Global Warming - Explanation and definition of global warming
What is global warming.
Global warming is the continued rise of the average temperature of the atmosphere of our planet Earth, showing how the increase has been more pronounced in recent centuries as a result of human activity during this time.
This increase in temperature or heating directly affects global weather on the planet, fostering a climate change with adverse effects both socially and economically, threatening the existence of many plant and animal species over the entire planet, including us Humans.
Due the controversy and concern of the devastating effects that may develop over the coming years because of global warming, in 1988 and within the framework of the United Nations the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) was established, a multidisciplinary group composed of scientists from all over the world with the common goal of collecting scientific risk assessments produced by climate change caused by human activity, identifying possible scenarios and their socio-economic and environmental consequences as well as indicating possible measures to mitigate such effects.
Currently the IPCC is the body recognized globally on climate change, reporting periodically the evaluation about climate changes advances.
Causes that have induced climate change
The IPCC itself states that the influence of human activity on the current climate change is clear and unambiguous.
The main cause of global warming is attributed to the release into our atmosphere of greenhouse gases, especially carbon dioxide CO2 as a result of industrial, economic development and energy demand occurred during the last century, accompanied by the exponential growth of the human population.
CO2 emissions into our atmosphere stem from two main sources:
Burning fossil fuels like coal, natural gas or oil as a means of obtaining energy.
Deforestation of forests and green spaces as a means of obtaining land and space to grow and build.
Burning fossil fuels generates undoubtedly the major focus of CO2 emissions, we live in a society of energy consumption where we use large amounts of coal, oil or natural gas as a means of obtaining energy, during the combustion process these materials occurs the dreaded CO2 which is emitted directly to the atmosphere. power plants fueled by coal, billions of cars, buses, trucks, motorcycles and other vehicles powered by petroleum products, industries scattered throughout the plaintiffs planet of energy necessary for the conduct of its activities ... these and many other examples of the indiscriminate use of fossil fuels are saturated with CO2 in our atmosphere by increasing the natural greenhouse effect causing an increase in global temperature of the planet.
Global warming effects
Data collected over the past decades show the growth in the number of days and warm nights at the reduction of day and night cold globally. More and more frequent heat waves in Europe, Asia and Australia, also there have been sharp increases in extreme precipitation in parts of the world coming to cause devastating floods in those areas.
On the other hand there has been an overall increase in 0,85 C in the average temperature of Earth's climate from the period 1880 to 2012, causing among others extensions thaw frozen planet inducing an increase of 0,2 meters of the sea level. Likewise, the absorption of the CO2 emitted by human activity by the oceans has been a decline in its average pH, acidifying the water and endangering many marine species.
The IPCC has shown how continuous emission of CO2 into our atmosphere cause by 2100 an average increase of 4 C in global temperature of the planet, causing irreversible damage to the extinction of many animal and plant life, reducing the available food species for human consumption causing food insecurity with consequent economic and social disruption on a global scale, flooding in much of coastal areas due to sea level rise causing mass migration to inland areas as well as a general increase in natural disasters as a result of extreme weather events.
Therefore we need to establish and enforce policies and actions to reduce and eliminate emissions of CO2 and other greenhouse gases into our atmosphere.
Climate policy against global warming
Mitigation of climate effects caused by global warming is directly dependent on the policies and measures taken at multiple scales both internationally and at the regional and individual level, as it the effects of climate change affect us all equally climate policies they must be implemented by all governments, institutions, businesses and individuals.
The IPCC raises in order to stepwise reduce emissions of greenhouse gases in order to keep the increase in global temperature below 2 C.
This requires raising awareness, education and training on climate issues, implement incentive policies on the use of green energy which reduce the consumption of coal and other fossil fuels, economically implement tax policies that penalize the use of materials and machines that produces greenhouse gases and even ban it, investment policies, development and deployment of green technologies to the environment, etc...
Currently many individuals and companies around the world are increasingly aware of this problem, making commitments and implementing policies ecological and environmentally friendly actions.
The automotive sector is stepping forward with making electric cars that replace traditional combustion engines, also many plaintiffs energy industries to carry out their activities are investing in the purchase of green energy such as wind or solar.
Ourselves can contribute our bit to reduce energy consumption in our homes by buying LED bulbs, the use of efficient appliances with low consumption or use public transportation to help reduce the use of domestic car ... are examples among others of climate policy that will allow us reduce the effects of the dreaded global warming.
Now that you know what is global warming, did you know that the term climate change was first coined by physicist and NASA climatologist James Hansen at the conference June 1988 ?, from this time the term was spreaded to the press and other media and the general public.
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