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Global warming is defined as an increase in the earth’s atmospheric and oceanic temperatures widely predicted to occur uh to an increase in the greenhouse effect resulting especially from pollution (Merriam-Webster Online Dictionary). Up until recently global warming was not considered real. Scientists were not in consensus with one another about the existence of global warming. The United States population has typically showed less interest in surveys about global warming than the rest of the world has. Global warming has become a more important topic since about 2000.
Scientists, for the most part, now agree that global warming is real and is caused by the burning of fossil fuels by humans. Global warming will drastically change Earth’s climate in several ways. There will be severe heat waves all over the world. Polar ice caps will change drastically because of melting. Floods will become a more common occurrence as global warming worsens. Many different species will become extinct because they will not be able to adapt as the climate abruptly changes. Droughts will also become longer and more intense.
Significance Of the Study This study has the potential to be of interest to the following categories of individuals and professionals: politicians, scientists, students, researchers, environmentalists, car manufacturers, global activists, and the general population. These individuals and professionals are expected to be interested in the study because global warming will affect everyone and everything on the planet Earth Research Question The current study investigates the future effects of global warming. The research question addressing the study is; What are the future effects of global warming on Earth’s climate?
Purpose of the study The purpose of the study was to explore and describe the future effects of global warming on the environment. The reason for conducting this study as to gain insight and find possible recommendations for this study. Methodology of the Study This study utilized document analysis for data collection. It is a qualitative study because it did not include any numerical experiments or analysis. Outcome/Results and Discussion The existing research literature on global warming has indicated that global warming will change the Earth’s climate in several ways.
There will be heat waves, polar ice caps melting flooding, extinction, and droughts. Heat waves are inevitable and will occur more frequently. If someone were to look at the 1 hottest years that were measured, 20 of those years have occurred in the last 25 years. (Gore 72) Heat waves are defined as a stretch of at least five days with highs ICC above average. An eastern European project called PRUDENCE produced specific projections on future temperatures in selected regions in Europe. In the Paris region, the temperature reaches ICC six to nine days per year currently. By the end of the century that number will jump to 50 days per year.
Many other areas have not been studied in such detail as the Paris region have but the results of such studies would most likely be similar. Hanson 53) Polar ice caps will definitely melt more as global warming gets worse. Polar ice caps do not melt in winter right now. As the winter temperatures rise at the poles over the years, it may by possible for the ice to melt. Right now the winter temperature in the North Pole increases at a rate of 2. ICC per 100 years. (Michaels 47). In the South Pole, the rate is currently 3. 7 co per 100 years. These rates will increase as people continue to burn fossil fuels. Michaels 48) The polar ice caps have already begun to melt. When the ice melts or when ice falls into the sea, the sea level rises. That is one of the reasons that the sea levels have been rising all over the world. (Gore 184) If half of Greenland and half Antarctica were to melt or fall into the sea, sea levels would rise 18 to 20 feet worldwide. (Gore 1 96) Areas that do have floods will see floods more often and they will be more severe. The number of major floods per decade has risen dramatically since the sass’s. In the Americas, there were about 10 major floods in the ass’s. In the ass’s, the number jumped to about 75 major floods.
In the ass’s, there were about 195 major floods in the Americas. The number of major floods per decade is definitely increasing. Floods are occurring more often. (Gore 106) There will be a large number of species that will become extinct due to global warming. Chris Thomas led a group of researchers in an experiment to see what effects climate change would have on a large variety of species from various parts of the world. The study was looking at the climate change all the way to DODD. The study involved over 1 ,OHO species that included trees, crustaceans, and mammals from regions covering 20 percent of the Earth’s surface.
Flannels 1 82) These regions included Mexico, South Africa, Europe, South America, and Australia. His research suggested that at only a 1. 4 to OFF average increase in temperature, 18 percent of the species included in the study will become extinct. At over a 3. OFF increase in temperature, one third of the species will become extinct. This study assumed that species could migrate. Thousands Of species could possible become extinct unless there is a reduction in the greenhouse gas emissions produced. Thomas data suggests that at least 1/5 of all living things will become extinct because of the existing levels of greenhouse gases. Flannels 183) 1. 25 million species will be extinct by 2050 according to ecologist Chris Thomas. (Singer, Avery 75) Droughts will occur more frequently and will be more intense as global warming progresses. Global warming does not cause droughts. Some areas are naturally more likely to have droughts than others. Global warming does make droughts more intense and longer though. With a warmer climate, water will evaporate quicker and there will be more precipitation and that sounds like relief for droughts but it produces the opposite effects.
Although here will be more precipitation in some places, that means that there will be less in others. In higher temperatures water evaporates quicker from the soil and plants. Because of this, droughts can occur even if the rainfall is constant. Winters will be shorter and warmer and because of this there will be less snow. Lakes and rivers are usually replenished by the snow melting in spring. These shorter winters may not provide the spring melt needed to replenish the lakes and rivers. Limitations and Implications for Further Research The researcher was enrolled in a 16 week semester.
Therefore the searcher was unable to travel extensively to collect data. This study did not take into consideration significant change in the greenhouse gas emissions. Therefore further studies can be conducted to include significant change in the greenhouse gas emissions as a factor. Media and Popular opinions There are organizations that plant trees to offset the carbon dioxide levels caused by green house gas emissions. Planting trees is great for the environment because trees steal carbon from the air and store it in their cellulose. A two person household is responsible for releasing 41 , 500 mounds of carbon dioxide into the atmosphere each year. To offset that, each household would have to plant 483 trees and let them grow for 10 years. ” That is a very difficult task because that would take about 1 00 acres and most people simply do not own that much land. You can however donate to organizations that plant trees. The American Foresting Organization accepts $15 minimum donations and each dollar pays for one tree. (Higgins) Health officials have admitted that global warming may cause serious health consequences over the next 20 years.