Earth's average temperature is increasing continuously to a dangerous extent. Temperature has risen by 0.5 ± 0.2C. Glaciers are melting across the globe and the gravity of the situation can be harnessed from the fact that some glaciers have even disappeared from some parts of the world. In Polar Regions ice is melting at an alarming speed. Such melting of ice caps is in turn affecting the sea level. This may give a push to natural disasters like floods, droughts, hurricanes etc. Human activities have attributed greatly towards these adverse conditions.
Extensive studies conducted by the scientists have proved that global warming cannot be a result of natural changes only. Emission of gases, which is a major factor in global warming, is a result of human activities. According to a report prepared by a U.S. scientific institute, the increase in surface air temperature and sea temperature is an outcome of accumulation of greenhouse gases, which in turn is attributable to inconsiderate human activities. Figures prove that in the last 1000 years, temperature of surface of the earth has been recorded as the warmest in the 20th century. From last 150 years green house gases are being accumulated in the atmosphere. Carbon dioxide is increasing in the atmosphere due to deforestation and fuel burning. Along with it, emission of other greenhouse gases like methane, chlorofluorocarbons is also polluting the atmosphere. The contribution of volcanic gas emissions in global warming is also a major one. Statistics show that before the year 1750, volcanoes and solar forces were contributing about 50 percent towards global warming but in the recent years the effect of green house gases on temperature variations has risen up to eight times.
The pattern of global warming is not uniform throughout the whole world. Due to the changes in the atmosphere some cooling effect is also seen in the Atlantic and central North Pacific. Burning of fossil fuels makes the environment polluted by changing the balance or constitution of aerosols and gases in the atmosphere. Carbon dioxide has long survival time in the atmosphere. Development of industrial sector is resulting in increase in emission of other gases like methane etc. These greenhouse gases make the surface of the earth warmer by blocking the radiations of the sun and increasing the evaporation rate of the surface moisture. The humidity in the environment is also mounting due to global warming. The threat of floods is lurking large because of rise in frequency of rainfalls and snowfalls. Increase in evaporation also raises the risk of droughts. It may also result in amplifying numerous kinds of viral infections.
Some scientists do not accept human activities as culprit for global warming but there are numerous instances from which human hand in global warming is clearly visible. The process of global warming and its results are very gradual so the outcome would not be visible to a large extent to the present generation. But the consequences of global warming would be very dangerous for the future generations. The long term accumulated adverse effects would start coming in limelight. Extreme weather conditions like heavy rainfalls, humid weather, floods, droughts would be very devastating.
United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change is an international agreement which was enforced on March 21,1994. Its main goal is to control the emission of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere, which pose a threat to climate system. Kyoto protocol is an international agreement that has been framed as an amendment to the UNFCC with the same objective. Recent estimates make it clear that if this protocol becomes successful it would greatly help in maintaining the temperature of the earth. Kyoto Protocol was agreed upon in Kyoto on December 1997 and was enforced on February 2005. All the countries, which have signed or ratified UNFCC are allowed to sign or ratify Kyoto Protocol. This agreement has been ratified by 156 countries. The goal of this agreement is to reduce the collective emission of carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases like methane, nitrous oxide etc. The limits for controlling emissions are different for different nations like 8% for European Nations, 6% for Japan etc. The developed countries are directed to provide technology for attaining knowledge and completing projects concerning environment, to other countries. Two countries USA and Australia are not in favour of Kyoto Protocol. Some critics treat this agreement as a hindrance to industrial growth of the world and transfer of wealth to not so technologically advanced third world countries.
Except the oppositon put forth by a few countries, collective positive steps towards reducing global warming has now become mandatory for almost whole of the world. As global warming is a gradual process, efforts of present generation would be fruitful for future genertions.
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Written By: monu
