Economics of Global Warming

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Economics of Global warming

Global warming has been on the rise for several years now, becoming one of the most modern issues in society. It is pretty evident that it cannot be ignored. Global warming is when the earth heats up resulting in a temperature rise; it happens when greenhouse gases are emitted into the atmosphere and causes trap heat and light from the sun in the earth’s atmosphere, which increases the temperature. Resulting in several social and political effects like higher sea levels, agriculture, water resources and natural disasters. As well as human health, animal and plants.

Within the last century the average temperature has climbed about 0.6 degrees Celsius which is about 1 degree Fahrenheit, around the world ( Lovgren, 2004). Most scientists believe the rises in temperature will intact increase dramatically and rapidly, as suggest it is not a natural occurrence. The United Nations- sponsored Intergovernmental Panel on Climate change reported in 2001 that the average temperature is going to increase between 1.4 and 5.8 degrees Celsius ( 2.5 and 10.4 degrees Fahrenheit) by the year 2100. (Lovgren,2004) One of the many social effects that global warming is causing higher sea levels as a result, scientists say could eventually submerge island nations, flood cities and expose millions of coastal residents to destructive storm surges( Roach, 2006). The loss of large areas of ice on the surface could accelerate global warming and because less of the sun’s energy would be reflected away from Earth t. resulting in melting glaciers and a rise in sea level (Strickland, Grabianowski, 2005) melting of ice glaciers are causing serious treats to Greenland and Antarctica. The rise in sea levels could cause flooding problems for low- lying coastal areas, but if Antarctica ice sheet were to melt of collapse into the sea, it would raise sea levels up to 10metes which is more than 32 feet; as a result man coastal area would disappear beneath the ocean ( Strickland, Grabianowski, 2005).As well as reduced rainfall, droughts, and vanishing glacier will severely reduce the availability of drinking water. ( Vastag,2005) Another factor leading to a rise in sea levels and melting of glaciers know as global warming, is caused by the greenhouse effect. The greenhouse effects are known as one of the leading factors of global warming. The greenhouse effect, known as life on earth depends on energy from the sun and well we couldn’t live without it. 30 percent of the sunlight that comes toward Earth is deflected by the outer atmosphere and is put back into space. The rest reaches the planet’s surface and is reflected upward again as a type of slow- moving energy called infrared radiation. The heat caused by infrared radiation is absorbed by “greenhouse gases” such as water vapour, carbon dioxide, ozone and methane, which slows its escape from the atmosphere (West,2009) It’s also well established that carbon dioxide in the Earth’s atmosphere has increased about 30 percent , enhancing the atmosphere’s ability to trap heat. ( Lovgren,2004) Most scientists believe that humans, by burning fossil fuels such as coal and petroleum, are largely to blame for the increase in carbon dioxide. But some scientists also sate those natural causes like volcanic activity. ( Lovgren, 2004) For a while not climate researchers have warned that increasing levels of uncontrolled industrial emission would eventually play havoc with the atmospheric conditions. Causing a huge impact on agriculture (Wheeler, 2008). Because due to the Ice caps that will melt, causing flooding low-lying areas. As a result, crops will shrivel and food supplies will decrease ( Wheeler, 2008) The U.S food systeme contributes about 20 percent of nation’s carbon dioxide emission, therefore agricultural land contributes 12 percent of global greenhouse gas emissions( Dunn,2009). Manufactures and use of pesticides and fertilizers, fuel and oil for tractors, equipment,...
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