Global Warming “Global Warming is the increase of Earth's average surface temperature due to effect of greenhouse gases, such as carbon dioxide emissions from burning fossil fuels or from deforestation, which trap heat that would otherwise escape from Earth. This is a type of greenhouse effect.”-Official definition from New Mexico Solar Energy Association. There are many subtle causes of global warming and the effects are happening a lot faster than scientists has previously predicted. Global warming is serious issue and if people don’t begin to do something about it and believe that it exists soon, it might be too late. Scientists believe that the recent heat wave that has hit different parts of the world is caused by global warming. In an article in the National Geographic, scientists said that the heat waves that have killed people around the world are undoubtedly caused by global warming and couldn’t have happened otherwise. “Recent heat waves that have triggered wildfires, droughts, and heat-related deaths in the United States and around the globe "almost certainly would not have occurred" without global warming—and will become more routine in coming years, NASA climate scientist James Hansen says”. Hansen discussed how the global warming will only become more extreme as the years go by with no environmental changes.
The heat waves in regions throughout the world are not the only causes of global warming. In a study by the NRDC (National Resources Defence Coucil), the article discussed how the polar ice cap melting and how the decrease in arctic temperature will make the rest of the earth more vulnerable to the suns heat. “the contraction of the Arctic ice cap is accelerating global warming. Snow and ice usually form a protective, cooling layer over the Arctic. When that covering melts, the earth absorbs more sunlight and gets hotter. And the latest scientific data confirm the far-reaching effects of climbing global temperatures.” The study continues to talk about how the ice caps melting continue effect other global warming problems. It also effects the increased sea level, the sea level has increased at least 17 inches in the last century, if this continues many areas will be overtaken by water.
Another example of why global warming exists is the scientific study conducted by NASA on Ocean acidification:
“Since the beginning of the Industrial Revolution, the acidity of surface ocean waters has increased by about 30 percent.12,13 This increase is the result of humans emitting more carbon dioxide into the atmosphere and hence more being absorbed into the oceans. The amount of carbon dioxide absorbed by the upper layer of the oceans is increasing by about 2 billion tons per year.”
If it continues at this rate scientists are afraid that by the end of the century the surface of the ocean could be nearly 150 percent more acidic, resulting in a pH that the ocean has not experienced in more than 20 million years. Many people rely on the a healthy ocean, its effect on coral reefs will cause millions of people to be harmed and marine life will also suffer because of it.
Many people have a hard time believing in global and this is one of the major problems. Conservatives insisted back in 2011 that global warming was a hoax and now they are calling