Tuesday 22 February 2011

What Causes Global Warming?


Global Warming is a major issue due to the industrialization and progress by humankind since the past few years. There has been a hue and cry about Global Warming ever since the idea was first put forward. There are many articles on Global Warming on the internet as well print media which give further details about the causes of Global Warming. Here is some further information on global warming.

Global warming has been and is being caused due to a various number of factors. Global warming is basically a change in the climatic conditions of the earth. These climatic conditions vary due to various reason, external and internal. Changes to climatic conditions and therefore Global Warming can be caused to to natural or man-made circumstances also. Some of the factors causing global warming are volcanic emissions and solar activity.

According to the solar variation theory,the sun has been gaining strength and is at it's strongest since a sixty years. Therefore, it may now be acting as a cause of global warming. Sunspots are also said to be a cause or catalyst for Global Warming. Recent reports suggest that the number of sunspots in an area directly affects the amount of time the nearby earth takes to cool. The sun is the main source of energy to the earth. The earth absorbs about seventy percent of the earth's solar flux. This solar flux increases the temperature of the earth's atmosphere, land and oceans.

Orbital forcing is also said to be one of the natural causes of Global Warming. The reports show the effect of the slow tilting of the earth's axis on the climate of the earth.The greenhouse effect is said to be the most important factor regarding global warming. When infrared radiation from the atmosphere increases the temperature of the earth's surface, it is termed as the greenhouse effect. The greenhouse effect has increased the earth's temperature by about twenty four percent.

Carbon dioxide contributes about twelve percent of the greenhouse effect, while water vapor contributes thirty six percent of the greenhouse effect. Methane causes five to ten percent of Global Warming, while Ozone makes around three to seven percent of the greenhouse effect possible.

Solar variation is said to be another reason of Global Warming. The changes in the amount of radiant energy emitted by the Sun are known as solar variation. This solar variation has been correlated with the changes in the Earth's climate and temperature.

Along with the natural causes of Global Warming, scientists have also contributed rapid industrialization to the increase of Global Warming today.Humans had first affected global warming some eight thousand years ago, with the start of agriculture. Due to the clearing of the forests for agriculture, the amount of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere increased drastically.

Scientists are of the opinion that industrialization releases various gases like carbon-dioxide and methane which are known to contribute to Global Warming. Deforestation is also said to increase global warming. Trees contain a high level of carbon, and therefore their cutting creates an increase of carbon in the atmosphere. Humankind also contributes to the increase of carbon dioxide by the burning of fossil fuels. The contribution of humankind to global warming due to the burning of fossil fuels has increased by about eighty percent in the past twenty years.

If the greenhouse effect didn't exist, the temperature of the earth would be around twenty seven Celsius less. Some scientists are of the opinion that human life would be impossible on planet earth if the temperature would be so less.