Global heating and it effects

Global warming

While most scientists have recognized the real dangers in the prospect of global warming, a small number of scientists insist that the threat has been overstated. They believe that changes in the earth's temperature are a result of natural cycles. (Petty P.19) Predictions that the earth's temperature will rise as much as 50 degrees Celsius or 90 degrees Fahrenheit by the middle of the 21t century, however, have created an environment of dire concern. This concern has been heightened by an upswing in worldwide natural disasters that have been attributed to global warming, encompassing everything from extensive flooding and draughts to mass starvation and disastrous hurricanes. (Sawyer P.28)

Much of the concern about global warming has been directed toward the so-called greenhouse effect. Actually, the greenhouse effect, which is essential to life on this planet, is created by a naturally occurring blanket of air, or ozone layer, which protects the earth from the sun's extreme heat. (Myhre P.35) However, scientists have distinguished between this natural greenhouse effect and the androgenic or unnatural greenhouse effect that is created by the buildup of industrial pollutants that contribute to global warming. (Michael P.14)

Most scientists agree that global warming is caused by the emissions of fossil fuels that release carbon dioxide and other gases, such as methane, nitrogen oxide, ozone, and chlorofluorocarbons into the atmosphere. The greatest pollutants are coal and oil, but natural gas has also contributed to the effects of global warming. By the end of the 20th century, scientists had also documented an increase in the amount of chlorine in the atmosphere, amounting to more than a 600-percent rise over levels of the previous 40 years. (Masters P.29) This increase of chlorine in the atmosphere also interferes with the way that ultraviolet radiation is blocked. Deforestation has also ...