Is Global Warming Fact or Fiction or Somewhere in Between, Essay Example

The question of global warming and its effects on the world climate has frequently risen during the last decades. This matter is vitally important for us because the consequences of global warming may be unpredictable. Different scientists throughout the world studied this question. Most of them blame human activity in the nature destruction and mention the anthropogenic factor as the main. That is why in 1997 in Kyoto a Protocol was signed, which limited amounts of a greenhouse gas emissions for every country. The only country in the world, that hasn’t ratified the Kyoto Protocol, is the USA, the biggest carbon producer in the world.

The reasons for climate’s changing are still unknown, but among the main external actions is change of the Earth’s orbit (so-called Milankovitch cycles), change of solar variation and volcanic activity.

According to one of the hypothesis, global warming will lead to deceleration of the Gulf Stream, powerful, warm, and swift Atlantic Ocean current, which will cause sharp drop in Europe’s average annual temperature. Types of climates in some countries might change and become more continental.

As for me, the most interesting theory that I’ve found is the theory that climate’s changing is absolutely a natural process which comes after the Little Ice Age (LIA) which lengthened on Earth during XIV—XIX centuries. This period was the coldest during the last two thousand years according to the average annual temperature.

While studying the results of the research of those scientists who explored the effects of global warming on the ice-covered Arctic, I have found out that the average temperature on the Antarctic Peninsula during the last fifty years increased by 2,5 ºC. The Larsen Ice Shelf located in the northwest part of the Weddell Sea was stable during the last 10000 years, but in 2002 an iceberg with the total square of nearly 2500 square meters chopped off. This practically led to the destruction of the Larsen Ice Shelf. It is only one of the examples of how global warming effects the ice-covered Arctic and today we can evidence Arctic shrinkage.

A lot of scientific facts prove that the fact of global warming exists and its effects we can observe now and we need immediate actions to prevent it. On the other hand some scientists put forward a theory that the so-called global warming is simply manipulation of coward scientists with environmental and political motives, who fabricate scientific data to create an illusion of global warming. «It is the greatest scam in history» says  John Coleman, American news weathercaster.  Bjorn Lomborg, Danish author, academic, and environmental writer, argues that many of the elaborate and expensive actions now being considered to stop global warming will cost hundreds of billions of dollars and won’t bring any noticeable changes in world’s temperature. He proposes to focus on another global problem such as HIV/AIDS, etc. (Lomborg, 2007). In 2008 a famous British scientist (naturalist) was dismissed by BBC bosses because he did not believe in man-made global warming. The question is: Who benefits from the dissemination of information about global warming?

Another interesting fact considers the American politician in 2007, Albert Gore won the Nobel Peace Prize. The award was given for efforts to build up and disseminate greater knowledge about man-made climate change. He made a great effort and organized a lot of concerts, meetings and lectures on this theme. Turning back I’d like to focus your attention on the fact that the United States declined the Kyoto Protocol. I’ve found controversial the fact that one of America’s most influential politics wins Nobel Peace Price for environmental protection and the fact that USA declined the only international document which protects our world.

During the research I have tried to observe the question of global warming from different points of view. Those scientists who defend the theory that causes of global warming can lead to irretrievable consequences bring strong arguments and obvious examples. On the other hand, those scientists who argue them provide us information that to some extent refutes adduced arguments. I think that the fact of global warming exists, but our relation to this fact is formed by media and sometimes does not correspond to the truth by 100%. But I still have some questions on this topic such as “Why does America, which most of all sounds the alarm about global warming, does not ratify the Kyoto Protocol?” or “What evidence do we need to prove or to reject the fact of global warming?”

Works Cited

Lomborg Bjorn, (2007). Cool it – The Skeptical Environmentalist’s Guide To Global Warming. Random House, pp. 59-67.

Maljean-Dubois, Synthèse, (2007). Compliance with the Kyoto Protocol on Climate Change. Institute for Sustainable Development and International Relations. p.4

UNFCC, (1990). Kyoto Protocol. Retrieved Nov. 9, 2009 from http://unfccc.int/kyoto_protocol/items/3145.php

Lamb, Hubert H. (1995). “The little ice age”. Climate, history and the modern world. London: Routledge. pp. 211–241.

Gore, Al. (2007) Nobel Prize Acceptance Speech (December 10, 2007). Retrieved Nov. 9, 2009 from http://blog.algore.com/2007/12/nobel_prize_acceptance_speech.html

Gingrich N., Maple T. L., (2007). A Contract With the Earth.. Johns Hopkins University Press. p.256

Nordhaus W., (2008). A Question of Balance: Weighing the Options on Global Warming Policies. Yale University Press, 234 pp.

Ackerman F., (2007). Debating Climate Economics: The Stern Review vs. Its Critics. Retrieved Nov. 9, 2009 from http://ase.tufts.edu/gdae/Pubs/rp/SternDebateReport.pdf

Coleman J., (2007). Global Warming Greatest Scam In History!. Retrieved Nov. 9, 2009 from http://www.global-warming-and-the-climate.com/arguments-against-global-warming.htm