We explain what global warming is, what its causes and consequences are. How to avoid and prevent global warming.
What is Global Warming?
Global warming, along with climate change, is known as one of the greatest ecological concerns of the late 20th century and early 21st century, consisting of sustained increase in the average temperature of planet Earth over a century, which shows numerous effects on climate behavior and the average level of ocean waters, given the gradual melting of polar ice.
The record of global warming It is alarming and has been confirmed by numerous scientific tests. However, there is no absolute consensus regarding the causes of this increase in temperature. The dissemination of the topic in the specialized press and the observation of the effects of climate change in various latitudes on Earth reflect that it is one of the greatest concerns for the future of humanity.
So much so, that the United Nations has commissioned some of its representatives to lead a necessary debate, which aims to protect the future of humanity from possible climate catastrophes. However, the thesis that blames human industrial activity for the increase in greenhouse gases in the atmosphere (such as CO2), is the least accepted in countries like China and the United States, precisely those that have the greatest emission of these gases into the atmosphere.
While debates are taking place regarding what causes it and how it can be reversed or at least slowed down, the effects of global warming and climate change are being seen throughout the planet, turning wetlands into deserts and gradually but dramatically altering the thermal balance of the planet.
Causes of global warming
Broadly speaking, two hypotheses are used regarding global warming:
- Glacial cycles The Earth, in its journey around the Sun, changes its position slowly over the centuries, and this gives rise to cycles of warming and freezing that are humanly imperceptible, known as glaciations. Thus, cold cycles would cause polar growth, while warm cycles would cause melting.
- Human activity The most accepted of both theories, which does not completely rule out the influence of glacial cycles on climate change, ensures that direct human responsibility in the acceleration of warming is inevitable, whose ascending curve coincides, not coincidentally, with the beginning of the Industrial revolution. This explanation says that the gases produced by human industry and agriculture accumulate in the atmosphere at a greater rate than it can dispose of, and generate a screen that prevents the dissipation of heat into space, increasing the temperature as occurs in a greenhouse.
Consequences of global warming
- Melting of the poles The increase in heat in the air and sea water would cause glaciers and permafrost in the polar regions to melt, adding fresh water to the ocean and slowly raising its water level. Thus, flooding and the expansion of the coastline would submerge entire cities under water.
- Extreme weather phenomena The temperature imbalance affects the extremeness of certain climates: hot climates are hotter and cold climates are much colder, which is accompanied by more extreme meteorological phenomena: more intense rains, more devastating hurricanes, etc.
- Abrupt ecological changes Changes in climate engender changes in ecological niches, some gradually and others much more abruptly. For example, glacial melting releases not only water, but gases such as methane and carbon dioxide, the increase of which adds to the greenhouse effect and leads to ocean acidification, affecting millions of living beings.
- Landslides Increases in precipitation rates or melting of perennial snows in the mountains can cause wetting and liquefying of the soil, leading to avalanches and other potentially lethal landslides.
- New deserts Too warm temperatures and prolonged drought destroy the local flora and gradually generate new deserts, which are of little use for human and animal life.
How to avoid and prevent global warming?
The first step towards designing a strategy to address climate change is, obviously, recognizing it. Theories regarding human non-responsibility in the phenomenon have the disadvantage of promoting a carefree attitude in the citizens of the most industrialized countries, responsible for the greatest greenhouse gas emissions.
Only reducing the amount of carbon put into the atmosphere through significant industrial reductions and promotion of business laws to defend the environment, the planet would be given the chance to reverse the gas load and recover a thermal balance. None of this would be short-term, of course, but it would take more than a decade for the change to be noticed.
On the other hand, the adaptation to climate change is a response to minimize material damage and human losses, through barriers and urban structures that minimize the damage caused by extreme climate phenomena.
