Global Warming: Causes, Effects, and the Kyoto Protocol

Introduction

Global warming is a phenomenon used to refer to a well-documented history of warming occurring on the surface of the Earth, based on global temperature records meticulously maintained since the 1880s (Encyclopedia of Earth, 2010). The term has often been used synonymously with climate change, despite the fact that the two terms carry quite distinct meanings. The phenomenon involves a combination of anthropogenic (human-caused) greenhouse gas emissions and changes in solar radiation. It describes the recorded increase over time in the average temperature of the Earth's atmosphere and oceans. Often, the term "global warming" refers specifically to the human influence on rising temperatures.

The main discussion surrounding global warming tends to concentrate on temperature, even though the phenomenon also affects many other systems. Some of the systems adversely affected by global warming include overall precipitation patterns, cloud cover, and weather.

It is worth noting that analysis of global warming should not focus solely on its ecological effects, nor should it be limited to impacts on health and agriculture, as was the approach of Lomborg (2001). A more complete analysis must include the number of species lost, the degree of degradation of various ecological services, and the loss of equity resulting from the variable ways in which global warming affects people of different socioeconomic backgrounds — for example, global warming tends to impact the poor more adversely than the wealthy, as pointed out by Schneider (2002).

Computer Modeling of Global Warming

For quite some time, computer models have been used in attempts to predict the extent to which the Earth's atmosphere would warm and weather patterns would change as a result of global warming. There have, however, been significant frustrations on the part of programmers and scientists (Kuhar, 2008). The primary source of frustration is that the factors driving global warming are both complex and interrelated, creating a scenario that is difficult to model accurately. No perfect model has yet been devised; each successive model developed has proven to be more complex than the previous one. To date, no model has successfully incorporated all relevant factors.

The causes of global warming have been debated by scholars for an extensive period of time. The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), the most credible body monitoring global warming, concluded in its Fourth Assessment Report that "warming of the climate system is unequivocal, as is now evident from observations of increases in global average air and ocean temperatures, widespread melting of snow and ice, and rising global average sea level" (IPCC, 2007). The report further noted, with a very high degree of confidence (at least a nine-out-of-ten chance of being true), that global human activity since 1750 has been one of the major causes of global warming (IPCC, 2007). The inclusion of the human variable indicates that multiple interacting factors are responsible for the rise in global temperatures.

Causes of Global Warming

Studies have indicated that greenhouse gases are a primary driver of global warming. Greenhouse gases occur naturally and are responsible for creating the "greenhouse effect," which warms the Earth and makes it habitable for all forms of life. An excess of greenhouse gases, however, leads to global warming. Human reliance on fossil fuels is a major source of excess greenhouse gas emissions. Other significant sources include:

Global warming has been shown to contribute to the spread of diseases, particularly in northern regions that are becoming warmer. Disease-carrying insects migrate northward and in the process deliver plague and illness to new populations. Some scholars believe that malaria has not been fully eradicated in part because of global warming (Guardian, 2009).

Global warming can cause a rise in ocean levels, which in turn increases the likelihood of more frequent and more powerful hurricanes.

Conclusion

As pointed out by Hamada (2006), the process of controlling global climate change must be accomplished through the combined and unified effort of all nations — both developed and developing. It is therefore important to set aside political differences and advance a spirit of unity in developing an appropriate framework to tackle global warming. A comprehensive global strategy must be put forward, one that accommodates the circumstances of all participating nations. On the technical side, such a strategy must incorporate the perspectives of both social and natural scientists, ensuring that solutions are as holistic and equitable as possible.