GLOBAL

WARMI
NG
Causes And Its
Impact

Adhish Anand
XII-B

STOP
GLOBAL
ARMING !

CONTENTS
Preface
What is Global Warming?
What are the Greenhouse Gases?
What Is Greenhouse Effect ?

What Causes Global Warming ?

What Is IPCC ?
Impact Of Global Warming
Conclusion

PREFACE
Human activities have led to large increases in heat-trapping
gases over the past century. The global warming of the past 50
years is due primarily to this human-induced increase. Global
average temperature and sea level have increased, and
precipitation patterns have changed. Human fingerprints also
have been identified in many other aspects of the climate
system, including changes in ocean heat content, precipitation,
atmospheric moisture, plant and animal health and location, and
Arctic sea ice.
Many types of extreme weather events, such as heat waves
and regional droughts, have become more frequent and intense
during the past 40 to 50 years. The destructive energy of Atlantic
hurricanes has increased... In the eastern Pacific, the strongest
hurricanes have become stronger since the 1980s, even while
the total number of storms has decreased. Sea level has risen
along most of the U.S. coast over the last 50 years, and will rise
more in the future. Arctic sea ice is declining rapidly and this is
very likely to continue. Global temperatures are projected to
continue to rise over this century. Whether by 2-3 degrees F or

What Is Global Warming ?

Global warming refers to the rising average
temperature of Earth's atmosphere and oceans, which
started to increase in the late 19th century and is
projected to keep going up. Since the early 20th
century, Earth's average surface temperature has
increased by about
0.8 C (1.4F), with about two
thirds of the increase occurring since 1980. Warming of
the climate system is unequivocal, and scientists are
more than 90% certain that most of it is caused by
increasing concentrations of greenhouse gases
produced by human activities such as deforestation and
burning fossil fuels
An increase in global temperature will cause sea levels
to rise and will change the amount and pattern of
precipitation, and a probable expansion of subtropical
deserts. Warming is expected to be strongest in the
Arctic and would be associated with continuing retreat
of glaciers, permafrost and sea ice. Other likely effects

What are the Greenhouse

Gases?
The most significant greenhouse gas is actually water vapor,
not something produced directly by humankind in significant
amounts. However, even slight increases in atmospheric levels
of carbon dioxide (CO2) can cause a substantial increase in
temperature.
There are two reasons: First, although the concentrations of
these gases are not nearly as large as that of oxygen and
nitrogen (the main constituents of the atmosphere), neither
oxygen or nitrogen are greenhouse gases. This is because
neither has more than two atoms per molecule (i.e. their
molecular forms are O2 and N2, respectively), and so they lack
the internal vibrational modes that molecules with more than
two atoms have.
Secondly, CO2 tends to remain in the atmosphere for a very
long time (time scales in the hundreds of years). Water vapor,
on the other hand, can easily condense or evaporate,
depending on local conditions. Water vapor levels therefore
tend to adjust quickly to the prevailing conditions, such that
the energy flows from the Sun and re-radiation from the Earth
achieve a balance. CO2 tends to remain fairly constant and

What Is Greenhouse Effect ?

The greenhouse effect is a natural process that warms
the Earths surface. When the Suns energy reaches the
Earths atmosphere, some of it is reflected back to
space and the rest is absorbed and re-radiated by
greenhouse gases.
Greenhouse gases include water vapour, carbon
dioxide, methane, nitrous oxide, ozone and some
artificial chemicals such as chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs).
The absorbed energy warms the atmosphere and the
surface of the Earth. This process maintains the Earths
temperature at around 33 degrees Celsius warmer than
it would otherwise be, allowing life on Earth to exist.
The problem we now face is that human activities
particularly burning fossil fuels (coal, oil and
natural gas), agriculture and land clearing are
increasing the concentrations of greenhouse

What Causes Global Warming ?

Carbon dioxide emissions from fossil fuel burning
power plants
Carbon dioxide emissions from burning gasoline for
transportation
Methane emissions fromanimals,agriculture such
as rice paddies, and from Arctic seabeds
Deforestation, especially tropical forests for wood,
pulp, and farmland
Increase in usage of chemical fertilizers on
croplands
Rise in sea levels worldwide

What Is IPCC ?
In 1998, the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) was
established by the World Meteorological Organization (WMO) and the
United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), in recognition of the
threat that global warming presents to the world.
The IPCC is open to all members of the UNEP and WMO and consists of
several thousand of the most authoritative scientists in the world on
climate change. The role of the IPCC is to assess the scientific, technical
and socio-economic information relevant for the understanding of the
risk of human-induced climate change. It does not carry out new
research nor does it monitor climate related data. It bases its
assessment mainly on published and peer reviewed scientific technical
literature.
The IPCC has completed two assessment reports, developed
methodology guidelines for national greenhouse gas inventories,
special reports and technical papers. Results of the first assessment
(1990--1994): confirmed scientific basis for global warming but
concluded that ``nothing to be said for certain yet''.
Due to these assessments, debate has now shifted away from whether
or not global warming is going to occur to, instead, how much, how
soon, and with what impacts.

Impact Of Global Warming

Rising Seas--- inundation of fresh water marshlands (the everglades),
low-lying cities, and islands with seawater.
Changes in rainfall patterns --- droughts and fires in some areas,
flooding in other areas. See the section above on the recent droughts,
for example!
Increased likelihood of extreme events--- such as flooding, hurricanes,
etc.
Melting of the ice caps --- loss of habitat near the poles. Polar bears are
now thought to be greatly endangered by the shortening of their
feeding season due to dwindling ice packs.
Melting glaciers - significant melting of old glaciers is already observed.
Widespread vanishing of animal populations --- following widespread
habitat loss.
Spread of disease --- migration of diseases such as malaria to new, now
warmer, regions.
Bleaching of Coral Reefs due to warming seas and acidification due to
carbonic acid formation --- One third of coral reefs now appear to have
been severely damaged by warming seas.
Loss of Plankton due to warming seas --- The enormous (900 mile long)

Solutions to Global Warming

Boosting energy efficiency: The energy used to power, heat, and cool our homes,
businesses, and industries is the single largest contributor to global warming. Energy
efficiency technologies allow us to use less energy to get the sameor higherlevel
of production, service, and comfort. This approach has vast potential to save both
energy and money, and can be deployed quickly.
Greening transportation: The transportation sector's emissions have increased at a
faster rate than any other energy-using sector over the past decade. A variety of
solutions are at hand, including improving efficiency (miles per gallon) in all modes of
transport, switching to low-carbon fuels, and reducing vehicle miles traveled through
smart growth and more efficient mass transportation systems.
Revving up renewables: Renewable energy sources such as solar, wind, geothermal
and bioenergy are available around the world. Multiple studies have shown that
renewable energy has the technical potential to meet the vast majority of our energy
needs. Renewable technologies can be deployed quickly, are increasingly costeffective, and create jobs while reducing pollution.
Phasing out fossil fuel electricity: Dramatically reducing our use of fossil fuels
especially carbon-intensive coalis essential to tackle climate change. There are
many ways to begin this process. Key action steps include: not building any new coalburning power plants, initiating a phased shutdown of coal plants starting with the
oldest and dirtiest, and capturing and storing carbon emissions from power plants.
While it may sound like science fiction, the technology exists to store carbon
emissions underground

Solutions to Global Warming

Exploring nuclear: Because nuclear power results in few global warming emissions,
an increased share of nuclear power in the energy mix could help reduce global
warmingbut nuclear technology poses serious threats to our security and, as the
accident at the Fukushima Diaichi plant in Japan illustrates to our health and the
environment as well. The question remains: can the safety, proliferation, waste
disposal, and cost barriers of nuclear power be overcome?
Developing and deploying new low-carbon and zero-carbon technologies:
Research into and development of the next generation of low-carbon technologies will
be critical to deep mid-century reductions in global emissions. Current research on
battery technology, new materials for solar cells, harnessing energy from novel
sources like bacteria and algae, and other innovative areas could provide important
breakthroughs.
Ensuring sustainable development: The countries of the worldfrom the most to
the least developedvary dramatically in their contributions to the problem of climate
change and in their responsibilities and capacities to confront it. A successful global
compact on climate change must include financial assistance from richer countries to
poorer countries to help make the transition to low-carbon development pathways and
to help adapt to the impacts of climate change.

Conclusion
Global Change is multifaceted (climate, nitrogen, land
use, invasive, biodiversity, air quality, etc.)
The greenhouse effect is a natural process which is
necessary to maintain living conditions on the planet
However, the natural planetary greenhouse effect has
been augmented by human activities, including
primarily fossil fuel use and deforestation.
Responsibility to improve environmental conditions lies
upon all of us as individuals
Concentrate on preventing environmental degradation
before it starts
Alternatives are feasible and can be used

Report On Global Warming

Global warming is the rise in earths surface temperature as a consequence of
greenhouse effect,which is the thickening of earth atmosphere because of presence of
increased carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases.
Global warming is caused by deforestation and industrial emissions result to an
increase greenhouse gases (such as carbon-dioxide) around earths atmosphere. These
greenhouse gases traps and absorbs atmospheric heat and ultimately causes Global
warming (an increase earths surface temperature).
If Global warming continues the world would be in danger. Global warming is causing
climate change. The worlds is becoming warmer and warmer. There is also prediction
of regional climate changes along the ecosystem. One major consequence of global
warming arising out of greenhouse effect is the rise in sea level. The human health is
put at risk because of Global warming. In recent years, there have been newer reports
of spread of major tropical diseases with changing climate. As the earth becomes
warmer, more and more people are likely to be affected by tropical diseases.
The problem of Global Warming can be controlled by minimizing the emission of
greenhouse gases into the environment. Stricter laws should be formed and
implemented. The dependence on thermal power for our electricity need should be
reduced and it would help towards reducing the quantity if carbon dioxide in the