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Global Warming: Causes, Effects and Solutions

Umair Shahzad Durreesamin Journal

Published 2015
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Many researchers, engineers and environmentalists are expressing deep concerns about changes in the overall climate of
the planet. Fossil fuels are being continuously used to produce electricity. The burning of these fuels produces gases like
carbon dioxide, methane and nitrous oxides which lead to global warming. Deforestation is also leading to …read more

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Durreesamin Journal (ISSN: 2204-9827)

September Vol 1 Issue 4, Year 2015 

Global Warming: Causes, Effects and Solutions

Umair Shahzad, Riphah
College of Engineering & Technology, Riphah International University, Faisalabad, Pakistan
[email protected]

 Abstract- Many researchers, engineers and environmentalists are the last 50 deep

expressing years concerns
saw the about
rate ofchanges
temperature
in theincrease
overall
nearly doubling.
climate of the planet. Fossil fuels are being continuously used to produce SeaThe
electricity. levels haveof
burning shown
these afuels
rise produces
of about
gases like carbon dioxide, methane and nitrous oxides which lead 0.17 meters warming.
to global during the 20 th  century.
Deforestation The leading
is also extent of
to
warmer temperatures. The hazard of global warming is continuously causing major damagereduced
Arctic sea ice has steadily by 2.7 %
to the Earth's per decade
environment.
 Most people are still unaware of global warming and do not considersinceit1978
to be[1].
a big problem in years to come. What most
 people do not understand is that global warming is currently happening, and we are already experiencing some of its
withering effects. It is and will severely affect ecosystems and disturb ecological balance. Because of the treacherous
effects of global warming, some solutions must be devised. The paper introduces global warming, elaborates its causes and
hazards and presents some solutions to solve this hot issue. Above all, alternative energy sources (solar, wind, hydro,
geothermal, bio mass) need to be seriously pursued. Finding and using renewable sources of energy is one of the methods
to combat the ever increasing global warming effectively. 

Keywords: Climate, fossil fuels, deforestation, global warming, alternative energy sources

I. Introduction
The continuous rise in temperature of the planet is out per year. Millions of pounds of methane gas are
really upsetting. The root cause for this is global generated in landfills and agricultural decomposition of
warming. Global warming begins when sunlight biomass and animal manure. Nitrous oxide is released
reaches the Earth. The clouds, atmospheric particles, into the atmosphere by various nitrogen-based
reflective
sends background surfaces
about 30 and surface
% of sunlight back of oceans
into then
the space, fertilizers including urea and diammonium phosphate
and other soil management utilizations. Once released,
whilst the remaining is absorbed by oceans air and h h i h h f
 whilst the remaining is absorbed by oceans, air and these greenhouse gases stay in the atmosphere for
land. This consequently heats up the surface of the decades or even longer. According to
planet and atmosphere, making life feasible. As the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC),
Earth warms up, this solar energy is radiated by thermal carbon dioxide and methane levels have increased by 35
radiation and infrared rays, propagating directly out to % and 148 % since the industrial revolution of 1750.
space thereby cooling the Earth. However, some of the
outgoing radiation is re-absorbed by carbon dioxide,
water vapours, ozone, methane and other gases in the
II. Greenhouse Effect
atmosphere and is radiated back to the surface of Earth.
While other planets in the solar system of the Earth
These gases are commonly known as greenhouse gases
are either roasting hot or bitterly cold, Earth's surface
due to their heat-trapping capacity. It must be noted that
has relatively mild, steady temperatures. Earth enjoys
this re-absorption process is actually good as the Earth’s
these temperatures because of its atmosphere, which is
average surface temperature would be very cold if there
was no existence of greenhouse gases. The dilemma the thin
planet. layer of gases
However, 97 % of that climate
cover and protect and
scientists the
began when the concentration of greenhouse gases in
researchers agree that humans have changed the Earth's
the atmosphere was artificially increased by humankind
atmosphere in dramatic ways over the past two
at an alarming rate since the past two centuries. As of
centuries, resulting in global warming. To understand
2004, over 8 billion tons of carbon dioxide was pumped
global warming, it is first necessary to become familiar
thermal radiation is further hindered by increased levels
with the greenhouse effect. As Fig.1 depicts, the natural
of greenhouse gases resulting in a phenomenon known
greenhouse effect normally traps some portion of heat
as human enhanced global warming effect. Recent
in such a way that our planet is safe from reaching
observations regarding global warming have
freezing temperatures while human enhanced
substantiated the theory that it is indeed a human
greenhouse effect leads to global warming. This is due
enhanced greenhouse effect that is causing the planet to
to burning of fossil fuels which increase the amount of
heat up. The planet has experienced the largest increase
greenhouse gases (carbon dioxide, methane and oxides
in surface temperature over the last 100 years. Between
of nitrogen) present in the atmosphere [2].
1906 and 2006, the Earth’s average surface temperature

augmented between 0.6 to 0.9 degrees Celsius, however

Durreesamin Journal (ISSN: 2204-9827)

September Vol 1 Issue 4, Year 2015 

Fig.1 Types of greenhouse effects [2]

Fig. 3 Greenhouse effect example [4]
The trade of incoming and outgoing radiation that
heats up the Earth is often referred to as the greenhouse In the words of Michael Daley, an Associate
effect because a greenhouse works in a similar way Professor of Environmental Science at Lasell College:
(Fig.2). Incoming ultraviolet radiation easily passes "Gas molecules that absorb thermal infrared radiation,
through the glass walls of a greenhouse and is absorbed and are in significant enough quantity, can force the
by the plants and hard surfaces inside. Weaker infrared climate system. These types of gas molecules are called
radiation, however, has difficulty passing through the greenhouse gases”. Carbon dioxide and other
glass walls and is trapped inside, therefore, warming the greenhouse gases act like a mantle, absorbing infrared
greenhouse. This effect lets tropical plants prosper radiation and preventing it from escaping into the outer
inside a greenhouse, even during a cold season [2]. space. The net effect is the regular heating of the Earth's
atmosphere and surface.
The greenhouse effect, combined with increasing
levels of greenhouse gases and the resulting global
 levels of greenhouse gases and the resulting global
warming, is expected to have philosophical
implications. If global warming continues unrestrained
and nothing effective is done to limit this evil, it will
cause significant climate change, a rise in sea levels,
extreme weather events and other ruthless natural,
environmental and social impacts [2].

III. Greenhouse Gases: A Hazard

There are many greenhouse gases which are mainly
emitted by human activity. The first and foremost in the
list is carbon dioxide. Excessive burning of fossil fuels
like coal and oil is the major factor for producing this
gas. Moreover, deforestation i.e. removal of trees for
acquiring lands also causes large amount of carbon
Fig. 2 Plants embodied in a greenhouse [3] dioxide in the atmosphere. Cement manufacture also
contributes carbon dioxide to atmosphere when calcium

A similar phenomenon takes place in a car which is carbonate

The secondisculprit
heatedgas
generating limecommonly
is methane, and carbonknown
dioxide.
as
parked outside on a cold sunny day. Incoming solar
radiation warms the interior of the car but outgoing natural gas. It is produced as a result of agricultural
thermal radiation is trapped inside the closed windows activities such as livestock digestion, paddy rice
of the cars. This entrapment basically warms up the car. farming and use of manure. Methane is also produced
This trapping occurs in such a way that the hot air does due to improper management of waste. Nitrous oxides
not rise and does not lose energy though convention are generated mainly by fertilizers. Moreover,
[2].This phenomenon is depicted in Fig. 3. fluorinated gases such as chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs)
are chiefly a result of various industrial processes and
refrigeration [5], [6]. Fig.4 shows pictorially the
distribution of greenhouse gases. These gases are
playing their negative part in increasing the havoc of
global warming. They are continuously causing an
increase in the earth’s temperature.  

Durreesamin Journal (ISSN: 2204-9827)

September Vol 1 Issue 4, Year 2015 

the surface of the Earth. The human contribution to the

amount of aerosols in the atmosphere is of various
forms. For instance, dust is a by-product of agriculture.
Biomass burning generates a mixture of organic
droplets and soot particles. Many industrial processes
produce a wide diversity of aerosols depending on what
is being burned or generated in the manufacturing
process. Moreover, exhaust emissions from various
sorts of transport produce a rich mixture of pollutants
that are either aerosols from the outset or are
transformed by chemical reactions in the atmosphere to
form aerosols [8].

V. Global Warming: The Effects

Predicting the consequences of global warming is
one of the most difficult tasks faced by the climate
researchers. This is due to the fact that natural processes
that cause rain, snowfall, hailstorms, rise in sea levels is
reliant on many diverse factors. Moreover, it is very
hard to predict the size of emissions of greenhouse
Fig.4 Distribution of greenhouse gases [7]
gases in the future years as this is determined majorly
through technological advancements and political
IV Causes of Global warming
IV. Causes of Global warming decisions. Global warming produces many negative
The major cause of global warming is the
effects some of which are described here. Firstly, extra
greenhouse gases. They include carbon dioxide,
water vapour which is present in the atmosphere falls
methane, nitrous oxides and in some cases chlorine and
again as rain which leads to floods in various regions of
bromine containing compounds. The build-up of these
the world. When the weather turns warmer, evaporation
gases in the atmosphere changes the radiative
process from both land and sea rises. This leads to
equilibrium in the atmosphere.
warm the Earth’s surface andTheir overallatmosp
the lower effect is to
here drought in the regions where increased evaporation
process is not compensated by increased precipitation.
because greenhouse gases absorb some of the outgoing
In some areas of the world, this will result in crop
radiation of Earth and re-radiate it back towards the
failure and famine particularly in areas where the
surface. The net warming from 1850 to the end of the
temperatures are already high. The extra water vapour
20th century was equivalent to nearly 2.5 W/m 2  with
content in the atmosphere will fall again as extra rain
carbon dioxide contribution about 60 % to this figure,
hence causing flood. Towns and villages which are
methane about 25 per cent, with nitrous oxides and
dependent on the melting water from snowy mountains
halocarbons providing the remainder. In 1985, Joe
may suffer drought and scarcity of water supply. It is
Farman, of the British Antarctic Survey, published an
because the glaciers all over the world are shrinking at a
article showing the decrease in ozone levels over
very rapid rate and melting of ice appears to be faster
Antarctica during the early 1980s. The response was
than previously projected. According to
striking: large scale international scientific programmes
Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC),
were mounted to prove that CFCs (used as aerosol
about one-sixth of the total population of the world
propellants in industrial cleaning fluids and in
lives in the regions which shall be affected by a
refrigeration tools) were the cause of the problem. Even decrease in melting water. The warmer climate will
more important was abrupt international action to curb
likely cause more heat waves, more violent rainfall and
the emissions of CFCs.The second major cause of
also amplification in the severity of hailstorms and
global warming is the depletion of ozone layer. This
thunderstorms. Rising of sea levels is the most deadly
happens mainly due to the presence of chlorine-
affect of global warming, the rise in temperature is
containing source gases. When ultraviolet light is
causing the ice and glaciers to melt rapidly. This will
present, these gases dissociate releasing chlorine atoms
lead to rise of water levels in oceans, rivers and lakes
which then catalyses ozone destruction. Aerosols
that can pilot devastation in the form of floods [6].
present in the atmosphere are also causing global
As evident from Fig. 5, temperature anomalies are
warming by changing the climate in two different ways.
projected to increase in coming years. Before, the 20 th 
Firstly, they scatter and absorb solar and infrared
century, the situation was well under control but the
radiation and secondly, they may alter the
beginning of the current century, the situation started to
microphysical and chemical properties of clouds and
worsen .This was all due to increase in global warming
perhaps affect their lifetime and extent. The scattering
majorly due to the fact that new industries and power
of solar radiation acts to cool the planet, while
absorption of solar radiation by aerosols warms the air houses started operation and emitted harmful gases
which cause the planet to heat up. This data is based on
directly instead of permitting sunlight to be absorbed by
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