Global Warming Its no secret that temperatures are rising and climates are changing but what actually

is global warming and what impact will it have on YOU?

What is it and why is it happening? Global warming is the overall rise of our planets average surface temperature due to increased levels of greenhouse gases such as carbon dioxide. Put simply, these greenhouse gases trap energy in Earths atmosphere causing it to warm up. The increase is caused by us humans burning fossil fuels to power our modern world, our cars, our cities and through deforestation; the act of clearing forests for their resources or to free up land. For decades weve pumped endless amounts of carbon dioxide into our atmosphere without hesitation, causing temperatures to rise between 0.6C and 0.9C. Although that doesnt seem like it could change much, the Earth was only 9C lower at the time of the ice age. A recent IPCC climate report states that scientists are 95% certain that humans are the dominant cause of global warming since the 1950s.

Should we be worried? Dr. Pete Wilk, MD, Physicians for Social Responsibility said "The science confirms that the frequency and duration of heat waves has increased significantly over the last 50 years. In the United States, heat waves already kill more people during a typical year than floods, tornadoes and earthquakes combined. Given these worsening trends, taking decisive action to stop global warming becomes a medical necessity." Today I asked my housemates what they thought of global warming and if it bothers them, they both said theyre not worried about it because it doesnt affect them. Most people recognise global warming as an issue but arent worried because they dont believe it affects them and that is big problem for our future. And because it doesnt affect them is the reason the majority of people dont think much of it, because theyve not been hurt by it yet. But if global warming really is happening, at the rate we are being told then we can expect more severe and more frequent heat waves, air pollution, storms, flooding and other climatic caused dangers to us. Craig Johnstone, UN Deputy High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) said that humanity faced a "global-scale emergency" whose effects would accumulate over the next four decades. He went on to say its impossible to forecast with confidence the numbers of people who would lose their homes through climate change. But he pointed to assessments of between 250 million and one billion people losing their homes by 2050. He said: "This will be a global-scale emergency, but ... it will take place gradually and over a long period of time." But if by 2050 we halve our carbon emissions compared to 1990, global warming can be contained within the all-important 2-degree increase, according to a study by ETH Zurich University. Scientists predict that keeping the temperature rise under 2 degrees will contain global warming and evidence tells us that climate change is happening, and it is largely due to us. So if we want future generations to share and see what we have and we want to preserve our only planet and everything that comes with it then we should all do our bit to help out. Be it simple things like turning off a light bulb or plug switch or governments investing in sustainable energy. Surely what we gain is not worth what we could lose when were pumping greenhouses gases into the atmosphere.

Written by Thomas Stubbs