Global Warming – A Burning Issue

Global warming relates to the increase in the average temperature of the Earth's surface which causes changes in climate. It is the most threatening situation in the present day. Global temperature and concentrations of carbon dioxide (one of the major greenhouse gases) have fluctuated on a cycle of hundreds of thousands of years as the Earth's position relative to the sun has varied. As a result, ice ages have come and gone. Now, global warming has become a critical case of concern because the rapid change in Green House Gases is changing the climate faster than some living things may be able to adapt. Also, a new and more unpredictable climate poses unique challenges to all life.

The impact of global warming is far greater than just increasing temperatures. It causes melting of Polar ice caps which will raise sea levels. There are 5,773,000 cubic miles of water in ice caps, glaciers, and permanent snow. According to the National Snow and Ice Data Center, if all glaciers melted today the seas would rise about 230 feet. Melting ice caps will throw the global ecosystem out of balance. The desalinization of the gulf current will imbalance ocean currents, which regulate temperatures. Temperature rises and changing landscapes in the artic circle will endanger several species of animals and only the most adaptable will survive. Global warming could snowball with the ice caps gone. Ice caps are white, and reflect sunlight, much of which is reflected back into space, further cooling Earth. If the ice caps melt, the only reflector is the ocean. Darker colors absorb sunlight, further warming the Earth. There is also increasing probability and intensity of droughts and heat waves. Although some areas of Earth will become wetter due to global warming, other areas will suffer serious droughts and heat waves.

Global warming also has serious economic consequences for all countries. Hurricanes cause billions of dollars in damage, diseases cost money to treat and control and conflicts exacerbate all of these.

The question now arises – How to deal with Global Warming? There is no one magic solution to the problem of global warming. Collective efforts and measures will contribute in tackling global warming. People all over the world have realized the seriousness of the problem and are taking appropriate steps to deal with this. The Kyoto Protocol is an example of this. The Kyoto Protocol is a protocol to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC or FCCC), aimed at fighting global warming.

Use of solar energy and energy saving products and LED products also contribute a lot in fighting global warming.