The Effects Of Global Warming On The World - 1823 Words

Global warming is called by some as a threat to all people on all nations while others disregard it as another publicity stunt by the media. Research tends to indicate that humans have caused most of the past century s warming by releasing heat-trapping gases as we power our modern lives. The result is global warming with the weather patterns shifting and glaciers melting, the world we know today is slowly dissipating as these changes bring about dramatic consequences for all on the planet including humans and other animals. There have been many claims about the seriousness of global warming as well as the root cause of the problem. While there are are well-founded claims, others are completely fallacious. One of the main claims asserted†¦show more content†¦The current warming trend is of particular significance because most of it is very likely human-induced and proceeding at a rate that is unprecedented in the past 1,300 years. Global sea level rose about 17 centimeters (6.7 inches) in the last century demonstrating the warmness of the planets. As temperatures rise, the ice melts more quickly and this melted ice contributes to the increasing water levels. The rate in the last decade, however, is nearly double that of the last century. All three major global surface temperature reconstructions show that Earth has warmed since 1880. Most of this warming has occurred since the 1970s, with the 20 warmest years having occurred since 1981 and with all 10 of the warmest years occurring in the past 12 years. This clearly demonstrates that the warming trend is pervasive and evident throughout the world. The oceans have absorbed much of this increased heat, with the top 700 meters (a bout 2,300 feet) of ocean showing warming of 0.302 degrees Fahrenheit since 1969. More heat has been absorbed because it does not leave the atmosphere and thus the temperatures have risen. The Greenland and Antarctic ice sheets have decreased in mass illustrating that the temperature has increased with more heat and sunlight with a direct impact. Data from NASA s Gravity Recovery and Climate Experiment show Greenland lost 150 to 250 cubic kilometers (36 to 60 cubic miles) of ice per year