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Contents
Global warming ...........................................................................................................................2
What is the definition of anthropogenic climate change? ...................................................2
What do you mean by global warming?...................................................................................2
What is global warming and climate change? .......................................................................2
What is the theory of global warming?....................................................................................2
Causes of Global warming. ........................................................................................................2
Water vapor..................................................................................................................................3
Carbon dioxide (CO2)................................................................................................................3
Methane. .......................................................................................................................................3
Nitrous oxide................................................................................................................................3
Chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs)....................................................................................................3
The role of human activity .........................................................................................................4
Solar irradiance...........................................................................................................................4
Solutions to Global Warming ...................................................................................................5
Boosting energy efficiency: ........................................................................................................5
Greening transportation:...........................................................................................................5
Revving up renewables:..............................................................................................................5
Managing forests and agriculture:...........................................................................................6
Exploring nuclear: ......................................................................................................................6
Ensuring sustainable development:.........................................................................................6
Adapting to changes already underway:..................................................................................6
Conclusion.................................................................................................................................... 7
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Global warming
Global warming is the term used to describe a gradual increase in the average temperature of the
Earth's atmosphere and its oceans, a change that is believed to be permanently changing the Earth's
climate.
Global warming is a major atmospheric issue all over the world. Our earth’s surface becoming hot
day by day by trapping the sun’s heat and rise in the level of atmospheric carbon dioxide. The bad
effects of it increasing day by day and causing major problems to the living of human being. It has
become one of the subjects of big social issues which need social awareness to a great level. People
should know its meaning, causes, effects and solutions to solve it immediately. People should
come forth together and try to solve it in order to save life on the earth.
Global warming is a gradual process of heating of earth’s surface and whole environment including
oceans, ice caps, etc. The global rise in atmospheric temperature has been clearly noticed in the
recent years. According to the Environmental Protection Agency, in the past century there is
increase in the earth’s surface average temperature by around 1.4 degree Fahrenheit (means 0.8
degrees Celsius). It has also been estimated that global temperature may increase by another 2 to
11.5 degrees F in the next century.
What is the definition of anthropogenic climate change?
The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) reported in 2014 that scientists were more
than 95% certain that most of global warming is caused by increasing concentrations of greenhouse
gases and other human (anthropogenic) activities.
What do you mean by global warming?
Global Warming is the increase of Earth's average surface temperature due to effect of greenhouse
gases, such as carbon dioxide emissions from burning fossil fuels or from deforestation, which
trap heat that would otherwise escape from Earth.
What is global warming and climate change?
Global warming and climate change refer to an increase in average global temperatures. Natural
events and human activities are believed to be contributing to an increase in average global
temperatures. This is caused primarily by increases in “greenhouse” gases such as Carbon Dioxide
(CO2).
What is the theory of global warming?
Greenhouse gases in the troposphere trap some of the infrared rays reflecting heat back down to
the surface. The AGW theory suggests that increased CO2 concentration in the atmosphere, caused
by humans, is raising global temperatures.
Causes of Global warming.
Most climate scientists agree the main cause of the current global warming trend is human
expansion of the "greenhouse effect"1 — warming that results when the atmosphere traps heat
radiating from Earth toward space.
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Certain gases in the atmosphere block heat from escaping. Long-lived gases that remain semi-
permanently in the atmosphere and do not respond physically or chemically to changes in
temperature are described as "forcing" climate change. Gases, such as water vapor, which respond
physically or chemically to changes in temperature are seen as "feedbacks."
Gases that contribute to the greenhouse effect include
Water vapor.
The most abundant greenhouse gas, but importantly, it acts as a feedback to the climate. Water
vapor increases as the Earth's atmosphere warms, but so does the possibility of clouds and
precipitation, making these some of the most important feedback mechanisms to the greenhouse
effect.
Carbon dioxide (CO2).
A minor but very important component of the atmosphere, carbon dioxide is released through
natural processes such as respiration and volcano eruptions and through human activities such as
deforestation, land use changes, and burning fossil fuels. Humans have increased atmospheric CO2
concentration by a third since the Industrial Revolution began. This is the most important long-
lived "forcing" of climate change.
Methane.
A hydrocarbon gas produced both through natural sources and human activities, including the
decomposition of wastes in landfills, agriculture, and especially rice cultivation, as well as
ruminant digestion and manure management associated with domestic livestock. On a molecule-
for-molecule basis, methane is a far more active greenhouse gas than carbon dioxide, but also one
which is much less abundant in the atmosphere.
Nitrous oxide.
A powerful greenhouse gas produced by soil cultivation practices, especially the use of
commercial and organic fertilizers, fossil fuel combustion, nitric acid production, and biomass
burning.
Chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs).
Synthetic compounds entirely of industrial origin used in a number of applications, but now largely
regulated in production and release to the atmosphere by international agreement for their ability
to contribute to destruction of the ozone layer. They are also greenhouse gases.
On Earth, human activities are changing the natural greenhouse. Over the last century the
burning of fossil fuels like coal and oil has increased the concentration of atmospheric
carbon dioxide (CO2). This happens because the coal or oil burning process combines
carbon with oxygen in the air to make CO2. To a lesser extent, the clearing of land for
agriculture, industry, and other human activities have increased concentrations of
greenhouse gases.
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The consequences of changing the natural atmospheric greenhouse are difficult to predict, but
certain effects seem likely:
On average, Earth will become warmer. Some regions may welcome warmer temperatures, but
others may not.
Warmer conditions will probably lead to more evaporation and precipitation overall, but individual
regions will vary, some becoming wetter and others dryer.
A stronger greenhouse effect will warm the oceans and partially melt glaciers and other ice,
increasing sea level. Ocean water also will expand if it warms, contributing further to sea level
rise.
Meanwhile, some crops and other plants may respond favorably to increased atmospheric CO2,
growing more vigorously and using water more efficiently. At the same time, higher temperatures
and shifting climate patterns may change the areas where crops grow best and affect the makeup
of natural plant communities.
The role of human activity
In its Fourth Assessment Report, the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, a group of 1,300
independent scientific experts from countries all over the world under the auspices of the United
Nations, concluded there's a more than 90 percent probability that human activities over the past
50 years have warmed our planet.
The industrial activities that our modern civilization depends upon have raised atmospheric carbon
dioxide levels from 280 parts per million to 400 parts per million in the last 150 years. The panel
also concluded there's a better than 90 percent probability that human-produced greenhouse gases
such as carbon dioxide, methane and nitrous oxide have caused much of the observed increase in
Earth's temperatures over the past 50 years.
They said the rate of increase in global warming due to these gases is very likely to be
unprecedented within the past 10,000 years or more.
Solar irradiance
It's reasonable to assume that changes in the sun's energy output would cause the climate to change,
since the sun is the fundamental source of energy that drives our climate system.
Indeed, studies show that solar variability has played a role in past climate changes. For example,
a decrease in solar activity is thought to have triggered the Little Ice Age between approximately
1650 and 1850, when Greenland was largely cut off by ice from 1410 to the 1720s and glaciers
advanced in the Alps.
But several lines of evidence show that current global warming cannot be explained by changes in
energy from the sun:
Since 1750, the average amount of energy coming from the sun either remained constant or
increased slightly.
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If the warming were caused by a more active sun, then scientists would expect to see warmer
temperatures in all layers of the atmosphere. Instead, they have observed a cooling in the upper
atmosphere, and a warming at the surface and in the lower parts of the atmosphere. That's because
greenhouse gases are trapping heat in the lower atmosphere.
Climate models that include solar irradiance changes can’t reproduce the observed temperature
trend over the past century or more without including a rise in greenhouse gases.
Solutions to Global Warming
Many awareness programs and programs to reduce global warming have been run and
implemented by the government agencies, business leaders, private sectors, NGOs, etc. Some of
the damages through global warming cannot be returned by the solution (like melting of ice caps).
However, we should not get back and try everyone’s best to reduce the effects of global warming
by reducing the human causes of global warming. We should try to reduce the emissions of
greenhouse gases to the atmosphere and adopt some climate changes which are already happening
for years. Instead of using electrical energy we should try using clean energy or energy produced
by solar system, wind and geothermal. Reducing the level of coal and oil burning, use of
transportation means, use of electrical devices, etc. may reduce the global warming to a great level
There is no single solution to global warming, which is primarily a problem of too much heat-
trapping carbon dioxide (CO2), methane and nitrous oxide in the atmosphere. The technologies
and approaches outlined below are all needed to bring down the emissions of these gases by at
least 80 percent by mid-century. To see how they are best deployed in each region of the world,
use the menu at left.
Boosting energy efficiency:
The energy used to power, heat, and cool our homes, businesses, and industries is the single largest
contributor to global warming. Energy efficiency technologies allow us to use less energy to get
the same—or higher—level of production, service, and comfort. This approach has vast potential
to save both energy and money, and can be deployed quickly.
Greening transportation:
The transportation sector's emissions have increased at a faster rate than any other energy-using
sector over the past decade. A variety of solutions are at hand, including improving efficiency
(miles per gallon) in all modes of transport, switching to low-carbon fuels, and reducing vehicle
miles traveled through smart growth and more efficient mass transportation systems.
Revving up renewables:
Renewable energy sources such as solar, wind, geothermal and bioenergy are available around the
world. Multiple studies have shown that renewable energy has the technical potential to meet the
vast majority of our energy needs. Renewable technologies can be deployed quickly, are
increasingly cost-effective, and create jobs while reducing pollution.
Phasing out fossil fuel electricity: Dramatically reducing our use of fossil fuels—especially
carbon-intensive coal—is essential to tackle climate change. There are many ways to begin this
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process. Key action steps include: not building any new coal-burning power plants, initiating a
phased shutdown of coal plants starting with the oldest and dirtiest, and capturing and storing
carbon emissions from power plants. While it may sound like science fiction, the technology exists
to store carbon emissions underground. The technology has not been deployed on a large scale or
proven to be safe and permanent, but it has been demonstrated in other contexts such as oil and
natural gas recovery. Demonstration projects to test the viability and costs of this technology for
power plant emissions are worth pursuing.
Managing forests and agriculture:
Taken together, tropical deforestation and emissions from agriculture represent nearly 30 percent
of the world's heat-trapping emissions. We can fight global warming by reducing emissions from
deforestation and forest degradation and by making our food production practices more
sustainable.
Exploring nuclear:
Because nuclear power results in few global warming emissions, an increased share of nuclear
power in the energy mix could help reduce global warming—but nuclear technology poses serious
threats to our security and, as the accident at the Fukushima Diaichi plant in Japan illustrates to
our health and the environment as well. The question remains: can the safety, proliferation, waste
disposal, and cost barriers of nuclear power be overcome?
Developing and deploying new low-carbon and zero-carbon technologies: Research into and
development of the next generation of low-carbon technologies will be critical to deep mid-century
reductions in global emissions. Current research on battery technology, new materials for solar
cells, harnessing energy from novel sources like bacteria and algae, and other innovative areas
could provide important breakthroughs.
Ensuring sustainable development:
The countries of the world—from the most to the least developed—vary dramatically in their
contributions to the problem of climate change and in their responsibilities and capacities to
confront it. A successful global compact on climate change must include financial assistance from
richer countries to poorer countries to help make the transition to low-carbon development
pathways and to help adapt to the impacts of climate change.
Adapting to changes already underway:
As the Climate Hot Map demonstrates, the impacts of a warming world are already being felt by
people around the globe. If climate change continues unchecked, these impacts are almost certain
to get worse. From sea level rise to heat waves, from extreme weather to disease outbreaks, each
unique challenge requires locally-suitable solutions to prepare for and respond to the impacts of
global warming. Unfortunately, those who will be hit hardest and first by the impacts of a changing
climate are likely to be the poor and vulnerable, especially those in the least developed countries.
Developed countries must take a leadership role in providing financial and technical help for
adaptation.
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Conclusion
The ‘Conclusion’ confirms that global warming is the major challenge for our global society. There
is very little doubt that global warming will change our climate in the next century. So what are
the solutions to global warming? First, there must be an international political solution. Second,
funding for developing cheap and clean energy production must be increased, as all economic
development is based on increasing energy usage. We must not pin all our hopes on global politics
and clean energy technology, so we must prepare for the worst and adapt. If implemented now, a
lot of the costs and damage that could be caused by changing climate can be mitigated.
