Journal of Civil & Legal Sciences
Open Access

Global warming is simply the long term heating of earth's climate system observed since the pre-industrial period (between 1850 and 1900) due to human activities, primary fossil fuel burning which increases heat-trapping greenhouse gas levels in the earth's atmosphere. The term is frequently used interchangeably with the term climate change although while climate change refers to both human and naturally produced warning effects it has on our planet, global warming focuses solely on human activities effect on the atmosphere. In this discussion, we'd be concentrating solely on the concept of global warming [1]. Since the pre-industrial period, human activities are estimated to have increased earth's global average temperature by about 1 degree Celsius (1.8 degrees Fahrenheit), a number that is currently increasing by 0.2 °C (0.36 degrees Fahrenheit) per decade. It is unequivocal that human influence has warmed the atmosphere, ocean and land. Changes observed in earth's climate since the early 20th century are primarily driven by human activities. Scientists use observations from the ground, air and space along with theoretical models to monitor and study past, present and future climate change.

There are numerous evidences to prove that human activities are indeed having an adverse effect on the climate [2]. It's undeniable that human activities have warmed the atmosphere, ocean and land and those widespread and rapid changes in the atmosphere, ocean, cryosphere, and biosphere have occurred some of the evidences include, Global Temperature Rise and Warming Ocean. Decreased Snow Cover; observations reveal that the amount of spring snow cover in the Northern Hemisphere has decreased over the past five decades and the snow is melting earlier. Declining Arctic Sea Ice to mention but a few.

The effects of human caused global warming are happening now, are irreversible on the timescale of people alive today and will worsen in decades to come. Global climate change has already had observable effects on the environment.

Glaciers have shrunk, ice on rivers and lakes is breaking up earlier, plant and animal ranges have shifted and trees are flowering sooner. Effects that scientists had predicted in the past would result from global climate change are now occurring; loss of sea ice, accelerated sea level rise and longer and more intense heat waves. Scientists are confident that global temperatures will continue to rise for decades to come, largely due to greenhouse gas produced by human activities [3]. We already see this by the numerous and shocking heat waves occurring mostly in Europe The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) which includes more than 1,300 scientists from the United States and other countries, forecasts a temperature rise of 2.5 to 10 degrees Fahrenheit over the next century [4].

Change will continue through this century and beyond -Temperatures will continue to rise -Frost free season and growing season will lengthen -Changes in precipitation patterns -More droughts and heat waves -Arctic likely to become ice free.

Discontinuing the human activities that are harmful to the atmosphere and climate in general - Greenhouse gas emissions into the atmosphere; a more eco-friendly approach should be taken when expelling gas -Fossil fuel burning; this should be discontinued and a more biological friendly technique should be adopted when generating heat -Bio-remediation will go a long way to try to set the eco-system right again [5].

Acknowledgement

None

Conflict of interest

None

1. Levitus S,John I, Wang J,Thomas L,Keith W,et al (2001).Anthropogenic Warming of Earth's Climate System. USA 292:267-270.

Indexed at, Google Scholar

2. Roger A,Jimmy A Thomas N Curtis H Matsui et al (2007). A new paradigm for assessing the role of agriculture in the climate system and in climate change. Agric For Meteorol EU 142:234-254.

Indexed at, Google Scholar, Crossref

3. Yoram J, Didier T & Olivier B (2002). A satellite view of aerosols in the climate system.Nature UK 419:215-223.

Indexed at , Google Scholar

4. Ramanathan P, Crutzen, J, Rosenfeld D (2001). Aerosols, climate, and the hydrological cycle. Nature UK 294:2119-24.

Indexed at , Google Scholar

5. O M Raspopov  1 , O I Shumilov, E A Kasatkina (1998). Cosmic rays as the main factor affecting solar variability on climatic and atmospheric parameters.

Indexed at , Google Scholar