Global Warming the Earth\'s Atmosphere

Global Warming

The earth's atmosphere is heating up because of the rise in the amount of man-made greenhouse gases that are being released into the atmosphere. Some call it global warming, others call it "climate change," and still others believe that the scientists who research the warming of the planet are somehow putting forth a hoax. For the purposes of this paper, global warming is real, it is proven by studies from hundreds of reputable scientists -- including the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) that is sponsored by the United Nations -- and global warming presents a very dangerous situation for the future of the planet.

The National Geographic News report (http://news.nationalgeographic.com) explains that the "past decade has been the hottest on record." In fact the year 2009 is "shaping up to be the fifth warmest year" since records were being kept in 1850, the National Geographic reports. The temperature data is collected on ships, buoys, on satellites, and it "does not show a slowdown or reversal" of the trend for global heating up. Statistically, the data that National Geographic uses -- from the World Meteorological Organization (WMO) -- shows that the combined air surface and sea surface temperatures for 2009 have hit "14.44 degrees Centigrade (57.99 degrees Fahrenheit)." This represents 0.44 degree Centigrade "above the average annual temperature" of the planet (which was 14.00 degrees Centigrade) that was recorded between 1961 and 1990, a period of time that is used by the WMO.

The United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) states that it is "known" that "human activities are changing the composition of Earth's atmosphere" by increasing greenhouse gases (like CO2). This is "well-documented and understood," the EPA states (www.epa.gov). Though the global warming trend is proven by empirical science, the EPA reminds Americans that important questions remain about "how much warming will occur, how fast it will occur, and how the warming will affect" the rest of the system that affects climate (like storms, rain patterns, and winds). The United States has its own scientific study of global warming called the U.S. Climate Change Science Program (CCSP). The purpose of CCSP is to improve the public's understanding of natural climatic variations and how citizens can help to slow down the rate of warming.

The United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) is meeting in Denmark in December, and has released some information that helps to understand global warming. In the fact sheet the UNFCCC reports that "more powerful storms and hotter, longer dry periods" are being observed and are assessed by the UN scientists. "The frequency of heavy precipitation events has increased over most land areas," the report goes on. In Africa's large lake basins like Niger, Lake Chad, and Senegal, total available water "has decreased by 40 to 60%."