Global warming is caused by both natural phenomena and human activities that increase greenhouse gases. Naturally, solar activity, forest fires, and melting permafrost release carbon dioxide and methane into the atmosphere. However, the primary cause is human emissions from burning fossil fuels for energy and transportation as well as deforestation. If unchecked, global warming will have severe consequences like rising sea levels from melting ice caps and changes to weather and agriculture threatening many species with extinction. Solutions require reducing greenhouse gas emissions through alternatives to fossil fuels and adapting to the impacts of climate change already occurring.

1. Munteanu Ana – Cristina
Grupa 8220, Anul II
Facultatea de Management, Inginerie Economica in
Agricultura si Dezvoltare Rurala
Global warming, its
consequences and
possible steps to be taken

2.  1. Introduction
 2.Causes of Global Warming
 3. Natural Causes:
a) Solar Activity
b) Natural Forest Fire
c) Melting Permafrost
d) Man-made Causes
 4. Effects of Global Warming on Earth in Future
 5. Conclusion

3. Introduction
• Global warming is a slow steady rise in Earth’s temperature. Temperatures today are 0.74 °C
higher than 150 years ago.
• The basic cause seems to be a rise in atmospheric carbon dioxide, as predicted by Svante
Arrhenius a hundred years ago. When people use fossil fuels like coal and oil , this adds
carbon dioxide to the air. When people cut down the Earth's forests (deforestation), this
means less carbon dioxide is taken out of the atmosphere by plants.
• If the Earth's temperature becomes hotter ,the sea level will also become higher. This is partly
because water expands when it gets warmer. It is also partly because warm temperatures
make glaciers melt. The sea level rise may cause coastal areas to flood. Weather patterns,
including where and how much rain or snow there is, will change. Deserts will probably
increase in size. Colder areas will warm up faster than warm areas. Strong storms may
become more likely and farming may not make as much food. These effects will not be the
same everywhere. The changes from one area to another are not well known.
• People in government and Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) have talked
about global warming. They do not agree on what to do about it. Some things that could
reduce warming are to burn less fossil fuels, adapt to any temperature changes, or try to
change the Earth to reduce warming. The Kyoto Protocol tries to reduce pollution from the
burning of fossil fuels. Most governments have agreed to it. Some people in government
think nothing should change.

4. Causes of Global Warming
Scientists have spent decades figuring out
what is causing global warming. They've looked at
the natural cycles and events that are known to
influence climate. But the amount and pattern of
warming that's been measured can't be explained
by these factors alone. The only way to explain the
pattern is to include the effect of greenhouse gases
(GHGs) emitted by humans.
One of the first things scientists learned is that there are several greenhouse
gases responsible for warming, and humans emit them in a variety of ways. Most
come from the combustion of fossil fuels in cars, factories and electricity
production. The gas responsible for the most warming is carbon dioxide, also called
CO2. Other contributors include methane released from landfills and agriculture
(especially from the digestive systems of grazing animals), nitrous oxide from
fertilizers, gases used for refrigeration and industrial processes, and the loss of
forests that would otherwise store CO2.
Since 1990, yearly emissions have gone up by about 6 billion metric tons
of "carbon dioxide equivalent" worldwide, more than a 20 percent increase.

5. Natural causes are causes that are
created by nature. One natural cause is a
release of methane gas from arctic tundra and
wetlands.
Methane is a greenhouse gas and a very
dangerous gas to our environment. A
greenhouse gas is a gas that traps heat in the
earth’s atmosphere. Another natural cause is
that the earth goes through a cycle of climate
change. This climate change usually lasts
about 40,000 years.
The most common natural causes are:
- Solar Activity
- Natural Forest Fire
- Melting Permafrost
- Man-made Causes

6. SOLAR ACTIVITY
 It is widely recognized that variations in solar radiation and activities, such as solar
flares or sunspots, if it’s enough large , it could have an impact on the global
temperature.
 For example, in the seventeenth century, a fainter sun was believed to have
contributed to a climatic period known as the “Little Ice Age”, where the average
global temperature was about 1 degree Celsius cooler than it is today.
 Solar activities are observed to vary in cycles, like the 11-yr sunspot cycle. Changes
in the sun’s activity is in turn observed to change the magnetic activity in and around
the sun. This magnetic field plays a significant role in deflecting cosmic rays
(charged particles originating from exploding stars in the galaxy) from the Earth. At
times when the sun dims and the magnetic field drops, the cosmic rays penetrate
deeper into our solar system.

7.  Wildfires can be ignited by a variety of occurrences. In addition to lightning, human-
related activities start a large number of fires every year. Unattended or out-of-
control campfires, a discarded burning cigarette, arson, or even equipment use can
set off a blaze.
 Once a forest fire has started, many factors contribute to this spreading and intensity.
 Fuel - such as leaves, needles, grass, branches, and logs
 Weather, including temperature, humidity, precipitation, and wind
 Topography, or landscape of the area, as steep slopes offer greater potential for
increased fire intensity and more obstacles for fire fighting.
 More than 83% of forest fires in 2006 were started by human activities, accounting
for the burning of nearly 4.4 million acres. However, lightning-caused fires burned
more total area - nearly 5.5 million acres.

8.  Large scale permafrost melting in the North and South Poles can contribute
substantially to global warming. In these areas, large amounts of carbon are frozen and
stored in the form of permafrost.
 Disturbances, such as changes in solar activity, natural forest fires and volcanic
eruptions etc, to these natural carbon storage areas may result in the large scale
melting of permafrost, in turn leading to the large scale release of the green house gas
into the atmosphere. As the carbon in permafrost have been out of the atmosphere for
thousands of years, the sudden release of these sequestered carbon into the atmosphere
will definitely result in imbalances in the carbon cycle and other natural processes.

9. Man-made Causes
 Man-made causes probably do the most
damage to our planet. There are many man-
made causes of global warming. Pollution is
one of the biggest man-made problems.
Pollution comes in many shapes and sizes.
Burning fossil fuels is one thing that causes
pollution. Fossil fuels are fuels made of
organic matter such as coal, or oil. When
fossil fuels are burned they give off a green
house gas called CO2. Also, mining coal and
oil allows methane to escape. How does it
escape? Methane is naturally in the ground.
When coal or oil is mined you have to dig
up the earth a little bit. When you dig up the
fossil fuels you dig up the methane as well
letting it escape into the atmosphere.

10. Effects of Global Warming on Earth in
Future
 Global Warming will have serious impacts on the environment and on
society. Higher temperatures will cause a melting of ice in Greenland and
Antartica. This will accelerate the rise of sea level. The speed at which
global warming is expected to occur in the 21st century, is faster than most
plant and animal species will be able to cope with. Some will adapt but
others will suffer and may become extinct.
 Global Warming will effect agriculture.New crops will be able to be grown in
areas that are currently too cold to support them. However, more pests and
diseases may offset any benefits higher temperatures may have. Water
resources will also be affected.

11. Conclusion
 In conclusion, Global Warming is a serious problem that it
would reduce if people started from now being conscious
about what is happening in the world and the consequences
of our actions.

12. BIBLIOGRAPHY
 http://simple.wikipedia.org/wiki/Global_warming
 http://environment.nationalgeographic.com/environment/global-
warming/gw-causes/
 https://nurhaunted7777.wordpress.com/
 http://www.all-recycling-facts.com/natural-causes-of-global-
warming.html
 https://www.arborday.org/replanting/firecauses.cfm