Course: - BIOL 2461- Humans and the Environment

Topic: - Global Warming; Fact or Fiction (News Article)

I.D. No. : - 809002797

Demonstrator: - Aditi

Lab Stream: - Wednesday

It is a fact! The climate today is portraying unpredictable, extreme behavior. The recent
super-typhoon that ravaged the Phillipines on the 18th of October, or the drought that seemed to
plague the Caribbean earlier this year, has left many seeking answers as to the causes of these
Global events. In their efforts to explain these climatic occurrences, society has turned to a
theory; they were not willing to accept before, as a plausible cause. Known to some as "Global
Climate Change," while to others, "The Enhanced Greenhouse Effect," the world today has come
to know this wide-reaching phenomenon as Global Warming!

Global Warming, when simply put, is defined as the increase in the average temperature
on the Earth's surface. According to the greenhouse effect, the sun radiates energy in the form of
U.V. radiation. When this radiation reaches the Earth, the atmosphere as well as the planet
absorbs some of the energy before the rest is reradiated in the form of Infrared rays. The
Greenhouse gases in the atmosphere serve to trap some of this energy as a means of warming the
planet. Global Warming comes as a result of the increase concentration of these Greenhouse
gases trapping more and more heat thus elevating the surface temperatures of the Earth. The
effects of this boast the melting of the polar ice caps, to the inadvertent, erratic weather patterns
experienced today. Yet many critics today still remain adamant in their views that Global
warming may be "the greatest hoax ever perpetrated" (TakingITGlobal, 2010), and in
particular, skeptical as to the impact of man on it as well as its influence on worldwide weather
patterns.

Proponents of the Global Warming theory have utilized recent atmospheric carbon
dioxide levels as the major basis for their argument. According to Al Gore, former U.S. Vice-
president and major advocate for the Global Warming school of thought, CO2 levels have had an
exponential rise over the past century. With the dawn of the 1945 - 1960 industrialization era,
came the harnessing of fossil fuels for the purpose of providing energy via combustion. Fossil
fuels burn readily to provide a ready source of heat and energy with carbon dioxide forming the
major byproduct. Gore, believed that with changes in the quantity of atmospheric CO2, came
also changes in surface temperatures. Furthermore, with changing surface temperatures came
shifting weather conditions, which form the basis of this earth's climate. However, research
began to show that CO2 levels were rising at an accelerated rate and continue to rise to this date.

At the forefront of the argument against Global Warming is the irrefutable fact that the
Earth has experienced, and continues to experience cyclical climatic events. History, coupled
with extensive years of research has shown scientists that every 100,000 years the earth
experiences an interglacial period where it warms up temporarily. These periods are believed to
last 15,000 to 20,000 years before the earth reverts to a cold ice climate (Hieb 2007). Scientists,
though, have failed to provide concrete evidence as to the major causes of these temperature
shifts, but have put forward; rising concentrations of greenhouse gases as well as solar activity as
contributing factors. The major source of greenhouse gases, during prehistoric times, was
assumed to be the presence of active volcanoes. These volcanoes were said to have spewed
clouds of sulphur, carbon and other GHGs (greenhouse gases), into the atmosphere thus
dramatically increasing their concentrations.

The other theory put forward, is that over the past few hundred years, solar activities such
as sunspots and solar flares were believed to have influenced global temperature. Scientists such
as Dr. Baliunas of the Harvard- Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics have put extensive research
into validating this theory and provide chronological data of the earth's past and present
temperature. According to Landscheidt (n.d.), a supporter of Dr. Baliunas' theory, who also
identified variations in global temperature of 0.330C or 0.450C by solar activities over the course
of seven years, this data cannot be considered as insignificant. Nevertheless, with the reductions
in volcanic activity over the past century or so, as well as no data to show recent, substantial
solar activity, some scientist now believe increased surface temperatures are as a direct result of
anthropogenic actions.

The relationship between increases in global temperature and anthropogenic activities,

represents the most widespread and accepted theory that has fuelled the climate change debate.
According to the UN's Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), set up in 1988, the
most credible reason for global warming is the production of unprecedented levels of CO2 and
other greenhouse gases from anthropogenic activities. Although much of this is absorbed into the
oceans, and some also by a general increase in the growth rate of photosynthetic plant life on the
Earth's surface, approximately 3.5 billion metric tons of the new carbon is being added to the
atmosphere each year (Gaia in Turmoil 2010).

In the IPCC 2007 publication report, they proposed that global increase in CO2 emissions
are primarily due to fossil fuel use, the fuel that was largely responsible for providing 82% of the
world's energy demand in 2004. With confirmation that the global temperature has increased by
an average of approximately 0.740C over the last century (United Nations Environment
Programme 2007), they projected that the world will experience a further rise between 1.8 and
40C. With increases in global surface temperatures, an expected result would be shifting climatic
conditions which results in catastrophic occurrences. National Geographic in their online article
entitled "Effects of Global Warming," believes that some impacts from rising temperatures are
already occurring. They include; rising sea levels due to the melting of polar ice caps, sudden
changes in certain species breeding and migratory practices as well as unpredictable, enhanced
changes in precipitation and weather patterns, to say the least.

I sat down with Soil Scientist and Lecturer at the University of the West Indies; St.
Augustine campus, Dr. Gaius Eudoxie to explain his views on the matter. According to Dr.
Eudoxie, "…some scientists argue that the climate is cyclical. The climate behaves in a random
manner, yet there is a pattern of increasing temperature. I am inconclusive as to whether climatic
phenomenon is a direct result of Global Warming. More info is first required on this
phenomenon. Nevertheless, surface temperatures are rising, and as a result the possibility that it
is one of the causes is still present." Dr. Eudoxie, like many other scientist, believed that the
impact of humans on increased CO2 levels, rested in their land use practices and policies. When
asked whether he believed Global Warming to be fact or fiction, he calmly replied; "I don't think
it is fiction. However, I am still unsure about the cause of the increasing surface temperatures be
it Natural or Anthropogenic factors. It is irrefutable that CO2 levels are rising, resulting in
increased surface temperatures," "…..I am however, a believer in Global Warming, it is FACT!"
 Given the evidence presented, it is now up to each individual to choose their own beliefs
in the climate change debate. Although data strongly indicates, man's influence, ideally, lack of
an adequate standard whereby present data may be compared to past events, means the extent to
man's impact is still inconclusive. Nevertheless, mitigation measures are stressed to avoid any
further degradation of the environment on an epic scale. National Geographic, in their article on
solutions to Global Warming believed that even if we were to miraculously stop all emissions of
GHGs, there would still be a rise in global surface temperatures by a degree fahrenheit or two
(Global Warming Solutions-National Geographic 2010). At the forefront of mitigation efforts
are the various policies being put in place to limit the emission of GHGs, and in particular CO2,
by countries. The most well-known of these protocols, The Kyoto Protocol, still faces opposition
to this date by many corporations which stand to lose from such a venture. Other "Go Green"
efforts are being taken up by many manufacturing firms and industries who seek to portray an
environmentally friendly to their consumers. Included in these efforts are fuel-efficient cars,
energy saving appliances and the periodical planting of trees.

Nonetheless, climate change is a matter that will continue to plague man for decades to
come unless action is taken. As man, we have the capability to make a lasting mark on this
planet, but as famous author, Stan Lee once said, "With great power come great responsibility!"
Bibliography:

1. American Liberty Publishers 2008. IPCC global warming report.

http://www.amlibpub.com/essays/ipcc-global-warming-report.html (accessed November
07, 2010)
2. TakingIT Global 2010: Climate Change; Environment.

http://issues.tigweb.org/climate?gclid=CID6kOXljKUCFQO87Qod9xSqMg (accessed
November 06, 2010)

3. Hieb, M. 2007. Global Warming: A Chilling Perspective.

http://www.geocraft.com/WVFossils/ice_ages.html (accesed November 07, 2010)
4. Landscheidt, T. n.d. Solar Activity: A Dominant Factor in Climate Dynamics.
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2010)
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