Essay Sample on the impact of Global Warming

Global warming is the climate change which results in an increase of the temperature of lower atmosphere. It has several causes and effects which mostly lead to altered earths atmospheric conditions. Human interferences are the major cause of global warming and man does this through the excessive release of greenhouse gases into the atmosphere (Krosnick et al, 2000).

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Gases, for instance methane, carbon dioxide, fluorinated gases and water have effects of greenhouse around the globe. These gases allow passage of heat into the atmosphere from the suns radiation, but prevent escape of heat back to space. The more the accumulation of these gases, the more the heat trapped within the atmosphere (McCright & Dunlap, 2011). This leads to extreme increase of temperature in the lower atmosphere.

Global warming has serious effects and have in most recent past caused fatal impacts on natural resources thus interfering with human activities at dangerous scales. These effects are increased flooding in coastal regions and rise in sea level, and long damaging seasons of wildfire. Other effects include intense and increased heat waves, risks on national landmarks, forests death in rocky Mountains, growing and costly health impacts, heavier precipitation and increased groundwater pressure, electricity supply risk and food supply disruptions.

According to Krosnick et al. (2000), the average sea level has increased by eight inches from 1880 and the rise is faster on East Coast of Mexico. With global warming, there is increased rate of sea level rise that has resulted into increased flooding in low-lying areas and destruction of coastal properties. Wildfire seasons are lengthening, more so in the West of the United States with increased temperatures (McCright & Dunlap, 2011). There is increased summer and spring temperatures resulting into early snow-melt. This result in drier forests that is vulnerable to fire. Hot weather that is dangerous to human existence is more frequently occurring than it did in the past century. These heat waves are projected by Scientists to become more severe with increased global warming. The wave increase has led to serious health consequences such as heat strokes and heat exhaustion (Krosnick et al, 2000).

Many countries most historic and iconic sites are at great risks with increased global warming. From Cape Canaversal to Ellis Island, many of the landmarks are submerged into the floods or cracked due to the intense heating. Millions of trees found in Rocky Mountains have died in the past decade due to heat stress and climate-driven insects that kill trees. The rise in temperature has increased the chances of air pollution, intensely longer allergy seasons, insect-borne diseases spread and dangerous rainstorms (McCright & Dunlap, 2011). Increase in temperature has increased the amount of rain downpours which in turn increase the flooding events. There is an increase of sixty seven percent downpour in Northeast and thirty one percent increase in downpour in Midwest than it did half a century ago.

In conclusion, the effects that the increased temperatures in the earths atmosphere present are very dangerous at all levels of human existence and economic growth. With increasing economic challenges and increased population pressure, man needs to utilize and safeguard huge percentage of the natural resources. Global warming, therefore, is very destructive and threatens mans existence since its main impact is the destruction of these natural resources that human beings need. For smooth existence of mankind, people must learn to change their ways of living geared towards reducing the amount of greenhouse gases that are released into the atmosphere to reduce global warming.

References

Krosnick, J. A., Holbrook, A. L., & Visser, P. S. (2000). The impact of the fall 1997 debate about global warming on American public opinion. Public Understanding of Science, 9(3), 239-260.

McCright, A. M., & Dunlap, R. E. (2011). The politicization of climate change and polarization in the American public's views of global warming, 20012010. The Sociological Quarterly, 52(2), 155-194.