| Global warming is described as the apparent | | | | droughts, killer heat waves, killer |
| rise in the average normal temperature of the | | | | hurricanes, and super tornados. Still other |
| planets atmostphere and its seas in the | | | | results would be unpredictable yields, |
| immediate past decades. This takes into | | | | melting of glaciers, drying up of streams |
| consideration its progression in the years to | | | | especially during summer, extinction of |
| come. | | | | certain species and more violent strains of |
| | | | diseases. While it is true that global |
| In the 1900s, the average temperature near | | | | warming undoubtedly affects the frequency and |
| the lowermost layer of the earths atmosphere | | | | degree of the aforementioned incidences; it |
| increased by A±0.2 A°Celsius or 0.4 | | | | is, on the other hand, also difficult to |
| A°Fahrenheit. Most scientists studying | | | | blame these undesirable turn of events to |
| climate change opine that this 50 years of | | | | global warming. Most projections cover the |
| observed global warming can be blamed on | | | | period till 2100; warming and the consequent |
| human activities.The main cause of waming is | | | | rise in sea level is seen to go on beyond |
| the marked rise in the concentration of | | | | then as carbon dioxide has a relatively long |
| greenhouse gases or GHGs like carbon dioxide | | | | atmospheric lifetime. |
| (CO2), which aggravates the greenhouse effect | | | | |
| by warming the surface of the earth and the | | | | Climate change, which is the more general |
| lower portion of the atmosphere. Destructive | | | | description of global warming, could also |
| activities like the burning of fossil fuels, | | | | refer to global cooling as what transpired |
| land denudation and other agricultural | | | | during the ice ages. Global warming happens |
| practices contribute to the proliferation of | | | | naturally, but is more associated with human |
| these greenhouse gases. | | | | neglect and abuse. However, most researches |
| | | | and write ups referring to global warming are |
| Projections made by the Intergovernmental | | | | done in the context of human influence. |
| Panel on Climate Change or IPCC reveal that | | | | |
| global temperatures should increase from 2.0 | | | | For the past 400,000 years, accumulation of |
| - 5.8 A°C or from 2.5 -10.5 | | | | carbon dioxide from start of the Industrial |
| A°F between 1990 and 2100. This wide | | | | Revolution, has altered the Earth's pathway |
| range seems uncertain, the exact value cannot | | | | around the Sun, or Milankovith cycles as it |
| be pinpointed as it is highly improbable to | | | | is known. Major changes in the climate system |
| predict the level of future emissions of | | | | can either occur naturally or be caused by |
| greenhouse gases (no one knows how much | | | | external factors, outside of human or |
| fossil fuel would be left then). Moreover, | | | | non-human influence. This includes |
| climate sensitivity cannot also be predicted. | | | | developments in solar movements and |
| | | | alignment, emissions from volcanic eruptions, |
| Higher global temperatures bring about | | | | deviation in the earth's pathway or orbital |
| drastic changes which include a rise in sea | | | | forcing and the formation of greenhouse |
| level, as well as the volume and the erratic | | | | gases. Scientists who study climate changes |
| pattern of rainfall. These changes can | | | | agree that the earth's temperature has indeed |
| increase the danger of extreme weather | | | | risen alarmingly. |
| conditions, eg. raging floods, extended | | | | |