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4.1 effect of global warming (source nationalgeographic.com)
Global Warming
Is it an end to our world?
Global warming or largely known as climate change is a natural phenomenon
of the rising of air temperatures near the earth’s surface over the past century.
Although it is not a new issue but people these days are more concerned that it
is a serious problem. This phenomenon could bring several harmful impacts for our
life such as rising of sea-level, unpredictable precipitation patterns, as well as
health impacts.
Firstly, there is undeniable evidence that human activities have changed the
atmosphere of our earth. Since the time we have been industrializing, we started
polluting the water and air, and have been releasing greenhouse gases that
contribute to global warming. The IPCC’s reports in 2007 stated that the 20th
century saw an increase in global average surface temperature of 0.74° C and it
forecasted and additional increase of 1.8° C to 4.0° C.
Secondly, the steady melting of sea ice and glaciers is another very visible effect
of climate change. The IPCC reports that the melting of land-based ice, from
glaciers around the world and the large ice sheets on Greenland and Antarctica
has already contributed to sea-level rise. Another factor that is also driven by
global warming is the thermal expansion of the oceans. This thermal expansion
and the melting of land-based ice have already caused a rise of about 20
centimeters in the global sea level.
Thirdly, the climate changing has already led to changes in precipitation patterns
across the globe and these are predicted to continue. The shifting patterns of
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