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| Forms/Documents |
Global warming: Impact on people and
the environment
March
2006
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Flooding, coastal erosion, droughts, salt water intrusion into soils, unusual high levels of tropical storms, cyclones, huge loads of rain are among the effects seen in various parts of the world during the past years which have been attributed to global temperature rise. |
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Experts around the world warn that it is necessary to initially slow emissions in order to stop this ominous series of events leading to global warming and the ensuing human and ecological disasters. |
Human-induced climate change has been worsening since many decades. The consequences of this could be dramatic.
The catastrophic floods which
hit the European continent in 2002 as well as the unusual and exceptionally
high temperatures seen for prolonged periods in the summer of 2003, outline
the fact that global warming is affecting our daily lives more than ever.
The main factor contributing to global warming is carbon dioxide CO2.
Since the beginning of the industrial revolution in the second half of the
18th century, the levels of this pollutant increased in the atmosphere by as
much as 33%.
The growing levels of CO2 have been
responsible for the rise of temperature on earth. As the levels of CO2
climb, the world warms up and the oceans rise.
The rising sea levels cause flooding in many parts of the world.
Over the past 100 years, the sea level has risen by almost 1 meter as
a result of warming of our planet.
Further warming with rising waters will increase significantly the amount
of land under water. Countries such as the Netherlands, Bangladesh,
Egypt and the Marshall islands could loose valuable land under water by
rising sea levels induced by planet warming.
Scientific evidence shows that as the world gets more wet because of the
rise in temperature, this phenomenon by itself could trigger further
disastrous temperature rise. Additionally many experts fear that the more
the climate is forced to change, the chances get more for unpredictable and
probably perilous changes on earth.
Flooding, coastal erosion, droughts, salt water intrusion into soils,
unusual high levels of tropical storms, cyclones, huge loads of rain are
among the effects seen in various parts of the world during the past years
which have been attributed to global temperature rise.
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These effects have been grossly underestimated. However the risk
of future disasters generated by continuing adverse climate changes, is
higher than ever.
Experts warn that if the sea levels rise by a further half meter, more than 100 million people will have to deal with flooding problems. |
The high number of people living at low lying areas and particularly of
those living only a foot above high water, causes concern. These people are
particularly vulnerable in case of a new series of disastrous events
triggered by a continuing and worsening earth warming.
The greenhouse effect on plants with the high levels of atmospheric CO2,
is diminishing their water loss. This in turn increases underground
water. This contributes in making the world more wet and the importance of
this phenomenon in increasing groundwater is much more than the temperature
rise.
Burning fossil fuels is the biggest factor behind rising CO2.
Car driving, air flights, deforestation, plowing, power plants are among the
main culprits of CO2 emissions.
The high quality of living we enjoy today, necessitates more resources and
more energy inducing in this way more CO2
production per capita, leading to a continuous increase of global warming.
It has been predicted that over this century there will be a 6 degrees
Celsius rise of temperature.
According to the National Academy of Sciences, the Earth's surface
temperature rise has given place
to an accelerated warming during the past two
decades. There is new and stronger evidence that most of the warming over
the last 50 years is attributable to human activities. Human activities have
altered the chemical composition of the atmosphere through the buildup of
greenhouse gases – primarily carbon dioxide, methane, and nitrous oxide.
Experts around the world warn that it is necessary to initially slow
emissions in order to stop this ominous series of events leading to global
warming and the ensuing human and ecological disasters.
Slowing emissions should be the first step of a process aiming at stopping
them and then reversing their adverse impact.
According to the Environmental Protection Agency of
the United States, global warming is the sustained increase in the
average temperature of the earth's atmosphere. Human activity contributes to
this change through the buildup of heat-trapping greenhouse gases. Over
time, this increase may be sufficient to cause climatic change, including
raising sea levels, altering precipitation patterns and changing water
supplies and crop yields. Global warming could also affect human health,
harm wildlife and damage fragile ecosystems.
It is imperative to better understand all the mechanisms involved as
there is a real danger that from a crossing of a certain threshold, the
situation could spiral out of control.
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