What Is Global Warming?

What is global warming? As the name suggests, "global warming is the increase in the average temperature of the Earth, happening in oceans and near-air surface". It is argued that global warming is a minor issue not deserving to pay time and resources; however, the dramatically rising temperature of the Earth today has pressed the panic button to the entire world. Understanding global warming causes can give us an overall idea of the dreadful phenomena.

The causes of global warming can be classified under two categories: natural causes and man-made causes. Natural causes are primary factors that lead to global warming; the prominent ones include carbon dioxide, methane release, solar variations and volcanic eruption. According to scientific studies, the rise in the Earth's average temperature is generally caused as a result of the fact that various greenhouse gases trap sunlight. Carbon dioxide and methane, being greenhouse gases, have undoubtedly responsibilities for making the planet warmer. In addition, the changes in the Earth's orbit, specifically at which the planet receives a large amount of sunlight from the Sun, can increase the Earth's temperature to a great extent. Or a single large volcanic eruption releases enormous amount of carbon dioxide into the atmosphere, and hence attributes to global warming. Evaluating these natural causes, some scientists are of the opinion that global warming will continue, even without the influence of human activities.

The list of human activities contributing to global warming is extensively long, but some of the major causes can be named. First, pollution, mostly industrial pollution and vehicle pollution, depletes the environment threateningly because fossil fuels are burned to generate powers, releasing various harmful gases into the air. Second, mining activities directly contribute to release a large amount of methane exist under the Earth's surface. Third, deforestation declines the number of trees assisting to absorb carbon dioxide present in the atmosphere; it dangerously fosters the progress of global warming. Fourth, rising population also participates in the increase of the amount of carbon dioxide. These man-made causes are secondary factors that can make global warming become more serious.

Owing to the fact that the Earth's temperature would not increase if there would be no natural causes, the urgency level regarding the causes of global warming remains in argument. Some say that natural causes are more abundant to the warming globe, while some blame it on human activities and the remarkable climate change associated with it. However, further studies of global warming effects on plants, animals, and our very existence on the Earth has called human's actions to save our environment for a better world.