Yugesh Bhattarai Dr.

Sims English 150-24(Honors) 10 November 2012

Is Global Warming Real?

The most discussed topic in the present scientific community is Global Warming. Since 1997, many research and debates have been done on this topic. The term Global warming refers to long-term increase in Earths average surface temperature. A major predicted effect of global warming is redistribution of climatic zones as defined by temperature, precipitation, and associated ecosystems. Some people argue that it is a fund collecting theory that is hyped by the scientific community. However, eleven of the last twelve years (19952006) rank among the 12 warmest years in the instrumental record of global surface temperature (since 1850), the continuous rise of sea level, the drastic and continuous Artic meltdown has clearly indicated that the worse is yet to come.1 Global climate changes, including episodes of global cooling and warming, have occurred many times throughout Earths history as a result of natural variations in solar radiation, atmospheric chemistry, oceanic and atmospheric circulations, volcanic eruptions, and other factors. Global warming in the last few decades, however, is primarily caused by human activities that started during the Industrial Revolution, when human burning of fossil fuels began to increase drastically, releasing large amounts of carbon dioxide (CO2). Atmospheric concentrations of CO2, methane (CH4), nitrous oxide (N2O), and artificial chemicals called

Solomon, S., et al, eds. IPCC, 2007: Summary for Policymakers. In: Climate Change 2007: The Physical Science Basis. Contribution of Working Group I to the Fourth Assessment Report of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change. New York: Cambridge University Press, 2007.

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halocarbons have long been increasing as a result of emissions from fossil-fuel burning and other activities. Increased atmospheric concentrations of these gases are causing Earth to warm. Solar radiation is the major source of energy arriving at Earths surface (a small fraction, about 1/7500, comes from Earths interior). Much of this incoming energy is at short wavelengths (ultraviolet and visible light). These forms of light are absorbed by Earths surface, where their energy drives atmospheric and oceanic circulations and biological processes like photosynthesis. The surface then re-radiates most of this energy as longer-wavelength light, variously termed heat radiation, infrared light, or infrared radiation. If Earths atmosphere were completely transparent to infrared radiation, this re-radiated energy would simply shine out into space and the planet would have an average surface temperature of about 0F (18C). However, certain gases in the atmosphere, mostly notably Carbon-dioxide(CO2), Methane (CH4), and water vapor (H2O), absorb some of the infrared light radiated by Earths surface and are warmed. This warms the atmosphere directly and warms Earths surface both by contact with warmer air and by re-radiation of infrared radiation from the atmosphere. Carbon dioxide, one of the greenhouse gases, traps in the solar radiation to keep the temperature of the Earth surface warmer. Due to its excessive production and deposition in the atmosphere, most of the solar radiation is trapped in. Most of the radiations usually were reflected from the earth surface or the atmosphere. This trapped in solar radiation causes the temperature of the earth surface to rise, which, we refer to as Global Warming. A research conducted by Global Carbon dioxide Project in 2010 has shown an annual increment in Carbon dioxide production by 5.9%.2 This alarming increase in the increment of radiation has shown many changes especially in the climate. At some point, it will be difficult for us to forestall climate change, if we do not act accordingly right now. As of 2008, atmospheric
2

Global Carbon dioxide Project 2010

Yugesh Bhattarai

levels of CO2 and CH4 were about a third higher than at any time in at least 650,000 years, as shown by air bubbles trapped in ancient Antarctic ice. Global average surface temperature had increased by about 0.23F (0.13C) per decade for the last 50 years, and had increased more rapidly in recent years: The two warmest years since instrumental records began in the 1800s were 1998 and 2005. Sea ices have melted at a faster rate than they usually used to. However, melting of the sea ice is not a big issue. This is because, the ice has already displaced the volume of water in the sea and it will be equal to the volume of water it will produce after it melts. This will not really change the level of sea water. However, melting of the Arctic ice is a serious problem. When this ice melts, it will increase the volume of water in the sea level because this was not displacing the water earlier. Thus, the sea level rises. At this rate of greenhouse production, Arctic will be free of summer ice as soon as 2020 and places like Mumbai will not be found in the map of the world.3 Melting of ice in the Arctic has other consequences that will further lead to rise in the temperature. White color usually reflects the heat radiation. But when there is no ice left, the amount of heat radiation reflected will be lower as well. This will further lead to rise in temperature of the Earth surface. Melting of ice is an early warning of big changes to come. Climate changes have made it difficult for many people in the world to survive. My country, Nepal, has faced many consequences of global warming, for which we never really contributed. Nepal has eight of the ten highest peaks of the world, which includes the tallest peak Mt. Everest. However, because of the Global Warming, the snow there is melting at an alarming rate. If this

U.N. panel on climate change and Dr. Rajiv Nigam ,scientist with the Geological Oceanography Division, Goa, addressing the two-day University Grants Commission-sponsored workshop on current trends in research on Quaternary sea-level changes at National College in Tiruchy, Tamil Nadu, India 5th December 2003

Yugesh Bhattarai

continues for some more years, I will not be able to call myself from a country that has the tallest peak of the world. Seasons have changed quite a lot. Glaciers have melted a lot during the summer. Thus floods have occurred a lot. Around 1.3 million people in North East India were displaced because of the flood this year.4 Droughts have occurred in many parts of Nepal that has led to famine. Many people died because of hunger in my country. Furthermore, alterations have been seen in large-scale weather phenomena like the southeast Indian monsoon season, Atlantic hurricane season, El Nio/ Southern Oscillation, and North African drought cycle. Wildlife and plants are shifting their ranges to higher latitudes (closer to the poles, to track cool weather as climate warms) and to higher altitudes in mountainous regions. However, some people argue that through the history of the Earth, there were many times, these phenomenon occurred and past by and the scientific community is just making it a big deal to attract funds. But, I feel this is not the case this time. The global warming had impacts on the life of plants and many animals throughout those periods and we, humans, were not even present. Like dinosaurs, the drastic change in climate can affect us. It has already shown big warning with strong hurricanes coming around quite often like Sandy, Tsunami, and many more. The 1997 Kyoto Protocolan extension of the 1992 United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), an international treaty signed by most nations acknowledges that human activities can alter global climate and commits signatory nations to reducing their greenhouse-gas emissions. As of January 2008, 177 nations had ratified the Kyoto Protocol. The United States, the worlds second largest producer of greenhouse gases (after

Floods and Landslides Kill Dozens in North East India The New York Times 24 September 2012

Yugesh Bhattarai

China) and one of the biggest emitters on a person-by-person basis, was the only industrialized country in the world to have not ratified the treaty. It is only a matter of time, when they realize the bad impacts of Global Warming on human life. I wish they realize it before it is too late. The world has seen so many changes throughout its history. Even the great Napoleon Empire fell down because of a simple mistake he did. May this not be the fortune of the whole human civilization.

Bibliography:
Gore, Al. An Inconvenient Truth: The Planetary Emergency of Global Warming and What We Can Do About It. Emmaus, PA: Rodale Press, 2006. Lal, Rattan, et al. Climate Change and Global Food Security. New York: CRC, 2005. McCaffrey, Paul. Global Climate Change. Minneapolis, MN: H. W. Wilson, 2006. Metz, B., et al, eds. Climate Change 2007: Mitigation of Climate Change: Contribution of Working Group III to the Fourth Assessment Report of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change. New York: Cambridge University Press, 2007. Parry, M. L., et al, eds. Climate Change 2007: Impacts, Adaptation and Vulnerability: Contribution of Working Group II to the Fourth Assessment Report of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change. New York: Cambridge University Press, 2007. Solomon, S., et al, eds. Climate Change 2007: The Physical Science Basis: Contribution of Working Group I to the Fourth Assessment Report of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change. New York: Cambridge University Press, 2007. Weart, Spencer. The Discovery of Global Warming. Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Press, 2004

Yugesh Bhattarai