Search

Google
 

Thursday, May 24, 2007

POPULATION GROWTH CONTRIBUTES TO GLOBAL WARMING



The intellectual powers that we enjoy has enabled us to make effective use of technology and thereby changed the environment. Technology is partly responsible for explosive population growth and responsible for the resulting damage to Earth's resources. The industrial revolution caused a rapid increase in the Population growth, as oil and gas fuels were exploited for our use. There is a clear link between the problems of global warming and overpopulation, as increases in CO2 levels follows growth in population. Presently, we have too many people on Earth, who are using technologies that are destructive for the Earth. We cannot continue to grow, and make use of limited natural resources. (Refer to graph )

What climate changes are projected for future centuries?

Anthropogenic climate change will persist for many centuries.

Emissions of long-lived greenhouse gases (i.e., CO2, N2O, PFCs, SF6) have a lasting effect on atmospheric composition and climate. Even after greenhouse gas concentrations have stabilized, global average surface temperatures would continue rising at a reduced rate.

Global mean surface temperature increases and rising sea level from thermal expansion of the ocean are projected to continue for hundreds of years after stabilization of greenhouse gas concentrations (even at present levels).

Ice sheets will continue to react to climate warming and contribute to sea level rise for thousands of years after the climate has stabilized. For instance, a Greenland warming of 5.5°C, if sustained for 1,000 years, would likely7 result in a sea level rise of about 3 meters.

What global warming effects are expected for the future?

To predict the future global warming effects, several greenhouse gas emission scenarios were developed and fed into computer models.

They project for the next century that, without specific policy changes:

global mean temperature should increase by between 1.4 and 5.8°C (2.5 to 10°F).
the Northern Hemisphere cover should decrease further, but the Antarctic ice sheet should increase.
the sea level should rise by between 9 and 88 cm (3.5" to 35").
other changes should occur, including an increase in some extreme weather events.

After 2100, human induced global warming effects is projected to persist for many centuries.
The sea level should continue rising for thousands of years after the climate has been stabilized.