c


  

   
  
  
  
        
   
   

        


       

    


 
  

 

×




 
 

  
  



Global warming, a direct consequence of deforestation, refers to the
increase in the amount of carbon dioxide and other green house
gases in the environment. Carbon dioxide and other gases such as
oxides of nitrogen and methane trap the atmospheric heat, which
increases the average temperature of the Earth¶s surface. This
increase in the average temperature of the Earth near the surface and
oceans is termed as Global Warming.

According to the scientists, the average temperature of the air near

the Earth¶s surface over the last 100 years, ending in 2005,
increased 0.74 ± 0.18°C, or 1.3 ± 0.32° Fahrenheit. This increase in
the temperature has been responsible for forest fires, melting ice
caps, increase in storms and floods and rise in sea levels, changing
the amount and pattern of precipitation. The other effects of global
warming include the extinction of species, glacier retreat, extreme
weather phenomena, expansion of the sub tropical desert regions,
modifications of trade routes and changes in agricultural yields.

U.S. President-elect Barack Obama, in a speech in 2006 also

stated, c



 





    

 
 

 
 

  
 
  
  









 








  

 
  
    

 
 










The causes of Global Warming have been linked to various human

activities. The burning of fossil fuels for the purpose of electricity
generation has increased carbon dioxide emissions into the
atmosphere. Industrialization and technological advancements have
further aggravated the problem. Carbon dioxide emissions also result
from the burning of gasoline in internal-combustion engines of cars
and other vehicles. Vehicles with poor gas mileage contribute to global
warming in a large way. Moreover, million gallons of gas is lost
annually while we are stuck in traffic jams or wait at the lights. The
UN¶s Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) estimates
that aviation causes 3.5 percent of global warming, and that the figure
could rise to 15 percent by 2050. Deforestation accounts for about 20-
25% of carbon emissions. The trees are responsible for the absorption
of the carbon dioxide gas, but the burning and felling of trees has led
to the destruction of tropical and temperate forests all over the world.

After carbon dioxide, methane is the second most dangerous

greenhouse gas contributing to global warming. According to the
IPCC, methane is more than 20 times as effective as carbon dioxide
at trapping heat in the atmosphere. Methane is released into the
atmosphere mainly through rice plants and the production of fossil
fuels. After methane, water vapor holds about two-thirds of the heat
trapped by all the other greenhouse gases. Another greenhouse gas
is the nitrous oxide, which is produced due to nylon and nitric acid
production.

Global warming has several negative effects on the Earth. The most
prominent effect has been the climatic changes, which have also
caused the glaciers to melt. The melting down of glaciers has flooded
the ocean¶s surface, which has, in turn, resulted in the loss of salinity
and has disturbed the flow of nutrients. This has also translated into
disaster for the colder climes in various parts of the world. Health
concerns are also not immune to this environmental disaster. Air
pollution, resulting from ground level ozone or smog, has caused a
considerable increase in the Asthma cases. Malaria is also proving to
be fatal in warm climates. Global warming can cause total obliteration
of the world due to rise in sea levels.

India, in its efforts to counter the problem, has taken several steps.
One such initiative has been by the Greenpeace activists, who have
occupied prime real estate and set up a  
 of hutments,
35ft above the Delhi-Noida toll bridge. The main aim is to highlight the
exigency of creating a National Climate Action Plan, that will focus on
taking immediate action to prevent climatic changes. Social activist
Medha Patkar, on behalf of NAPM (National Alliance of Peoples¶
Movement), also suggested creation of decentralized energy options
based on renewable energy in order to prevent climate changes.

Now it is for us to understand the gravity of the situation. Since the

human race is majorly responsible for causing this environmental
concern, the duty falls upon the shoulders of the mankind to take
suitable measures to ameliorate it. Firstly, we must put in use the
three R¶s of environmental conservation namely:  

 




 . There must be a collective effort to reduce the burning of
fossil fuels. We must try to switch to natural sources of energy, such
as solar, nuclear and wind energy. This is the time to become
environment friendly and save the Earth. The best way to do this is to
undertake large scale afforestation. We must also use energy-efficient
consumer appliances. These steps may look very simple, but if
undertaken on a collective basis, we can go a long way towards
preventing global warming.