed to be emissions from coal
burning power plants, exhaust fumes from automobiles, and factory smokestacks.
In total, human activity releases about 22 billion tons of carbon dioxide into
the atmosphere every year. About half of all greenhouse gases produced by human
activity remain in the atmosphere.
Global warming is thought to be associated with widespread climate changes.
Increases in the number of floods, droughts, heat waves, and hurricanes could
result if the temperature of the Earth continues to rise. Agricultural yield may
also be affected and some plant species may die out.
Although there is no doubt that the temperature of the earth is rising, not all
scientists believe that it is caused by human activity. Some believe that it is
a result of increased solar activity or simply part of a natural heating and
cooling cycle that the earth experiences over thousands of years.
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