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The Earth is warming rapidly and it’s affecting everyone. As the Earth gets warmer the large ice sheets melt and the sea levels rise, two major effects of climate change. As ice sheets and glaciers melt, they increase the amount of water in the oceans. Sea level rise around the world is accelerating year after year. As air temperatures rise due to global warming, the water in the oceans is warmed and expands. While this heat transfer is a natural process, it is being intensified by human activity. It is important to understand that if global warming continues, we can expect a large rise in sea level. As water warms, it expands. This expansion has been a major driver of sea-level rise, with another component from melting land-based glaciers and ice sheets. Also, sea-level rise is contributing to more extensive coastal flooding during storms. One warning from the Union of Concerned Scientists: ”Global sea level is rising—and at an accelerating rate—largely in response to global warming. The global average rise has been about eight inches since the Industrial Revolution. Many U.S. cities have seen much higher increases in sea level.” The main cause: “human activities such as burning coal and oil and cutting down tropical forests increase atmospheric concentrations of heat-trapping gases. The result is that the planet has already warmed by 1.4°F since 1880 (Hansen et al. 2010).” Sea level rise is not an imagined process and global warming is not a hoax, both are established fact. If higher sea level continues it would cause serious impacts in the future. The time for action is now, our planet is changing, and we are on it.
5 Responses
I agree with your concern about the global warming because right now it is one of the major environmental issues on the earth. I came from and grew up in China, which one of the most important issues is the extremely hot weather at summer time. In my opinion, I think it is because of the global warming in China, which leads the increment of the temperature. Ten years before, it was not that hot, but right now the ground floor is hot enough to damage your skin if you don’t wear any shoes. In addition, everybody knows that China is a big factory in the world because a lots foreign companies are being set up here. In fact, it is not a great idea even it stimulates the economy. On the other hand, it produces infinite pollution in this place, which is the one reason that causes the global warming. Once we can’t control global warming, we will regret and suffer from it. For example, the cities that have low latitude will be covered by the water as the sea level continue to grow. Therefore, people should pay attention to this issue, to limit the pollution, and to eventually solve the problem if possible.
Thanks for this information about China, Qihua Zheng. It is most illuminating
I just want to add that the global warming is melting the ice in the arctic, but because of this he methane gases that is trap in, will be released, this mean that Pure methane, gas bubbling up from underwater vents and released to the air and will accumulate to the gases that are already in the atmosphere and would spell a climate catastrophe.
thanks for your comment Edisson. We often don’t recognize the point that you make, of the gases trapped in underwater vents. Good point. Deserves more information.
We can all agree that global warming is having a negative impact on our planet and our communities.Being from Staten Island, NY, I can attest to this. As sea levels begin to rise, residents of Staten Island can expect heavy flooding and severe impact from storms. Staten Island will be one of the first areas affected by global warming if appropriate measures are not taken to prevent this from happening. Due to the climbing temperatures, the increase in human activity, automobile activity and countless other factors, it is reported that Staten Island can expect the sea level to rise 75 inches around the island by 2100 . Most of the homes could be destroyed and many families could be displaced. As a collective, we must urge our law makers and those we vote into office to take a more active stand on climate change to protect the people that put them into office.