Rise in Global Temperature Is the Greenhouse Effect
The rise in average global temperature caused due to increase in the concentration of greenhouse gases is called the "greenhouse effect.
" The greenhouse gases are Carbon dioxide, methane, nitrous oxide, ozone and water vapor.
These gases absorb and emit radiation in the thermal infrared range causing temperatures to rise globally.
The greenhouse effect is something that goes on naturally and in a sense, it is very necessary to keep the earth's temperature within a favorable range.
In other words, the greenhouse effect helps to keep the earth warm enough to be habitable.
Without the greenhouse effect, the earth would simply become too cold for life.
However, it is also important to keep the greenhouse effect in check or else the reverse could happen.
The average temperatures round the world could rise and that could cause the earth to overheat.
This can be caused if the concentration of these greenhouse gases rises significantly.
And this is precisely the problem the world is grappling with today.
The rise in temperatures could cause numerous problems worldwide as is evidenced today.
The average sea levels could rise worldwide causing flooding in coastal areas.
A lot of habitable and fertile land could suddenly go under water.
A great many people could lose their livelihood and their lives as well.
It could be a catastrophe on an unimaginable scale.
We are already beginning to see this occurring in some of the islands In the South Pacific.
As the sea levels rise, the salinity of the soil could also change causing problems in crop production.
Vast areas of coastline could be inundated with saline water causing the soil to become saline.
This would not be suitable for agriculture.
And this in turn could cause a sharp decline in food production worldwide.
And this would only be the beginning.
What would follow could be even more disastrous.
The most important question that we must ask ourselves today is what has caused the levels of the greenhouse gases to rise so rapidly.
Why is that we are today suddenly confronted with this problem? The beginning of the rise of greenhouse gases can be traced back to the time of the industrial revolution.
Over the decades that followed the burning of fossil fuels and the consequent rapid industrialization let to the emission of vast quantities of greenhouse gases.
Slowly but inexorably the levels of these gases began to rise.
The earth's atmosphere began to trap more heat than it radiated.
The average temperatures began to rise.
In the Arctic, the permafrost began to retreat and vast sheets of ice have begun to split and collapse.
The Greenland Icecap has seen a remarkable change in the last few decades.
The Arctic and Antarctic landscape is changing and so is the wildlife.
Today the world is coming awake to the urgency and gravity of the situation and world leaders are beginning to realize the importance of this issue.
Various summits have been held to discuss the terrible effects of global warming and climate change.
A world conference on climate change was held at Kyoto in Japan in 1997but leaders refused to agree on a legally binding framework of rules that would monitor the carbon footprint of each country.
The Kyoto Protocol, which came into force in February 2005, seeks to control the emission of greenhouse gases.
The Copenhagen Accord is a non-binding agreement on climate change but recognizes the fact that climate change is one of the most crucial issues facing humankind today.
A climate summit was also held in Nov-Dec 2010 in Cancun in Mexico but failed to reach any further agreements.
The climate of the earth is a complex arrangement of gases, water vapor, and heat.
If this delicate balance is suddenly disturbed by human intervention or by natural causes than the results can be horrendous for life on earth.
And this delicate balance has been upset mainly by human activities.
We are to blame for the changes that are occurring with the earth's climate and also with its flora and fauna.
It is time to own up to this enormous mistake and do something about it or the results could change the course of human history for the worse.
The clock is ticking and time is running out.
" The greenhouse gases are Carbon dioxide, methane, nitrous oxide, ozone and water vapor.
These gases absorb and emit radiation in the thermal infrared range causing temperatures to rise globally.
The greenhouse effect is something that goes on naturally and in a sense, it is very necessary to keep the earth's temperature within a favorable range.
In other words, the greenhouse effect helps to keep the earth warm enough to be habitable.
Without the greenhouse effect, the earth would simply become too cold for life.
However, it is also important to keep the greenhouse effect in check or else the reverse could happen.
The average temperatures round the world could rise and that could cause the earth to overheat.
This can be caused if the concentration of these greenhouse gases rises significantly.
And this is precisely the problem the world is grappling with today.
The rise in temperatures could cause numerous problems worldwide as is evidenced today.
The average sea levels could rise worldwide causing flooding in coastal areas.
A lot of habitable and fertile land could suddenly go under water.
A great many people could lose their livelihood and their lives as well.
It could be a catastrophe on an unimaginable scale.
We are already beginning to see this occurring in some of the islands In the South Pacific.
As the sea levels rise, the salinity of the soil could also change causing problems in crop production.
Vast areas of coastline could be inundated with saline water causing the soil to become saline.
This would not be suitable for agriculture.
And this in turn could cause a sharp decline in food production worldwide.
And this would only be the beginning.
What would follow could be even more disastrous.
The most important question that we must ask ourselves today is what has caused the levels of the greenhouse gases to rise so rapidly.
Why is that we are today suddenly confronted with this problem? The beginning of the rise of greenhouse gases can be traced back to the time of the industrial revolution.
Over the decades that followed the burning of fossil fuels and the consequent rapid industrialization let to the emission of vast quantities of greenhouse gases.
Slowly but inexorably the levels of these gases began to rise.
The earth's atmosphere began to trap more heat than it radiated.
The average temperatures began to rise.
In the Arctic, the permafrost began to retreat and vast sheets of ice have begun to split and collapse.
The Greenland Icecap has seen a remarkable change in the last few decades.
The Arctic and Antarctic landscape is changing and so is the wildlife.
Today the world is coming awake to the urgency and gravity of the situation and world leaders are beginning to realize the importance of this issue.
Various summits have been held to discuss the terrible effects of global warming and climate change.
A world conference on climate change was held at Kyoto in Japan in 1997but leaders refused to agree on a legally binding framework of rules that would monitor the carbon footprint of each country.
The Kyoto Protocol, which came into force in February 2005, seeks to control the emission of greenhouse gases.
The Copenhagen Accord is a non-binding agreement on climate change but recognizes the fact that climate change is one of the most crucial issues facing humankind today.
A climate summit was also held in Nov-Dec 2010 in Cancun in Mexico but failed to reach any further agreements.
The climate of the earth is a complex arrangement of gases, water vapor, and heat.
If this delicate balance is suddenly disturbed by human intervention or by natural causes than the results can be horrendous for life on earth.
And this delicate balance has been upset mainly by human activities.
We are to blame for the changes that are occurring with the earth's climate and also with its flora and fauna.
It is time to own up to this enormous mistake and do something about it or the results could change the course of human history for the worse.
The clock is ticking and time is running out.
