course material

1. Causes, Effects, and Solutions of Global Warming
Causes, Effects, and Solutions of Global WarmingOver the past decades it has been observed
that there is a continued increase in world temperatures the world over. With increased
concerns to save the world from ever increasing temperatures, United Nations formed the
Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change that is tasked with evaluating the source and
impact of global warming and coming up with possible solutions to mitigate this natural
menace. Human activities like deforestation, fossil fuel combustion, greenhouse farming,
failing sinks, livestock and rice paddies, arctic tundra and other nitrogenous gases from
human agricultural activities are the primary contributors to global warming (Casper,
2009). Global warming has severe effects and consequences and therefore we are called
upon to come up with measure that will help slow down the rate of global warming. This
paper seeks to discus critically the causes, effects/consequences of global warming and
giving an evaluation of possible solutions.Several greenhouse gases have been found to be
responsible for global warming. It has been established by scientists that the major cause of
global warming is due to the rise in the concentration of carbon dioxide gas in the
atmosphere (Dauncey, 2009). Burning of fossil fuel emits Carbon dioxide; most human
activities that involve burning ; for instance cars, airplanes, factories and other coal plants
burn fuel on daily basis hence emitting and rising the levels of carbon dioxide in the
air.Deforestation is another critical factor that cannot be left out; it has been discovered that
as human beings continue to convert forests and grasslands into farmlands and urban
centers they facilitate the increase of carbon dioxides levels in the air. Scientists have also
found out that all living things store carbon. Studies have revealed that when these living
things die and decompose they effectively release the reserved carbon into the air (Adger
and Brown, 1994). Therefore, it is true that through deforestation many organisms are
destroyed and left to decay, the huge amounts of carbon dioxide emitted result to global
warming.The above mentioned human activities have resulted into warming of the earth
thus causing the usual natural carbon sinks to fall short (Adger and Brown, 1994). Carbon
sink refers to the natural method of storing carbon for a period that last more than a
thousand years. Types of sink are peat bogs and arctic tundra. It is believed that if these
sinks are destabilized, the stored carbon will be set free into atmosphere and this leads to
irreversible feedback loop that result into a catastrophic world warming effect. The ocean
also has enormous carbon sink which is estimated to be more than fifty times of the
atmosphere. The increase in the thermal stratification of oceans has the tendency of
reducing their ability to store carbon and because of this most of the carbon is emitted into

2. the atmosphere.Methane gas is another significant cause of global warming and in fact it is
said to be twenty times a powerful contributor as compared to carbon dioxide. Methane is a
greenhouse gas that is created through the decomposition of organic materials subjected to
conditions of low oxygen concentration. In ruminant animals, the gas is produced in
intestines. Landfills and leakages arising from natural gas fields also increase the
concentration of methane gas in the atmosphere. In addition, scientists have also revealed
that Clathrates, the frozen chunks of methane located at the bottom of the ocean are melting
due to increased atmospheric temperatures thus setting free the methane gas into the
atmosphere.The 20th century green revolution has made it possible for people involved in
farming to apply chemical fertilizers and machines to boost their agricultural production.
Nitrogenous fertilizers have been processed and used to accelerate crop productivity. These
activities have resulted into emission of nitrogen oxides into the atmosphere. Experts have
established that nitrogen oxides have a capacity 300 times more than carbon dioxide in heat
trapping. The study undertaken by the UN and Agricultural organization established that
modern farming contributes to global warming.Global warming has diverse effects on
human health, other animals, and the atmosphere at large. The continued increase in
temperatures as a result of global warming has been found to offer a good breeding ground
for various serious and lethal viral diseases as well as malaria. Deterioration of human
health particularly in poor countries is eminent. Global warming is also responsible for the
increase in the death of human as high temperatures result into cardiovascular
complications like heart-stroke and other respiratory problems. Ozone concentration in the
lower part of the atmosphere is as a result of global warming. Ozone, regarded as a harmful
pollutant is associated with respiratory complications that destroy lung tissues thus causing
more troubles to people suffering from asthma.Global warming has resulted into a shift in
the climate. For instance, reduced agricultural produce is an immediate effect of global
warming due to the rise in temperatures. Increased carbon concentration in the
atmosphere, reduces photorespiration thus destroying many crops. The increased
concentration Ozone gas in the air causes depletion of crops thus hampering and reducing
agricultural productions. It is also true that global warming has resulted into increased
number of long droughts which eventually affects the general agricultural output (Dauncey,
2009).The world ecosystems have been highly affected by global warming. Effects like
increased temperatures, decreased snow levels and other weather changes will not only
affect human beings but also other living organisms. For instance, due to changes in
temperatures birds have been forced to migrate from their traditional inhabitants to new
habitation places. Sometimes the conditions change to the worse thus leading to extinction
of some endangered species. There has also been a decrease in ecosystem’ s productivity.
The glacier retreat which is also brought about by global warming leads to the occurrence of
flash floods, landslides and glacial lake overflows.The only solution to global warming is
reducing carbon concentrations in the atmosphere through the: sequestering carbon,
improving energy efficiency, reducing carbon intensity, and limiting population growth. We
shall discuss each of these measures independently.Sequestering of carbon entails the
process of both capturing and securing the storage of carbon dioxide emissions from power
plant through geologic formation. It also implies elimination of carbon dioxide gas from the

3. atmosphere through terrestrial and marine photosynthesis and the final storage of the
carbon rich biomass in the long term in the long term (Casper, 2009). Carbon sequestering
is the most preferred method in curbing global warming as allows the continued use of
fossil fuel without disturbances from climate change concerns. However, it is imperative to
put into consideration the capacities of carbon storage, the costs as well as the
environmental safety concerns before implementing carbon sequestering methods on large
scale basis.There are three types of carbon sequestering; terrestrial carbon sequestering
which involves the control of atmospheric carbon dioxide through plant photosynthesis and
long-term biomass accumulation in both underground and standing plants. Terrestrial
sequestering increases with increasing reforestation, a forestation and through changing
soil management exercise, promotes the creation and retention of organic matter in the soil.
Geological carbon sequestering entails storing carbon dioxide in underground reservoirs
that includes the worn out oil and gas fields, un-mineable coal seams and saline aquifers
(Dauncey, 2009). Carbon sequestering in ocean comes in two different schemes of
sequestering i.e. disposing carbon dioxide into deep or mid ocean or adding fertilizers into
the sea to catalyze the development of phytoplankton that are responsible for storing huge
amounts of carbon.Reduction in carbon intensity of energy sources needed for performance
of economic activities will automatically reduce the threats of global warming. This can be
achieved by shifting from the dominance use of carbon-rich fossil fuels like coal to use of
hydrogen-rich fuels like natural gas. Secondly, de-carbonizing of fossil fuels is essential fro
creating carbon dioxide free energy. Changing to solar energy sources like, wind, biomass,
solar, and hydroelectric. And lastly, reviving nuclear energy will automatically reduce
carbon dioxide intensity and hence reducing threat of global warming (Dauncey,
2009).Overpopulation is another primary cause of global warming. Increase in population
results into increased use of energy. Limiting population growth will probably decrease the
pressure on the available sources of energy hence reducing the rate of carbon dioxide
emission into the atmosphere. Rapid stabilization of human population will significantly
reduce future carbon dioxide emissions. In developed countries, there are developed ways
and means to lower fertility rates in order to forge a head in economic development and
reduce carbon emissions in the long run (Casper, 2009).Limiting economic growth is also
another way of curbing global warming. It has been established that without limiting
economic growth and consumption, then it is difficult to avert global warming successfully.
Extreme reductions in carbon dioxides emissions in order to stabilize the atmospheric
carbon dioxide to avoid global warming can only be realized if the world economy is kept
constant (Casper, 2009).In conclusion, global warming is a big threat to the world at the
moment; without extreme ventures and studies about this natural calamity, then the world
is likely to end. The main causes of global warming have been found to be human activities.
Agricultural and industrial activities have resulted into emission of global warming causing
gases. CO2, methane, nitrogen oxides and other greenhouse gases are responsible for
depletion of the ozone layer that has culminated into a continued increase in atmospheric
temperature. Global warming has diverse dangerous effects to nature, human beings and
other living things at large. Many global warming mitigation measures have been put
forward to counter global warming. These measures include: sequestering carbon,

4. improving energy efficiency, reducing carbon intensity, limiting population growth, and
limiting the world economic growth.Reference ListAdger, N. and Brown, K. 1994. Land use
and the causes of global warming. New York: Wiley.Casper, J.2009. Changing Ecosystems:
Effects of Global Warming. New York: Hermitage Printing Services.Dauncey, G.2009.The
Climate Challenge: 101 Solutions to Global Warming. New York: New Society Publishers.