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Global Warming: Causes, Effects and Solutions

Article · August 2015

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 Durreesamin Journal (ISSN: 2204-9827)
AugustVol1Issue4,Year2015

Global Warming: Causes, Effects and Solutions

Umair Shahzad, Riphah
College of Engineering & Technology, Riphah International University, Faisalabad,
Pakistan [email protected]

Abstract-Many researchers, engineers and environmentalists are the last 50 deep

expressing yearsconcerns
saw the about
rate ofchanges
temperature
in theincrease
overall
nearly doubling.
climate of the planet. Fossil fuels are being continuously used to produce SeaThe
electricity. levels have shown
burning of thesea fuels
rise ofproduces
about
gases like carbon dioxide, methane and nitrous oxides which lead 0.17 meters warming.
to global during the 20th century.
Deforestation The leading
is also extent of
to
warmer temperatures. The hazard of global warming is continuously Arctic sea icemajor
causing has steadily
damagereduced by 2.7 %
to the Earth's per decade
environment.
Most people are still unaware of global warming and do not considersinceit1978
to be[1].
a big problem in years to come. What most
people do not understand is that global warming is currently happening, and we are already experiencing some of its
withering effects. It is and will severely affect ecosystems and disturb ecological balance. Because of the treacherous
effects of global warming, some solutions must be devised. The paper introduces global warming, elaborates its causes and
hazards and presents some solutions to solve this hot issue. Above all, alternative energy sources (solar, wind, hydro,
geothermal, bio mass) need to be seriously pursued. Finding and using renewable sources of energy is one of the methods
to combat the ever increasing global warming effectively.

Keywords: Climate, fossil fuels, deforestation, global warming, alternative energy sources

I. Introduction
The continuous rise in temperature of the planet is
really upsetting. The root cause for this is global out per year. Millions of pounds of methane gas are
warming. Global warming begins when sunlight generated in landfills and agricultural decomposition of
reaches the Earth. The clouds, atmospheric particles, biomass and animal manure. Nitrous oxide is released
reflective ground surfaces and surface of oceans then into the atmosphere by various nitrogen-based
sends back about 30 % of sunlight back into the space, fertilizers including urea and diammonium phosphate
whilst the remaining is absorbed by oceans, air and and other soil management utilizations. Once released,
land. This consequently heats up the surface of the these greenhouse gases stay in the atmosphere for
planet and atmosphere, making life feasible. As the decades or even longer. According to
Earth warms up, this solar energy is radiated by thermal Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC),
radiation and infrared rays, propagating directly out to carbon dioxide and methane levels have increased by 35
space thereby cooling the Earth. However, some of the % and 148 % since the industrial revolution of 1750.
outgoing radiation is re-absorbed by carbon dioxide,
water vapours, ozone, methane and other gases in the
atmosphere and is radiated back to the surface of Earth. II. Greenhouse Effect
These gases are commonly known as greenhouse gases While other planets in the solar system of the Earth
due to their heat-trapping capacity. It must be noted that are either roasting hot or bitterly cold, Earth's surface
this re-absorption process is actually good as the Earth’s has relatively mild, steady temperatures. Earth enjoys
average surface temperature would be very cold if there these temperatures because of its atmosphere, which is
was no existence of greenhouse gases. The dilemma the thin layer of gases that cover and protect the
began when the concentration of greenhouse gases in planet. However, 97 % of climate scientists and
the atmosphere was artificially increased by humankind researchers agree that humans have changed the Earth's
at an alarming rate since the past two centuries. As of atmosphere in dramatic ways over the past two
2004, over 8 billion tons of carbon dioxide was pumped centuries, resulting in global warming. To understand
thermal radiation is further hindered by increased levels global warming, it is first necessary to become familiar
of greenhouse gases resulting in a phenomenon known with the greenhouse effect. As Fig.1 depicts, the natural
as human enhanced global warming effect. Recent greenhouse effect normally traps some portion of heat
observations regarding global warming have in such a way that our planet is safe from reaching
substantiated the theory that it is indeed a human freezing temperatures while human enhanced
enhanced greenhouse effect that is causing the planet to greenhouse effect leads to global warming. This is due
heat up. The planet has experienced the largest increase to burning of fossil fuels which increase the amount of
in surface temperature over the last 100 years. Between greenhouse gases (carbon dioxide, methane and oxides
1906 and 2006, the Earth’s average surface temperature of nitrogen) present in the atmosphere [2].
augmented between 0.6 to 0.9 degrees Celsius, however
 Fig.1 Types of greenhouse effects [2]
Fig. 3 Greenhouse effect example [4]
The trade of incoming and outgoing radiation that
heats up the Earth is often referred to as the greenhouse In the words of Michael Daley, an Associate
effect because a greenhouse works in a similar way Professor of Environmental Science at Lasell College:
(Fig.2). Incoming ultraviolet radiation easily passes "Gas molecules that absorb thermal infrared radiation,
through the glass walls of a greenhouse and is absorbed and are in significant enough quantity, can force the
by the plants and hard surfaces inside. Weaker infrared climate system. These types of gas molecules are called
radiation, however, has difficulty passing through the greenhouse gases”. Carbon dioxide and other
glass walls and is trapped inside, therefore, warming the greenhouse gases act like a mantle, absorbing infrared
greenhouse. This effect lets tropical plants prosper radiation and preventing it from escaping into the outer
inside a greenhouse, even during a cold season [2]. space. The net effect is the regular heating of the Earth's
atmosphere and surface.
The greenhouse effect, combined with increasing
levels of greenhouse gases and the resulting global
warming, is expected to have philosophical
implications. If global warming continues unrestrained
and nothing effective is done to limit this evil, it will
cause significant climate change, a rise in sea levels,
extreme weather events and other ruthless natural,
environmental and social impacts [2].
III. Greenhouse Gases: A Hazard
There are many greenhouse gases which are mainly
emitted by human activity. The first and foremost in the
list is carbon dioxide. Excessive burning of fossil fuels
like coal and oil is the major factor for producing this
gas. Moreover, deforestation i.e. removal of trees for
acquiring lands also causes large amount of carbon
Fig. 2 Plants embodied in a greenhouse [3] dioxide in the atmosphere. Cement manufacture also
contributes carbon dioxide to atmosphere when calcium
A similar phenomenon takes place in a car which is carbonate is heated generating lime and carbon dioxide.
parked outside on a cold sunny day. Incoming solar The second culprit gas is methane, commonly known as
radiation warms the interior of the car but outgoing natural gas. It is produced as a result of agricultural
thermal radiation is trapped inside the closed windows activities such as livestock digestion, paddy rice
of the cars. This entrapment basically warms up the car. farming and use of manure. Methane is also produced
This trapping occurs in such a way that the hot air does due to improper management of waste. Nitrous oxides
not rise and does not lose energy though convention are generated mainly by fertilizers. Moreover,
[2].This phenomenon is depicted in Fig. 3. fluorinated gases such as chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs)
are chiefly a result of various industrial processes and
refrigeration [5], [6]. Fig.4 shows pictorially the
distribution of greenhouse gases. These gases are
playing their negative part in increasing the havoc of
global warming. They are continuously causing an
increase in the earth’s temperature.
 the surface of the Earth. The human contribution to the
amount of aerosols in the atmosphere is of various
forms. For instance, dust is a by-product of agriculture.
Biomass burning generates a mixture of organic
Fig.4 Distribution of greenhouse gases [7] droplets and soot particles. Many industrial processes
produce a wide diversity of aerosols depending on what
IV. Causes of Global warming is being burned or generated in the manufacturing
The major cause of global warming is the process. Moreover, exhaust emissions from various
greenhouse gases. They include carbon dioxide, sorts of transport produce a rich mixture of pollutants
methane, nitrous oxides and in some cases chlorine and that are either aerosols from the outset or are
bromine containing compounds. The build-up of these transformed by chemical reactions in the atmosphere to
gases in the atmosphere changes the radiative form aerosols [8].
equilibrium in the atmosphere. Their overall effect is to
warm the Earth’s surface and the lower atmosphere V. Global Warming: The Effects
because greenhouse gases absorb some of the outgoing Predicting the consequences of global warming is
radiation of Earth and re-radiate it back towards the one of the most difficult tasks faced by the climate
surface. The net warming from 1850 to the end of the researchers. This is due to the fact that natural processes
20th century was equivalent to nearly 2.5 W/m 2 with that cause rain, snowfall, hailstorms, rise in sea levels is
carbon dioxide contribution about 60 % to this figure, reliant on many diverse factors. Moreover, it is very
methane about 25 per cent, with nitrous oxides and hard to predict the size of emissions of greenhouse
halocarbons providing the remainder. In 1985, Joe gases in the future years as this is determined majorly
Farman, of the British Antarctic Survey, published an through technological advancements and political
article showing the decrease in ozone levels over decisions. Global warming produces many negative
Antarctica during the early 1980s. The response was effects some of which are described here. Firstly, extra
striking: large scale international scientific programmes water vapour which is present in the atmosphere falls
were mounted to prove that CFCs (used as aerosol again as rain which leads to floods in various regions of
propellants in industrial cleaning fluids and in the world. When the weather turns warmer, evaporation
refrigeration tools) were the cause of the problem. Even process from both land and sea rises. This leads to
more important was abrupt international action to curb drought in the regions where increased evaporation
the emissions of CFCs.The second major cause of process is not compensated by increased precipitation.
global warming is the depletion of ozone layer. This In some areas of the world, this will result in crop
happens mainly due to the presence of chlorine- failure and famine particularly in areas where the
containing source gases. When ultraviolet light is temperatures are already high. The extra water vapour
present, these gases dissociate releasing chlorine atoms content in the atmosphere will fall again as extra rain
which then catalyses ozone destruction. Aerosols hence causing flood. Towns and villages which are
present in the atmosphere are also causing global dependent on the melting water from snowy mountains
warming by changing the climate in two different ways. may suffer drought and scarcity of water supply. It is
Firstly, they scatter and absorb solar and infrared because the glaciers all over the world are shrinking at a
radiation and secondly, they may alter the very rapid rate and melting of ice appears to be faster
microphysical and chemical properties of clouds and than previously projected. According to
perhaps affect their lifetime and extent. The scattering Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC),
of solar radiation acts to cool the planet, while about one-sixth of the total population of the world
absorption of solar radiation by aerosols warms the air lives in the regions which shall be affected by a
directly instead of permitting sunlight to be absorbed by decrease in melting water. The warmer climate will
likely cause more heat waves, more violent rainfall and
also amplification in the severity of hailstorms and
thunderstorms. Rising of sea levels is the most deadly
affect of global warming, the rise in temperature is
causing the ice and glaciers to melt rapidly. This will
lead to rise of water levels in oceans, rivers and lakes
that can pilot devastation in the form of floods [6].
As evident from Fig. 5, temperature anomalies are
projected to increase in coming years. Before, the 20 th
century, the situation was well under control but the
beginning of the current century, the situation started to
worsen .This was all due to increase in global warming
majorly due to the fact that new industries and power
houses started operation and emitted harmful gases
which cause the planet to heat up. This data is based on
the research carried out by different climate and
environmental research agencies.

Fig. 7 Recent global mean temperatures according

to NASA [10]
VI. Effects on Living Beings
Fig. 5 Global warming projections by various Global warming can severely affect the health of
Science and Engineering research agencies [9] living beings. Excess heat can cause stress which may
lead to blood pressure and heart diseases. Crop failures
Similarly, Fig.6 elaborates the risks and impacts of and famines, which are a direct consequence of heating
global warming in years to come. As can be inferred up of earth, can cause a decline in human body
from figure, we are currently experiencing severity of resistance to viruses and infections. Global warming
extreme climate events in the form of thunderstorms, may also transfer various diseases to other regions as
floods and earthquakes. This destruction will take a people will shift from regions of higher temperatures to
sharp hike if nothing is done to stop this menace. Fig. 7 regions of comparatively lower temperatures. Warmer
depicts global mean temperature in the recent years oceans and other surface waters may lead to severe
according to National Aeronautics and Space cholera outbreaks and harmful infections in some types
Administration (NASA). The trend clearly puts up a of sea food [11].
serious question for us. How will we survive on earth Moreover, it is an established fact that warmer
given the rise in temperature to prevail? temperatures lead to dehydration which is a major cause
of kidney stones. A medical team from
The Children's Hospital of Philadelphia examined the
health proceedings of more than 60,000 Americans
alongside weather records. They discovered that
individuals were most likely to be hospitalized with
kidney stones three days after a temperature rise. Since
1994, kidney stone incidence has risen from about one
in 20 people to one in 11. This trend is likely to increase
as the globe gets hotter. According to Luis Ostrosky,
M.D. of the Division of Infectious Diseases at The
University of Texas Health Science Centre at Houston
Medical School and medical director for epidemiology
at Memorial Hermann-Texas Medical Centre: “One
infection that is definitely making a weird pattern is
valley fever”. In his words, “This is a fungal infection
we used to see only in California, Arizona, New
Mexico and a little in Texas, but last year we found it
for the first time in Washington State.”This potentially
deadly condition caused apprehension in California
when the number of cases increased drastically during
2010 and 2011. Valley fever infections have been on
Fig. 6 An assessment of the relative impact and risks the rise, probably because of warming climates and
connected with global warming. Five categories are drought causing dust storms. Dry soil and wind can
assessed. The bars are colour-coded to show level of carry spores that spread the virus. Hotter and drier
impact/concern for each factor as a function of climates are projected to increase the amount of dusting
temperature increase [9] carrying this disease. Researchers have already noticed
a rise in mosquito-borne disease like dengue fever and Control and Prevention, the summer of 2012 was the
malaria due to warmer and longer summers. Perhaps the nastiest West Nile season on record,. The likely reason
most prominent mosquito-borne disease, West Nile was that summer's scorching heat and drought. Lyme
Virus, has already experienced a sharp increase in disease is another dangerous disease which is transmitted
annual cases. According to the U.S. Centres for Disease mainly through bites from certain tick species [12].
 Fig. 8 describes in the form of a block diagram that global warming, including more common and longer
how alterations in global climate can affect human dry periods, placing further pressure on their survival
health. The bitterest fact is that it can cause various [14].
diseases and deprive human beings of the food.
VII. Alternative Energy Sources
The hazards caused by global warming are
tremendous. Excessive use of fossil fuels such as coal,
natural gas and oil play a part in it too. The usage of
fossil fuels should be discontinued immediately. The
most significant solution to put an end to this disaster is
the use of alternative energy sources. They include
wind, solar, bio mass, geothermal and hydro. The most
noteworthy point in using these sources is their clean
nature. They do not produce any sort of pollution or
toxic gases that can lead to global warming. They are
environmentally friendly and pose no threat to
ecological balance. However, their high installation
and setup costs may drive energy companies away from
Fig.8 Potential impacts of global climate change on them at first but in the long run they are surely
human health [13] beneficial for everyone. Most importantly, fossil fuels
will deplete one day and sooner or later, we have to turn
Global warming is also affecting animals. They to renewable energy sources for energy production.
need to move to cooler places in order to survive. This Thus, the eventual solution to end global warming is to
process has been observed in various places, for use alternative energy sources. Fig. 9 depicts in a
instance, in the Alps, in mountainous Queensland in pictorial way that earth can be saved from the hazards
Australia, and in the misty forests of Costa Rica. Fish in of global warming if we utilise renewable energy
the North Sea have been reported to move northwards sources.
too .The impacts on species are becoming noteworthy
to such an extent that their movements can be used as a
sign of a warming world. They are the silent witnesses
of the swift changes being inflicted on the Earth.
Scientists and researchers predict that global warming is
gradually damaging the ecosystems of various species
and is playing a very unconstructive role in making
them extinct. For instance Asia’s only ape – the orang-
utan – is in bottomless trouble. Its last remaining
strongholds in the rainforests of Indonesia are being
endangered by a range of pressures, including climate
change, putting the animal at the menace of extinction
within a few decades. With global warming continually
increasing the duration and frequency of droughts,
bushfires are occurring more often in these heavily
logged forests, further fragmenting the orang-utan’s Fig. 9 Save earth from global warming by using
living domain. Similarly, in Africa, elephants face a renewable energy sources [15]
series of threats including shrinking living space, which
brings them more regularly into divergence with people. To counteract the medical hazards of global
With this reduced living space, elephants will be unable warming, it is essential to turn to renewable energy
to escape any changes to their natural habitat caused by sources. Public, in general, should be responsible about
their decisions on energy conservation methods. This
will ensure a healthy atmosphere and stable climate for
our future generations. Governments should devise and
pass policies which encourage the energy companies
and people, in general, to use renewable energy instead
of conventional energy, Nongovernmental organisations
(NGOs) should distribute pamphlets to people
motivating them to use alternative sources of energy
and discourage them from using fossil fuels. They
should also explain to them the hazards which the usage
of fossil fuels will cause. Many developed countries are
already generating huge amounts of power using
renewables. These countries should extend their helping which play a major role in global warming.
hand to developing countries to combat the evil of Fig. 10 and Fig. 11 show that the use of renewables is
global warming collectively. Using renewable energy is gradually increasing. The figure should be much more
the most effective way to curtain the emission of gases than present so that we can tackle the problem of global
warming timely and effectively. should use the philosophy of automobile advertisements
to encourage drivers to conserve energy and reduce
pollution. Awareness campaigns can be started using
placards, posters and logos similar to shown in Figures
12-14. They are a very useful way to demonstrate that
global warming is not good for the planet. Recycling is
also a good way to reduce global warming. People
should use rechargeable batteries instead of disposable
ones. Quality products should be bought that have a
long life. Shopping should be done from local markets
which reduce transportation. Even small individual
efforts like lowering the thermostats in winter and using
compact fluorescent lamps instead of incandescent
lamps can aid to address the issue of global warming.
Reforestation schemes must be started to grow a large
Fig. 10 World fuel consumption in recent years [16] number of trees. Forest degradation and deforestation
must be discouraged at government level. Nuclear
power is also a possible solution as this power results in
fewer emissions but this method should be used with
care as it can lead to severe accidents therefore, the
major hurdle is to overcome the security, propagation,
waste disposal and high costs of nuclear power if this
method has to be made practical [1].

Fig .11 Projected world energy mix in 2030 [17]

VIII. Other Solutions
As elaborated earlier, toxic emissions are a major
cause of global warming, A likely solution to reduce
harmful emissions is to cut the usage of vehicles which
produce them. This has not been met with much success
Fig. 12 shows symbolically how global warming is
as many people refuse to cut down their practice of
causing the earth to melt [18]
using cars. No doubt, some people have started to use
bicycles and public transport, whereas some other
prefer to walk but these numbers are relatively small. It
should be noted that fuel economy and emission rates
are chief factors to consider regarding the car choice.
Hybrid cars have higher efficiency and lower emission
rates. Keeping the tires inflated will help improve
mileage and air filters should be frequently replaced to
cut down harmful emissions. People should share the
ride with friends or co-workers to reduce the total
number of vehicles on the road. Print and social media
can play an effective role in curbing the problem. It

Fig. 13 showing a symbolic representation to stop

global warming [19]

Fig. 14 depicting that how human beings are

destroying the earth for their own benefits [20]

IX. Conclusion
 The scientific and environmental community is on http://www.bgs.ac.uk/discoveringGeology/climate
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sources”, 10 February 2015,
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