Global Warming

Global warming becomes a big issue in today's media.of the life on earth to die off. At other times, naturally
If we read a news paper or watching news on TVreleased greenhouse gases have also played a role.
you may read or hear about global warming , What isMyth #3: The Government Must Act Now to Halt
Global Warming? Global warming is the observedGlobal Warming
increase in the average temperature of the Earth'sFacts about this Myth .
atmosphere and oceans in recent decades and itsAs we read in above paragraphs that in last 18 years
projected continuation. The prevailing scientific opinionwe dint see any big impact of Human on global
on climate change is that "most of the observedwarming so most of the Scientist want to wait for
increase in globally averaged temperatures since themore time. Some scientists followed the common
mid-20th century is very likely due to the observedscientific assumption that a realistic goal of global
increase in anthropogenic greenhouse gaswarming policy would be to stabilize the concentration
concentrations," which leads to warming of the surfaceof atmospheric CO2 at approximately twice
and lower atmosphere by increasing the greenhousepreindustrial levels, or 550 parts per million by volume.
effect. Greenhouse gases are released by activitiesGiven that economic growth will continue with a
such as the burning of fossil fuels, land clearing, andconcomitant rise in greenhouse gas emissions, the
agriculture. Other phenomena such as solar variationscientists agreed that stabilization at this level is
and volcanoes have had smaller and probablyenvironmentally sound as well as politically and
negative effects 1950. There are lots of myths abouteconomically feasible. They also concluded that
the global warming like....,Governments can cut emissions now to
Myth #1: Scientists Agree the Earth is Warmingapproximately 9 billion tons per year or wait until 2020
Facts about this Mythand cut emissions by 12 billion tons per year. Either
It is true that the measured increase in global averagescenario would result in the desired CO2 concentration
temperature over the last century was about 1 degreeof 550 parts per million. Delaying action until 2020
F. But only if manmade greenhouse gas emissionswould yield an insignificant temperature rise of 0.2
completely stopped immediately would thedegrees Celsius by 2100.
temperature increase over the next century be limitedMyth # 4: Human-Caused Global Warming Will Cause
to 1 degree F. Scientists estimate that the averageCataclysmic Environmental Problems
global temperature increase for the 21st century will beFacts about this Myth. No doubt in this myth but human
anywhere from 2.5 to 10.4 degrees F, based on theare not causing the global warming as it means there
current trends in greenhouse gas output. But even aare lot more natural factors which are causing these
rise of 2.5 to 10.4 degrees seems like it would be withinproblems. Reputable scientists, including those working
tolerable limits, right? After all, outdoor temperatureson the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change
swing much more than that from winter to summer.(IPCC), the United Nations organization created to
Second fact is Winters have been getting warmer?study the causes and effects of global climate
Measurements show that Earth's climate has warmedwarming, reject these beliefs. The level of sea water is
overall over the past century, in all seasons, and inincreasing, many of scientist saying this but most of
most regions. The skeptics mislead the public whenscientists feels that it is increasing for thousand of
they bill the winter of 2003-2004 as record cold in theyears. Periodic media reports link human-caused
northeastern United States. That winter was only theclimate changes to more frequent tropical cyclones or
33rd coldest in the region since records began in 1896.more intense hurricanes. Tropical storms depend on
Furthermore, a single spell of cold weather in one smallwarm ocean surface temperatures (at least 26
region is no indication of cooling of the global climate,degrees Celsius) and an unlimited supply of moisture.
which refers to a long-termaverage over the entireTherefore, they reason, global warming leads to
planet.increased ocean surface temperatures, a greater
Myth #2: Humans Are Causing Global Warminguptake of moisture and destructive hurricanes. But
Facts about this myth.recent data shows no increase in the number or
It is undisputed that humans are entirely responsible forseverity of tropical storms, and the latest climate
the increase inatmospheric CO2 over the past fewmodels suggest earlier models making such
centuries. In pre-industrial times, large naturalsources ofconnections were simplistic and inaccurate. Since the
CO2 were balanced by equally large natural removal1940s the National Oceanographic and Meteorological
processes, such asphotosynthesis in plants, maintainingLaboratory has documented a decrease in both the
a stable level of CO2 in the atmosphere forthousandsintensity and number of hurricanes. From 1991 through
of years. Human-produced emissions, though smaller1995, relatively few hurricanes occurred, even the
than naturalemissions, upset this balance. Becauseunusually intense 1995 hurricane season did not
human-produced emissions aren't completelyabsorbedreverse the downward trend. The 1996 IPCC report
by natural processes, they accumulate in theon climate change found a worldwide significant
atmosphere, increasing theconcentration of CO2.increase in tropical storms unlikely; some regions may
There are natural sources of greenhouse gases. Atexperience increased activity while others will see
times during the earth's history, natural emissions offewer, less severe storms. Since factors other than
greenhouse gases have been critical factors in majorocean temperature such as wind speeds at various
biological calamities on the planet. For instance, duringaltitudes seem to play a larger role than scientists
the "Permian extinction" 250 million years ago, volcanicpreviously understood, most agree that any regional
greenhouse gases played a primary role in thechanges in hurricane activity will continue to occur
catastrophic climate change that caused about 80%against a backdrop of large yearly natural variations.