What is Global Warming?

Over the last two decades, scientist have been involved in a race to prove that the phenomenon known as global warming exists and could drastically affect human life in the coming decades. 

The need to offer hard facts stemmed from the criticism the environmental community has received from politicians and naysayers who believe that an ulterior motive is integrated into the message of cleaning up the environment. Therefore, I intend to use this essay to discuss the meaning of global warming and how it will affect human life in the near future.

In simple terms, global warming is the increase of the earth's average surface temperature due to the effect of greenhouse gasses such as carbon dioxide, which in turn trap heat in the earth's atmosphere. In an ideal situation or ecosystem, these heat created by the use of fossil fuels and deforestation would escape from the earth's surface but the amount of greenhouse vapors the earth currently produces outweighs the earth's natural filters.

As earlier stated, global warming is caused by carbon dioxide and greenhouse emission produced in large quantities by human activities. These activities include the burning of fossil fuel in our vehicles, industries and homes, and the massive deforestation occurring in rural areas to provide building materials, paper and fuel for human consumption.

This abuse of the earth's resources has led to increased emission rates, trapped heat and an overall increase in the earth's temperature by 0.85 degree centigrade in the 21stcentury. The increase in temperature also has its adverse effects on the world's climate and has led to irregular weather conditions worldwide. Due to climate change, rivers and oceans now overflow their banks leading to flooding of farms which are the sources of food and revenue for rural communities.

The result has been widespread malnutrition, mosquito population growth, and increase in malaria-related deaths and the spread of waterborne diseases which drastically reduces the quality of life in rural areas. 

Urban areas are also not left out, as irregular weather conditions have led to heat waves which have been responsible for approximately 30,000 deaths on a yearly basis. Wildfires are another by-product of a changing climate and they have led to displacements, disillusionment and anxiety among people who have been caught up in their part.

Although global warming affects the people of earth in diverse ways, everyone still suffers its ravages. Studies show that if the trend in which fossil fuels are being consumed continues, the year 2030 will witness unprecedented climate irregularities which could lead to approximately 250,000 deaths. Therefore, the task of saving lives falls on our shoulders and the public can be sensitized and better educated once we all agree that global warming and the issues it raises are important.