Global Warming: Cause and Mitigation, Essay Example

Global warming is the on-going increase in normal temperature of the Earth’s climate system. In the natural phase orbital differences of the Sun cause global warming. This triggers the discharge of greenhouse gases methane and carbon dioxide, which increase the orbital warming (Dornbusch and Potera, 1991).

Anthropogenic climate cycle is caused by human activity, where levels of carbon dioxide increase due to burning of fossil fuel or through cement manufacture.  The scientific argument is that humans are the larger contributor to global warming than natural causes. This is because they use of fossil energy that introduces excess carbon into the atmosphere. Research shows that the temperature change of 0.05 degrees Celsius is occurring per 100 years.

The Earth’s normal temperature is greater than 0.8 degrees Celsius over the past century. This has nearly increased by two times the amount in the Arctic areas. Global temperature is rising; this is clear and evident. Scientists indicate that from 1998 to 2010, the earth has recorded the highest rise in temperatures, and this is continuing.

Carbon Dioxide (CO₂) in the atmosphere is increasing, and this has been verified by studying air bubbles confined in the ice of Antarctica and Greenland. Carbon dioxide (CO₂) is a greenhouse gas; consequently raising the level of CO₂ in the air in turn escalates the greenhouse effects in the atmosphere hence leading to global warming.

Studies indicate that, for the last 650,000 or so years, concentration of CO₂ in the atmosphere was between 180 and 300 parts per million (ppm). On average, 90 million tonnes of CO₂ are released into the atmosphere daily.

According to National Research Council, burning fossil fuels and forests increase atmospheric CO2. This in turn causes sub-surface ocean temperatures and surface air temperatures and to rise.

The global sea level grew by almost 8 inches over the last century, and this rate is accelerating. Global warming causes the sea level to increase by expanding ocean water as it warms and by melting land based ice sheets and glaciers. The amount at which sea level is rising is happening much faster than what scientists predicted some years ago. If current projections are correct, 2-3°Farenheit warming can result in 3 feet of the global rise in sea level by 2100. This means that approximately 56 million people in 84 low developing countries will be displaced (Victor, 2011, p. 102). Major changes are also expected in the coastal areas, as low lying regions are overwhelmed with salty water.

Oceans are warming. 90% of global warming originates from heating the ocean and not the atmosphere. Oceans absorb much of the increased heat. Since 1969, about 2,300 feet (top 700 meters) of ocean shows increase in warm temperatures of 0.302 degrees Fahrenheit. 30% of ocean warming takes place in deep waters of more than 700 meters, and some have happened in the deepest abyssal ocean waters. This is more pronounced in the Antarctica, which is warming at approximately 0.03 degrees Celsius a decade, while abyssal ocean waters are warming at about one-tenth that rate.

Carbon taxing is one way of mitigating global warming. This is a cost imposed on the whole society, to reduce carbon emissions and level of CO2 in the atmosphere. This cost applies to everyone and not just the individual who consumes the product. However, carbon tax raises the cost of daily items particularly essential items. It adds on to the cost of living and increases businesses’ additional operational costs. It makes our economy more costly.

A carbon tax has different effects on different policies. For example, vehicle fuel taxes are meant to fund infrastructure development but they do not address other issues of accidents, and traffic congestion. Higher taxes may be imposed. A carbon tax on vehicle gases could displace other prevailing transportation policies, such as fleet fuel-economy standards and biofuel subsidies which aim to reduce greenhouse gas discharges (Archer, 2012, p. 25).

Increasing fuel efficiency standards will reduce global warming. It is estimated that a gallon of gasoline burned releases about 20 pounds of CO₂ into the air. Efficient vehicles will lower the amount of CO₂ emitted. Improvements in fuel efficiency standards in transportation will save the consumer a lot of money at the gas pump. Fuel efficient standards impact policies by reducing dependency on foreign oil. It also saves the transport sector a lot of money that can be alternatively invested in other areas.

Policy energy efficiencies that reduce waste need to be implemented and this could cut the world’s energy demand in half by 2020. Changes like switching off lights in office buildings during the night, manufacturing higher mileage cars, or developing efficient household lighting and appliances could greatly reduce energy use.

A carbon tax can be imposed on oil producers, refiners, consumers who purchase gasoline for their cars, or certain industries like power plants that utilize fossil fuels. This will encourage them to shift their spending to lesser carbon activities (Maslin, 2007, p. 83). The tax will also enable non carbon technologies or fuels such as wind power or solar to compete successfully.

References

Archer, D. (2012). Global warming: Understanding the forecast. Hoboken, N.J: John Wiley & Sons.

Dornbusch, R., & Poterba, J. M. (1991). Global warming: Economic policy responses. Cambridge, Mass: MIT Press

Maslin, M. (2007). Global warming. Stillwater, MN: Voyageur Press.

Victor, D. G. (2011). Global Warming Gridlock: Creating More Effective Strategies for Protecting the Planet. Cambridge, UK: Cambridge University Press.