Greenhouse Gas Affect the Environment of America, Research Paper Example

The Effect of Greenhouse Gases and Climate Change in the United States and Around the Globe

Greenhouse gases are a natural component of the Earth’s environment, and they make it possible for the Earth to maintain a temperature that can support life as we know it.  Greenhouse gases include carbon dioxide, methane, and even water vapor. Such gases are able to trap heat in the Earth’s atmosphere, a process which is known as the greenhouse effect. The balance of greenhouse gases in the environment can be affected by different factors, including human activity. Since the Industrial Revolution, manufacturing and other activities have increased the amount of greenhouse gases in the Earth’s atmosphere, a phenomenon which many experts believe is causing changes to the Earth’s environment and climate. This process of climate change is already having an effect in the United States, causing damage to the environment and threatening the health of human beings. This paper examines the effect of greenhouse gases on the environment in the United States and around the world.

Overview of Greenhouse Gases and Their Effect on the Atmosphere

The most significant greenhouse gases are water vapor and carbon dioxide, followed by methane, nitrous oxide, and ozone. Chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs) which are used in refrigerants and propellants are also found in the atmosphere, and these CFCs have been linked to the depletion of atmospheric ozone.  Greenhouse gases absorb heat and radiation, and also reflect radiation, which helps to maintain the balance of the temperature in the Earth’s atmosphere. Without greenhouse gases the Earth’s atmospheric temperature would drop significantly, making it difficult for life to be sustained as it exists now. There are a variety of other gases found in the atmosphere, though they do not contribute to the greenhouse effect in any significant manner. It is the radiative effect of greenhouse gases that allows them to absorb and reflect heat, and these gases also interact with each other to provide the balance in the greenhouse effect.

Although the concentrations of natural greenhouse gases changes over time, the overall balance of greenhouse gases remained more or less stable and constant for tens of thousands of years. As humans began to develop technology that involved the burning of fossil fuels this balance was disrupted. Sources of energy such as coal, petroleum, and natural gas are burned to provide energy for factories, automobiles, and heating, and this process releases significant concentrations of carbon dioxide and other gases into the atmosphere. As these gases are trapped in the atmosphere they increase the rate at which the atmosphere absorbs heat, contributing to increases in the atmospheric temperature. The effect of these greenhouse gases on the overall environment of the Earth has been referred to as “global warming,” though this term has been replaced by the term “climate change”(Montzka and Dlugokencky et al., 2011).  Although the effect of greenhouse gases on the atmosphere does lead to temperature increases, these temperature increases are part of a much larger and complex climate system. Disruptions to this system are linked not just to warming-related events such as droughts, but also to a range of other extreme climate-related events such as storms, extreme heat and cold, and effects on the Earth’s oceans and other ecosystems.

The Earth’s temperature has not always remained stable, and there have been notable periods of heating and cooling over the life of the planet. An ice age that began to recede over ten thousand years ago has left the climate relatively stable and warm for thousands of years, and it has been during this period that human civilization began to flourish. By drilling into the ice in the northern and southern regions of the planet, scientists are able to examine ice cores that show what the atmosphere has been like for centuries. These ice cores demonstrate that temperatures have increased slowly since the end of the last ice age, and that greenhouse gases have remained relatively stable. The segments of the ice cores that provide evidence of the more recent past show that the rate of warming and the concentration of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere are both increasing more rapidly than they had in the previous centuries, which seems to demonstrate a link between human activity and greenhouse gases(Global Climate Change, 2014).

Besides the burning of fossil fuels for manufacturing, transportation, and heating there are several other ways that human activity affects the concentration of greenhouse gases in the environment. One of these is agriculture, which has an impact on the environment in several ways. Raising livestock for feeding human beings leads to increases in the amount of methane produced by the animals. In many parts of the world forests are cleared for agriculture, which reduces the natural sink effect of the trees and plants which are destroyed. A range of other manufacturing and industrial processes produce greenhouse gases and CFCs which are released into the atmosphere. The effect of this production of greenhouse gases by human activity combines with natural processes, leading to rising concentrations of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere.

Before human activity affected the concentration of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere, normal environmental processes helped to maintain the balance of gases such as carbon dioxide. These processes are known as sinks, and the most significant natural carbon sink is photosynthesis. Plants use carbon from the atmosphere during photosynthesis, and release oxygen as a result of this process. While carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases exist in the atmosphere as a result of natural processes, human activity has disrupted the natural cycle of gases and sinks. For the past 10,000 years the concentration of carbon dioxide has remained relatively constant as it has been balanced out by sinks and other environmental processes(Global Climate Change, 2014). Since the beginning of the Industrial Age, the concentrations of carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases have risen significantly, and the consensus in the scientific community is that this increase in greenhouse gases will affect the Earth’s temperature and potentially lead to a range of environmental catastrophes(Global Climate Change, 2014).

Greenhouse Gases, Climate Change, and the Environment

As the concentration of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere rises, the overall climate is affected in a variety of ways. The International Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) includes over 1300 scientists from around the world, and monitors the effects of climate change caused by greenhouse gases. The IPCC has issued a series of reports that discuss how these greenhouse gases have already affected the climate, and also provides warnings about what to expect in the future of climate change continues(nca2009.globalchange.gov, 2014). The IPCC notes that climate change is already causing changes to the environment around the globe, including a decrease in the size of glaciers, and earlier snow and ice melts in the colder regions of the world. Plant and animal ecosystems are being affected as animals respond to changes by moving into different areas or leaving other areas, and plants and flowers are blooming earlier in parts of the world where temperatures are increasing. Melting glaciers are leading to a rise in sea levels, and increasing heat waves are being seen around the world. The IPCC predicts that the Earth’s atmospheric temperature will continue to rise in the coming decades as concentrations of greenhouse gases increase, and these rising temperatures will likely have catastrophic effects around the world(nca2009.globalchange.gov, 2014).

The U.S. Global Climate Change Research Program (GCCRP) provides an overview of how climate change has already affected the planet, and how it will continue to affect it in coming years. According to the 2009 report from the GCCRP, “human activities have led to large increases in heat-trapping gases over the past century” (Global Climate Change, 2014). The effect of these increases has led to an overall rise in the global average temperature and has also led to rising sea levels. The report also identifies “human fingerprints” in a number of other environmental changes, including increases in ocean temperature and changes to global precipitation and atmospheric moisture. Like the IPCC, the GCCRP also predicts that global temperatures will continue to rise over the next century, and warns that these rising temperatures will lead to significant climate changes and environmental disasters (Global Climate Change, 2014).

Although the effect that greenhouse gases have on the Earth’s atmosphere is often referred to as global warning, experts explain that the rise in atmospheric temperatures can actually have a range of different effects on the climate and the environment. The Earth’s atmosphere, geography, weather patterns, ocean temperatures, and other natural systems do not function independently of each other, but are instead all linked together. As greenhouse gases build up in the atmosphere, the effect o the temperature does not lead to a uniform rise in the global temperature. Instead, this rising heat interacts with other natural systems, leading to changes in the environment that are sometimes unpredictable. This unpredictable and variable set of changes is now more commonly known as “climate change,” which is a more accurate description of the effects of greenhouse gases than the phrase “global warming.” It also helps to make clear that the impact of greenhouse gases on the environment will not just be warmer temperatures, but will also include the changes to the complex set of natural systems that are affected by rising atmospheric temperatures.

Because the effects of rising atmospheric temperatures are variable, they are likely to result in extreme changes to the environment, including increases and decreases in heat.  According to a report from the National Aeronautic and Space Administration (NASA), the recent effects of climate change on a global scale have included colder days and nights in the winter, more frequent hot days and nights in the summer, more frequent heat waves, more frequent droughts, and increase in tropical cyclone activity, rising sea levels and increases in ocean temperature (nasa.gov, 2014). The NASA report goes on to predict that it is “very likely” that extremes in heat will occur, that precipitation will be significantly affected, and tropical cyclone activity will continue to increase. The report also indicates that it is “virtually certain” that snow-cover regions will contract and that sea ice will continue to decrease (nasa.gov, 2014). Such changes will likely have significant effects on the global climate and an enormous environmental impact.

The Impact of Climate Change in the United States

A 2013 report for the National Climate Assessment (NCA) details the effects that climate change is having in the United States. The report focuses on the Southwest region of the U.S., noting that the impact of climate change on the environment is significant, and can be seen as an indicator of how climate change can affect other parts of the country as well. The NCA report acknowledges that “natural climate variability is a prominent factor that affects many aspects of life…across the Southwestern U.S.” (Garfin and Jardine et al., 2014) and that this variability accounts for “natural fluctuations” in the climate that lead to drought, floods, heat waves, and other weather- and climate-related phenomena (Garfin and Jardine et al., 2014). Human activity in the region has also had a notable impact in the environment, as the population has grown significantly in recent decades. This population growth puts pressure on water resources, requires land to be cleared for construction and agriculture, and creates sources of pollution that are released into the air and water. The combination of natural factors and the localized effect of human activity have a measurable impact on the environment, and this effect must be examined and understood so it can be assessed independently of the ways that greenhouse gases and climate change are affecting the regional environment.

The Southwest United States has, for example, historically been susceptible to periods of serious drought. These droughts have been recorded by human observers and are also measurable by examining the geological record in the region. According to the NCA report, more recent periods of drought have been unusually severe and prolonged when compared to the overall historical record, which is believed to be linked to climate change (Garfin and Jardine et al., 2014). The overall temperature in the Southwest U.S. is increasing, with the highest recorded temperatures from the last century all occurring between 2001 and 2010 (Garfin and Jardine et al., 2014). The combination of these factors coupled with human activity has led to a serious depletion of water sources which provide drinking water and water for agricultural and industrial use. The increase in the human population means that more water is being used, while increase in temperature and longer periods of drought mean that water sources are not being replenished as quickly as they are used up. Rivers and streams are drying up, and subterranean water sources are being used up far more quickly than natural processes can replenish them.

On a global scale, scientists predict that temperatures will continue to rise; these rising temperatures will affect different regions of the world in different ways. In the Southwest U.S., temperatures will continue to rise, leading to longer heat waves. Precipitation in this region will decrease, further highlighting the problem of diminishing water resources. In higher elevations the snowpack will continue to decrease, and earlier high spring temperatures will lead to flooding as snow melts and flows into rivers and streams. The historical trend towards drought will rise exponentially, leading to potential environmental disasters as the region becomes unable to support the human population.

Like the Southwest U.S., the Southeast region is known for its own historical climate and weather patterns. Much of this region receives significant rainfall, and Florida and lower Georgia are notable for their sub-tropical climates. Just as climate change will lead to more extremes in drought and heat in the Southwest, it will lead to more extremes in precipitation and tropical storm activity in the Southeast. Temperatures will likely increase in the Southeast, which will affect human activity, agriculture, and supplies of drinking water. The combination of increase in temperature and precipitation will feed hurricanes and other tropical weather patterns, leading to damage from storms, rising sea levels, and other environmental fallout.

Higher temperatures in the Northwest U.S. will lead to earlier and more significant snow melts and shrinking snow and ice cover. As spring arrives earlier water levels and temperatures in the region’s rivers and lakes will affect populations of salmon and other aquatic life. The threat to salmon and other fish will have a ripple effect on the natural systems that rely on them as well as on human fishing and commercial activity. Insects and pests that are naturally suppressed by the cool temperatures and long winters in this area will increase in population size and density, causing problems for agriculture and leading to the spread of disease. Similar problems will be seen in the Midwest, as rising temperatures cause enormous changes to snow, ice, weather patterns, and the regional ecosystem. In the Northeast the effects of climate change will lead to rising temperatures and heat waves in the summer and more extreme cold events in the winter (epa.gov, 2014).

Of all the ways in which climate change will affect the United States, the most serious and profound impact will come from the effects on the Great Plains region. This portion of the central U.S. is the nation’s leading agricultural region, supplying food for millions of Americans and for export around the world. The human population in the Great Plains relies heavily on the Oglala Aquifer for supplies of water needed for drinking and for agricultural use. This underground aquifer is being depleted at a far faster rate than natural processes can replenish it. The original sources of water for the Oglala Aquifer were deposited there thousands of years ago by underground streams and rivers. Over the centuries, rainwater has also drained through the ground into the aquifer; while this does help to replenish the aquifer, it does not replenish it quickly enough to counter the effects of water being pumped out by human beings. As the population in the Great Plains region has grown enormously over the last century the remaining water levels in the Oglala have dropped precipitously (epa.gov, 2014).

The pressure on the Oglala aquifer is exacerbated by climate change, as periods of heat and drought get longer and more severe. Water levels in lakes and other surface water supplies drop during droughts, which leads to an increase in the amount of water pumped from the aquifer. Even without the effects of climate change the pressure on the aquifer caused by human activity would be problematic; with the added pressure imparted by climate change it is potentially catastrophic. The heat and drought in the lower portion of the Great Plains region are matched by temperature increases in the upper region. Although the northern Great Plains typically experience severe winters, the average temperature in the winter is now 7 degrees higher than historical averages (epa.giv, 2014). The rising temperatures in this region will continue to upset the balance of the regional ecosystem, and will lead to flooding and other disasters. Droughts in the lower regions have allowed topsoil to erode so significantly that surface water from flash floods and other sources that would typically be trapped and absorbed into the ground now just wash away and evaporate. The increase in droughts makes it even more difficult for rainwater and other surface water to drain into the aquifer, leading to a chain reaction that threatens the water supplies for the entire region.

Just as the effects of climate change on one natural system have an effect on other interlinked systems, it also has a direct effect on human life and activity. The environmental systems that are affected by climate change do not just threaten water or food supplies for animals and people; they also directly affect human commercial and economic activity. Agriculture is directly affected by climate change, making it more challenging to grow crops, raise livestock, and harvest fish. Commercial activities from ski resorts to beach hotels are affected directly by changes in the climate, and indirectly by the economic ripple effects of climate change. At the same time as these changes are taking place in the climate and environment, the human population continues to grow in the United States and around the world. The problems that are being identified now are likely to get worse, even if humans attempt to change the ways that human activity affects the climate.

The Future of Climate Change

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is addressing climate change on a number of fronts. The first step is to collect and compile as much data and information as possible in order to better understand how climate change has affected the country and the world, and to predict what the future effects of climate change will be. The EPA and other U.S. government organizations and agencies have pushed for reductions in greenhouse gases and established regulations and guidelines for industry in order to lead to such reductions. Such regularity measures have led to reductions in the production of greenhouse gases by automobiles, as well as reductions in the level of pollutants and greenhouse gases produced by the manufacturing sector. The EPA also promotes public-private partnerships and initiatives aimed at promoting voluntary reductions in the industrial sector. Companies such as Coca-Cola, which manufactures and markets its products in the U.S. and around the world, are beginning to recognize the effects of climate change and are implementing policies aimed at reducing the amount of greenhouse gases they produce (Davenport, 2014). While public and private organizations and individuals are beginning to acknowledge the seriousness of global climate change, it is too soon to tell whether this will be enough to offset the looming crisis. The United States must take a leading role in reducing the nation’s carbon footprint and working with other countries to limit the production of greenhouse gases.

References

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Epa.gov. 2014. Emissions | Climate Change | US EPA. [online] Available at: http://www.epa.gov/climatechange/ghgemissions/ [Accessed: 30 Jan 2014].

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Epa.gov. 2014. Climate Impacts on Human Health | Climate Change | US EPA. [online] Available at: http://www.epa.gov/climatechange/impacts-adaptation/health.html [Accessed: 30 Jan 2014].

Garfin, G., Jardine, A., Meredith, R., Black, M. and Leroy, S. 2014. Assessment of Climate Change in the Southwest United States. [online] Available at: http://swccar.org/sites/all/themes/files/SW-NCA-color-FINALweb.pdf [Accessed: 30 Jan 2014].

Global Climate Change. 2014. Effects. [online] Available at: http://climate.nasa.gov/effects [Accessed: 30 Jan 2014].

Montzka, S., Dlugokencky, E. and Butler, J. 2011. Non-CO2 greenhouse gases and climate change. Nature, 476 (7358), pp. 43–50.

Nca2009.globalchange.gov. 2014. Global Climate Change Impacts in the United States 2009 Report | U.S. Global Change Research Program. [online] Available at: http://nca2009.globalchange.gov/ [Accessed: 30 Jan 2014].

State.gov. 2014. Global Climate Change. [online] Available at: http://www.state.gov/e/oes/climate/ [Accessed: 30 Jan 2014].