Global Warming

Global Warming

Opening Statement

Global Warming is the warming of the atmosphere due to the entrapment of heat. “Greenhouse gases” in the air keep the heat that enters our atmosphere from the sun, in the atmosphere. As more and more heat enters the atmosphere without being able to leave, the mean temperature of the atmosphere increases. The terms, global warming and climate change are often used interchangeably. Gases such as carbon dioxide, methane, nitrous oxide, and refrigerants create a greenhouse effect by trapping heat in the lower atmosphere. This makes the Earth warmer because the sun's rays are allowed into the lower atmosphere but the heat from these rays isn't able to escape.

Background

Global warming in recent decades has taken global temperature to its highest level in the past millennium (E. Tiede, R. Jensen, 1990 Pp. 77-79.). There is a growing consensus (IPCC 1996) that the warming is at least in part a consequence of increasing anthropogenic greenhouse gases.

The climate that one is recently enjoys on earth is predicted to change due to human activities, which are presently altering the chemical composition of the atmosphere through the build-up of “greenhouse gases”. Greenhouse gases (GHGs) cause a global climate forcing, i.e., an imposed perturbation of Earth's energy balance with space (E. Tiede, R. Jensen, H.Norman-Risch: America in Close-Up, Longman, 1990 Pp. 77-79.)

Specifically, GHGs reduce heat radiation to space, causing Earth to warm. These gases are primarily the following: Carbon dioxide - Released into the atmosphere when solid waste, fossil fuels (oil, natural gas, and coal) and wood or wood products are burned.

Methane - This gas is emitted during the production and transport of coal, natural gas, oil, and also results from the decomposition of organic wastes in municipal solid waste landfills, and the raising of livestock. Nitrous oxide - Emitted during agricultural and industrial activities, as well as during the combustion of solid waste and fossil fuels.

No Naturally Occurring - These include byproducts of foam production, refrigeration, and air conditioning in the form of chlorofluorocarbons (CRC's), hydro fluorocarbons (HFC's), and per fluorocarbons (PFC's) generated by industrial processes.The most direct effect of climate change would be the impacts of hotter temperatures themselves. Extremely hot temperatures increase the number of people who die on a given day for many reasons: People with heart problems are vulnerable because one's cardiovascular system must work harder to keep the body cool during hot weather. Heat exhaustion and some respiratory problems increase.

A recent assessment by the IPCC (1996) and a recent report by McMichael et al., (1996) predicted an increase in global temperature and a subsequent shifting of disease patterns with severe consequences. One of the factors favoring the occurrence of certain diseases is climate. Climate and, on a short term basis, the weather, has always influenced the state of human health either through direct thermal impact on the human body or via indirect routes such as favorable conditions for infectious agents, e.g. Viruses and their transmitters (so called 'vectors') bacteria, bugs, parasites, and fungi that have been ...