The Magazine of Dubai Women's College Volume 16 Issue 2, May ...

14 > FEATURE
Richard Newell, a faculty
member of the Nicholas
School for the Environment
and senior fellow of
Resources for the Future
Photo Provided by: Richard Newell
GLOBAL
Problem..
TEXT: Moza Al Flasi & Afra Atiq
Ninety thousand deaths, excessive flooding, drought and possible
epidemics over an estimated period of sixty-three years are all
created by one major problem. It is a problem that has reached
such an extent that even the world’s greatest minds are struggling
to find a suitable solution.
Over the last few years, environmentalists
have had concerns about the effects
of human activity on the environment. Things
like water and air pollution are beginning to
take their toll on the environment and, more
specifically, the atmosphere. To combat this
major problem, global warming, many countries
are taking precautions, like signing international
agreements and finding alternative methods,
to prevent further damage. Global warming,
is just what it sounds like, a global problem.
Global warming does not only affect one
or two countries, it affects every country on
the planet. It is the increase in the earth’s
temperature. It is estimated that by the year
2071, according to a report for the European
Commission, climate change will kill an
average of about 1,200 people per year. Global
warming will have such a big impact on the
environment that excessive flooding and even
increased periods of drought are anticipated.
Because of Global Warming, countries at high
to mid latitudes, according to NASA and
IPCC, are expected to have a large increase in
rainfall; countries at low and mid latitudes are
expected to have increased rainfall only during
winter. According to a study published in
Global warming will affect all of us!!
2005 by the National Center for Atmospheric
Research, the frequency of drought has doubled
over the past thirty years and is expected to
keep increasing. Although one single cause of
global warming cannot be determined, experts
agree that human activity is facilitating global
warming and is increasing it.
One cause of global warming is the absorption
of heat by greenhouse gases in the atmosphere.
There are, according to the National Oceanic
and Atmospheric Administration, two kinds
of greenhouse gases: Naturally occurring gases
Photo Provided by: Jhon Garner