The unprecedented effects of global warming being experiencing in various ways around the world have rightly caused widespread fear and concern. However fears alone will not solve the problem; we need to channel that fear into mobilising our community, governments and major corporations with the power to make a difference, and take effective action!
To better understand what we can do here is a rundown of what global warming is…
Causes
Global warming is the continued rise of the average temperature the Earth’s surface and ocean which is caused by the increasing amounts of greenhouse gases; namely water vapor, carbon dioxide, methane, nitrous oxide and ozone.
About 30% of sunlight is deflected by the Earth’s atmosphere,and the rest that enters the Earth is naturally deflected back upwards. However the above normal levels of greenhouse gases caused by human intervention traps excessive heat on the surface,causing the continued increase of global temperatures.
Our continued release of harmful gases, particularly carbon dioxide, through burning of fossil fuels for energy, vehicle emissions and industrialisation is preventing the natural flow through of heat generated from the sun’s radiation.
Effects
Aside from higher temperature there are many other effects of global warming on a massive scale which are capable of affecting all forms of life in the planet;
Physical impacts – The disruption of the normal pattern of the earth’s climate causes extreme weather conditions. Typhoons and other natural disasters will become stronger and damages to property and livelihood can be severe. Glacier retreat has also been clearly measured by scientists; higher temperatureswill melt mountain glaciers and ice caps rapidly, and water supply will be affected in nearby regions.
The ocean is not excluded; there is thevery serious issue of rising sea levels which will impact a huge number of communities close to the coast. And acidification would also be a problem; this will kill various types of sea creatures that cannot tolerate low ph levels.
Social Impacts – The climate shift will heavily affect agriculture and food production causing scarcity for most regions, especially low altitude areas. Furthermore the elevated carbon levels, altered precipitation and frequency of extreme weather will make problems even worse.
Health concerns would also be a daunting; with food scarcity at hand malnutrition will significantly increase, and as the climate shifts pathogens will have a perfect breeding ground, leading to common cases of viral and bacterial infections.
Solutions
A number of solutions can be done to combat and slow or even reverse the effects of climate change. However ultimately we need to contain the main culprit, which is the release of greenhouse gas emissions, particularly carbon dioxide.
Electricity generation through fossil fuels releases millions and millions of tonnes of carbon into the air, and governments around the world, including Australia, are now looking into clean and renewable energy sources like solar energy, wind energy and geothermal energy.
What is proving to be one of the most feasible sources is solar energy; the use of solar PV panels offer many advantages including great flexibility, decentralisation of power production, very low environmental impact, and ever improving economic viability.
Increasing the renewable energy capacity of every developed nation has become a race,with the prize being major economic benefits as well as environmental, and is now a high priority for many governments.
However the true change also needs to start at home;and every family has the responsibility and power to reduce their carbon footprint. By making it a habit to conserve energy and teaching your children to avoid the use of carbon intensive products, we can together make significant cuts to global warming effects and preserve a better future for the next generations.
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