Why Earth is Warming

By OkokoChidozie Christian

chidochrisozonegold@yahoo.com;  09025179984

Energy from the sun heats the earth surface, warms the atmosphere and powers the ocean currents.Scientifically, records show that oceans are heated by 14×1018 Joules of energy.

Scientists measure oceans because they absorb the vast majority of the heat associated with global warming, and the earth’s temperature is dictated by ocean temperatures.

In fact, more than 90% of global warming heat ends up in the oceans with the fastest warming being the Atlantic, Indian and Northern Pacific oceans.

Even, they absorb more of the heating from human-carbon emissions, and temperature is not rising uniformly across the planet because the sun heats the equatorial tropics more than the polar regions.

Since the Industrial Revolution, human activities have released large amounts of carbon-dioxide and other greenhouse gases into the atmosphere, which has changed the earth’s climate.

And, for more than a hundred years, air temperature has been measured by weather observers all over the world.

Averaging these daily measurements over a whole year allows us to see the long-term trend instead of the short-term weather events.

Hence, the long-term trend is that: the earth is warming over time.

Moreover, the greenhouse gases that have mostly contributed to the earth warming include: carbon-dioxide, methane, nitrous oxide to mention but a few.

I hereby describe them,thus:

Carbon-dioxide, CO2

Carbon-dioxide mainly comes from burning organic materials; coal, oil, gas, wood and solid wastes. Atmospheric carbon-dioxide- the most dangerous, prevalent and the highest level greenhouse gas ever recorded; and has increased by more than 40% since pre-industrial times.

The carbon-dioxide gas absorbs solar energy and keep heat close to earth surface, rather than letting it escape into space.

And that trapping of heat is what we are known today as “greenhouse effect”. This is what keeps the earth habitable-otherwise, it would be too cold at night.

Methane, CH4

Methane concentration has been increased to more than 2.5times.Oil, gas and mining operations release large amount of methane- a potent greenhouse gas, either by accident or design.

Information gathered shows that global energy sector was responsible for nearly 135million tons of methane emissions in 2022, a slight rise from the in 2021.

Also, about 40% emissions attributed to human activity, second to agriculture.

Methane is responsible for about 30% of the rise in global temperature since the Industrial Revolution. Its rapid and sustained reductions are the key to limiting near-term global warming and improved air quality.

Nitrous oxide,N2O

Climate change, greenhouse gas emissions and warmer temperatures are changing nitrous oxide emissions.

Nitrous oxide, known as “laughing gas” is the most important greenhouse gas after carbon-dioxide and methane, and the biggest human-related threat to the ozone layer.

Though, it is rapidly increasing, mostly due to large-scale farming with synthetic fertilizers and cattle ranching.

Moreover, natural cycle and fluctuations has been a cause to the earth’s climate changing several times over the last 800years, and our era of global warming is directly attributed to human activities as afore-mentioned. In the US, the largest source of greenhouse gas emission is transportation, followed closely by electricity production and industrial activities. While in Nigeria the largest source of greenhouse gas emissions are waste and industrial pollutions.

Nevertheless, the impacts of global warming are felt by people everywhere in one way or the other, but are experienced most by the under-privileged, economically marginalized, and people of colour for whom climate change is often a key driver of poverty, displacement, hunger and social unrest.

Curbing these dangerous climate change requires very deep cut in emission as well as the use of alternatives to fossil fuels worldwide.

The good news is that countries around the globe have formerly committed as part of the 2015 Paris Climate Change Agreement to lower the emission by setting new standards and crafting new policies to meet or exceed those standards.But, the bad news is that we are not working fast enough.

To avoid the worst impacts of climate change, scientists tells us that we can reduce global carbon emission by as much as 40% by 2030, and for that to happen global communities must step up to decarbonize electricity generation by equitably transitioning from fossil fuel-based production to renewable energy sources like wind, solar and geothermal energy to mention but a few. Also, to electrify our automobiles; and to maximize energy efficiency in our building appliances and industries.

Projection from Earth System Modelshows that if we find ways to release fewer heat trapping gases into the air, global average temperature will increase about 10C to 1.50C (33.80F to 34.70F). And having adapt to changes resulting from a warmer world, our actions would help keep the earth a loveable place for all.