Group discussion

‘Global Warming’

1. What is Global Warming?

2. What are the causes and effects of global warming?
3. Mention some pro and cons (advantages and disadvantages)of global
warming!

Answer:
1. Global warming is the increase in temperature of the earth’s surface and
oceans.
2. Causes:
 Different gasses emitted from power plants, cars, air planes. Gasses like
Carbon dioxide, methane, nitrous oxide are the main culprits.
 Pollution – the polluted gasses emitted from the vehicles are the biggest
cause of global warming.
 Population – Most of the populating countries will demand more vehicles,
more demand for agriculture. This results in more methane because there
will be more burning of fossil fuels.
Effects:
 To start with, plants and animals will be affected the most. This is because
high temperatures will melt ice in Greenland and Antarctica increasing the
rise of sea level.
 High temperatures will make agriculture next to impossible. Only areas
that will be left little cold can withstand the agriculture.
 The rise in sea level will pollute the salt water, empty reservoirs and
results in water scarcity.
 Global warming will result in more heart related ailments.
 In the worst scenario, the environment will be destructed leading to floods,
drought etc.
3. Disadvantages of Global Warming
• Ocean circulation disrupted, disrupting and having unknown effects on
world climate.
• Higher sea level leading to flooding of low-lying lands and deaths and
disease from flood and evacuation.
• Deserts get drier leaving to increased desertification.
• Changes to agricultural production that can lead to food shortages.
• Water shortages in already water-scarce areas.
• Starvation, malnutrition, and increased deaths due to food and crop
shortages.
• More extreme weather and an increased frequency of severe and
catastrophic storms.
• Increased disease in humans and animals.
• Increased deaths from heat waves.
• Extinction of additional species of animals and plants

• Loss of animal and plant habitats.

 • Increased emigration of those from poorer or low-lying countries to
wealthier or higher countries seeking better (or non-deadly) conditions.
• Additional use of energy resources for cooling needs.
• Increased air pollution.
• Increased allergy and asthma rates due to earlier blooming of plants.
• Melt of permafrost leads to destruction of structures, landslides, and
avalanches.
• Permanent loss of glaciers and ice sheets.
• Cultural or heritage sites destroyed faster due to increased extremes.
• Increased acidity of rainfall.
• Earlier drying of forests leading to increased forest fires in size and
intensity.
• Increased cost of insurance as insurers pay out more claims resulting from
increasingly large disasters.

Advantages of Global Warming:

• Arctic, Antarctic, Siberia, and other frozen regions of earth may experience
more plant growth and milder climates.
• Northwest Passage through Canada's formerly-icy north opens up to sea
transportation.
• Less need for energy consumption to warm cold places.
• Fewer deaths or injuries due to cold weather.
• Longer growing seasons could mean increased agricultural production in
some local areas.
• Mountains increase in height due to melting glaciers, becoming higher as
they rebound against the missing weight of the ice.

Group discussion
‘Global Warming’

1. What is Global Warming?

2. What are the causes and effects of global warming?
3. Mention some pro and cons (advantages and disadvantages)of global
warming!

Answer:
1. Global warming refers to an increase in average global temperatures, which
in turn causes climate change.
2. The causes of global warming is the greenhouse effect. Greenhouse gases are
those gases that contribute to the greenhouse effect (see below). The largest
contributing source of greenhouse gas is the burning of fossil fuels leading to
the emission of carbon dioxide.
The effects of global warming Increasing global temperatures are causing a
broad range of changes. Sea levels are rising due to thermal expansion of the
ocean, in addition to melting of land ice. Amounts and patterns of
precipitation are changing. The total annual power of hurricanes has already
increased markedly since 1975 because their average intensity and average
duration have increased (in addition, there has been a high correlation of
hurricane power with tropical sea-surface temperature).
Changes in temperature and precipitation patterns increase the frequency,
duration, and intensity of other extreme weather events, such as floods,
droughts, heat waves, and tornadoes. Other effects of global warming include
higher or lower agricultural yields, further glacial retreat, reduced summer
stream flows, species extinctions. As a further effect of global warming,
diseases like malaria are returning into areas where they have been
extinguished earlier.
3. Pro and Cons
Negative effects on our natural environment:
 Disruption in ocean circulation is noticeable with less recognized effects
on the climate of the world.
 Rise in sea level that leads to frequent floods over low-lying lands being
responsible for diseases and undetermined number of deaths.
 Deserts will get drier and result in an increased rate of desertification.
 People living in water-scarce areas will face acute water shortages.
 The world will experience more weather extremes, and there will be an
increased frequency of catastrophic storms.
 A lot of animal and plant species will extinct due to the loss of their
habitats in the next two decades leading to serious disturbance to
ecological balance.
 Increased level of air pollution will lead to mass outbreak of airborne
diseases in humans.
 Melt of permafrost to a great extent will lead to the destruction of
avalanches, landslides and structures.
 Loss of ice sheets and glaciers will happen for an unknown period.
 Acidity of rainfall will increase.
 Forests will dry out at a faster rate, and it will lead to an increase in forest
fires in terms of intensity and size.
Impacts on agricultural production:
 Changes in seasonal cycle and wildfires may cause disruptions to
agriculture.
 Agricultural production being disrupted will cause food shortages.
 Sudden change in the world’s climate is believed to disrupt steady water
supplies through droughts and floods which impede agricultural
production.
 On account of the shortages of crop and food, millions of people will
suffer from malnutrition, starvation, and deaths.
Impacts on global economy:
 Global warming can eventually wreak havoc on the global economy by
causing vulnerability to the economic setups of developing countries
through disruptions to global transport, labor markets, energy supplies,
investment, finance, insurance and trade.
 Financial markets across the globe may endure unexpected and increased
volatility.
 Institutional investors including insurance companies and pension funds
may experience increased difficulties.
 Developing countries that are affected with military conflict will endure
disputes over energy provisions, food supplies and drinking water.
 Most developing nations will be beset with reprehensible manifestations of
change in the world’s climate.
 Increased number of people from low-lying or poor countries will tend to
seek emigration to richer countries for better-paying employment
opportunities regardless of the economic balance in those wealthier
countries.
 Increased insurance costs will be demanded as insurers tend to pay out far
more claims which may result from large disasters.
 Social and health hazards:
 Increased events of disease breakouts will occur in both humans
and animals.
 Increased number of deaths may be triggered from heat waves.
 There will be additional purchases and uses of various energy
resources to help people meet their cooling needs.
 Due to premature blooming of plants, more people will suffer from
asthma and allergy.
 Heritage sites or cultural monuments may get destroyed faster on
occasion of increased weather extremes.
Is there really any advantage that global warming has to offer?
  While there are only a few pros linked with global warming, they
are not much appreciable in comparison with the cons mentioned
above.
 Frozen regions on earth like Siberia, Arctic and Antarctic may
experience milder climate and more plant growth.
 Northwest Passage through the formerly known icy north in
Canada opens up a possibility for sea transportation.
 The needs for energy consumption for heating cold habitats may be
reduced.
 The world may experience fewer injuries or deaths because of cold
weather.
 Changes in overall periodicity may result in longer growing
seasons, which could enhance agricultural production in some parts
of the world.

Group discussion
‘Global Warming’

1. What is Global Warming?

2. What are the causes and effects of global warming?
3. Mention some pro and cons (advantages and disadvantages)of global
warming!

Answer:
1. Humans have caused most of the past century's warming by releasing heat-
trapping gases as we power our modern lives. Called greenhouse gases,
their levels are higher now than in the last 650,000 years.
We call the result global warming, but it is causing a set of changes to the
Earth's climate, or long-term weather patterns, that varies from place to
place. As the Earth spins each day, the new heat swirls with it, picking up
moisture over the oceans, rising here, settling there. It's changing the
rhythms of climate that all living things have come to rely upon.
2. The causes and effects
o Global Warming Cause: Carbon dioxide emissions from fossil fuel
burning power plants
o Global Warming Cause: Carbon dioxide emissions from burning
gasoline for transportation
o Global Warming Cause: Methane emissions from animals, agriculture
such as rice paddies, and from Arctic seabeds
o Global Warming Cause: Deforestation, especially tropical forests for
wood, pulp, and farmland
o Global Warming Cause: Increase in usage of chemical fertilizers on
croplands
o Global Warming Effect: Rise in sea levels worldwide
o Global Warming Effect: More killer storms
o Global Warming Effect: Massive crop failure
o Global Warming Effect: Widespread extinction of species
o Global Warming Effect: Disappearance of coral reefs

3. Pro and Cons

Pros
 The high amount of carbon dioxide will greatly accelerate plant growth,
creating an increase in farming and crop expansion
 Greenhouse gases will create a longer growing period for plants
 Less energy and money will be needed to heat homes in the winter and fall
 Frozen, unusable land will thaw into a new environment for animals and
humans
 More enjoyable temperatures for outdoor activity for most areas during the
fall, winter, and spring
 The melting of the Arctic will open new trade routes in the north, which
will create an economic boom and will save gasoline from shorter trade
ship journeys
 Deaths caused by cold weather will decrease
 There won't be too much snow to shovel, which, for some people, can
cause heart attacks because of the heavy-lifting
 Cities will save large sums of money due to the fact that they will not need
to pay as much money for snow and ice removal on roads and reparations
on roads (i.e. pot holes, large cracks) due to freezing and thawing

Cons
 Viruses and bacteria will flourish in the warmer weather which will create
disease, many of which could lead to death
 Deserts will grow in size and heat.
 Droughts, desertification and severe storms will cause many deaths,
especially in poorer nations. There will be the chaotic problem of a
migration of millions of people.
 Many species will become endangered or even extinct
 More energy and money will be used in the summer to cool buildings
 Can cause many illnesses in people, such as asthma and cancer
 The pollution will cause an increase in acid rain
 Deaths cause by hot weather will increase (i.e. heat exhaustion, especially
for infants and the elderly)
 Due to lack of atmosphere and build up of greenhouse gasses the increase
of sun exposure is greater, leading to a higher risk of sun burns, potentially
causing skin cancer
 Less enjoyable temperatures for outdoor activity for most areas during the
summer
 Could cause weather conditions and patterns to change, allowing super
storms and hurricanes to appear and creating storms in new places
 May cause sea levels to rise if glaciers melt, causing the temperature to
increase in oceans and seas, which would have a large effect on marine life
(fish may migrate or die because of the temperature change, causing a
fundamental food source to be lost for humans and animals)
 If glaciers melt it will cause the oceans circulation patterns to change
having unknown effects on world climate.
 Ecosystems such as the coral reef will be destroyed
 We could see sea levels rising between 7 to 23 inches by the end of the
century, and it only takes 4 inches to flood many south seas islands.
 Hurricane strengths (wind speeds) are increasing, causing more damage.
Along with other natural disasters
 Some Coral Reefs are sensitive to slight changes in temperatures, therefore
severe bleaching and dying of coral will occur. Acidification of the sea by
carbon dioxide prevents coral reefs form regenerating.
 Changes in climate in certain areas could lead to a loss of agricultural
production and shortages in food.
Group discussion
‘Global Warming’

1. What is Global Warming?

2. What are the causes and effects of global warming?
3. Mention some pro and cons (advantages and disadvantages)of global
warming!

Answer:
1. Global warming is the explanation for the rising temperatures of the
earth’s atmosphere. This rise in temperature of the earth’s atmosphere has
been taking place in small increments since the Ice Age. Not only is the
temperature of the earth’s atmosphere rising due to global warming, but
also oceans and the crust of the earth. Global warming is the term that is
used to explain this phenomenon and what is attributed to the condition
that the earth is in now.
2. The seal levels are drastically changing as a result of global warming. This
means that they are on the rise due to the melting of polar ice caps. The ice
caps have been melting overtime due to the increased temperatures caused
by the phenomenon of global warming. Other effects that can be attributed
to this rise in temperature include a small difference in the earth’s orbit
around the sun, the eruption of some volcanoes, flooding and greenhouse
gasses being diffused at high rates.
The effects of global warming have been debated and analyzed at great
lengths for many years as the signs of this phenomenon continue to grow
and become more apparent. Simply ignoring the effects of global warming
is no longer possible. It is real and happening to the earth right now.
3. Advantages
a. Balanced Climate
It might be hard to comprehend, but the rising temperatures of
global warming actually help to create climatic balance. This
means that parts of the world that were once frozen are starting to
become much warmer. Finally there will be some balance in
extreme temperatures in the climate. Having proper balance of cold
and warmth is important, because it allows all ecosystems to
sustain and survive longer. This means that plant growth is
ensured, which is a huge benefit. The regions of the world that
have experienced a more balance in temperature include Siberia
and Arctic zones.
b. Increase in Plant Life
As global warming levels continue to be on the rise, plant growth
is also increasing as a result. It is a fact that most plants require a
certain amount of heat produced by the sun. This helps plants to
grow more effectively and also leads to more balanced ecosystems.
If there was no plant life, this would lead to less oxygen in the
atmosphere, which would cause life to be negatively impacted.
Plants also require carbon dioxide to allow increase growth.
Without an increase in plant life, this could lead to a decrease in
human life. For this reason, global warming is key.

Disadvantages
c. Rise in Greenhouse Gases
Even though there are a few pros that global warming yields, not
 everything about it is good for the environment. The greenhouse
gases that are emitted at higher rates include carbon dioxide,
methane, ozone and nitrous oxide. These gases can be incredibly
dangerous and harmful to humans and plants. The burning and
consumption of fossil fuels is what is leading to the increased
presence of these gases. The hole that is becoming noticeable in the
ozone is due to these greenhouse gases caused by global warming.
More acid rains per year and the contamination of the earth’s
atmosphere are also negative results.
d. Extinction
One of the biggest downsides to global warming is the reality of
extinction. The fact is that as temperatures continue to change in
typically cold regions of the world some animals are becoming
extinct. Extreme winter conditions will eventually be no more and
this could lead to the extinction of polar bears, penguins and other
species that require extreme winter conditions to survive. Global
warming issues have a cause and effect relationship that you must
unravel to see the true negatives and positives.

Group discussion
‘Global Warming’

1. What is Global Warming?

2. What are the causes and effects of global warming?
3. Mention some pro and cons (advantages and disadvantages)of global
warming!

Answer:
1. Global warming is the gradual heating of Earth's surface, oceans and
atmosphere. Scientists have documented the rise in average temperatures
worldwide since the late 1800s.
2. Global Warming Causes
Global warming is primarily a problem of too much carbon dioxide (CO2)
in the atmosphere—which acts as a blanket, trapping heat and warming the
planet. As we burn fossil fuels like coal, oil and natural gas for energy or
cut down and burn forests to create pastures and plantations, carbon
accumulates and overloads our atmosphere. Certain waste management
and agricultural practices aggravate the problem by releasing other potent
global warming gases, such as methane and nitrous oxide.
Effects:
Malaria and cholera increase, due to temperature increase.
Shifting flora and fauna to different areas. Extinction of some
species.
More extreme climates in inland locations. More frequent and
devastating hurricanes.
Sea temperatures increase, sea levels rise, shift in ocean currents.
Reduced snow cover in some areas. Glaciers melt in Antarctica.
Reduction of wetland areas, as precipitation is reduced. In some
places river flooding may increase.
Reduction of areas suitable for human habitation, for example.
lowland Bangladesh.
Location of jet stream may alter. Depressions may shift south,
causing them to be more intense.
3. Pro and Cons
Pro Cons
Agriculture Agriculture
 Improved agriculture in  Decreasing human water supplies,
some high latitude regions increased fire
 Increased growing season frequency, ecosystemchange and
in Greenland expanded deserts
 Increased productivity of  Decline in rice yields due to warmer
sour orange trees nighttime minimum temperatures
 Increase of Western United States
wildfire activity, associated with higher
temperatures and earlier spring
snowmelt
 Encroachment of shrubs into grasslands,
 rendering rangeland unsuitable for
domestic livestock grazing
Health Health
 Winter deaths will decline  Increased deaths to heatwaves - 5.74%
as temperatures warm increase to heatwaves compared to
1.59% to cold snaps
 Increased heat stress in humans and
other mammals
 Spread in mosquite-borne diseases such
as Malaria and Dengue
 Increase in occurrence of allergic
symptoms due to rise in allergenic
pollen
Arctic Melt Arctic Melt
 An ice-free Northwest  Loss of 2/3 of the world's polar bear
Passage, providing a population within 50 years
shipping shortcut between  Less compacted ice, hazardous floes and
the Pacific and Atlantic more mobile icebergs posing increased
Oceans risk to shipping
 Drying of arctic ponds with subsequent
damage to ecosystem
 Warming causes methane to escape from
Arctic regions, contributing additional
greenhouse warming. The following
have been observed:
 Melting of Arctic lakes leading methane
bubbling

Environment Environment
 Increased vegetation  Rainforests releasing CO2 as regions
activity in high northern become drier (Saleska 2009)
latitudes  Extinction of the European land leech
 Increase in chinstrap and  Decrease in Adélie penguin numbers
gentoo penguins  Disruption to New Zealand aquatic
 Recent increase species such as salmonids, stream
in forest growth invertebrates, fishes
 Bigger marmots  Oxygen poor ocean zones are growing
 Increased Arctic tundra  Increased pine tree mortality due to
plant reproduction outbreaks of pine beetles
 Decline in global phytoplankton