Impacts of Global Warming

Global warming is already underway with consequences that must be faced today as well
as tomorrow. Evidence of changes to the Earth's physical, chemical and biological
processes is now evident on every continent.
To fully appreciate the urgency of climate change, it's important to understand the ways it affects society and the natural
environment. Sea levels are rising and glaciers are shrinking; record high temperatures and severe rainstorms and droughts
are becoming increasingly common. Changes in temperatures and rainfall patterns alter plant and animal behavior and have
significant implications for humans. In this section, explore the connections between the climate data and the changes
happening around youand those you can expect to see in the futurein all parts of the globe, including your own
backyard.
Not only are global warming-induced changes currently underway, but scientists also expect additional effects on human
society and natural environments around the world. Some further warming is already unavoidable due to past heat-trapping
emissions; unless we aggressively reduce today's emissions, scientists project extra warming and thus additional impacts.
The Climate Hot Map arranges current and future climate impacts into five main groupings:
People
Freshwater
Oceans
Ecosystems
Temperature
Each of these major groupings, in turn, is divided into specific categories that describe more fully some of the consequences
we may face. Click on any of the categories listed on the left for more information.
References
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massive bleaching in 2005 causes 60% decline in coral cover on reefs in the US Virgin Islands. Coral Reefs 28:925-937.
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and vulnerability. Contribution of Working Group II to the Fourth Assessment Report of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate
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Impacts of Global Warming
What can governments do to slow or prevent global warming?

Isaac McArdle
Answered Last
Governments and countries have to get together and agree on a common solution.
They have to legislate to put a cap on carbon emissions (to stop factories producing carbon dioxide)
They have to stop deforestation and takes steps to promote new forest growth
They have to deal with waste and anaerobic decomposition that produces methane
They have to promote recycling.
They have to cut the use of chemical fertilizers whose run-off pollutes our waterways
They have to promote organic farming, worm farms and composting.
Goverments should legislate to put a price on carbon. So that polluting industries will be encouraged to
cut their emissions.
This will encourage take-up of renewable energy.
Governments can help to solve environmental difficulties by encouraging and working with big
industries to promote the development of renewable energies.
Governments need to fund research and development technologies and also governments need to
develop some sort of prize fund with large rewards to attract knowledgeable scientists to come and help
in the research fields.


The fact is that global warming is happening, it is not something that can be prevented. It has gone too far
to be stopped, at least in the near future. The best we can do right now is find ways of slowing it down.
Another complication is that governments are usually slow to act on environmental issues in general, so it
may take some time to see changes. The government is helping control this issue by passing the Clean Air
Act so there is less air pollution.

By planting trees, by trying stop greenhouse gases that are produced every day, and by encouraging
people to reduce wasteful energy use.

Countries and international organizations are executing studies, summits and protocols that may reduce
the effects of global warming.







Government Solutions to Global Warming

Governments can take several steps to reduce the threat of global warming. First and
foremost, the United States and other industrial nations must use less of the fossil
fuels -- especially coal, oil, and gasoline -- that produce carbon dioxide, the most
significant heat-trapping gas. Industrial countries are responsible for the largest share
of worldwide emissions of heat-trapping gases. But these nations also have a great
ability to switch to cutting-edge energy technologies that produce fewer of these
emissions.
Second, the nations of the world must negotiate a climate change treaty with legally
binding limits on emissions of heat-trapping gases.

The United States can reduce its carbon-dioxide emissions through four principal
strategies that make use of new energy technologies: improving energy efficiency,
developing renewable energy resources such as solar and wind power, reducing
gasoline consumption for transportation, and switching from coal and oil to natural
gas.

Improve Energy Efficiency
The less energy we use, the less carbon dioxide we will produce. Over the past 20
years, American industry and consumers have begun to switch to more-efficient
motors, vehicles, appliances, windows, and manufacturing processes. This switch has
saved considerable energy and money, but much greater efficiency is possible.

Develop Renewable Energy
Clean, safe, renewable sources, such as solar, wind, and sustainably grown biomass
(plant matter), can provide us with energy but do not contribute to global warming.
These technologies are ready to be deployed much more widely, but government
policies must encourage their use.

Reduce Gasoline Consumption for Transportation
Cars, trucks, and buses consume over half of the oil used in the United States. Highly
efficient gasoline-powered cars, and alternatively fueled vehicles such as electric and
fuel-cell cars and buses, can reduce carbon dioxide emissions by using less or no
gasoline. In addition, policies can encourage consumers to drive less and to use
alternatives to single-passenger automobile trips, such as carpools, bicycles, and
public transportation.

Switch from Coal and Oil to Natural Gas
Although natural gas is a fossil fuel, it produces less carbon dioxide than either coal or
oil. Changing from coal to natural gas for generating electricity and from oil to natural
gas for home heating is thus desirable as a quick fix, even though these switches alone
cannot reduce carbon dioxide emissions nearly as much as is necessary.

Additional Government Steps
Reducing American use of coal, oil, and gasoline would start to address the global
warming threat, but other steps, such as transferring technology to developing
countries, preserving forests, decreasing atmospheric methane, continuing to phase
out CFCs, and slowing down population growth, are also important. They can also
provide benefits in addition to reducing global warming. Forest preservation, for
example, would protect endangered species, while slower population growth would
make it easier to supply adequate food for all the world's people.

Transfer Technology to Developing Countries
American businesses, the government, and international organizations need to find
ways to transfer advanced energy technologies to developing countries, so that those
nations can build their economies without having to use the older, polluting fossil fuel
technologies that the industrial countries are now trying to phase out.

Preserve and Plant Forests
Trees take in carbon dioxide and use it to grow. Deforestation, especially in the
tropics where many of the largest, most important forests are located, contributes
significantly to global warming. Efforts to preserve forests and to plant trees on
deforested land are essential not only for preventing global warming but also for
preserving biodiversity.

Decrease Methane in the Atmosphere
Although methane contributes much less to global warming than does carbon dioxide,
it is still responsible for about 15 percent of the problem. Among other steps to
decrease methane emissions, the nations of the world can prevent leaks from natural
gas pipelines, cut methane emissions from landfills, and reduce their use of beef for
food.

Continue to Phase Out CFCs
Because chlorofluorocarbons are responsible for depleting the protective ozone layer,
the nations of the world have agreed to stop using them. These chemicals also trap
heat, so vigilance in enforcing the international agreements to phase out their use will
help slow global warming as well.

Slow Down Population Growth
Although technological and economic changes can reduce per capita emissions of
heat-trapping gases, continued large population increases will make it harder to
dramatically reduce total emissions. Reductions in population growth rates will make
the task of slowing global warming easier.


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