Global Warming And Climate Change - 1249 Words

Within the past decade, global warming has become an increasingly debated topic. According to the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), the global average temperature has risen by one degree Fahrenheit in the last century. Almost all scientists attribute this to human activities such as burning fossil fuels which releases greenhouse gases into the atmosphere. Even though one degree may seem like an insignificant change, it has already been linked to shrinking ice caps, increased sea levels, and worldwide droughts (Controlling Global Warming). Global warming should be taken as a serious threat to planet Earth due to the catastrophic damage it imposes on the environment and humans themselves. From melting ice caps to violent†¦show more content†¦If the ice at the polar regions of the world melts, then other parts of the world would experience increased sea levels. The World Meteorological Organization proclaims that the average worldwide sea level rises approximate ly three millimeters a year. This might sound like a miniscule change, but this it is double the rate in comparison to what it was in the twentieth century. The United States Environmental Protection Agency confirms the current sea levels have risen about eight inches since 1870. In a 2013 IPCC report, if greenhouse gas emissions remain at current regulation laws, researchers believe sea levels will rise three feet within the next eighty years (Bradford). But sea levels are not the only thing changing in the ocean as a result of global warming. Reports have also stated ocean water has become more acid as a direct result of the increase of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere. When carbon dioxide is dissolved into water, carbonic acid is created. Carbonic acid has a pH of two, which is â€Å"quite acidic,† especially for marine life (Bradford). Many shellfish organisms, lobsters, crab, shrimp, oysters, and clams, have their shell composed of calcium carbonate, which is easily diss olved in acidic environments. These higher pH levels can cause numerous health problems or even mass species extinction for these innocent critters. The frequency of other extreme natural disasters are also projected to increase as a result