Global Warming Research
Introduction
Global warming has been on the rise in the recent years, and it is one of the most argued topics in the world. Most people say that global warming is real while others say that it is fake. According to Gallup, a company in the United States shows that majority of the Americans believe that global warming is real and the people have already started feeling its effects (Newport).
Causes of global warming
Global warming results from the heating of the atmosphere due to the trapping of energy. Greenhouse gases like methane and carbon dioxide build up the atmosphere, trapping solar radiation within the earth surface like as it happens within the greenhouse. After a period, the trapping of the emissions leads to the rise of temperatures in the atmosphere making the earth to become warmer. Natural and human-actions cause global warming. The human cases are the most damaging. The following are the causes of global warming.
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Emission of carbon dioxide from fuel burning power plants
The increase in the use of electricity in the United States has led to the burning of coals by power plants to release vast amounts of carbon dioxide into the atmosphere (Maduekwe 1433). The burning of the fossil fuels to produce electricity causes heat-trapping pollution leading to the production of a lot of carbon dioxide every year. The burning of coal and power plants are the main polluters of carbon dioxide. Electronic gadgets are spread all over the markets without alternative sources of energy. The production of carbon dioxide from these plants leads to global warming which leads to an increase in temperatures which lead to adverse climate changes. The use of cleaner fuels and efficient energy technologies help in the reduction of the emission of carbon dioxide.
Emission of carbon dioxide from gasoline
The transportation sector in the United States is the second source of carbon dioxide pollution (Maduekwe 1440). The industry emits many tons of carbon dioxide each year. The use of cars and other sourced goods from other parts of the world are responsible for the high emissions. As the population increases, people demand more consumer goods and vehicles that increase the use of fossil fuels in the country for the manufacturing and the transportation industry. Therefore, the gases emitted from the transport sector is much, and the government has to put in place measure to mitigate the adverse effects that result from carbon dioxide.
Emission of methane from plants, animals, and arctic seabeds
Methane gas is an adverse greenhouse gas after carbon dioxide. The gas results from the decomposition of organic matter by bacteria under conditions of no oxygen. Anaerobic decomposition also occurs in the intestines of animals. An increase in the decomposition of plant materials and the production of livestock increases the methane levels into the atmosphere thus leading to global warming (Leiserowitz 1439). Besides, methane clathrate which occurs from the trapping of methane in crystal ice structures also leads to an increase in the temperatures which leads to the changes in the climate patterns in the United States. The global warming rate increases as methane move away from the seabed.
Deforestation
Deforestation is another major cause of global warming. People use the forests for fuel concerning charcoal and wood, and this makes them encroach the forests. The forests play a significant role in removing and storing carbon dioxide from the planet. Deforestation leads to the emission of an enormous amount of carbon dioxide into the atmosphere. The cutting of trees also lowers the quantity of carbon capture in the world.
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Increase in the use of farm chemicals
There is an increase in the consumption of chemical fertilizers unlike in the past days when there was the use of manure from animals. The application of fertilizers that are rich in nitrogen affects the storage of heat in croplands thus making the heat to move to the atmosphere thus contributing to the increase in global warming. Excess fertilizers may also run to water bodies like rivers and oceans leading to the creation of dead-zones in the oceans (Leiserowitz 1442). Also, the high levels of nitrates in water that result from over-fertilization may lead to health problems.
Effects of climate change
Climate changes cause a lot of impacts which can be felt by people. It affects the economy, health, and the environment of the Americans. The continuation of the global warming phenomenon will, therefore, lead to a lot of problems in the future if it continues.
The rise in the sea levels in the world
Global warming leads to an increase in the level of seas and oceans in the world as a result of the melting of ice like in the case of Greenland and Antarctica in the Eat cost of the United States of America (Maduekwe 1438). Many countries around the globe will face this effect which will displace many people. Thus global warming has an adverse impact and should be prevented to prevent future problems of making people homeless.
Global warming leads to killer storms
Global warming leads to an increase in cyclones and hurricanes which are severe. The rising temperatures in the ocean increase the intensity of the winds in the United States (Leiserowitz 1435). The tropical storms increase more energy as the water bodies become warm leading to dangerous storms in the world.
Failure of crops
Climate change has led to the failure of crops which has made most families go hungry. The changes in the climate have affected the production of crops due to the effect on the supply of water to be used in the agricultural sector. Global warming causes violent swings between droughts and floods which damages the ecosystems of the people thus leading to a considerable number of deaths (Karl 909). The increase in the temperature of the earth causes frequent droughts and unpredictable heavier rainfalls which affect the agricultural sector in the United States.
Global warming leads to the extinction of species
The increase in the temperatures in the world may lead to the extermination of millions of species across the globe (Karl 909). The elimination of the species in the world scares the humans because they cannot survive without the existence of various species on the continent. Most species will die because they cannot adapt to the changing climatic conditions and the migration patterns of the species will also be ruined. The loss of species has become a matter of concern due to the climate changes in the world.
Health effects
The change of climate in the United States as a result of global warming lead to health complications (Kerr 909). Infectious disease, allergies, and asthma have become common as a result of an increase in the pollution of the environment and the spread of conditions that favor mosquitoes and pathogens. Besides, it also
Measures to address global warming
In order to solve the challenge of global warming effectively, we must lower the emission of heat-trapping that we trap into the world’s atmosphere. The current technology helps various countries in accomplishing the measures. To address the global warming threats, the elected leaders must take action in implementing climate solutions which will help to solve the issue of global warming like:
Use of renewable energy
The leaders should enforce the use of renewable energy. The use of renewable energy will help in changing the country’s energy system to power that is cleaner and one that does not depend on the use of fossil fuels and coal. The consumption of renewable energy will reduce the emission of carbon dioxide into the atmosphere thus reducing the effects of climate change on the country.
Lowering of vehicle fuel
The country should support the effectiveness of vehicle fuel and support solutions which lower the use of oil in the United States. The Americans are encouraged to drive hybrid cars which reduce the consumption of gasoline (Karl). People should also use public transport instead of pumping their vehicles several times.
Reduction of deforestation
The government should reduce the deforestation of tropical forests and the associated global warming emissions. It should encourage the plantation of forests which will help in the absorption of carbon dioxide from the atmosphere which could lead to an increase in the temperatures.
Limiting the emission of carbon dioxide
The government should put in place measures which limit the quantity of carbon dioxide that the polluters are supposed to emit. Failure to adherence to the limits should lead to legal actions against the defaulters. The government should implement laws that require that industries and energy technologies use clean energy (Kerr). The use of new technology will help in reducing the rate of global warming. Therefore, the country should focus on ensuring that various sectors of the economy implement the use of technology to limit the release of carbon dioxide into the atmosphere.
Role of the United States concerning global warming
The United States is a significant contributor to global warming after China due to the high emission of carbon dioxide from its industries. Therefore, the United States has taken stringent measures to prevent global warming. The country has started working with other nations to reduce the dependence on the fossil fuels and use clean energy so that it can avoid the worst outcomes of climate change.
The United States Environmental Agency has been in the forefront in reducing the pollution of carbon dioxide by power plants by a third by 2030 through the plan of clean power. The Department of Transportation has proposed standards which cut the emissions of carbon dioxide and the consumption of fuel in the economy. The department is also on the process of introducing clean vehicles that protect the health and climate of the Americans. The government aims at ensuring that there is clean transport to address the risks which result from the change in weather and also protect the health of the public.
The United States together with other nations at the United Nations Conference concerning the change of climate agreed on provisions on cutting pollution with an objective of lowering the atmosphere temperature (Karl 909). The United States government also funds developing countries for them to adopt technologies that use cleaner energy. More Americans use electricity from renewable sources of energy like solar and wind.
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The significance of addressing global warming in the United States
Addressing global warming in the United States is significant. According to the Gallup report, most Americans believe that it is real and they have started experiencing its effects. The government should channel funds to solve the problem of climate change because it has various effects on the economy and the development of the country. The state will face worst outcomes if the situation continues. Although the government spends much time and resources in addressing, the climate change, at the expense of the developments and jobs, the results will be fruitful.
The extreme storms, drought, and various weather disasters that result from the change of climate affect all the Americans irrespective of their political affiliations (Maduekwe). The policymakers must, therefore, find out bipartisan solutions which will reduce the heat-trapping emissions. Investing in climate change makes the United States acquire significant benefits.
Conclusion
From the above discussion, it is evident that climate change has many effects. The outcomes include health effects, failure of crops, rise in the sea levels, and the elimination of species in the continent. The United States should, therefore, ensure that the causes of global warming are addressed to solve the problems that may occur in the future.
Works Cited
Karl, Thomas R., et al., eds. Global climate change impacts in the United States. Cambridge University Press, 2009.
Kerr, Richard A. “Climate change hot spots mapped across the United States.” (2008): 909-909.
Leiserowitz, Anthony A. “American risk perceptions: Is climate change dangerous?.” Risk Analysis: An International Journal 25.6 (2005): 1433-1442.
Maduekwe, Nkiruka. “What is the Economic Implication of Global Warming in the United States of America?.” (2009).
Newport, Frank. “Americans’ global warming concerns continue to drop.” Gallup Polling 11 (2010).