Is global warming an international concern?

Answer 1

It could lead to failure of the world's crops
Because global warming is causing sea levels to rise which is causing them to flood small islands causing big problems for wildlife, animals, and some people who live there. Unfortunately, some people don't even believe it's real, and so they go on buying things that are shipped and mass manufactured, which releases chemicals into the air. The chemicals melt the glaciers, the water goes into the ocean, and bam! The sea level is rising. Since so many people think global warming is just a myth, (which is wrong) they go about buying imported goods and A LOT of plastic thus making global warming harder to fix. The whole story is like a chain getting worse and worse. You can help, though, by buying less plastic and more products grown/made close to where you live rather than buying a product from say Chile when you live in Canada. And if you have one, buy from a local farmer's market! The food usually tastes better or sweeter, and it's good for both the Environment and the Economy. We can't make Global Warming go away, but we can try!

Answer 2

Global warming has become an issue because average global temperatures are rising. The year 2010 had the warmest global average temperature on record, fractionally warmer than 2005 and 1998, but as the difference is slight, the three years are regarded as the equal hottest. The past decade was the warmest since instrumental measurement began in 1850, and the ten warmest years since 1850 have now all occurred since 1998.

Global warming causes sea levels to rise, because of the melting of ice caps and because global warming heats the ocean and cause the water to expand. there was

a rise of 20 centimetres over the course of the twentieth century. As recently as 2007, the Intergovernmental Panel on climate change predicted a further rise of 59 centimetres for the twenty first century, but recent data has now resulted in the United Nations Arctic Monitoring and Assessment Program to revise this prediction upwards, to 0.9-1.5 metres. Along with increased storm surges, this is enough to inundate some coastal areas and displace entire populations.

There has been more violent storm activity, with New Zealand actually experiencing a tornado in its main city, an unprecedented event. The year 1911 experienced flood of such magnitude in some areas that millions were displaced, in regions as far separated as Pakistan, China and Australia. Yet prolonged droughts seems to be a threat in other places. While no single event can be directly attributed to climate change, these events, as a whole, are what climate scientists have predicted, and predictions are for these problems to become worse and more frequent.

Global warming is an issue because it does not have to be. Scientists have demonstrated that recent global warming and climate change are caused by human activity, so it is incumbent on humans to make the changes necessary to prevent continued global warming. This means that we must dramatically reduce our greenhouse gas emissions; not this year in particular, but soon.

Those of us who are past childhood and early adulthood probably have less to fear from the consequences of global warming, so we do not have to think of climate change as an issue for us and can focus on the short-term economic advantages of doing nothing. This is why the higher forecasts for global warming and its effects are probably more realistic. We should therefore expect significant rises in sea levels, which along with increased storm surges will result in inundation of important coastal regions and even the displacement of entire populations. There is a real possibility that arctic Siberia could warm to the extent of melting the tundra, which sequesters enormous amounts of carbon in frozen vegetation. Once this melts it will rot, emitting enough carbon dioxide to lead to uncontrolled, runaway global warming. If this ever happens, as well it might, humans will be entirely unable to prevent catastrophic changes.

Answer 3

It could lead to failure of the world's crops
Because global warming is causing sea levels to rise which is causing them to flood small islands causing big problems for wildlife, animals, and some people who live there. Unfortunately, some people don't even believe it's real, and so they go on buying things that are shipped and mass manufactured, which releases chemicals into the air. The chemicals melt the glaciers, the water goes into the ocean, and bam! The sea level is rising. Since so many people think global warming is just a myth, (which is wrong) they go about buying imported goods and A LOT of plastic thus making global warming harder to fix. The whole story is like a chain getting worse and worse. You can help, though, by buying less plastic and more products grown/made close to where you live rather than buying a product from say Chile when you live in Canada. And if you have one, buy from a local farmer's market! The food usually tastes better or sweeter, and it's good for both the Environment and the Economy. We can't make Global Warming go away, but we can try!

Answer 4

Some sceptics believe that global warming is not happening; others acknowledge that global warming really is happening but believe that no harm will come to us, at least in wealthy Western countries or not while the present generation is alive; while others believe that while some will suffer harm, others could benefit from global warming. These are all rational reasons not to be concerned about global warming.

The choice is whether to be concerned only for our own well-being or to think about others in other places or in the time of our children or grandchildren. Then there can be no good reason not to be concerned about global warming.

Answer 5

Answer:

Global warming has been identified as a major issue for the global community. More properly this is called "Global Climate Change" as some areas may be warmer, some cooler, some wetter, some drier...

Background:

The contention of the larger number of climatologists is that human activities since the industrial revolution have increased the content of CO2, methane and other gases in the atmosphere that trap solar heat. At the same time human activities have reduced the forest cover that had traditionally absorbed these same materials. They state that an increasing level of these atmospheric constituents has lead to a chain of chemical and physical changes that have increased the world's average temperature.

Observations of atmospheric gas composition, average sea water temperatures, atmospheric temperatures etc. confirm the trends and support the proposition.

Potential Impacts:

1. The sea levels may rise. Technically this may be caused by melting ice from the polar ice caps or an increase in sea height as the less dense water is less compressed. Low lying land like many Pacific Islands and Miami will be under water.

2. Serious climate changes may result from diverted ocean currents. As an example, the Gulf Stream keeps Europe warm. If the Stream is not running Europe may be much cooler and drier. Crops may not grow.

3. Ecology changes on the land could include species of animals and plants extending their range to the polar regions. Local flora and fauna may become extinct. A good example is the spread of Africanized bees and Fire Ants. Sea life may also be impacted both through the introduction of competitive species presently kept in other areas by water temperature changes, and by failure to adapt to less saline water.

4. Human society may be disrupted if changes in rainfall and temperature cause crop failure. Famine refugees may require significant humanitarian attention by the "lucky" nations.

Conflicting opinions?

Yes indeed, some people don't agree!

However, the problem breaks down into two potential scenarios. Either there is a basis for fear about climate change, or, there isn't.

If Climate Change isn't real and we do nothing - good! Except of course many of the problems that science has identified and blamed as causing Climate Change are just plain wastes of resources, and inefficient and uneconomical practices that should be addressed anyway. A polluted, climatically steady world with no fish and no oil will be no fun at all.

If Climate Change is not real and we do all the things that we should - reduce emissions, cut fuel use, re-establish forests - we're out money (maybe) but in general the world is a better and more sustainable place.

If Climate Change is real and we do nothing - we are dead or at least very miserable.

If Climate Change is real and we work to correct all our bad habits we might still be in trouble ... if it's too little and too late, but we'll go down fighting. If we succeed we live.

An afterthought:

Comments about similar quetions have stated stated:

• it isn't real/ it is made up/ a figment of our imagination.
• There are no facts. The fact is we know nothing about it. Whether we are causing it or it is a phase the world goes through. It is just a theory. It will never be a fact.

If these writers are right ... Wahoo!

However, no case in the summary of potential future scenarios which is based on us sitting around doing nothing at all has a cheery outcome.

Answer 6

Other contributors have written:

We should all be concerned about global warming because of the harm it can do to our planet, our society and our economy. Global warming threatens climate change that will result in widespread species extinction, droughts in some areas but more frequent severe floods in others, sea level rises that, along with higher storm surges, could result in entire populations having to abandon their homes, and more intense storm activity that will cause economic hardship.

A: The Arctic Climate Impact Assessment, an international project of the Arctic Council ( a high-level intergovernmental forum) and the International Arctic Science Committee (IASC), created for evaluating and synthesize knowledge on climate variability, climate change, and increased ultraviolet radiation and their consequences, have arrived to the conclusion that the concentration of greenhouse effect gases and the rising of temperatures will cause the melting of the ice caps, the rising of sea levels, increased storms, decreased water in lakes and rivers, radical changes in weather behavior, reduced animal health, increase of insects population and drying of wetlands and other inland areas with simultaneous floods and increased rain in coastal regions.

Answer 7

Global warming is a problem which we all should be aware of. A 1 degree increase in temperature may not seem to effect us very much but, for nature to adapt itself to this change is a major concern. As shown by Global Warming Graphs there is an increase and decrease in temperature without human interfearance. But by humans burning fossil fuels and other similar substances, this will furthermore increase the temperature. Waste materials when burning fuel such as carbon dioxide will add to the greenhouse effect encouraging a rise in temperature. The ozone layer will become thinner allowing harmful UV (ultra-violet) light to enter our atmosphere spreading cancerous diseases.

Answer 8

In lowlying countries, and in cities such as London and New York , sealevel rises produced by global warming are certainly a big cause for concern.

Answer 9

If we don't slow global warming very soon we will not be able to stop all the worst predictions that the warming world will bring.