Earth's Quiet Fever: A Fact about Global Warming and how it Shapes Our Planet

Find more about global warming.

The number one fact about global warming:

Ancient history of global warming

Our planet's atmosphere has warmed anywhere from 0.5 to 1.0°C (1 to 2°F) over the last century.  It's believed that this small amount could make a big difference.  This small amount of warming can make extreme weather events more frequent, melt glaciers and polar ice caps, and raise sea levels.  

Humanity and the environment will be devastated by these effects.  It's widely believed it could lead to more extreme weather events like heatwaves, floods, droughts, and tropical storms.

Should you care?  During this global warming Earth's temperature change by about 2°F, with potentially devastating effects.  We have seen some extreme weather events, and changes in our water cycle and media claims this has caused dire consequences for humanity and the environment.  

Climate change, marked by higher temperatures than normal, some disasters, and climate movements, leads some of us to paint a bleak future.  Global warming's origins are debated, but the threats it poses, like coastal flooding and species endangerment, need action of some kind.

With that said, we've also heard that this temperature difference could cause glaciers to melt and sea levels to rise.  Maybe another 3°C (or 5°F) could happen in the future.

Recent developments in global warming

In the early 90's, global warming came into the spotlight, and temperatures did go up steadily.  In this century, climate change has remained a big issue.  Here are some key developments and events related to climate change:

- The last decade has been the warmest on record for global temperatures.  As a result, we've had more heatwaves, droughts, and wildfires.

- Weather extremes: Hurricanes, floods, and wildfires are more frequent and intense in recent years, resulting in significant economic and human losses.

- The last decade has seen a rise in climate activism, especially among young people.  Fridays for Future, led by Greta Thunberg, has gained a lot of attention and inspired young people around the world.

- International climate agreements: The Paris Agreement, signed in 2015, aimed to limit global warming to 2 degrees Celsius.  Several international meetings and agreements have been held since then, like the Katowice Climate Change Conference in 2018.

- The use of renewable energy sources such as solar and wind has increased significantly over the last decade.  Falling costs and increased investment in renewable energy may have driven this.

- Many species are facing extinction and it's attributed to changes in their habitats and temperatures caused by climate change.

That's how it goes.  Many people make this projection.  We don't know exactly, not even Al Gore, and we might be surprised by what we find out.

We've seen a measurable, consistent temperature rise in recent periods, so that would point to global warming.  There's still one question - is it an unusual, even anthropogenic, change?  There's a lot of debate about this one.  No matter what anyone says, global warming is a fact.

More important info on global warming:

Is it catastrophic?  It's possible.  Yes, we're going to see coastal flooding, maybe over large areas like Bangladesh.  Adaptation is key.  They move around.  Retaining walls get built.  We've done it before.

You are here.

But here's some science.  Greenhouse effect is considered to be a bogus theory by some credible researchers.  Greenhouses keep warm by trapping air inside and preventing convection (exchange).  By impeding outgoing radiation, the atmosphere keeps the planet warm.  We need that.

Earth gets visible light from the sun and gives off infrared radiation.  Green house gases (GHG's) trap this second type of electromagnetic wave.

Carbon dioxide, methane, ozone, nitrous oxide, and water vapor are the main gases said to trap outgoing heat. Gas analyzers show that these concentrations have gone up since the Industrial Revolution.

Bonus fact about global warming:

It's good to encourage greenhouse gas emitters to slow down or stop, and carbon taxes, like those in Europe, are one way to do that.  We can also reduce our reliance on fossil fuels by investing in renewable energy.  Finally, encouraging people to reduce their energy consumption can help reduce the demand for energy, reducing emissions.  But first we need to know where to target our efforts.

Maybe I can help.  My firm, Calvin Consulting does greenhouse gas reporting for a lot of industrial clients.  They want to know how to improve too.  Send me an email if you think I can help...

Other options made easy

See information about the Kyoto Accord here.

In the last decade, climate change has been a major issue, and urgent action is needed to mitigate its effects and adapt to its effects.

See other Air Quality facts and global warming articles.  Research should focus on causes, effects, and potential solutions to global warming.  It should have data and evidence from reliable sources and raise awareness.  Also, the project should include a call to action for people to help reduce global warming.  You might find this information good for your research projects and global warming essays.   

Go back from Fact About Global Warming to the Solution Global Warming webpage now.

Canadian companies with pollution and greenhouse gas emissions

Can work to reduce them immediately if they choose.  Alternatively, they can pay into a fund that develops clean tech in Canada.  They can also buy credits from companies who reported lower emissions to offset their own.

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Global warming facts.  What has already taken place?

Information on global warming, including THIS fact about global warming from Stuff in the Air.

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Thank you to my research and writing assistants, ChatGPT and WordTune, as well as Wombo and others for the images.

GPT-4, OpenAI's large-scale language generation model (and others provided by Google and Meta), helped generate this text.  As soon as draft language is generated, the author reviews, edits, and revises it to their own liking and is responsible for the content.