Introduction
Global warming refers to a state in which earth’s and ocean surface experiences increase in temperature. The effects of global warming are the social and ecological changes because of increment of global temperature (Gore, 148). These climatic changes are be apparent with the present recording of rise of sea level, increase in temperature and decreasing of snow level covering the Northern Hemisphere. It began in mid-20th century when increase of atmospheric temperature was recorded.
These recordings included observation made in relation to effects of greenhouse gases concentration perpetrated by human activities. It is believed that global warming will be rampant, because of the rise in sea level and considering the extreme weather changes (Greenhouse gases 2008).
Causes of global warming
Researchers have established that greenhouse gases emitted into the atmosphere cause global warming. These are carbon dioxide, water vapor, ozone, and methane. Greenhouse gases are causes increase in temperature of the earth’s surface by trapping heat in the atmosphere (Brown, 61). The main source of greenhouse gases to the atmosphere is burning fossils as implicated in the graph below.
In addition, causes of global warming can be classified into two groups. These two groups are natural causes, and anthropogenic causes or man-made causes.
Natural causes
Natural causes of global warming include mainly emissions related to nature. Methane gas is a natural cause of global warming, which is emitted from wetlands, and tundra. Moreover, Climatic cycle changes are also classified under natural causes of global warming in the atmosphere.
Man-made Causes
Manmade causes have been termed to be causing the greatest damages to the atmosphere in terms of global warming. The leading cause of global warming is burning of fossils causing. This is because the main emissions from burning of fossils fuels are organic matter, which include oil or coal (Gore, 178).
In addition, after fossil fuels are burnt, they are responsible for the release of carbon dioxide gases into the atmosphere. Moreover, in oil and coal mining, methane will be released into the atmosphere. Furthermore, considering methane is naturally found in the ground, and will escape into atmosphere when it is dug up on surface of the earth- cultivation.
The other cause of global warming classified under manmade causes is population. When there is a large population, there will be more demand for transport and food. This means that there will be many gases such as methane, which would be emitted into the atmosphere. This will translate to rise in agricultural activities around the world (Staudt, 24).
On the contrary, to the belief of many researchers, agriculture contributes to emission of unwanted gases in the atmosphere. This is possible with the introduction of manure on the earth’s surface, which contains methane. When population increases in size, individuals will require more food and thus large quantities of manure to increase food production. In addition, increase in population will also mean increase in transport services (Brown, 89).
This will be associated with more cars, and more emission of unwanted atmospheric gases. Moreover, as population grows so does the increase in emission of carbon dioxide. This is because human beings emit carbon dioxide to the atmosphere. Causes of the greenhouse gases due to the human activities are shown below:
On the other hand, human activities because of population increase contribute to global warming as they interfere with the conversion of carbon dioxide to oxygen. This is because human cut down trees to build new houses due to increased population to create shelters and cultivating land. Therefore, this cutting down trees interferes with CO2 conversion, as trees are responsible in the conversion carbon dioxide gas to oxygen gas (Brown and Leipold, 131).
How long before it occurs
There are predictions that these effects are yet to be experienced. However, some of these effects are being experienced in some locations around the globe. These effects include melting of ice worldwide especially on the southern and northern poles of the earth and in mount glaciers, Greenland ice found at arctic sea and the west Antarctica that was in the past covered with a large sheet of ice. The other indication of global warming is declining in the number of Adélie penguins, which are normally found on Antarctica (Gore, 124).
Moreover, rapid rise in sea level, in the past century, is also an indication of global warming. In addition, it has been reported that species of foxes, butterflies, and alpine plants are migrating to cooler sides of the earth surface such as higher lands and North Pole. The other indication of global warming is increase of snowfall and rainfall across the globe. The graph below shows some of the increase of emission of carbon dioxide, which has contributed in the global warming for years.
Some global warming effects that have already been experienced and noted but there are still expectations in the next century, which have been predicted by researchers. At the end of the century, it is expected that the sea level globally will increase by 7 to 23 inches as the ice is expected to melt by 4 to 8 inches.
This will mean that storms and hurricanes will be stronger as time elopes. It is also indicated that species, which normally depend on others, will become extinct. This is because species such as plants will not depend on pollinating insects to be active since they would have bloomed faster than expected. In the next 50 years, floods and draughts are also expected to be common globally.
The other effect is decline of fresh water with the melting of ice at a faster rate in places such as Quelccaya ice cap, which is found in Peru. This is expected to take place by 2100 (Brown, 161). There will also be increase in diseases such as malaria. Finally, there will be changes in the ecosystem, as animals it is believed those that will be successful to migrate to the north will survive, and those that will not be able will be rendered extinct. This means that melting of ice will perpetrate the disappearance of polar bears.
The effects on the Cayman Islands
The IPCC has indicated that global warming would have severe conditions for the people at Cayman Islands. One of the harsh predictions is rise of sea level, which might lead to the island disappearance. Moreover, there have been indications of earth’s cooling as most of coastal parts of the globe receive cold climate in.
There are also views that contradict that the Cayman Islands will suffer negatively from global warming. These contradicting reports argue that the island will benefit from the changes taking place in the world (Brown and Leipold, 69). This can be explained by the fact that world will have a shortage of food because of freezing fields, and crops failing to grow due to global warming.
This is an indication that there will be a rise in prices of food; canals will dry up as sea levels lowers. This will work on conversely with Cayman Island, as they will gain visitors who will be escaping the cold weather in their countries. The world is at the end of the warm period, which will be followed by an ice age.
The position of Cayman because of global warming
Moreover, references to global warming, the islands are expected to be the hottest regions in the world due to temperature rise, and sea level increasing. This will leave islands to be home of fewer animals as most animals will try to find places with cooler temperatures. The hot temperatures will not be favorable for animals and crops (Staudt, 78). When crops cease to grow, there will be a shortage of food, which will result to scramble for the little resources remaining.
Measures involved in the reduction of global warming
One crucial factor, which is seen to be the contributor of global warming, is pollution of the atmosphere with emission of gases. Some governments with introduction of Clean Air Act have been able to reduce emission of dangerous gases to the atmosphere (Brown, 60). Since production of electricity also contributes these greenhouse gases emissions from fossil fuel.
This has led to some countries introducing other alternative energy production such as solar and wind into their economy. This has been done to reduce the emission from fossil fuels, which are burnt. Gases emitted from fossil fuels have been reduced in some countries where cycling has been encouraged to reduce the emission of unwanted greenhouse gases into the atmosphere from cars.
Recommendations
The paper has clearly indicated that causes of global warming are because of burning fossil fuels, which causes emission of greenhouse gases. The first recommendation would be reduction in recycling and reusing this is because through recycling of products, fossil gases are emitted, which the major causes of global are warming. It is for this reason that it would be best to use disposable packaging instead of reusable packaging.
I would also recommend use of air conditioners as it will help in reduction of increasing temperature in the atmosphere. The other recommendation is reduction of driving in the major cities. This is because most cars emit greenhouse gases because they use gasoline, which is part of the fossil fuels. Finally, it is recommendable that there be planting of more trees this is to help with the conversion of carbon dioxide gas to oxygen by the trees.
Summary
The general effect of global warming is the increased temperatures on the earth surface. It is factual that temperature of the atmosphere has already increased by more than 8 degrees Celsius.
This has also led to melting of arctic tundra, which has translated to emission of methane into the atmosphere. In addition, as years pass by emissions of carbon dioxide to the atmosphere have been increased due to human activities and are associated with melting in the arctic region.
Global warming is also associated with dangerous weather conditions such as increase in storms and hurricanes on the earth. In addition, it also have led drought and floods that are on the rise globally. Drought and floods have caused availability and distribution of food to be low globally translating to high food prices.
This is dangerous since individuals who are not able to afford high food prices will die of starvation. Moreover, there is agricultural instability globally whereby farmers are not able to predict climatic conditions, which will help them in nurturing their crops. Furthermore, taking into account drought conditions are twice harsh than it was years ago this has not been favorable for growing of crops by farmers.
Global warming has not spared animals as their survival is also affected, and some of the species are becoming extinct. These creatures of the ecosystem are establishing favorable survival tactics, which include moving to cooler regions. Moreover, the ecosystem is seen to be changing as plants are being found in places that they were not usually found, and they survive even in harsh conditions
Works Cited
Brown, Lester, Plan B 2.0; Rescuing a Planet Under Stress and a Civilization in Trouble, Norton, NY, 2006. Print
Brown, Paul, and Leipold, Gerd, Global Warning: The Last Chance for Change, Reader’s Digest, Pleasantville NY, 2007. Print.
Gore, Al, An Inconvenient Truth; The Planetary Emergency of Global Warming and What We Can Do About It, Rodale, Emmaus PA, 2006, Print
Greenhouse Gases, Carbon Dioxide and Methane, Rise Sharply in 2007, Science Daily, 24 April 2008
Staudt, Antony Understanding and Responding to Climate Change. A brochure prepared by the National Research Council. US: Board on Atmospheric Sciences and Climate, National Academy of Sciences. 2008. Print.