GLOBAL WARMING

What is global warming?

Global warming is the rise in the average temperature of Earth's
atmosphere and oceans since the late 19th century and its projected
continuation. Since the early 20th century, Earth's mean surface
temperature has increased by about 0.8 C (1.4 F), with about two-
thirds of the increase occurring since 1980. Warming of the climate
system is unequivocal, and scientists are 95-100% certain that it is
primarily caused by increasing concentrations of greenhouse
gases produced by human activities such as the burning of fossil
fuels and deforestation. These findings are recognized by the national
science academies of all major industrialized nations.
Therefore global warming can be defined as a gradual increase in
the overall temperature of the earth's atmosphere generally
attributed to the greenhouse effect caused by increased levels of
carbon dioxide, CFCs, and other pollutants.

Impacts of global warming :-
Greenhouse gases can stay in the atmosphere for an amount of years
ranging from decades to hundreds and thousands of years. No matter
what we do, global warming is going to have some effect on Earth.
1. Spread of disease
As northern countries warm, disease carrying insects migrate north,
bringing plague and disease with them. Indeed some scientists believe
that in some countries, thanks to global warming, malaria has not been
fully eradicated.

2. Warmer waters and more hurricanes
As the temperature of oceans rises, so will the probability of more
frequent and stronger hurricanes. We saw in this in 2004 and 2005.


3. Increased probability and intensity of droughts and heat waves
Although some areas of Earth will become wetter due to global
warming, other areas will suffer serious droughts and heat waves.
Africa will receive the worst of it, with more severe droughts also
expected in Europe. Water is already a dangerously rare commodity in
Africa, and according to the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate
Change, global warming will exacerbate the conditions and could lead
to conflicts and war.

4. Economic consequences
Most of the effects of anthropogenic global warming wont be good.
And these effects spell one thing for the countries of the world:
economic consequences. Hurricanes cause billions of dollars in damage,
diseases cost money to treat and control and conflicts exacerbate all of
these.
5. Polar ice caps melting
The ice caps melting is a four-pronged danger.
First, it will raise sea levels. There are 5,773,000 cubic miles of water in
ice caps, glaciers, and permanent snow. According to the National
Snow and Ice Data Center, if all glaciers melted today the seas would
rise about 230 feet. But sea levels will rise. Second, melting ice caps will
throw the global ecosystem out of balance. The ice caps are fresh water,
and when they melt they will desalinate the ocean. The desalinization
of the Gulf current will spoil ocean currents, which regulate
temperatures. Luckily, that will slow some of the other effects of global
warming in that area. Third, temperature rises and changing
landscapes in the Arctic Circle will endanger several species of animals.
Only the most adaptable will survive. Fourth, global warming could
snowball with the ice caps gone. Ice caps are white, and reflect sunlight,
much of which is reflected back into space, further cooling Earth. If the
ice caps melt, the only reflector is the ocean. Darker colors absorb
sunlight, further warming the Earth.

6. More floods
Flooding represents one of the most dangerous hazards to human
settlements and is one of the most potentially momentous impacts of
global warming. As the climate changes, a warming of the seas creates
thermal expansion. This is where warm water begins to take up more
space than cool water, making the seas surface level increase. Thermal
expansion has already raised the height of the oceans by 4 to 8 inches
(10 to 20cm), according to National Geographic.

7. Fires and wildfires
As the planet continues to warm, dry areas of land that are already
susceptible to wildfires are likely to be ravaged by even more frequent
and destructive episodes. In 2007, more than 3,000 fires brought
destruction to Southeastern Europe thanks to a long summer that
created arid and parched conditions a situation that would become
normal as a consequence of the greenhouse effect.
What's more, the carbon dioxide and black carbon (a very fine soot)
released by these large-scale fires together with the deforestation they
cause further compounds the problem of air pollution as the gases
that help to create the greenhouse effect are supplemented and less
mature trees survive to draw CO2 from the atmosphere.

8. Destructive storms
With ocean temperature being a key factor for hurricane formation, the
consequences of global warming will inevitably include the increased
generation of storms and hurricanes with greater power and frequency.
The destructive power of hurricanes has increased by some 50% in the
last 30 years, a figure that is closely connected with the rising
temperature of the ocean. Warmer water leads to greater evaporation,
which in turn helps to not just prime the coalescence of hurricanes and
cyclones but also to maintain their vigor once extant.
Simply put, warmer oceans make for more extreme weather including
devastating storms.
9. Death by smog
A powerful combination of vehicular fumes, ground-level ozone,
airborne industrial pollution and the stagnant hot air associated with
heat waves, smog represents an immediate and chronic health threat to
those living in built-up urban areas.
It exacerbates pre-existing health conditions that affect the respiratory
system such as emphysema, bronchitis and asthma, and in general
impedes the immune systems ability to fight against infection and
disease.
A hotter climate tends to lead directly to an increase in the levels of
ozone, with smog-related deaths predicted to rise by about 4.5 percent
from the 1990s to the 2050s, according to relevant studies.
10. Desertification
How global warming affects desertification is not entirely understood,
yet it is clear that an elevation in atmospheric and ground-level
temperatures is likely to aggravate soil and vegetation loss in already
hot climes. An increase in evapotranspiration and the accompanying
decrease in rainfall mean that already semi-arid and sub-humid areas
found across the world would face a future barrenness that is almost
irreversible. This would negatively affect biodiversity and have a major
impact on local human cultures and wildlife.


11. Tsunamis
Although global warming does not directly influence the formation of
tsunamis, they can be generated by events that are brought about by an
amplification of the planets temperature. One example is the melting of
ice sheets. Being extremely heavy, massive glaciers apply a
considerable amount of pressure to the Earths surface underneath
them. This anchorage decreases as the glaciers diminish, resulting in a
freeing up of tectonic masses that can lead to massive earthquakes and
significant volcanic activity, both of which are capable of creating
deadly tsunamis.

12. Cold Waves
A cold wave is characterized by a major plunge in temperature over a
24 hour period. It can be a devastating shock for crops and commerce,
and also bring death and injury to humans and animals through
accidents, hypothermia and starvation. Damage to pipelines and
property can be costly, and, particularly if snowfall accompanies the
cold wave, transport systems can grind to a halt, adversely affecting the
distribution of food, water and medical supplies.
13. Increased volcanic activity
As already noted, melting glaciations can usher in new, more frequent
and more dangerous episodes of volcanic activity. The shifting
pressures brought about by the lightening of the vast ice sheets allows
the Earths crust to bounce back and can cause eruptions in
unexpected places like the one experienced during Iceland's Gjlp
eruption, where magma reached the surface at an unusual intermediary
point between two volcanoes. Potent or sustained volcanic activity can
have an immense impact on human life even if the activity is centred
away from dense population centres. It also has the potential to affect
the planets climate by injecting tons of gases and solids into the
atmosphere that can remain there for weeks.

14. More dangerous thunderstorms
A consequence of the increased amounts of humid air generated by
global warming is that more thunderstorms will be triggered. Research
into the dynamic between climate change and thunderstorm power and
frequency suggests that by the end of the century the occurrence of
major thunderstorms could rise by over 100% in some places. Not only
that, but this increase would generally occur during the existing storm
season and not at times when such storms might provide beneficial
rainfall to arid areas.


15. More outbreaks of deadly diseases
As suggested, with warmth comes disease. Climate greatly influences
some of the most deadly and widespread diseases currently affecting
millions of people across the world. With disease-bearing insects such
as mosquitoes able to multiply in staggering numbers thanks to even
small rises in temperature, global warming looks set to facilitate the
spread of diseases like Malaria, West Nile virus and Dengue fever to
parts of the planet usually untouched. The increased number of sick
people could even overwhelm public health services especially in poor
or unprepared countries.
16. Loss of biodiversity and animal extinction
Loss of habitat for polar-ice edge communities such as polar bears is
perhaps the most obvious consequence of having a warmer climate.
Animals that are entirely dependent on cold environments will retreat
to more northerly locations as the planet heats up leading to
encroachment upon other eco-systems and displacement of other
animals from their natural habitat.
17. Diminished food and water supplies
With greatly reduced rainfall, more severe droughts and loss of soil
fertility, food and water supplies would soon diminish, resulting in
higher prices, famine, disease, malnutrition, starvation and, ultimately,
death. Politically unstable countries or badly affected areas might
descend into various degrees of anarchy, with governmental collapses
and shifts in authority as those in control of resources become more
powerful.


18. Death of ocean life
The worlds oceans absorb roughly 30% of all anthropogenic carbon
dioxide that seeps into the atmosphere, and so inevitably, as more fossil
fuels are burned, ocean life will continue to suffer the negative
consequences of global warming.


Reasons for global warming :-
Global Warming is caused by many things. The causes are split up into
two groups, man-made or anthropogenic causes, and natural causes.
Natural Causes
Natural causes are causes created by nature. One natural cause is a
release of methane gas from arctic tundra and wetlands. Methane is a
greenhouse gas. A greenhouse gas is a gas that traps heat in the earth's
atmosphere. Another natural cause is that the earth goes through a
cycle of climate change. This climate change usually lasts about 40,000
years.
Man-made Causes
Man-made causes probably do the most damage. There are many man-
made causes. Pollution is one of the biggest man-made problems.
Pollution comes in many shapes and sizes. Burning fossil fuels is one
thing that causes pollution. Fossil fuels are fuels made of organic
matter such as coal, or oil. When fossil fuels are burned they give off a
green house gas called CO2. Also mining coal and oil allows
methane to escape. Methane is naturally in the ground. When coal or
oil is mined you have to dig up the earth a little. When you dig up the
fossil fuels you dig up the methane as well.

Another major man-made cause of Global Warming is population.
More people means more food, and more methods of transportation.
That means more methane because there will be more burning of fossil
fuels, and more agriculture. Another source of methane is manure.
Because more food is needed we have to raise food. Animals like cows
are a source of food which means more manure and methane. Another
problem with the increasing population is transportation. More people
means more cars, and more cars means more pollution. Also, many
people have more than one car.
Since CO2 contributes to global warming, the increase in population
makes the problem worse because we breathe out CO2. Also, the trees
that convert our CO2 to oxygen are being demolished because we're
using the land that we cut the trees down from as property for our
homes and buildings. We are not replacing the trees ,so we are
constantly taking advantage of our natural resources and giving
nothing back in return.



Here we can see that we humans are the major reasons for ozone
layer depletion and global warming.
Impacts of global warming on our country
INDIA
Being such a huge country, India exhibits a wide diversity of
temperatures; from the freezing cold winters in the Himalayas to the
scorching heat of the Thar Desert. The above two regions play a very
significant role in controlling the weather of India, making it warmer
than to be expected with its latitude. The Himalayas participate in this
warming by preventing the cold winds from blowing in, and the Thar
desert attracts the summer monsoon winds, which are responsible for
making the majority of the monsoon season of India. However, the
majority of the regions can be considered climatically tropical.
MONSOON SEASON IN INDIA :-
The climate of India is dominated by the monsoon season, which is the
most important season of India, providing 80% of the annual rainfall.
The season extends from June to September with an average annual
rainfall between 7501,500 mm across the region. The monsoon of
India is regarded as the most productive wet season on the earth.

IMPACTS OF GLOBAL WARMING ON CLIMATE OF INDIA :-
-There has been a particularly alarming effect of global warming on
the climate of India. India is already a disaster prone area, with the
statistics of 27 out of 35 states being disaster prone, with most disasters
being water related. The process of global warming has led to an
increase in the frequency and intensity of these climatic disasters.
According to surveys, in the year 2007-2008, India ranked the third
highest in the world regarding the number of significant disasters, with
18 such events in one year, resulting in the death of 1103 people due to
these catastrophes.

-With the increasing trends of global warming, predictions of severer
climatic events have been made for India. The anticipated increase in
precipitation, the melting of glaciers and expanding seas are projected
to influence the Indian climate particularly severely, with an increase in
incidence of floods, hurricanes, and storms.
-Global warming is also posing as a mammoth threat to the foods
security situation in India with recurring and severe droughts and
ravaging floods engulfing the arable land. Rising Temperatures on the
Tibetan Plateau are causing the melting of the Himalayan glaciers,
reducing the water flow in the rivers Ganges, Brahmaputra, Yamuna,
and other major rivers, on which the livelihoods of hundreds of
thousands of farmers depend.






A Case study on global warming in Nigeria
The highly industrialized nations of the world, especially the United
States of America, China and other countries of Europe are the prime
culprits in the emission of the greenhouse gases that are on the verge of
destroying the world. These industrialized nations of the world are also
the richest and most technologically advanced.
Mt Kenya, once the only snow-capped mountain on the equator, but,
unlike in the past when it was covered by snow, the effects of global
warming have left it bare. They had, in the past, been reluctant to co-
operate with global efforts aimed at tackling the monster of global
warming by not taking action to cut down on their emission levels.
Effects :-
-The effect on Nigeria and other parts of the African continent has been
steadily raising water levels along the coastal areas, with some parts of
these places now underwater while others are condemned to being
submerged in due course.
-Also, there have been unusually extended droughts and serious
desertification, all pointing to the near certainty of populations
becoming climate refugees. This would bring with it conflicts between
indigenes of places of refugee the desperate refugee in Africans
counties.

-Climate change is equally contributing to the growth of poverty in
these vulnerable areas as it wipes out lands meant for agriculture.
These lands that become suddenly dry and useless are lands which as
much as 70 percent of the people depend on.



What can be done?
While the richer countries are figuring out the way to go, however,
Nigeria and the other such vulnerable countries must, on their own,
rise to the occasion by playing their parts in efforts to checkmate the
effects of climate change.
-For instance, the gas flaring in the oil fields of the Niger Delta which
is in the southern part of country Nigeria must be halted, bush -
burning must be stopped and efforts must be made to stop the steady
advance of the desert through aggressive tree planting campaigns. The
erosion that has been devastating parts of the country must equally be
holistically tackled to stop these parts of the country from being
washed away.
-This global monster called climate change must be immediately caged
before it becomes uncontrollable. It is clear that the vulnerable nations
of the world including Nigeria cannot contain the effects of this crisis
without help from the rich and industrialized nations of the world. It is
also a fact that these rich nations, in funding the anti-climate change
campaign in Nigeria, Africa and the other non-industrialized nations of
the world, would not be doing these nations a favor, but would be
paying for what they have caused.


In demanding climate justice from those nation that have over the
years been heating up the ozone layer, causing global warming and the
now dreaded climate change. The developed world should make sure
they put in more funds for developing counties. This is as a matter of
urgency and utmost important.







GLOBAL WARMING PROJECT


A PROJECT REPORT


Submitted by
V.T. KRISHNAPRIYA
Class: 11 COM C
Subject : Economics



THE INDIAN HIGH SCHOOL
DUBAI
January 2014


THE INDIAN HIGH SCHOOL, DUBAI

BONAFIDE CERTIFICATE


Certified that this project report GLOBAL WARMING is the bonafide work of
V.T.KRISHNAPRIYA who carried out the project work under my supervision.

TEACHER Mrs . Gladys
SIGNATURE -













BIBLIOGRAPHY
en.wikipedia.org
library.thinkquest.com
www.environmentalgraffiti.com
www.climateemergencyinstitute.com
www.internationalpeaceandconflict.org















Contents

1

Meaning of Global warming

2

Impacts of global warming

3

Reasons for global warming

4

Impacts of global warming on India

5

Case study o global warming - NIGERIA