...People against the Earth: Cycle of melting of ice caps in the environment It is very shocking to see how many people do not have the knowledge or the interest to educate themselves about one of the biggest issues of the Earth. There are many articles about the climate change in general, but this essay will answer a question what are the effects of melting ice caps on climate change? Firstly what is global warming and what is climate change? Global warming is just the Earth’s rising surface temperature and climate change is a bigger category and global warming is one part of its category. In another words global warming is one issue of a much larger problem of human caused climate change. Both of them are a commonly talked about issue among scientists since it causes many changes in the environment including the melting of ices which has an effect on all parts of the world. Because of the sea level rising there are, even if it is not a rapid increase, many devastating effects on land habitants, and also there is a threat of the next ice age. Firstly the melting of polar ice caps can affect countries, as continents. A lot of parts of the “now known” continents would totally disappear under the ocean; which would mean that people that live there now, would lose their homes and the number of people per square foot would rise rapidly. The sunk parts of the countries would affects also the fauna and flora. It is clear that many species are dying out now and also...
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...The melting of ice glaciers is considered to be a normal act of nature. The real problem occurs when “the snow replenishing it is less than the melted water.” (Mathias, 2011). This problem is occurring with the majority of glaciers around the world, with the size of the glaciers reducing causing an increase in the sea water levels. The primary culprit for the sudden melting of ice glaciers is the rapid industrialization and the burning of fossil fuels taking place. There are many negative effects on the earth because of the rapid melting of ice glaciers but the most prominent ones are global warming, shortage in fresh water and the rise in sea level. The human population has taken action to try and reduce the severity of these effects, and have been successful in doing so, but they are still very present. Global warming is a concern that is well-known by the majority of our population and a mutual effort of several countries to reduce the overall release of pollution and greenhouse gases was carried out through a contract called the “Kyoto Protocol.” This is one good example of the awareness of the issues that we as a planet are facing, and how we have tackled these severe issues. Glacier melting is on the rise and the effects, as a result, are becoming more serious which is why it is worth investigating ways in which these situations can be mitigated. The relationship between the melting ice glaciers and global warming is best described as a feedback loop, which defined by...
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...Castro - Global W arming and Glaciers The Traprock, Vol. 3, M ay 2004, pp 16 - 19 16 Global Warming and its Effects on Glaciers Andrew Grosvenor, Will Roble and Marcus de Castro The addition of more greenhouse gasses to earth’s atmosphere has been blocking an increased amount of the heat radiated out from the earth’s surface. This in turn has lead to higher average global temperatures, or global warming. One of the main problems posed by this development is the melting of the earth’s glaciers. This is problematic because more liquid water will cause the planet’s sea levels to rise, possibly by as much as 66m if they are completely melted. Other environmental concerns related to melting include changes to mountain habitats and an accelerated water cycle. Although some modeling has shown no serious deterioration of the earth’s glaciers it is becoming increasingly evident that continued global warming would have serious repercussions on the planet’s ice. With the increasing acceptance of global warming as an important phenomenon occurring in our environment today, its effects on the natural cycles of the planet are becoming the center of research. One of the most interesting of these topics is the effect of global warming on the earth’s glaciers. It has been observed that increasing temperatures have and will continue to lead to glacial melting, and that the additional water will lead to a rise in the earth’s sea levels. The other potential effects of glacial melting are...
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...is a lot of concern about global warming, all around us changes are occurring and they are effecting things in negative ways. Global warming is melting the ice and glaciers it’s beginning to cause some very negative changes and the sad thing is that everyone is blaming it on humans. Enviromentalist Andrew C. Revkin and Vice President Al Gore warn the dangers of melting ice from global warming, while professor Philip Stott claims that their warning is an overblown myth. I believe global warming is a important matter but a over dramatic topic. In the article “Global warming is not a threat to a polar ice” Philip Stott explains that global warming is not happening because of human activity. He believes this is just a cycle of mother nature. Stott suggests that the world was going to go through global warming anyway but none of it was our fault. I agree with most of what He states because there is natural causes that lead to this thing we call global warming. It should not be blamed on mainly human activity and to be honest we cannot stop global warming we can only slow it down maybe. He states “Those who believe that human-cause global warming is a serious problem often point to change polar ice as proof of their theory. Stott 419. Stott is saying that people who think humans are the leading to cause to global warming Is a problem, he thinks they are just being dramatic and over exaggerating this myth. I agree with Stott’s opinion on global warming. I also have my own thoughts...
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...Global Warming: Fact or Fiction * What is Global warming * Causes of global warming * Car exhaust * Aerosols * Green house effect -Too much CO2 * Concerns about global warming * Endangering animals * Flooding/Hurricanes * Change in weather * Is Global Warming Real * What are the facts * Glaciers are melting * Carbon dioxide as increased * Global temperatures are rising * Facts against global warming * Is there proof * The earth is cooling * Earth is below average temperature * Most of the CO2 is from natural causes Global warming has been a major topic for scientist and environmental advocates for years and the question still remains is global warming fact or fiction. To be able to fully answer that question first we must understand global warming, what causes it, what the effects are, and how can we change it if it does exist. Global warming is when the earth’s temperature increases, which is caused by greenhouse gasses such as carbon dioxide, water vapor, nitrous oxide, and methane. These gases trap heat and light form the sun in the earth’s atmosphere causing the temperature to rise on earth. Greenhouse gases are necessary for the survival of life on our planet but due to the large increase of average global temperatures people are pointing at human activity for speeding up the process to a degree that is deemed unsafe. Certain events have caused the natural greenhouse gases to rise...
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...Global Warming Romel Turner English 110 03-05-15 Global Warming is the change in climate in locations that shouldn’t be changing. We should be concerned about these things because if the climate continues to change in locations that aren’t to be that climate, such as Antarctica and the melting glaciers, or snow in the desert, it can harm the animals that live there and will harm our planet. I think that some people disagree because they don’t want to face the facts that our planet is changing drastically due to our actions, such as pollution to the air, land, and water. In the article 5 Scientific Reasons That Global Warming Isn’t Happening, by John Hawkins, he argues that global warming is mainly due to scientific reasons, not mankind. He says that there hasn’t been any global warming since 1997, and that the temperature of the planet has essentially been flat for 17 years. Following this statement, he says that the planet was cooling from 1940-1975, meaning that a 17 year pause is necessary to follow that. Hawkins believes that there are no scientific reasoning that global warming is caused by man. He says that over 31,000 scientists have signed on to a petition saying that humans aren’t causing global warming. He also says that Artic ice is up 50% since 2012, meaning that the Artic area has more ice, rather than it all melting away because of global warming. He states that predictions of global warming have already been proven wrong. He believes that global warming is a scientific...
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...Global warming, by definition is the increase in the earth's ocean and near surface temperatures. In the last several decades, there have been numerous debates regarding global warming. The vast majority of the scientific community now agrees that global warming is caused by the increase in greenhouse gasses in the atmosphere. What is more important, cheap energy or sustaining human life for the next 100+ years? Global warming is no longer fiction; scientific studies have proved that the earth's climate is under going a period of rapid change. The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) claims that the average global temperature has increased by 0.74°C since the mid-20th century and predicts that it will continue to rise by another 1.1°C to 6.4°C by the end of the 21st century (Lynas, 1). Our high dependence on fossil fuels as a source of energy has raised the atmospheric content of greenhouses gases to levels which are higher than almost any point in history. These gasses serve as a powerful insulator, and contain excess heat within our atmosphere. An overall warmer climate disrupts the ecosystem and causes disastrous impacts to take place. One of the most prominent dangers associated with global warming is the melting of the polar ice caps (Hansen 2). These enormous blocks of ice that serve as a habitat for many species of wildlife creatures are quickly melting into the ocean. The devastating impact this has on human life is that it sea levels are rising, and if not...
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...Global Warming An Inconvenient Truth, a bold message that drew all the attention throughout the world about global warming was written and presented by former Vice President Al Gore. In his documentary, Al Gore discusses many global issues as well as the personal relevance they bear in his and all of our lives today and in our futures. The book, as a whole, is a huge success. It also raises public awareness of global climate change and tells the truth that lies behind global warming. It is a very daring book. However, some critiques have been made of Al Gore’s approach. The criticism is not whether global warming is true, or whether or not An Inconvenient Truth should have won an Academy Award for best documentary, but whether Al Gore has presented the information correctly and honestly. Many people argue that he has exaggerated, and he wrote the book because he wanted to gain popularity and money. Conservatives even use Gore’s mistakes to discredit his whole book. Even though Gore has made some mistakes, his central ideas are broadly accurate, and his use of good strategies makes his argument really convincing. Since the book An Inconvenient Truth got published, many people have become nervous, and they attacked Gore personally, such as people from polluting firms and organizations that were funded by polluters. Sean Hannity reports on Fox News channel’s Hannity & Colmes when Gore was running his campaign. He says that Gore’s use of a jet from New Hampshire back to Washington...
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...The Department of the Interior protects America’s natural resources while honoring our various heritage, cultures, and tribal communities as well as supplies the energy of the future. The primary focus is within the Fish and Wildlife Service of the Federal Government. The existence of wildlife and plants is constantly threatened as a direct result of humanity. Global Warming is finally receiving acknowledgement necessary to make a difference in the wasteful and destructive routines of human expansion. Artic wildlife is experiencing the most difficulties as the surrounding glaciers are all melting. Our primary focus is on polar bears as they rely on masses of ice to rest after hunting for food. With the emergence of warmer climate, the areas of ice are diminishing leaving polar bears swimming for even longer until they drown from exhaustion. A federal regulation was passed in May of 2008 to protect the polar bear species from extinction by adding them to the endangered list. This should be a wake-up call to every individual living on the planet Earth as it is time to take responsibility for our actions and start making serious changes. Continued decrease of sea ice levels is expected in the future which affects the entire span of polar bears which reclassifies their status as threatened and endangered. The initial process began with a 12-Month Petition Finding and Proposed Rule during the year 2007. Polar bears are considered threatened with critical habitat under The Endangered...
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...There is a definite link between the rapid loss of the melting ice caps and the endangerment and declining populations of animal species in the Artic region. Global warming has produced rising temperatures causing the melting of the ice caps. The Artic animals, primarily the polar bear and the emperor penguin are left with less hunting grounds and a natural environment in which to thrive. Global warming should be of great concern worldwide, as it not only affects our environment physically, but it is detrimental to the animals as well. We must live sustainably to preserve our natural resources in order to cease global warming, ultimately helping these Artic animals as well as ourselves. However, the fact that many people and politicians refuse...
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...Global warming reveals the Heart of Antarctica First of all, global warming is when the earth’s temperature rises. It is affecting many parts of the world and makes the sea rise, or the ice melt. But even if it’s known for its many drawbacks, it’s easier to reach many places such as the Antarctica, thanks to the ice-melting. It gives more access to beautiful landscapes: not only in the poles but also in the mountains, as we can see on the picture. As a result, the global warming gives a great opportunity for the adventure travel industry. Indeed, it “has had an adverse effect on activities” L.1-2, that are decreasing, such as “coral-reef diving”, or “polar-bear watching” L.2. The ice melting allows developing new tours or cruises L.5 “new adventures are emerging” and many activities that tourists can do, that are even more thrilling than those existing so far. In fact, vessels can now travel further in the polar circle. It allows people to see very rare species they had never seen before like “leopard seals” and “the snowy sheathbill” L.14. Today, people are always looking for new sensations, and they are more and more demanding. Those trips and activities are a way to let people dream. They need to be amazed and surprised by breathtaking views. For example, the tourists get so close to some “humpbacks” L.17 (sort of whales), that they were gawking and “Everyone’s heart was swelling” L.19. However, these companies are aware that by developing their business, they contribute...
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...1012, GW Essay Global warming, by definition is the increase in the Earth's ocean and near surface temperatures. In the last several decades, there have been numerous debates regarding global warming. The vast majority of the scientific community now agrees that global warming is caused by the increase in greenhouse gasses, but there is an ongoing debate on whether the increase is due to human activity or from natural sources, such as volcanoes and forest fires. The controversy gained a lot of public attention in 2005 when politician and former Vice President Al Gore created a documentary titled An Inconvenient Truth. The documentary was a compilation of scientific research, theories, and facts that served to blame human activity as the culprit of global warming. The United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) created the Kyoto Protocol in response to the threats associated with global warming (Hawkins 1). The Kyoto Protocol is an agreement among industrialized nations whom have pledged to reduce their annual emission of greenhouse gasses. The protocol currently consists of over 160 nations representing over 55% of the world's greenhouse gases. Ironically, the United States, the biggest contributor of greenhouse gases, accounts for 20.6% of the worlds greenhouse gases, and has not signed the protocol (Clemmit). Our nation's political leaders are at a debate on whether money should be spent in order to decelerate or prevent global warming. George W. Bush, the...
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...OUTLINE Subject: The Effects of Global Warming; the problems of water in the world 1. Introduction 1) Hook: industrial development 2) General Idea: industrial development has caused serious damages to the environment. 3) Thesis statement: Global warming causes negative environmental problems, particularly various problems of water in our lives. 2. Body Paragraph 1) Global warming (1) The reasons of global warming phenomenon (2) The effects of global warming phenomenon 2) The problems of water by global warming (1) Sea levels rise (2) Water shortages (3) Flood from heavy rains 3. Conclusion 1) The efforts of each countries and organizations Abstract In the twentieth century, using fossil fuel, industrial development has caused serious damages to the environment. This is one of the main factors in the formation of global warming that is closely linked to human activity, and it is caused by the greenhouse effect. Global warming has caused many negative effects to natural environment, especially problems of global water. In other words, the first serious problem of global warming is the rising sea levels, secondly negative problem is water shortages and last one is flooding from heavy rains. Each problem is made by climate changes and global warming by increasing surface temperature. For instance, melting Antarctic and Arctic glaciers have affected sea level rise, and decreasing rainfall and rising temperature have influenced water shortages and...
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...Overfishing and destructive fishing Fishers in the Philippines are increasingly coming home with pitiful catches. Of a number of factors which have led to this situation, one stands out: over-fishing in many areas. According to the Asian Development Bank (ADB), there has been a drop of 90% in the quantity of marine organisms that can be trawled in some traditional fishing areas of the Philippines. This isn’t just a question of declining fish stocks and biodiversity, but also of social impacts and economic losses. Mismanagement of fisheries resources is estimated to cost US$ 420 million annually in lost revenues. At the root of the overfishing problem is weak fisheries management, ineffective policies and poor enforcement of fishery laws. Deforestation After decades of deforestation, which has left about 3% of the original cover, forests continue to be under threat from agriculture and urbanization, illegal logging and forest fires. Sustained forest loss in the Philippines is causing severe soil erosion, and is threatening the country’s rich biodiversity. This is particularly worrying as many of the Philippines’ species, which depend on these forests, are endemic (they cannot be found anywhere else in the world). For example, of 180 native terrestrial mammal species here, about 61% are endemic. Inconsistent laws, inadequate regulations, weak enforcement and lack of funding are making forest conservation a major challenge. Sources • BirdLife. Red Data Book - Threatened...
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...The Cause and Effects of Global Warming on the Polar Bear Most experts agree that global warming does exist and it is having a devastating effect on the Earth’s climate. A major concern of global warming is the melting of the polar ice caps. Research suggests that global warming is going to greatly impact the survival of the polar bear. In southern portions of their range, like Hudson Bay, Canada, there is no sea ice during the summer, and the polar bears must live on land until the Bay freezes in the fall, when they can once again hunt on the ice. While they are on land during the summer, the polar bears eat very little or sometimes nothing. In just 20 years the ice-free period in Hudson Bay has increased by an average of 20 days, thus cutting the polar bears' seal hunting season by nearly three weeks. Because the ice is freezing later in the fall, and melting earlier in the spring the bears have a much shorter timeframe in which to hunt during the critical season when seal pups are born. As a result, average bear weight has dropped by 15 percent, causing reproduction rates to decline. The Hudson Bay population is down more than 20 percent. Despite the fact that polar bears are good swimmers there has been an alarming increase of polar bears drowning. Although they are well adapted to water, and can swim hundreds of miles to reach solid land, the distance to reach that land is increasing dramatically as the Arctic ice disappears. It is believed that fewer and smaller ice floes...
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