Global warming is a natural occurrence that is not caused by humans, but humans have accelerated the process by changing the environment negatively worldwide. The term “global warming”, though, does not incorporate the whole definition. The “greenhouse effect” is the term that is used to accurately describe the situation. The greenhouse effect has two aspects to its meaning. It encompasses the natural greenhouse effect and the man-made “enhancement” of the natural greenhouse effect (Spencer). Both of these have an influence on what is happening with the climate. Climate change can come from one of three basic causes: man-made, natural external forces, and internal, natural variability (Begley).
Many of the human climate drivers have a big effect …show more content…
During the Industrial Revolution, CO2 levels started to increase. The pre-industrial concentration levels of CO2 were around 280 parts per million (ppm) (Ekwurzel). As time went on, the human population increased and the demand for everything went up along with it. That meant more factories, more cars, and more power plants which produced even more carbon dioxide. By 1958 the level of CO2 in the atmosphere had risen to 315.71 ppm and by 2007 it was even higher at 386.54 ppm (Begley). Now, nine petagrams of carbon dioxide are being pumped into the atmosphere every year (Kump). “In the absence of control, the rate of increase may accelerate and double the concentrations of CO2 from pre-industrial levels within the next 50 to 100 years” (Trenberth). Scientists have run projections that take into effect population growth and the increase of industrialization. The projections show that before all the fossil fuel reservoirs are exhausted humans may reach a staggering 25 petagrams of carbon dioxide a year (Kump). All of this is not everything that humans have done to increase the rate of global …show more content…
The Atlantic and Pacific Oceans have heated up .5 to 1˚F since 1906 (Begley). As the oceans heat up, the frozen methane hydrates at the bottom of the oceans thaw. Then methane gas bubbles up to the surface, which adds more carbon into the atmosphere (Kump). This is just a recurring cycle. Volcanoes also have an effect on the environment. When volcanoes erupt, they release gases and aerosols into the air. Aerosols that were put out during the eruption of Mt. Pinatubo in June 1991 blocked enough radiation for two years that it caused observable cooling (Trenberth). The effects of global warming have been seen in the past before.
The Paleocene-Eocene Thermal Maximum (PETM) was a time period 56 million years ago when global temperatures rose five degrees Celsius in response to a massive increase of greenhouse gases into the atmosphere (Kump). The intense gas release was only 10 percent of the rate at which heat-trapping greenhouse gases are building up today (Kump). The PETM lasted more than 150,000 years until the excess carbon was reabsorbed
Many of the human climate drivers have a big effect …show more content…
During the Industrial Revolution, CO2 levels started to increase. The pre-industrial concentration levels of CO2 were around 280 parts per million (ppm) (Ekwurzel). As time went on, the human population increased and the demand for everything went up along with it. That meant more factories, more cars, and more power plants which produced even more carbon dioxide. By 1958 the level of CO2 in the atmosphere had risen to 315.71 ppm and by 2007 it was even higher at 386.54 ppm (Begley). Now, nine petagrams of carbon dioxide are being pumped into the atmosphere every year (Kump). “In the absence of control, the rate of increase may accelerate and double the concentrations of CO2 from pre-industrial levels within the next 50 to 100 years” (Trenberth). Scientists have run projections that take into effect population growth and the increase of industrialization. The projections show that before all the fossil fuel reservoirs are exhausted humans may reach a staggering 25 petagrams of carbon dioxide a year (Kump). All of this is not everything that humans have done to increase the rate of global …show more content…
The Atlantic and Pacific Oceans have heated up .5 to 1˚F since 1906 (Begley). As the oceans heat up, the frozen methane hydrates at the bottom of the oceans thaw. Then methane gas bubbles up to the surface, which adds more carbon into the atmosphere (Kump). This is just a recurring cycle. Volcanoes also have an effect on the environment. When volcanoes erupt, they release gases and aerosols into the air. Aerosols that were put out during the eruption of Mt. Pinatubo in June 1991 blocked enough radiation for two years that it caused observable cooling (Trenberth). The effects of global warming have been seen in the past before.
The Paleocene-Eocene Thermal Maximum (PETM) was a time period 56 million years ago when global temperatures rose five degrees Celsius in response to a massive increase of greenhouse gases into the atmosphere (Kump). The intense gas release was only 10 percent of the rate at which heat-trapping greenhouse gases are building up today (Kump). The PETM lasted more than 150,000 years until the excess carbon was reabsorbed