Go Greener Tips

Climate Change. Scientific researches have already revealed that the effects of global warming in the 21st century and beyond are expected to be disastrous. Many of these changes are already under way. Recent studies conducted by Working Group II of the United Nations’ Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), states that the increased greenhouse gas concentrations are very likely to increase the Earth’s average temperature, influence precipitation, and some storm patterns as well as raise sea levels. In addition to this, the United States National Academy of Sciences has warned that “greenhouse” warming and other human alterations of the earth system may increase the possibility of large, abrupt, and unwelcome regional or global climatic events.

Projected Impacts of Global Warming

A board organized by the U.S National Research Council in June 2006 expressed a “high level of confidence” that Earth as we know it today has experienced the hottest climate for the last 400 years, and possibly even the last 2,000 years. Studies have shown that, for the last century, there has been an increase in the average global surface temperature of roughly 0.3-0.6 degree Celsius (0.5-1 degree Fahrenheit). This global warming will potentially lead to future large-scale and possibly permanent effects at continental as well as global scales. The likelihood, magnitude, and timing is uncertain and contentious but some examples of projected impacts that will occur are more frequent and more intense heat waves, droughts, severe storms, more floods, degraded water quality, and increased spread of infectious diseases. If for the past 100 years such overwhelming effects were observed while the globe warmed up by an estimated average of merely 0.6 degree Celsius (1 degree Fahrenheit), this phenomenon will likely get worse by the year 2100. By that time, temperatures could increase by 6 degree Celsius (11 degree Fahrenheit).

Global Warming and the Society

The effects of global warming will be felt in every region worldwide and at all levels of society. Reports from the United Nations’ Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) confirmed with 90 percent certainty that global warming is now inevitable and humans are primarily accountable for a significant portion of the heat-trapping greenhouse gases that have caused global temperatures to rise significantly since the middle of the 20th century. It also made clear that while poor people worldwide will suffer most from the effects of global warming, no person on Earth will escape its consequences.