Global Warming
A Serious Issue
Introduction
In August, 2005, hurricane Katrina hit Louisiana, killing over 1800 people. The hurricane had formed and became deadly in the Atlantic Ocean, which has been warmed due to global warming (“Climate Change”). Global warming is the increase of Earth’s Surface temperature in the last century mainly due to the burning of fossil fuels in the last century. The burning of fossil fuels emits greenhouse gases, which trap heat and cause the Earth to warm (Morgan 5). The effects of global warming not only include the warming of the Earth, but also many other harmful effects. These effects include more severe storms, such as hurricanes, rising sea levels, and longer range of infectious diseases. Furthermore, while many people think that global warming is a natural process, it has been proved that global warming is mainly caused by humans. Therefore, global warming is a serious issue since it has caused and will cause many dangerous effects, and also because it is not a process that has been happening naturally.
Global warming causes many dangerous effects to humans and the environment.
The first reason that global warming is a serious issue is the dangerous effects it has caused and will cause to humans and the environment. These effects include more severe storms and hurricanes, rising sea levels, and altered range of infectious diseases. Global warming causes water to evaporate into the atmosphere, which will cause more precipitation in some areas. This increased precipitation will cause more destructive storms throughout the world and also cause more floods. Intense rain and floods have already increased in frequency in the last 50 years (Riebeek). Also, animals who are unable to adapt to these changes face extinction. Global warming will also cause the sea level to rise by melting glaciers into the oceans. This is a serious hazard because 40% of the human population lives within 60 miles of an ocean (“Climate Change”). Lastly, global warming has altered the range of infectious diseases. Diseases such as malaria, cannot survive in cold areas, but because of global warming, it can now spread to more places (“Update: Global Warming”). These effects can cause not only the illness and deaths of many people, but also the destruction of many environments. Therefore, global warming is very dangerous and harmful to people and the environments of the world.
Giving Concession and Rebuttal
Many people believe that global warming is not a problem to consider seriously, but just part of the natural warming and cooling process which the Earth goes through. It is true that the Earth has warmed in the past before. However, there is more than enough evidence to prove that global warming is unnatural and caused by humans. The Earth has warmed up to 4-7 degrees Celsius in 5000 years in the past after an ice age, but the temperature has increased 0.7 degrees Celsius just during the last century (Riebeek). That is almost one hundred times faster than the speed of increase of 4-7 degrees Celsius in 5000 years! Also, from the records of temperatures in the last 150 years and satellite evidence, scientists have found that the increase of global surface temperature in the last 50 years cannot be caused only by natural processes (Riebeek). Natural processes that cause the Earth to warm are either too slow or cause changes that are too small to explain the rapid increase of the temperature. The rise of temperature can only be explained with the increase of greenhouse gases caused by humans. Therefore, global warming must be unnatural and caused by humans.
Conclusion and Call to Action
Global warming is a major issue that has caused and will cause many dangerous effects, and is not a part of Earth’s natural climate change cycle, but an artificial man-made warming. Severe storms will increase, sea levels will rise, and the range of infectious diseases will be greater. Some dangerous effects such as floods, storms, and hurricanes can already be seen throughout the world. Other dangers may start to affect us in the future if changes are not made. Moreover, scientific evidence has proven that global warming is an unnatural process that is essentially caused by humans. It is time to recognize global warming as a serious issue and take action now, to protect the lives of people and animals, and to stop this unnatural warming before it turns into a disaster.
Watch this video to learn more about global warming.
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Works Cited
“Climate Change.” Issues & Controversies. Facts On File News Services, 17 Sept. 2012. Web.
23 Mar. 2014.
Morgan, Sally. Global Warming. Chicago, IL: Heinemann Library, 2003. Print.
Riebeek, Holly. “Global Warming.” Earth Observatory. NASA, 3 Jun. 2010. Web. 11 Mar. 2013.
“Update: Global Warming.” Issues and Controversies. Facts on File News Service, 12 Oct. 2009. Web. 19 Mar. 2014.