Global Warming
...s, deforestation and methane gas caused by animal waste are all important contributors to this major problem. Each year, each North American citizen lets about six tons of greenhouse gasses into the air. These gasses include: carbon dioxide, nitrous oxide, methane, halocarbons, perfluorocarbons, and sulphur hexafluoride. An astonishing 82% of these emissions come from burning fossil fuels. The remainder comes from the vapours that come from animal feces (methane). So far, the impact of global warming has been minimal, there is very little change in our earth compared to 100 years ago. In the early stages, we might even enjoy the benefits of living on a slightly warmer planet. When the earth is warmer, much more land will be suitable for agriculture, but the amount of greenhouse gasses building up is rising very rapidly and we could experience dramatic and sudden climate changes in the near future. Many communities in the world are situated within close proximity to large bodies of water. Since much of this water is the ocean, the rising of sea levels is a side effect of global warming. When the temperature changes, even slightly in the south pole, huge sheets of ice disappear. This solid form of water has nowhere to go but into the oceans that surround it. If the temperature increases continue at the present rate, the world’s oceans will rise by about 18 cm by 2030 and perhaps 58 cm by 2090. While it might not seam like a lot, some coastal cities will disappear. Low lying cities such as Amsterdam and Venice may not be inhabitable in the next century. Rainfall patterns could also change drastically. The temperature of the oceans determines how much water is evaporated and how much rain will fall in certain areas. In some places, rain will greatly increase, in others it will greatly decrease and some areas may not change at all, but any change in some delicate habitats could mean big changes to the life in that area. Some dry areas could receive so much rain that entire valleys are washed clean while other normally moist areas will receive very little precipitation. We could also see desertification if some areas near the equator if temperatures continue to rise to unhospitable levels for animals and plants. In 1997, the Kyoto Protocol was introduced to decrease the amount of greenhouse gasses being emitted into the atmosphere. The goal of the agreement was for industrialized countries to reduce the amount of the top six gr...