Owing to the development of industry and the use of fossil fuels, the amount of carbon dioxide in the earth’s atmosphere has produced and the average global temperature seems to have risen. What’s more, deforestation can affect climate changes. The growing of trees and plants can absorb carbon dioxide from the atmosphere because of photosynthesis, however, deforestation lead to carbon dioxide emissions. Both of these can lead to global warming of the atmosphere. The report (UNEPWMO, 2004, P10) also pointed out, the burning of fossil fuels and deforestation are altering the composition of the atmosphere and contributing to climate change.
“The increase in the mean temperature of the earth due to excessive emissions of greenhouse gases such as carbon dioxide, methane, and nitrogen.” ( Green) These extra gases are making it hard for heat to escape the Earth’s atmosphere resulting in warmer temperatures. Here is a model of the Greenhouse Effect retrieved from http://epa.gov/climatechange/kids/greenhouse.html. Ethical Issues on Global Warming There are many causes of Global Warming to include Carbon Dioxide from power plants, cars, airplanes, and from buildings. “In 2002 about 40% of U.S. carbon dioxide emissions stem from the burning of fossil fuels for the purpose of electricity generation.”(Ayres) 93% of electricity generations is produced by coal. 33% of the carbon dioxide comes from vehicles.
Unfortunately, the activity of burning or combusting fossil fuels releases various kinds of hazardous substances and pollutants which eventually leads to changes in the environment; such as climate change, global warming, and changes in environmental health. Let us start with the change in climate or climate change. For over the past 150 years, the burning of fossil fuels, such as coal and oil have caused the concentrations of heat-trapping "greenhouse gases" to increase significantly in our atmosphere. These gases prevent heat from escaping to space, somewhat like the glass panels of a greenhouse. It would change our climate, but it would not bring us close to the level of uninhabitable Venus.
This essay will show the reason why we need renewable energies and two solutions to use them effectively. There are three main problems with the use of fossil fuels. Firstly, although they are the main sources for world energy supply，they are also the main cause of man-made climate change resulting from the CO2 emissions produced. The global carbon budget has shown that 87 percent of all human-produced carbon dioxide emissions come from the burning of fossil fuels like coal, natural gas and oil (Le Quéré, 1107-1157). The consequence of climate change is serious.
The effects of gasoline engines have taken its toll on the environment. They contribute heavily to the current pollution of the air that we breathe. The emissions from gasoline cars help to produce greenhouse gases. As stated by the United States Environmental Protection Agency greenhouse gases are gases that trap heat within Earth’s atmosphere. Carbon dioxide is one of the main elements which trap heat.
The main GHGs within the atmosphere are Carbon dioxide (CO2) and water vapor (H2O). Others like methane (CH4) or nitrous oxide (N2O) also contribute to the natural greenhouse effect, although present only in very small amounts. Without these GHGs and their warming effect no life could exist on our planet, because the average temperature would be -0.4ºF. However, since the beginning of industrialization in the late 18th century the concentration of GHG in the atmosphere increased significantly causing more heat to be confined in the atmosphere, thus heating the earth
Natural Causes of Climate Change The earth’s climate is influenced and changed through natural causes like volcanic eruptions, ocean current, the earth’s orbital changes and solar variations. Volcanic eruptions - When a volcano erupts it throws out large volumes of sulphur dioxide (SO2), water vapour, dust, and ash into the atmosphere. Large volumes of gases and ash can influence climatic patterns for years by increasing planetary reflectivity causing atmospheric cooling. Tiny particles called aerosols are produced by volcanoes. Because they reflect solar energy back into space they have a cooling effect on the world.
EAP VI/A R/W YUCHENG WAN 11/27/12 Is Global Warming Manmade? Abstract Global warming is caused by numerous activities such as driving, taking airplanes, generating electricity, displaying fireworks, using air conditioning, developing industry and logging because those activities emit so much carbon dioxide that global temperatures rise up. Trees store CO2 in the forest system, so if forests are damaged, much CO2 will be released, which will increase the global temperatures. As this paper illustrates, natural climate cycles have already changed from warm to cool, so global warming is not because of natural factors. The solutions for global warming may include improving the efficiency of energy, protecting forests, producing more energy from renewable sources, generating electricity by wind, traveling in more fuel-efficiently vehicles, riding bicycles and using more efficient electrical appliances.
As a result of man made activities such as the burning of fossil fuels and deforestation, the amounts of all of these gases in our atmosphere has greatly increased. Forests are extremely vital as they assist in naturally removing carbon dioxide and other polluting gases from the air. The concentration of carbon dioxide in our atmosphere has increased by over 30% within the past two centuries and levels of methane have doubled. In cities, many human activities have contributed to the amount of air pollution we have. There are two main sources of air pollution: anthropogenic sources (human activity) and natural sources.
With urbanization comes expansion when this happens cities must make more roads, buildings, roads and homes to accommodate its population. When this happens there are large pieces of land that are destroyed reducing natural recourses and increasing greenhouse gases. This causes a massive amount of air pollution to one general area. Although carbon dioxide is a massive cause to air pollution outdoors there are still many indoor atmosphere pollutions that we breathe in every day. Cigarette smoke is one of the leading causes of indoor pollution in homes, the cigarette smoke a person breathes in does not only affect them personally but all the people around them as well.