Global warming is caused by greenhouse gas emissions from burning fossil fuels and transportation, which trap heat in the atmosphere like a blanket. This causes rising global temperatures and climate change. Effects of global warming include more extreme weather like hurricanes and flooding, as well as droughts, wildfires, rising sea levels, and threatened wildlife and ecosystems. Global warming affects everyone on Earth through damage from extreme weather and changes to agriculture and food supplies.

1. Effects of Global Warming By Chloe Pickard

2. Global warming is caused by burning fossil fuels such as coal and gas in power stations and burning fuels in vehicles and planes, this releases greenhouse gases into the atmosphere. The greenhouse gases get trapped into the atmosphere, this acts like a blanket wrapped around the planet, this therefore results in heat being trapped inside the earths atmosphere. This results in an increase in Global temperatures which is called Global Warming. What is it? The Greenhouse Effect – Image from Google Images.

3. How the Greenhouse effect works More sun rays enter the earths atmosphere by the greenhouse gases allowing this to happen but some solar radiation is still reflected back out of the atmosphere into space. The amount of sun rays being reflected back is believed to be reducing. Whilst this is happening, more solar radiation is being absorbed by the Greenhouse gases than the amount being reflected back from the earths surface. This means that more heat is being trapped in the earths atmosphere which means the earth is getting hotter as a significant amount of heat is being kept. The Greenhouse Effect – Google Images.

4. Global Warming Effects Global Warming can affect the weather patterns in some countries causing severe and extreme weather such as hurricanes, droughts and flooding due to Global warming. Flooding of low land areas like Pacific Islands and Bangladesh will occur more often. Africa and Europe will receive bad droughts and heat waves as an effect of Global Warming. The rainfall patterns will change as some areas will experience severe drought, the Sahara Desert will expand north into Europe and other areas will become wetter. Some scientists say and estimate that temperatures in the atmosphere could rise by 1.4*- 5.8* in the next 100 years. Global Warming could melt the worlds ice caps and glaciers causing sea levels to rise causing severe flooding in some parts of the world. An estimate is made that in 100 years time sea levels could rise 10 and 90cm causing massive problems in coastal areas. There are 5,773,000 cubic miles of water in ice caps, glaciers and permanent snow, this would mean if this all was to melt in one go the seas would rise to about 230 feet! As the temperatures rise and some parts of the earth get hotter, not only humans have to adapt to this but animals have to adapt to the increase of heat which means some animals will not survive.

5. Another effect of Global Warming is that many rare species of insects and animals are becoming extinct. Bighorn sheep and Humpback Whales are examples of wildlife that are endangered and threatened by Global Warming. Changes in agricultural yields are an effect of global warming as extreme weather conditions are occurring more often like severe flooding and droughts in some areas for example Land that crops are grown on will become too dry or too wet from flooding meaning that farmers are going to lose money as crops are unable to be produced to the best quality as the land is too dry or flooded. This could lead to the price of food going up, which in this recession that we are in is bad news as people cannot afford to pay more for food. The social and economic effects of Global Warming may be exacerbated by a growing population densities in affected areas. Another effect of Global Warming is that as the earth is getting warmer, mosquitoes carrying the killer disease, malaria are reaching further North and South spreading the disease causing more deaths by the killer disease.

6. Oceans and seas are becoming warmer which are creating stronger hurricanes and tornadoes causing major damage and destruction to countries and cities. Thawing of the permafrost in the sub-arctic regions will release huge amounts of carbon dioxide and methane gas, which is 20 times more dangerous greenhouse gas than carbon dioxide. Tornadoes occurring more often - Image from Google images.

7. In the Arctic there will be less ice because of the warmer temperatures causing the ice to melt. This has a negative impact on wildlife, in particular Polar Bears as the ice is where their habitats are and without the ice Polar Bears will not survive.

8. Effects of Global Warming summary By burning fossil fuels like coal and gas this releases carbon dioxide into the atmosphere this creates like a blanket around the earths surface which traps heat in which therefore causes the earth to become hotter. This is known as the greenhouse effect. Global Warming effects everyone living on the earth, as it is happening right now all around us. Global warming effects can cause serious damage to cities and towns as extreme weather is becoming more and more of a problem as large hurricanes and tornadoes are occurring. Not just hurricanes and tornadoes but major flooding and droughts are proving to be yet more effects of Global Warming.