Global warming is the increase in the average temperature of the earth due to the increase in greenhouse gases such as carbon dioxide, and it poses a major threat to humanity by causing sea level rise and extreme weather events. The island nation of Tuvalu, in particular, is experiencing the effects of rising sea levels inundating its land, and countries are working to reduce greenhouse gases and develop alternative energy sources to prevent such disasters.
We’ve all seen the public service announcements that warn of rising sea levels with pictures of polar glaciers melting like ice cream on a hot day and the words. “We will not leave our land even if most of the island is submerged under water, and we must prevent that from happening,” says the prime minister of Tuvalu. The small Pacific island nation of Tuvalu is a prime example of the damage global warming is causing, with rising sea levels already inundating large parts of the country. Today, global warming has become a major societal issue, cited as a major factor in many extreme weather events, including sea level rise. Let’s learn more about global warming.
Global warming refers to the long-term increase in the temperature of the Earth’s surface. It was first mentioned in the 1972 Rome Club report, and gained prominence in 1985 when the World Meteorological Organization and the United Nations Environment Programme claimed that the greenhouse effect, caused by an increase in carbon dioxide concentrations, was responsible for the warming. Many experts predict irreversible disaster if the warming continues, and blame global warming for recent extreme weather events. There is now a consensus that humanity needs to stop warming, and a number of international agreements, cooperative organizations, and campaigns have been launched.
In fact, since its creation, the Earth has experienced cold ice ages and warm interglacial periods. We’re currently in an interglacial period, and while it’s natural for global temperatures to rise, it’s the magnitude of the increase that’s troubling. The average global temperature has been rising and falling since weather records began until the 1970s, with a pronounced increase since the 1960s. The average rate of temperature increase over the last 50 years has been 0.13°C per decade, more than double the rate of increase over the last 100 years (0.07°C/10 years). The past decade has been the hottest on record, and the temperature is expected to rise even more in the future.
The need to combat global warming stems from the fact that human activity is the primary cause of the increase in greenhouse gases. Gases that cause the greenhouse effect include water vapor, carbon dioxide, methane, chlorofluorocarbons, better known as Freon gas, and nitrogen dioxide. All of these gases can become more concentrated due to human activity, and observations show that their concentrations are increasing significantly. It has been concluded that if we continue to emit greenhouse gases into the atmosphere at the current rate, the average global temperature is expected to increase by about 3 degrees Celsius above present levels by 2040, and in the worst case scenario, by the end of the 21st century, the environment will become uninhabitable for humans. While there is some debate over whether the greenhouse effect is the primary cause of global warming, the consensus is that reducing greenhouse gas emissions will mitigate warming.
One of the most common effects of global warming is sea level rise. While melting glaciers floating in seawater does not directly affect sea levels, melting glaciers on land that run off into the ocean will cause sea levels to rise. Changes in the density of seawater due to rising temperatures also contribute to sea level rise. The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) predicts a sea level rise of 110 to 880 millimeters by the 21st century. A sea level rise of this magnitude would force many people living in low-lying coastal areas to move to higher ground, and many small island nations could disappear from the face of the earth. If warming continues to melt even Greenland’s glaciers, sea levels could rise by more than 6 meters, enough to inundate most coastal cities.
Extreme weather events are also a major impact of global warming. As the Earth’s temperature rises, so does the temperature of the ocean, which makes it easier for cyclones to have more energy when they form. Typhoon Rusa, for example, dumped 870 millimeters of rain in Gangneung, breaking the record for the highest daily precipitation, and caused more than 5 trillion won in property damage. Typhoon Mae-mi killed more than 130 people and caused more than 4.7 trillion won in property damage across the country. Global warming is also changing precipitation patterns, causing flooding in one part of the world and water shortages in the other. Precipitation has increased in mid- and high-latitude regions, such as North and eastern South America and northern Europe and northern Asia, while it has decreased in low-latitude regions, such as the Sahel and Mediterranean, South America and South Asia. An example of this is the evaporation of Lake Chad, once the world’s sixth largest lake, due to drought. The frequency and duration of El Niño and La Niña events have also increased, which is linked to rising global temperatures. Warmer temperatures mean more energy, and a warmer planet holds more energy, which in turn circulates water more quickly, causing extreme weather events.
So what can we do to stop global warming? The answer is simple: reduce greenhouse gases. If global warming is caused by human activity, it’s because of the greenhouse gases we’ve emitted. Deforestation is also a contributing factor, as is the thickening of carbon dioxide concentrations. So far, practical solutions are lacking, but there are things we can do at the individual and community level.
At the individual level, the first solution is to conserve energy and resources. This can be done by conserving electricity at home, using public transportation, and conserving water. Using environmentally friendly products is also a good idea. For example, using high-efficiency appliances or products that produce less waste. Once these consumption patterns are established, producers will also take them into account, and in the long run, the entire economy will become more environmentally friendly. In the same vein, making recycling a way of life is also effective. Incinerating waste produces a significant amount of methane gas, so reducing it is a big win. Planting or maintaining trees, which are carbon dioxide sinks, is another action that individuals can take. Countries with abundant forests, such as those in northern Europe, absorb a lot of carbon dioxide and therefore have less of a burden to reduce greenhouse gases.
At the community level, there is the Kyoto Protocol, which regulates greenhouse gas emissions, but there are difficulties in its implementation due to political and economic interests among participating countries. In order to reduce greenhouse gases without conflict between countries, ‘alternative energy development’ is necessary. Currently, various alternative energies are being researched and used, but their high cost makes it difficult for consumers to use them easily. The solution is to find a way to commercialize alternative energy at a low cost.
So far, we have discussed global warming, its causes, and countermeasures. Global warming is the phenomenon of increasing global temperatures, and it’s an important issue that could have devastating consequences for humanity if it continues. If meteorologists are correct, we should be more concerned about global warming and make efforts to prevent it. If we have been utilizing nature to develop, it may be time to move towards living in harmony with it.
