Climate Change is inevitable after more than 150 years of global industrialization. Climate change and ‘’The Greenhouse Effect’’ are twin sisters. It often gets a bad rap owing to its association with global warming but frankly speaking , we could not live without it.
What Causes the Greenhouse Effect?
This planet earth we live in depends on energy from the sun. About 30% of sunlight that shines on the earth deflected by the outer atmosphere and dispersed further into the space. The rest reaches the planet’s surface and is reflected upward again as a type of slow moving energy called infrared radiation.
Once the infrared radiation is carried aloft by air currents, it is absorbed by ‘’greenhouse gases’’ such as water vapour, carbon dioxide, ozone and methane, which slows its escape from the atmosphere.
Even though greenhouse gases make up only about 1% of the Earth’s atmosphere, they regulate our climate by trapping heat and holding it in a kind warm-air blanket that surrounds the planet.
This phenomenon is what scientists call the greenhouse effect. Without it, scientists estimate that the average temperature on earth would be colder by approximately 30 degrees Celsius (54 degrees Fahrenheit), far too cold to sustain our current ecosystem.
How Do Humans Contribute to Greenhouse Effect?
Greenhouse effect is a very vital environmental necessity for life Earth but there really can be too much of a good thing.
Industrial pollution
The problem starts when human activities distort and accelerate the natural process by creating more greenhouse gases in the atmosphere than are necessary to warm the planet to an ideal temperature .
1.The First is the Burning of the natural gas , coal, and oil, including gasoline for automobile engines ,; raises the level of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere.
2.Some farming or agricultural practices and land –use changes increase the levels of methane and nitrous oxide.
3.Many factories produce long-lasting industrial gases that do not occur naturally , yet contribute hugely to the enhanced greenhouse effect and ‘’global warming’’ that is currently underway.
4.Another one is Deforestation which contributes to global warming. Trees use carbon dioxide and give off oxygen in its place , which helps to create optimal balance of gases in the atmosphere. Once more forests are logged for timber or cut down to make way for farming or agriculture purpose, there are fewer trees to perform this critical function.
5.Increase in Population is another factor in global Warming; as more people use fossil fuels for heat, transportation and manufacturing , the level of greenhouse gases continues to aggravate. As more farming occurs to feed millions of new born(people), more greenhouse gases saturates the atmosphere.
Without mincing words , the average global temperature is increasing daily; now we can feel the heat in Nigeria rapidly. Now the increase in the Earth’s temperature is increasing with unprecedented speed.
Let us illustrate with this: In the 20th Century, the average global temperature increased by 0.6 degrees Celsius(slightly more than 1 degree Fahrenheit). Also, Using Computer Climate Models(CLM) scientists estimate that by the year 2100, the global temperature will increase by 1. 4 degrees to 10.5 degrees Fahrenheit.
It is not all Scientists that agree with this though. While the majority of mainstream Scientists agree that global warming is a serious challenge that is growing steadily worse , there are some who disagree.
John Christy , a Professor and Director of the Earth system Science Centre at the University of Alabama in Huntsville is a respected Climatologist who argues that global warming is not worth worrying about.
He (Christy) reached that opinion after analyzing millions of measurements from weather Satellite in an effort to find a global temperature trend. According to him, he found no sign of global warming in the Satellite data , and then believes that the predictions of global warming by as much as 10 degrees Fahrenheit by the end of the 21st Century are not correct.
What are the Effect of Global Warming?
1.Rising Temperatures would raise sea-levels as well as reducing supplies of fresh water as flooding occurs along coastlines worldwide and salt water reaches inland.
2.Many World’s endangered species would become extinct as rising temperatures changed their habitat.
3.Millions of people also would be affected , especially poor people who live in precarious locations or depend on the land for a subsistence living.
4.Some Vector –borne diseases carried by animals or insects such as malaria, would become more widespread as warmer conditions expanded their range.
- There would be much carbon dioxide emissions .
Climate change are inevitable . According to the United Nations, some climate change is already inevitable because of emissions that have occurred since the dawn of the industrial age.
While the Earth’s climate does not respond quickly to external changes, many Scientists believe that global warming already has significant momentum owing to over 150 years of industrialization in many countries of the world.
As a result, global warming will continue to affect life on earth for hundreds of years , even if greenhouse gas emissions are reduced and the increase in atmospheric levels halted.
WAY FORWARD?
To reduce those long-term effects, many nations , communities and individuals must take actions to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and slow global warming by reducing dependence on fossil fuels , increasing the use of energy , planting trees, increase the use of remarkable energy , planting trees to replace those fallen to expand the forests and also to inculcate a lifestyle choices that will help to sustain the environment.
We should all lend our efforts to see to the reduction in greenhouse gas; more trees are to be planted, and illegal falling of trees should be discouraged.