Global Climate Change

Global Climate Change. . , What Is Global Warming? , One of the more dangerous aspects of Global Climate Change is Global Warming. This refers to the long term rise in the Earth's overall temperature. Generally, it is understood that the excessive use of fossil fuels, increased levels of carbon dioxide, and other pollutants being released in the atmosphere is speeding this process up considerably. Since 1880, when people started to record fairly accurate temperatures, the average global temperature rose by 0.13 degrees Fahrenheit per decade. But since 1980 that rate has more than doubled. In the last forty years scientists have recorded an increase of 0.32 degrees Fahrenheit per decade. These minuscule elevations in the temperature may at first seem insignificant, but over time, this steady rise is having a devastating effect. The slight shift of one or two degrees over the past 100 years is already having a major impact., Scientists are seeing more heat waves, drought, shrinking of both glaciers and polar ice caps, a rise in the sea levels, a shift in weather patterns, and a large jump in the number of severe storms and floods., Meaningful steps need to be taken now to address Global Warming in order to protect all life on earth.