A Global Epidemic

“Warming of the climate system is unequivocal as it is now evident from observations of increases in global average air and ocean temperatures, widespread melting of snow and ice, and rising global average sea level.” - Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), February 2007

Global warming is a pressing issue because the scientific evidence is clear: surface temperatures on Earth are warming at a pace that signals a decisive shift in the global climate, one expected to last for centuries. This does not augur well for us; it is in our interest that the Earth remains healthy so that we can survive.

Whereas twenty to thirty years ago there was some doubt as to whether the world was warming, rising temperatures have attracted more serious attention and debate over the years because thermometers in 17,000 weather stations and data from ten weather satellites could not be argued with. It is getting hotter and the rate of increase is frightening. The last century has been warmer than any other in the last 1,000 years. It is now, on average, 0.74OC warmer than it was a hundred years ago. It has become impossible to ignore its dire effects in certain parts of the world. The city of Venice in Italy is grossly affected by the melting of the polar ice caps which causes the sea levels to rise. Venice is slowly but surely being threatened by water. Soon, if no effective intervention is forthcoming, the city would be completely submerged beneath the water, forcing its inhabitants to evacuate from this historic city. Venice, however, is not alone: Bangkok, Singapore, and most

coastal cities all around the globe is now playing the same waiting game and nobody is certain of winning it yet.

Global warming describes a large change in the weather all around the world, with the conditions becoming harsher every year.

So not only do we face very hot spells, with summers getting hotter, the fluctuations in temperatures can also bring about a swing towards very cold weathers, with prolonged wintry effects. People living in the northern hemisphere, particularly in America and Europe have just experienced an extremely cold spell in the early months of 2014, with temperatures dropping well below the freezing point. These extremities in the weather are primarily caused by green house gas emissions.

GREEN HOUSE GASES

Green house gases are the key to understanding the science of global warming, according to scientists. These gases, namely, carbon dioxide, methane, nitrous oxides, chlorofluorocarbons and ozone, are essential in trapping heat within the Earth, so that living beings are kept warm and protected from the sun’s blazing light and heat. We call this the natural greenhouse effect. The amount of carbon dioxide, however, has been increasing in the atmosphere since substantial manmade carbon emissions were first released with the advent of the human industrial revolution from 1750s onwards.

Industrialisation increases the concentration of naturally occurring greenhouse gases and leads to global warming and climate change because the more carbon dioxide we have in the air, the more heat is being absorbed. When the heat from manmade carbon emissions combines with the heat generated by the sun, Earth becomes hotter each time as the natural balance of carbon dioxide becomes distorted, causing the temperature to increase by one to four degrees Celsius every decade or so. This may not seem like a big difference to us, but in reality, it is. Looking at the temperature increase on a global scale, scientists have correctly deduced that the polar ice caps will start melting quicker with increased carbon emissions.

A contribution to the level of carbon dioxide in the air is the clearing of forests, which helps to absorb carbon dioxide during photosynthesis (how plants make food by absorbing carbon dioxide and releasing oxygen when there are sunlight and water).

When they are cut down, there will be fewer plants and trees left to replenish the Earth with enough oxygen by absorbing carbon dioxide. Thus the level of this heat conducting gas increases. A huge increase in the number of cars on the roads also contribute to higher carbon levels, along with other environmental unfriendly products such as refrigerators, hairsprays, foam packaging, air-conditioning and makeups, just to name a few.

THE CONSEQUENCES

If the Greenland or West Antarctic Ice Sheets began to melt irreversibly, the rate of sea level rise could more than double, committing the world to an eventual sea level rise of five to twelve metres over several centuries. This can have disastrous consequences on many countries. Apart from Venice, another very popular tourist destination which might be completely submerged over the next ten to twenty years is the Maldives which is geologically a large collection of atolls (An atoll is a ringshaped coral reef or a string of closely spaced small coral islands, enclosing or nearly enclosing a shallow lagoon), located in the Indian Ocean next to Sri Lanka. The islands that make up this country are so low-lying that six of them were completely destroyed during the 2004 tsunami. Although the increase of the coastal sea level is seen as a long-term threat, global warming has short term threats as well.

The ozone is the protective layer of gases which prevents the full impact of the harmful ultra violet radiation emitted by the sun from hitting the planet. 70% of the sun’s rays and heat are reflected back into outer space because of the ozone layer. However due to the increased

burning of fossil fuels, the layer has been slowly but surely depleting in thickness, making our planet more vulnerable to the radiation from the sun. Unprotected exposure can cause large bushfires, as in some parts of Australia. Experts say that although bushfires in that country are not uncommon, the frequency and extremity of these fires have been increasing steadily over the years. Some even speculate that the ozone layer directly above Australia has been completely destroyed, allowing the sun’s unfiltered heat rays to directly impact the country.

THE CURE

There are many things we can do to ensure the reduction of carbon emissions in the air. We must adopt a more environmentally conscious approach to life and put in place practices that enable recycling, reusing and reducing. For example, when more paper is recycled, it reduces the need to buy more paper, and consequently, slowing down deforestation. We have also been actively looking for alternative forms of energy in order to reduce the burning of fossil fuels to generate energy. These include solar and wind-powered energy sources. Cars that run on electricity have also been introduced into the global market, and are slowly increasing in number all around the world.

Earth is the only home that we have in the entire universe. It is of great urgency that we stem the tide of global warming to ensure our safety, and the safety of those who come after us. It is important to start looking for green solutions to conserve energy and natural resources before it is too late. No acts to save humanity from extinction can be too small or too tiresome, so let’s begin now!