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Global Warming and Greenhouse Gases – Reduction is essential to

mitigate the effects of climate change to save our environment:

By: Partha Das Sharma (E.mail: sharmapd1@gmail.com )

1. Understanding Global Warming and Greenhouse Gases -

The earth is surrounded by a cover of gases as atmosphere. This atmosphere allows most
of the light to pass through, which reaches the surface of earth. This light from sun is
absorbed by the earth surface and converts into heat energy. This heat energy is re-
emitted by the surface of the earth during night. Due excessive presence of some gasses
in the atmosphere, this escape of heat from earth surface is prevented, resulting in heating
of earth called ‘global warming’. The gasses which are responsible for causing global
warming are called ‘greenhouse gasses’.

The harmful effects of presence of greenhouse gasses in atmosphere are global warming,
climate change, ozone depletion, sea level rise, adverse effects on biodiversity etc. One
way or another these adverse impacts are all directly or indirectly related to the presence
of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere. A number of human activities, processes and

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consumptions produce waste gasses or greenhouse gasses that are harmful to the
environment. They include:

(a) Fuel combustion


(b) Energy industries
(c) Manufacturing industries and construction
(d) Vehicle Transport and automobiles
(e) Fugitive emissions from fuels
(f) Burning of solid fuels
(g) Use of oil and natural gas
(h) Mineral products
(i) Chemical industry
(j) Metal production
(k) Production of halocarbons and sulfur hexafluoride
(l) Consumption of halocarbons and sulfur hexafluoride
(m) Solvent and other product use
(n) Enteric fermentation
(o) Manure management
(p) Rice cultivation
(q) Agricultural soils
(r) Prescribed burning of savannas
(s) Field burning of agricultural residues
(t) Solid waste disposal on land
(u) Wastewater handling
(v) Waste incineration

Much of these harmful gases are produced either naturally or by various human activities;
which we should reduce. Brief description and effects of some important greenhouse
gases and importance of Sea-ice are given below:

a. Carbon dioxide (CO2) - A naturally occurring gas produced by living organisms and
fermentation. It is a normal component of the breath we exhale; it is hazardous in
concentrated volumes. Large quantity of carbon dioxide is produced by the combustion
of carbonaceous fuels. Carbon dioxide emissions from fuel burning, responsible for about
87 percent of global warming, have increased by about 27 percent since the industrial
revolution.

b. Nitrogen oxides (NOx) – Nitrogen oxides are naturally occurring from microbial
action in soil. NOx is also produced by fuel burning. Scientists say its production is
increased by the use of nitrogen based fertilizers in agriculture, as well as by the use of
catalytic converters in automobiles.

c. Methane (CH4) – Methane is a naturally occurring, in-flammable gas. Methane is


produced by geological coal formations and by the decomposition of organic matters.
Leading man-related sources of methane are landfills; livestock digestive processes and
waste, especially ruminants (cud-chewing animals); and wetland rice cultivation.

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d. Hydroflurocarbon gasses (HFCs) - Chlorofluorocarbons (CFC), the coolant,
cleaning, and propellant gases were blacklisted internationally due to its ozone-eating
characteristics. HFCs do contribute to global warming. Global warming potential of
HFCs is 4,000 to 10,000 times that of CO2.

e. Perfluorocarbons (PFC), or perflurocompounds - Man-made replacement gases for


CFCs but result also as a by-product of aluminium smelting. PFCs also used as a purging
agent for semi-conductor manufacture and small amounts are produced during uranium
enrichment processes. Global warming potential of Perfluorocarbons (PFC), or
perflurocompounds is 6,000 to 10,000 that of CO2.

f. Sulfur hexafluoride (SF6) - Very low atmospheric concentration makes it an ideal test
gas for gas concentration monitors. Principle uses: insulating material for high-voltage
equipment like circuit breakers at utilities. Also used in water leak detection for cable
cooling systems. SF6 is a man-made gas.

g. Sea-ice is important for reduction of global warming process : Sea-ice covered with
snow reflects about 85-90% of sunlight, while ocean water reflects just 10%. Thus, as sea
ice melts, revealing more and more of the ocean beneath, the increasing absorption of
solar radiation adds to global warming, which causes more melting, which in turn causes
more warming, and so on. With most of the warmth of sunlight being absorbed by land
and the oceans, this increases the effects of global warming. The more ice and snow
melts, the greater the effect of global warming.

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2. The adverse effects of global warming -

Over last 10000 years temperature remained remarkably stable across the globe, changing
by little more than 2 degree Fahrenheit on an average. Even during the ‘Little Ice Age’,
which lasted from the 1300 AD to 1850 AD, which resulted advancing of glaciers,
average temperatures were little more than 2 degree Fahrenheit. The effects of global
warming could change average temperatures five times as much as little ice age did –
though in the opposite direction. Over the next century, the rate of the effects of global
warming should follow a steep upward curve.

The adverse effects of global warming are enormous. The effects are already being felt
on our planet, on human life, plants and animals worldwide. The predicted effects of
global warming on the environment and for human life are numerous and varied. It is
generally difficult to attribute specific natural phenomena to long-term causes, even
though, some effects of recent climate changes already we are witnessing; rising sea
levels, glacier retreat, arctic shrinkage, and altered patterns of agriculture are cited as
direct consequences. Among secondary and regional effects extreme weather events,
expansion of tropical diseases, changes in the timing of seasonal patterns in ecosystems,
and drastic economic impact are predicted.

Major adverse effects of global warming are listed below:

(i) Polar ice caps melting - The ice caps melting is a four-pronged danger.

(a) It will raise sea levels. There are more than 5,773,000 cubic miles of water in ice caps,
glaciers, and permanent snow. According to the National Snow and Ice Data Center, if all

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glaciers melted today the seas would rise about 230 feet. This may not happen at once;
but sea level will rise certainly and consequently, low lying areas will be submerged.

(b) Melting ice caps will throw the global ecosystem out of balance. The ice caps are
fresh water, and when they melt they will desalinate the ocean, or in plain English - make
it less salty. The desalinization of the gulf current will distort ocean currents, which
regulate temperatures. It will give very confusing and irregular pattern of cooling and
warming effects in some areas.

(c) Temperature rises and changing landscapes in the artic circle will endanger several
species of animals. Only the most adaptable will survive.

(d) Global warming will certainly reduce ice caps substantially. Ice caps are white, and
reflect sunlight, much of which is reflected back into space, further cooling Earth. If the
ice caps melt, the only reflector is the ocean. Darker colors absorb sunlight, further
warming the earth.

(ii) Increased probability and intensity of droughts and heat waves - Although some
areas of Earth will become wetter due to global warming, other areas will suffer serious
droughts and heat waves. Africa will receive the worst of it, with more severe droughts
also expected in Europe. Water is already a scarce commodity in Africa, and global
warming will worsen the conditions.

(iii) Warmer waters and more hurricanes - As the temperature of oceans rise, so will
the probability of more frequent and stronger hurricanes.

(iv) Spread of disease - As northern countries warm, disease carrying insects migrate
north, bringing plague and disease with them.

(v) Economic consequences - Most of the effects of global warming will not be good.
These effects bring economic consequences badly for almost all the countries of the
world.

3. Rise in global warming - Ocean might have become 'saturated' with our emissions
– An alarm bell:

When the industrial revolution started, the level of CO2 in the atmosphere was around
280 parts per million by volume (ppmv) but that has risen to around 380ppmv due to our
burning of fossil fuels. Because of tremendous rise in CO2 (about 35% rise) the global
warming scenario has been deteriorated or faster. The melting of arctic ice, severe
climate changes are some of the effects among many, of the global warming. This
unexpected growth of CO2 level in the atmosphere, scientists suspect, is due to mainly
two reasons –

(i) Inefficiency in the use of fossil fuels which increased the CO2 level by 17% and

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(ii) Other 18% came from a decline in the natural ability of land and oceans to soak up
CO2 from the atmosphere, i.e., decline in global carbon sinks. In addition, the growth of
global population is responsible for significant growth of atmospheric CO2, as well.

A. The decline in global sink (there are two major carbon sinks in the biological cycle:
the oceans and the land "biosphere", which includes plants and the soil) efficiency
suggests that stabilization of atmospheric CO2 is even more difficult to achieve than
previously thought. Study suggests, about half of emissions from human activity are
absorbed by these natural "CO2 sinks" but it has been observed that, the efficiency of
these sinks has fallen. Scientists believe global warming might get worse if the oceans
soak up less of the greenhouse gas.

B. The weakening of the Earth's ability to cope with greenhouse gases is thought to be a
result of changing wind patterns over seas and droughts on land. Nearly half of the
decline in the efficiency of the ocean CO2 sink is, expected, due to the intensification of
the winds in the Southern Ocean, study suggests. The declining effect is also being seen
in the North Atlantic, as per the recent study.

C. In fact, the researchers are clueless about the exact reasons, whether this change in
behavior of ocean is due to climate change or to natural variations. It is a tremendous
surprise and troublesome factor because there were grounds for believing that in time the
ocean might become 'saturated' with our emissions - unable to soak up any more. This
phenomenon of ocean being saturated, leave us with all our emission to heat-up our globe
– results rapidity in global warming.

D. We have to find out the ways to deal with this rapid pace in global warming.
Implementation of carbon sink technology, iron fertilization of Southern oceans etc., have
to be thought of. The major responsible factors such as, the issues like reduction of
emission of greenhouse gasses in the atmosphere are to be tackled efficiently.

4. Climate change due to global warming –

A. Climate change is a global issue that affects us all. Changes in climate patterns mean
that extreme weather events such as heat waves, floods, storms, droughts and bushfires
will become more frequent, more widespread or more intense. Climate change science is
providing a better understanding of the causes, nature, timing and consequences of
climate change. Climate change science is a very complex subject. Various
investigations, studies, reports suggest that world is warming up, but how this will affect
us in the future is difficult to qualify. Climate change is the result of changes in our
weather patterns because of an increase in the Earth's average temperature. The weather
elements at a given location vary from time to time throughout the year, but generally are
expected to remain within set limits over a long time period. This is known as our
climate. This natural variation in temperature ensures we have cold and warm years. This
is actually a natural and essential feature of our atmosphere without which our planet
would be uninhabitable.

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B. If go back to history of climate change and find people behind postulating the probable
cause of it; we may more or less say that in the 1930s people started realizing that the
United States and North Atlantic region had warmed significantly during the previous
half-century. Scientists supposed this was just a phase of some mild natural cycle, with
unknown causes. Only one lone voice, the amateur G.S. Callendar, insisted that
greenhouse warming was on the way. In the 1950s, Callendar's claims provoked a few
scientists to look into the question with improved techniques and calculations. The new
studies showed that, contrary to earlier crude estimates, carbon dioxide could indeed
build up in the atmosphere and should bring warming. Painstaking measurements drove
home the point in 1961 by showing that the level of the gas was, in fact, rising, year by
year. In the early 1970s, the rise of environmentalism raised public doubts about the
benefits of human activity for the planet. Curiosity about climate turned into anxious
concern. Alongside the greenhouse effect, some scientists pointed out that human activity
was putting dust and smog particles into the atmosphere, where they could block sunlight
and cool the world. Most scientists agreed on that they scarcely understood the climate
system, and much more research was needed. Research activity did accelerate, including
huge data-gathering schemes that mobilized international fleets of oceanographic ships
and orbiting satellites. People have come to know that, this is caused by increases in
greenhouse gases in the Earth's atmosphere. By 2000, scientists knew the most important
things about how the climate could change during the present century.

C. Therefore, when we talk about global warming, as described above, we generally talk
about the 'greenhouse effect'. This process works by the principle that certain atmospheric
gases (called greenhouse gases) allow short wave radiation from the sun to pass through
them unabsorbed, while at the same time absorbing some of the long wave radiation
reflected back to space. The net result; more heat is received from the sun than is lost
back to space, keeping the earth's surface warmer than it would otherwise be. Man, in the
process of industrialization and development, is adding to and changing the levels of the
gases responsible for the greenhouse effect and is therefore enhancing this warming.

D. The effect of global warming is that, global ice sheets have decreased, so has global
snow cover. There have been warmer periods in the history – some millions of years ago.
However, the present rise is the most rapid rise in temperature since the end of the last ice
age. Carbon dioxide (CO2) is the gas most significantly responsible for greenhouse
effect. Plant respiration and decomposition of organic material release more than 10
times the CO2 than released by human activities, but these releases have generally been
in balance during the centuries. Since the industrial revolution amounts have increased by
30%. Other greenhouse gases include Methane, Nitrous oxide, CFC's (manmade) and
Ozone. The major problem is that these gases can remain in the atmosphere for decades.
The combustion of fossil fuel (oil, natural gas and coal) by heavy industry and other
human activities, such as transport and deforestation, are the primary reasons for
increased emissions of these harmful gases. Aerosol, from human made sulfur emission,
also increases in the atmosphere along with CO2. The small particles of aerosol have a
property to reflect back some of the sunlight and hence act to slow down the cooling.
However where carbon dioxide can remain in the atmosphere for 100 years, sulfate

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aerosols only last a few days and can be easily removed by rain (acid rain). Therefore
they only temporarily mask the full effect of CO2.

E. In order to try and predict possible consequences of this warming for the future,
researchers use climate modeling to simulate the climate and oceans over many decades.
Climate models also predict changes in rainfall and rise in sea level. Sea level rises will
be due to thermal expansion of the ocean along with the melting glaciers and mountain
snow and ice. The recent estimate of sea level rise is by more than 50cm by 2100, but this
will vary considerably with location.

5. Expected impacts of global warming – would certainly be very harmful and


dangerous:

A large body of scientific studies, exhaustively reviewed, has produced a long list of
possibilities of impacts of global warming. Nobody can say that any of the items on the
list are certain to happen. But most of the climate experts agree that the impacts listed
below are more likely to happen. The exact timings, for them, are difficult to predict, but
they are in the opinion that, if humanity manages to begin restraining its emissions within
the next few decades, so that greenhouse gases do not rise beyond twice the pre-industrial
level (we are already 35% above it and rising each year, at an accelerating rate) the
consequences would certainly be very dangerous - probably including a radical
reorganization and impoverishment of many of the ecosystems that sustain our
civilization. Expected impacts are:

(i) Most places will continue to get warmer, especially at night and in winter. The
temperature change will benefit some regions, at least for a time, while harming others
like, patterns of tourism will shift. The warmer winters will benefit health in some areas,
but globally, mortality will rise due to summer heat waves and other effects.

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(ii) Sea levels will continue to rise for many centuries. The last time the planet was 3°C
warmer than now, the sea level was roughly 5 meters higher. That submerged coastlines
where many millions of people now live. Also, storm surges will cause emergencies.

(iii) Weather patterns will keep changing, probably toward an intensified water cycle
with stronger floods and droughts. Most regions that are now subject to droughts are
expected to get drier (because of warming as well as less precipitation), and most wet
regions will get wetter. Changes in extreme weather events are hard to predict, but in
some regions storms with more intense rainfall are liable to bring worse floods. Mountain
glaciers and winter snowcap will shrink, jeopardizing many water supply systems. Each
of these changes has already begun to happen in some regions.

(iv) Ecosystems will be stressed, although some managed agricultural and forestry
systems will benefit, at least in the early decades of warming. Uncounted valuable
species, especially in the Arctic, mountain areas, and tropical seas, must shift their
ranges. Many that cannot will face extinction. A variety of pests and tropical diseases are
expected to spread to warmed regions. Each of these problems has already been observed
in numerous places.

(v) Increased carbon dioxide levels will affect biological systems independent of
climate change. Some crops will be fertilized, as will some invasive weeds (the balance
of benefit vs. harm is uncertain). The oceans will continue to become markedly more
acidic, gravely endangering coral reefs, and probably harming fisheries and other marine
life.

(vi) There will be significant unforeseen impacts. Most of these will probably be
harmful, since human and natural systems are well adapted to the present climate.

6. Abnormal rise in greenhouse gas, methane, in the earth atmosphere causing


arctic ice to vanish in a couple of years!!

It has been reported that, due to rapid, unchecked and unethical industrialization in many
parts of the globe, the concentration of methane, a very prominent greenhouse gas, has
been rising and in last one year alone it has risen by about 0.5%. We all know that,
methane is the second most important gas causing man-made climate change. Each
molecule causes about 25 times more warming than a molecule of CO2, though it
survives for shorter times in the atmosphere before being broken down.

Further, it has also been known to us that, already global climate is at great disastrous
condition because of present rise in carbon dioxide (CO2) levels, which is significantly
higher than the average annual increase for the last 30 years. It has also been recently
reported that, CO2 concentration has risen by 2.4 parts per million (ppm) in last one year;
as against the average annual increase of 1.65ppm between 1979 and 2007. Thus, it
shows evidence that, concentrations of greenhouse gases are rising faster than they were a
decade ago. The methane concentration figure is more awesome and potentially of more
concern.

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Because of the above abnormal rise in greenhouse gases in last one year or so, scientists
fear that, it could reflect melting of permafrost and drying of tropical wetlands more
rapidly. It has also been reported that, concentrations of greenhouse gases have been
more or less stable since about 1999 and thereafter rapid increases.

Industrial reforms in Asia, Europe and South American countries in last one decade
reflected abnormal rise in greenhouse gases, especially of carbon dioxide and methane.
Changes of methods rice farming processes and the capture of methane from landfill sites
contributed to this rise, it is felt. Also, possibilities of release of methane from frozen
zones of the world, notably the Arctic permafrost, as they warm cannot be ruled out.

The rapid unchecked increase in coal fired industries (without cleaning coal) such as
power plants, steel plants etc., are mostly responsible for rise in concentration of CO2.

The sustained rise of greenhouse gases along with El Nino and La Nina (opposite of El
Nino) conditions, the earth is experiencing warming effects. As per the new scientific
analysis, because of the warming, the arctic snow melted most rapidly in last one year.
They also predict that, the sea level could rise by more than one and half meters by
another half century or so. Sea level rise of this magnitude would have major impacts on
low-lying countries such as Bangladesh. Scientists also fear that, due to abnormal rise in
average global temperature, in next five of six years there may not be any arctic ice left
during summer.

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7. Faster ocean warming due to climate change – One of the reasons of catastrophic
sea level rising:

A. It has been reported recently by some of the climate research agencies in US,
Australia, UK etc. that, oceans all over the world are getting warmed at a much faster rate
than it used to be earlier or what was thought to be. It is estimated that, the rate of
warming of world’s oceans is about 50% faster over the last half century than it was
thought previously. Thus, world’s oceans have warmed more quickly due to climate
change than expected.

B. It may be noted, higher the ocean temperatures, higher the expansion of ocean water –
which contributes to rise in sea levels. Expansion ocean water means more floods,
submerging smaller island nations, threatening to wreak havoc in low-lying places and
densely-populated delta regions around the globe. A third of the world’s population
living within 50 km of the coasts and a great proportion and a large proportion of them
live much closer to the shoreline. Even a modest sea level rise could inundate low-lying
regions, accelerate coastal erosion and force the relocation of communities and
infrastructures.

C. Rising sea levels are driven by two things – (i) the thermal expansion of sea water, and
(ii) additional water from melting sources of ice. Both these processes are caused by
global warming.

D. For example, the glaciers or ice sheet that cover Arctic region contains enough water
to raise world ocean levels by seven meters, which would bury sea-level cities from
Dhaka to Shanghai in Asia and many more similar cities in other parts of the world. If the
Greenland and the West and East Antarctica ice sheets were to melt, it would be enough
to raise the sea level by approximately 65 meters. A one-foot rise in sea level might well
translate to a 200-foot retreat of shoreline. Therefore, it could be imagined about the
future coastal map how catastrophic it would be. Among the most vulnerable are
countries with large populations in deltaic coastal regions such as Bangladesh, Vietnam,
China and Egypt. Two populous island nations, the Philippines and Indonesia, have
millions who face displacement from their homes from sea level rise. Several small island
state nations including the Maldives in the Indian Ocean and the Marshall Islands and
Tuvalu in the Pacific could face extinction.

E. Global heating effects are strong in melting of snow and ice, rising global mean sea
level, widespread changes in precipitation amounts, ocean salinity, wind patterns and
aspects of extreme weather including droughts, heavy precipitation, heat waves and the
intensity of tropical cyclones. The rate of rise in temperatures depends on if and how fast
emissions are reduced and on possible adverse feedbacks in the climate system.
Temperatures are sure to rise faster in the next decades as well. Experts opine that, hot
extremes, heat waves, and heavy precipitation events will continue to become more
frequent. It is certain that the ocean would become more acid from taking up more carbon
dioxide.

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F. Therefore, it is very important, now, to figure out and estimate how much each of
these factors contributes to rising sea levels. Further, it is critically important to
understand global warming, climate change and forecasting future ocean temperature
rise, as well. The fact is, up to now there has been a perplexing gap between the
projections of computer-based climate models, and the observations of scientific data
gathered from the world’s oceans.

8. Global Warming - Each one degree rise in the temperature of the world's oceans
is equivalent to 1.4 BILLION one Megaton atom bombs!!!

We all know, the earth is surrounded by a cover of gasses as atmosphere. This


atmosphere allows most of the light to pass through, which reaches the surface of earth.

This light from sun is absorbed by the earth surface and converts into heat energy. This
heat energy is re-emitted by the surface of the earth during night.

Due excessive presence of some gasses in the atmosphere, this escape of heat from earth
surface is prevented, resulting in heating of earth called ‘global warming’.

The gasses which are responsible for causing global warming are called ‘greenhouse
gasses’. Carbon dioxide is one of the most important greenhouse gases. This carbon
dioxide mostly comes to atmosphere as air pollution from vehicles, coal-fired power
plants and other industries burning fossil fuels. Human population increase and large
scale deforestation are also responsible for carbon dioxide generation.

Thus, Global Warming adds energy to the Earth's biosphere.

The climate change which we are experiencing is due to global warming.

Heat is the fuel of weather systems. More heat, more extreme weather.

Energy drives the water cycle.

The more energy there is the faster the water cycle is driven and the more extreme the
weather patterns become.

Each one degree rise in the temperature of the world's oceans is the equivalent to 1.4
BILLION one Megaton atom bombs; that is a lot of energy! This tremendous amount
of devastating energy, generating because of our faulty creation “Global Warming” is
responsible for the present climate change.

Thus, it shouldn't be surprising that the result is more extreme weather. More rain, more
drought and more storms.

The harmful effects of presence of greenhouse gasses in atmosphere are global warming,
climate change, ozone depletion, sea level rise, adverse effects on biodiversity etc.

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Therefore, our prime responsibility is not to promote any industrialization which
enhances carbon emission, rather than reduction.

MOST IMPORTANT:

• WE MUST REDUCE OUR CONSUMPTION OF NON-RENEWABLE


RESOURCES.

• WE MUST REDUCE THE GREENHOUSE GASES WE RELEASE.

References:

1. http://environmentengineering.blogspot.com/2008/03/global-warming-and-greenhouse-
gasses.html

2. http://www.effectofglobalwarming.com/global-warming-facts.html

3. http://environmentengineering.blogspot.com/2008/03/adverse-effects-of-global-warming.html

4. http://cashintellect.com/2007/02/12/they-dont-get-it/

5. http://saferenvironment.wordpress.com/2008/10/31/global-warming-greenhouse-gases-and-
their-harmful-effects-%E2%80%93-urgent-reduction-of-these-are-essential-to-save-our-
environment/

6. http://www.thepetitionsite.com/16/stop-global-warming-pwease-3

7. http://naturematters.wordpress.com/2006/11/20/the-facts-about-global-warming/

8. http://www.greenpeace.org/international/photosvideos/photos/global-warming-is-happening-to

9. http://www.stopglobalwarming.com.au/global_warming_current_climate_impacts.html

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