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Global warming causes consequences and solutions. Global warming - causes and consequences

We rarely think about what should happen in the future. Today we have other things to do, responsibilities and chores. Therefore, global warming, its causes and consequences are perceived more as scenarios for Hollywood films than as a real threat to the existence of mankind. What signals speak of an impending catastrophe, what are its causes and what future awaits us - let's figure it out.

To understand the degree of danger, to assess the growth of negative changes and to understand the problem, we will analyze the very concept of global warming.

What is global warming?

Global warming is a measure of the rise in average ambient temperature over the past century. Its problem lies in the fact that, starting from the 1970s, this figure began to increase several times faster. The main reason for this lies in the strengthening of industrial human activity. Not only did the water temperature increase, but also by about 0.74 °C. Despite such a small value, the consequences can be enormous, according to scientific papers.

Studies in the field of global warming report that the change in temperature regimes has accompanied the planet throughout its life. For example, Greenland is a testament to climate change. History confirms that in the 11th-13th centuries Norwegian sailors called this place “Green Land”, since there was no snow and ice cover, as it is today.

At the beginning of the 20th century, heat again prevailed, which led to a decrease in the scale of the glaciers of the Arctic Ocean. Then, from about the 40s, the temperature dropped. A new round of its growth began in the 1970s.

The causes of climate warming are explained by such a concept as the greenhouse effect. It consists in raising the temperature of the lower layers of the atmosphere. Greenhouse gases contained in the air, such as methane, water vapor, carbon dioxide and others, contribute to the accumulation of thermal radiation from the Earth's surface and, as a result, to the heating of the planet.

What causes the greenhouse effect?

  1. Fires in the forest area. First, there is a release of a large amount. Secondly, the number of trees that process carbon dioxide and provide oxygen is decreasing.
  2. permafrost. Earth, which is in the grip of permafrost, emits methane.
  3. Oceans. They give off a lot of water vapor.
  4. Eruption. It releases huge amounts of carbon dioxide.
  5. Living organisms. We all contribute our share to the formation of the greenhouse effect, because we exhale the same CO 2 .
  6. Solar Activity. According to satellite data over the past few years, the Sun has significantly increased its activity. True, scientists cannot give exact data on this matter, and therefore there are no conclusions.


We have considered the natural factors influencing the greenhouse effect. However, the main contribution is made by human activities. The increased development of industry, the study of the Earth's interior, the development of minerals and their extraction served as the release of a large amount of greenhouse gases, which led to an increase in the temperature of the planet's surface.

What exactly is man doing to increase global warming?

  1. Oilfield and industry. By using oil and gas as fuel, we emit large amounts of carbon dioxide into the atmosphere.
  2. Fertilization and tillage. Pesticides and the chemicals used to do this contribute to the release of nitrogen dioxide, which is a greenhouse gas.
  3. Deforestation. Active exploitation of forests and cutting down of trees leads to an increase in carbon dioxide.
  4. Overpopulation of the planet. The growth in the number of inhabitants of the Earth explains the reasons for point 3. To provide a person with everything necessary, more and more territories are being developed in search of minerals.
  5. Landfill formation. Lack of waste sorting, wasteful use of products lead to the formation of landfills that are not recycled. They are either buried deep in the ground or burned. Both of these lead to changes in the ecosystem.

Automobile and the formation of traffic jams also contribute to the acceleration of environmental catastrophe.

If the current situation is not corrected, the temperature increase will continue further. What else will be the consequences?

  1. Temperature variation: in winter it will be much colder, in summer it will be either abnormally hot or quite cold.
  2. The volume of drinking water will be reduced.
  3. The harvest in the fields will be noticeably poorer, some crops may disappear altogether.
  4. In the next hundred years, the water level in the world's oceans will rise by half a meter due to the rapid melting of glaciers. The salinity of the water will also begin to change.
  5. Global climate catastrophes, hurricanes and tornadoes will not only become commonplace, but will also spread to the scale of Hollywood films. Heavy rains will fall in many regions, which have not appeared there before. Winds and cyclones will begin to increase and become a frequent occurrence.
  6. An increase in the number of dead zones on the planet - places where a person cannot survive. Many deserts will become even larger.
  7. Due to a sharp change in climatic conditions, trees and many animal species will have to adapt to them. Those who do not have time to do it quickly will be doomed to extinction. This applies most of all to trees, because in order to get used to the terrain, they must reach a certain age in order to produce offspring. Reducing the number of “ ” leads to an even more dangerous threat - a colossal release of carbon dioxide, which there will be no one to turn into oxygen.

Ecologists have identified several places where global warming will affect the Earth in the first place:

  • Arctic- Melting of Arctic ice, rising temperature of permafrost;
  • Sahara Desert- snowfall;
  • small islands- rising sea levels will simply flood them;
  • some Asian rivers- they will spill and become unusable;
  • Africa- the depletion of the mountain glaciers feeding the Nile will lead to the drying up of the floodplain of the river. Surrounding areas will become uninhabitable.

The permafrost that exists today will move further north. As a result of global warming, the course of sea currents will change, and this will cause uncontrolled climate changes throughout the planet.

As the number of heavy industries, oil and gas refineries, landfills and incinerators grows, the air will become less usable. Already, this problem is preoccupied by the inhabitants of India and China.

There are two forecasts, in one of which, with the same level of greenhouse gas generation, global warming will become noticeable in about three hundred years, in the other - in a hundred if the level of emissions into the atmosphere continues to grow.

The problems that the inhabitants of the Earth will face in the event of global warming will affect not only ecology and geography, but also financial and social aspects: the reduction of habitable territories will lead to a change in the locations of citizens, many cities will be abandoned, states will face food shortages and water for the population.

Reports of the Ministry of Emergency Situations report that over the past quarter century, the number of floods in the country has almost doubled. At the same time, many parameters of such disasters are recorded for the first time in history.

Scientists predict the impact of global warming in the 21st century primarily on Siberia and the subarctic regions. Where it leads? Rising permafrost temperatures are threatening radioactive waste storage facilities and causing serious economic problems. By the middle of the century, temperatures are projected to rise by 2-5 degrees in winter.

There is also the possibility of periodic occurrence of seasonal tornadoes - more often than usual. Floods in the Far East have repeatedly brought great harm to the inhabitants of the Amur Region and the Khabarovsk Territory.

Roshydromet suggested the following problems related to global warming:

  1. In some regions of the country, unusual droughts are expected, in others - floods and soil moisture, which leads to the destruction of agriculture.
  2. The growth of forest fires.
  3. Disruption of the ecosystem, displacement of biological species with the extinction of some of them.
  4. Forced air conditioning in the summer in many regions of the country and the resulting economic costs.

But there are also some advantages:

  1. Global warming will increase navigation on the sea routes of the north.
  2. There will also be a shift in the boundaries of agriculture, which will increase the territory of agriculture.
  3. In winter, the need for heating will decrease, which means that the cost of funds will also decrease.

It is still quite difficult to assess the danger of global warming for humanity. Developed countries are already introducing new technologies in heavy production, such as special filters for air emissions. And the more populated and less developed countries suffer from the man-made consequences of human activity. This imbalance without affecting the problem will only grow.

Scientists monitor changes thanks to:

  • chemical analysis of soil, air and water;
  • studying the rate of glacier melting;
  • charting the growth of glaciers and desert zones.

These studies make it clear that the rate of impact of global warming is increasing every year. Greener ways of working in heavy industry and restoration of the ecosystem are needed as soon as possible.

What are the ways to solve the problem:

  • rapid landscaping of a large area of ​​land;
  • creation of new varieties of plants that are easily accustomed to changes in nature;
  • use of renewable energy sources (for example, wind energy);
  • development of more environmentally friendly technologies.
Solving the problems of global warming today, a person must look far into the future. Many documented agreements, such as the protocol adopted as an addendum to the UN Framework Convention in Kyoto in 1997, did not give the desired result, and the introduction of environmental technologies is extremely slow. In addition, the re-equipment of old oil and gas plants is almost impossible, and the cost of building new ones is quite high. In this regard, the reconstruction of heavy industry is primarily a matter of economics.

Scientists are considering different ways to solve the problem: special carbon dioxide traps have already been created, located in mines. Aerosols have been developed that affect the reflective properties of the upper layers of the atmosphere. The effectiveness of these developments has not yet been proven. The automotive combustion system is constantly being modified to protect against harmful emissions. Alternative energy sources are being invented, but their development costs a lot of money and progress is extremely slow. In addition, the operation of mills and solar panels also releases CO 2 .

Global warming is perhaps one of the most publicized environmental problems. Everywhere you can find activists in the struggle to reduce the impact of humanity on the planet's climate. If, in fact, humanity is causing a marked rise in the level of the world's seas by producing carbon dioxide, which is often considered the cause of global warming, then, of course, something must be done about it.

But what if global warming is caused not by the activities of mankind, but by some other processes? The theory that mankind's use of fossil fuels leads to a significant increase in the temperature of the Earth's atmosphere and oceans has been criticized by some scientists. What if the increase in temperature is not as significant as the global warming campaigners claim? Scientists give ambiguous answers to these questions, but observational data indicate a slowdown in the rate of temperature increase.

The topic of global warming is very politicized, since the slogans of combating warming are a good leverage in foreign policy. And it is very difficult to find a really objective assessment of this problem.

Global warming or the Little Ice Age

Global warming is the process of increasing the average annual temperature of the Earth's atmosphere and the oceans.

According to RSS satellite data, from September 1996 to January 2014 there was no global warming for 209 months (17 years 5 months), even a slight decrease in temperature. Despite record high growth rates of CO 2 concentration.

Hans von Storch, a climatologist and professor at the meteorological institute at the University of Hamburg, acknowledged that there had not been significant temperature rises over the past 15 years.

Could it be that "global cooling" has begun? Khabibullo Ismailovich Abdusamatov, Russian Doctor of Physical and Mathematical Sciences, Head of the Solar Space Research Department at the Pulkovo Observatory, believes that the Little Ice Age should begin approximately from 2014, whose peak will be in 2055, plus or minus 11 years.

However, according to most scientists, global warming is still there. Since 1880 (when relatively accurate thermometers appeared), the temperature has risen by 0.6 ° C - 0.8 ° C.

Practice is the best criterion for the correctness of a theory.

The temperatures calculated according to the models of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) depend on the concentration of CO 2 , it should be noted that its concentration has increased significantly in recent times. Since 1979, with relatively accurate temperature information available from satellites, observed temperatures have increased. However, as you can see from the animated graph, the theoretical temperatures are much higher than the observed temperatures.

Computer models of the IPCC give rise to temperatures twice as high as those observed in reality. And in fact, none of the IPCC models provide data that would correspond to the absence of global warming in recent times.

“Until now, no one has been able to come up with a convincing explanation for why climate change might pause,” Hans von Storch told Der Spiegel in June 2013.

“According to most climate models, we should have seen an increase in temperature of about 0.25 °C over the past 10 years. That did not happen. In fact, over the past 15 years there has been an increase of only 0.06°C – a value very close to zero,” Storch told Der Spiegel. Apparently, the calculations of the average temperature are carried out in different ways, since this value is slightly different from the zero value in the temperature change presented in the first graph.

Is there scientific evidence that global warming is caused by human activity?

Global warming has been attributed to human activities, such as the burning of unprecedented amounts of fossil fuels, which increase the amount of carbon dioxide, which is a greenhouse gas.

Polls show that 97% of climate scientists and publicists believe that "global average temperatures have risen" over the past century; they also believe that human activity is an important contributor to global average temperature change. But the proof of the validity of the theory cannot be the number of its supporters, the theory is proved by practice.

The main argument of supporters of the theory of influence is the observed warming of the climate over the past century with the simultaneous accumulation of anthropogenic carbon dioxide in the atmosphere. It is because of this that the hypothesis of greenhouse gases is taken on faith with little or no verification. But recent trends in climate change, which are presented in the figures above, indicate the likely fallacy of this hypothesis.

In the video recording of the program "Obvious - Incredible", Doctor of Physical and Mathematical Sciences, the creator of the adiabatic theory of the greenhouse effect of the atmosphere, which explains the evolution of terrestrial climates, Sorokhtin Oleg Georgievich gives a scientific view of the problem of global warming. In accordance with his theory, the accumulation of CO 2 in the atmosphere, other things being equal, can only lead to a cooling of the climate and some increase in synoptic activity in the Earth's troposphere. The scientist associates climate warming with solar activity, as does Khabibullo Ismailovich Abdusamatov, who is also one of the main critics of the theory that anthropogenic carbon dioxide emissions create a greenhouse effect that leads to global warming.

Canadian environmentalist Patrick Moore, who is one of the co-founders of Greenpeace, speaking before the US Congress, said that climate change, in particular, the gradual increase in the temperature of the Earth's surface over the past century, was not the fault of man.

"There is no scientific evidence that anthropogenic emissions of carbon dioxide into the atmosphere are the main cause of the slight warming of the Earth's atmosphere over the past century."
“If there was such proof, it would have already been presented to mankind. But so far there is no scientific evidence for these hypotheses.

Some scientists argue that there are no greenhouse gases. For example, Dr. Pierre Latour, vice chairman of the United Kingdom-based association Principia Scientific International (PSI), argues that CO 2 concentration does not affect atmospheric temperature, but temperature does affect CO 2 concentration. He argues that greenhouse gases do not exist and CO 2 is not an air pollutant, it is just a nutrient for plants. The website of this organization constantly publishes materials that refute the greenhouse effect of CO 2 .

Thus, part of the scientific community does not support the theory that an increase in the concentration of CO 2 in the atmosphere leads to global warming of the planet's climate. In recent years, significant climate warming has not been observed, despite the increase in carbon dioxide concentrations. So perhaps we should be more concerned about solving other environmental problems that may be more serious than the problem of global warming.

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It all started back in 1975. The world-famous journal Science (Science), in the issue of August 8, published at that time a rather bold, one might even say revolutionary article.
It contained assumptions that in the near future the climate on Earth will change dramatically. Even the reasons for these changes were explained - everything consisted in human impacts on the natural resources of the Earth. This was later called "global warming".

Actually, the very term "global warming" was fixed only in July 1988. It is believed that its author is James Hansen, a climate scientist. For the first time he publicly used this term, speaking in the US Senate. His report was then widely covered by many media outlets. Even then, Hansen explained what caused global warming and stated that it had reached a very high level. Although such serious temperature changes that we observe today, then, of course, there were no, but stopping global warming at that moment would be the most reasonable thing.

What is global warming

In short, this is a gradual, progressive increase in the average temperature of the Earth. Today, this is already such an obvious fact that even the most conservative skeptic will not argue with it. Almost all modern scientists recognize this. The facts show that over the past decades, the average temperature of our planet has increased by 0.8 degrees. This number may seem insignificant to the average person. But in reality this is far from the case.

Also noteworthy is the fact that the increase in the Earth's temperature occurs unevenly in different parts of the planet. So, for example, in many equatorial states the temperature increased slightly. Whereas in Russia and other countries located at the same latitudes, the average temperature increase was 1.3 degrees. This was especially noticeable during the winter months.

What is the reason for such global changes

Most scientists agree that the main cause of global warming is human activity. A few hundred years ago, mankind was mainly engaged in cattle breeding and agriculture. At that time, not so many minerals were mined, and in general, there was practically no harm to the environment. But everything changed with the advent of the so-called industrial revolution. The extraction of the Earth's resources, such as coal, crude oil, and later natural gas, increased several times. Today, such plants, factories and other enterprises that are familiar to modern man emit an average of 22 billion (!) Tons of harmful emissions per year into the atmosphere. These emissions are, among others, methane, carbon dioxide, and other greenhouse gases. Approximately 50 percent of these unnecessary gases remain in the Earth's atmosphere, causing the greenhouse effect. Ozone holes also contribute.


The ozone layer in the atmosphere is located at a distance of 15-20 kilometers from the Earth's surface. And if some hundred years ago this layer was unharmed and reliably protected the planet from the harmful effects of sunlight, today this is no longer the case. But due to harmful emissions from the same plants and factories, such chemical elements as bromine, hydrogen and chlorine began to enter the atmosphere, which began to destroy the ozone layer.

At first, it became thinner, and since 1985, the first hole with a diameter of about one kilometer appeared over Antarctica. Later, such holes appeared over the Arctic. Undoubtedly, this has led to the fact that ultraviolet radiation is no longer retained in the atmosphere properly, further heating the surface of the Earth. The already serious situation is aggravated by the fact that in many countries of the world mass deforestation has been going on for many years. Pursuing commercial interests, humanity forgets that it is actually destroying the "lungs" of our planet. The less forests that are able to absorb carbon dioxide, the more this gas remains in the atmosphere, which thereby only increases the greenhouse effect.

Some scientists, especially experts in the agricultural sector, consider the increased number of cattle in recent years to be the main cause of global warming. According to them, today humanity breeds more cows, sheep, horses and other animals than ever before. And, as you know, the product of processing agricultural feed by these animals, in other words, manure, also releases a significant amount of methane into the atmosphere during decomposition. And although another group of scientists is rather skeptical of this version, the number of supporters of this theory is still growing steadily. And, of course, a huge number of cars on all continents in total give a significant amount of exhaust gases that also enter the atmosphere. And it seems that the growing production of "environmental" electric vehicles is not yet able to completely solve this problem.

What are the consequences of global warming

The most dangerous thing that threatens us is the melting of glaciers in the Arctic in the world. It has been noticed that, especially in recent years, glaciers are melting at a record speed. A number of respected and world-famous scientists are convinced that many Arctic glaciers will melt much sooner than previously thought. And the less ice remains on the surface of the Earth, the less ultraviolet radiation coming from the Sun will be reflected from our planet. Consequently, the surface of the Earth will heat up even more, which will only exacerbate the melting of new glaciers. But from this problem comes the next - rising sea levels. According to the observations of scientists in different countries, the level of the world's oceans is rising by 3.2 millimeters per year. If this trend continues and grows, then some experts predict a rise in the level of the world ocean by 0.5-2.0 meters in the near future.


But today, more and more often you can hear on TV how some coastal areas and even entire islands disappear under water. For example, an island in the Bay of Bengal was completely flooded, which for many years was considered a disputed territory between countries such as Bangladesh and India. In Bangladesh it was called South Talpatti Island, while in India, which considered it its own, it was called New Moore Island. When the island completely went under water, the territorial dispute was simply settled. And the reason for this is global warming.

In many countries in the coastal zone, roads, residential buildings, and agricultural areas have gone under water. People were forced to move the entire infrastructure deep into the mainland, or build dams. Because of flooded houses, so-called "climate migrants" appeared in some countries. Also, many diseases that used to live in extremely hot countries are more and more often recorded in more northern latitudes. Obviously, global climate change has significantly affected our lives.

In the last two decades, especially in the developed world, there have been many summits aimed at preventing global warming. But many scientists are firmly convinced of one thing: even if radical actions are now taken on a global scale to eliminate the causes that cause an increase in the average temperature of the Earth, the process will still not be stopped. And whether global warming will cause irreparable consequences for humanity, time will tell.

A lot is being said and written about global warming. Almost every day new hypotheses appear, old ones are refuted. We are constantly frightened by what awaits us in the future (I well remember the comment of one of the readers of the magazine www.site “We have been frightened for so long and terribly that it is no longer scary”). Many statements and articles frankly contradict each other, misleading us. Global warming has already become a “global confusion” for many, and some have completely lost all interest in the problem of climate change. Let's try to systematize the available information by creating a kind of mini encyclopedia on global warming.

1. Global warming- the process of a gradual increase in the average annual temperature of the surface layer of the Earth's atmosphere and the World Ocean, due to various reasons (an increase in the concentration of greenhouse gases in the Earth's atmosphere, changes in solar or volcanic activity, etc.). Very often as a synonym global warming use the phrase "the greenhouse effect", but there is a slight difference between these concepts. the greenhouse effect is an increase in the average annual temperature of the surface layer of the Earth's atmosphere and the World Ocean due to an increase in the concentrations of greenhouse gases (carbon dioxide, methane, water vapor, etc.) in the Earth's atmosphere. These gases play the role of a film or glass of a greenhouse (greenhouse), they freely pass the sun's rays to the Earth's surface and retain heat leaving the planet's atmosphere. We will discuss this process in more detail below.

For the first time, global warming and the greenhouse effect were discussed in the 60s of the XX century, and at the UN level the problem of global climate change was first voiced in 1980. Since then, many scientists have been racking their brains over this problem, often mutually refuting each other's theories and assumptions.

2. Ways to obtain information on climate change

Existing technologies make it possible to reliably judge the climate changes that are taking place. Scientists use the following “tools” to substantiate their theories of climate change:
— historical annals and chronicles;
— meteorological observations;
— satellite measurements of ice area, vegetation, climatic zones and atmospheric processes;
– analysis of paleontological (remains of ancient animals and plants) and archaeological data;
— analysis of sedimentary oceanic rocks and river sediments;
— analysis of ancient ice in the Arctic and Antarctica (ratio of O16 and O18 isotopes);
— measuring the rate of melting of glaciers and permafrost, the intensity of iceberg formation;
— observation of the sea currents of the Earth;

— observation of the chemical composition of the atmosphere and the ocean;
— observation of changes in the areas (habitats) of living organisms;
– analysis of the annual rings of trees and the chemical composition of tissues of plant organisms.

3. Facts about global warming

Paleontological evidence suggests that Earth's climate has not been constant. Warm periods were replaced by cold glacial ones. During warm periods, the average annual temperature of the Arctic latitudes rose to 7-13°C, and the temperature of the coldest month of January was 4-6 degrees, i.e. climatic conditions in our Arctic differed little from the climate of modern Crimea. The warm periods were sooner or later replaced by cooling periods, during which the ice reached modern tropical latitudes.

Man has also witnessed a number of climatic changes. At the beginning of the second millennium (11-13 centuries), historical chronicles indicate that a large area of ​​Greenland was not covered with ice (which is why the Norwegian navigators dubbed it "green land"). Then the climate of the Earth became harsher, and Greenland was almost completely covered with ice. In the 15th-17th centuries, severe winters reached their peak. The severity of the winters of that time is evidenced by many historical chronicles, as well as works of art. Thus, the well-known painting by the Dutch artist Jan Van Goyen “Skaters” (1641) depicts mass skating along the canals of Amsterdam; at present, the canals of Holland have not been frozen for a long time. In medieval winters, even the River Thames in England froze over. In the 18th century, a slight warming was noted, which reached its maximum in 1770. The 19th century was again marked by another cold snap, which continued until 1900, and from the beginning of the 20th century, a rather rapid warming had already begun. Already by 1940, the amount of ice in the Greenland Sea had halved, in the Barents Sea - by almost a third, and in the Soviet sector of the Arctic, the total ice area had decreased by almost half (1 million km 2). During this period of time, even ordinary ships (not icebreakers) calmly sailed along the northern sea route from the western to eastern outskirts of the country. It was then that a significant increase in the temperature of the Arctic seas was recorded, a significant retreat of glaciers in the Alps and the Caucasus was noted. The total ice area of ​​the Caucasus has decreased by 10%, and the thickness of the ice has decreased in places by as much as 100 meters. The temperature increase in Greenland was 5°C, while in Svalbard it was 9°C.

In 1940, the warming was replaced by a short-term cooling, which was soon replaced by another warming, and since 1979, a rapid increase in the temperature of the surface layer of the Earth's atmosphere began, which caused another acceleration in the melting of ice in the Arctic and Antarctic and an increase in winter temperatures in temperate latitudes. So, over the past 50 years, the thickness of the Arctic ice has decreased by 40%, and the inhabitants of a number of Siberian cities have begun to note for themselves that severe frosts have long been a thing of the past. The average winter temperature in Siberia has risen by almost ten degrees over the past fifty years. In some regions of Russia, the frost-free period has increased by two to three weeks. The habitat of many living organisms has shifted northward following the growing average winter temperatures, we will talk about these and others below. Old photographs of glaciers (all photos were taken in the same month) are especially clear about global climate change.

In general, over the past hundred years, the average temperature of the surface layer of the atmosphere has increased by 0.3–0.8 ° C, the area of ​​snow cover in the northern hemisphere has decreased by 8%, and the level of the World Ocean has risen by an average of 10–20 centimeters. These facts are of some concern. Whether global warming will stop or the further increase in the average annual temperature on Earth will continue, the answer to this question will appear only when the causes of the ongoing climate changes are precisely established.

4. Causes of global warming

Hypothesis 1- The cause of global warming is a change in solar activity
All ongoing climatic processes on the planet depend on the activity of our luminary - the Sun. Therefore, even the smallest changes in the activity of the Sun will certainly affect the weather and climate of the Earth. There are 11-year, 22-year, and 80-90-year (Gleisberg) cycles of solar activity.
It is likely that the observed global warming is due to the next increase in solar activity, which may decline again in the future.

Hypothesis 2 - The cause of global warming is a change in the angle of the Earth's axis of rotation and its orbit
The Yugoslav astronomer Milanković suggested that cyclical climate changes are largely associated with a change in the orbit of the Earth's rotation around the Sun, as well as a change in the angle of inclination of the Earth's axis of rotation relative to the Sun. Such orbital changes in the position and movement of the planet cause a change in the radiation balance of the Earth, and hence its climate. Milankovitch, guided by his theory, quite accurately calculated the times and length of ice ages in the past of our planet. Climatic changes caused by a change in the Earth's orbit usually occur over tens or even hundreds of thousands of years. The relatively rapid climate change observed at the present time, apparently, occurs as a result of the action of some other factors.

Hypothesis 3 - The culprit of global climate change is the ocean
The World Ocean is a huge inertial accumulator of solar energy. It largely determines the direction and speed of movement of warm oceanic and air masses on Earth, which greatly affect the climate of the planet. At present, the nature of heat circulation in the water column of the ocean has been little studied. So it is known that the average temperature of the ocean waters is 3.5 ° C, and the land surface is 15 ° C, so the intensity of heat exchange between the ocean and the surface layer of the atmosphere can lead to significant climatic changes. In addition, a large amount of CO 2 (about 140 trillion tons, which is 60 times more than in the atmosphere) and a number of other greenhouse gases are dissolved in the waters of the ocean; as a result of certain natural processes, these gases can enter the atmosphere, significantly affecting on the Earth's climate.

Hypothesis 4 - Volcanic activity
Volcanic activity is a source of sulfuric acid aerosols and a large amount of carbon dioxide entering the Earth's atmosphere, which can also significantly affect the Earth's climate. Large eruptions are initially accompanied by cooling due to the entry of sulfuric acid aerosols and soot particles into the Earth's atmosphere. Subsequently, the CO 2 released during the eruption causes an increase in the average annual temperature on Earth. The subsequent long-term decrease in volcanic activity contributes to an increase in the transparency of the atmosphere, and hence to an increase in temperature on the planet.

Hypothesis 5 - Unknown interactions between the Sun and the planets of the solar system
In the phrase "Solar system" the word "system" is not in vain mentioned, and in any system, as you know, there are connections between its components. Therefore, it is possible that the relative position of the planets and the Sun can affect the distribution and strength of gravitational fields, solar energy, and other types of energy. All connections and interactions between the Sun, planets and the Earth have not yet been studied and it is possible that they have a significant impact on the processes occurring in the Earth's atmosphere and hydrosphere.

Hypothesis 6 – Climate change can happen on its own without any external influences and human activities
Planet Earth is such a large and complex system with a huge number of structural elements that its global climatic characteristics can change significantly without any changes in solar activity and the chemical composition of the atmosphere. Various mathematical models show that over the course of a century, fluctuations in the temperature of the surface air layer (fluctuations) can reach 0.4°C. As a comparison, we can cite the body temperature of a healthy person, which varies during the day and even hours.

Hypothesis 7 - Man is to blame
The most popular hypothesis to date. The high rate of climate change that has taken place in recent decades can indeed be explained by the ever-increasing intensification of anthropogenic activity, which has a significant impact on the chemical composition of the atmosphere of our planet in the direction of increasing the content of greenhouse gases in it. Indeed, an increase in the average air temperature of the lower layers of the Earth's atmosphere by 0.8 ° C over the past 100 years is too high a rate for natural processes; earlier in the history of the Earth, such changes occurred over thousands of years. The last decades have added even more weight to this argument, since changes in the average air temperature have occurred at an even greater pace - 0.3-0.4 ° C over the past 15 years!

It is likely that the current global warming is the result of many factors. You can familiarize yourself with the rest of the hypotheses of ongoing global warming.

5.Man and the Greenhouse Effect

Adherents of the latter hypothesis assign a key role in global warming to man, who radically changes the composition of the atmosphere, contributing to the growth of the greenhouse effect of the Earth's atmosphere.

the greenhouse effect in the atmosphere of our planet is caused by the fact that the flow of energy in the infrared range of the spectrum, rising from the surface of the Earth, is absorbed by the molecules of the gases of the atmosphere, and radiated back in different directions, as a result, half of the energy absorbed by the molecules of greenhouse gases returns back to the surface of the Earth, causing it to warm up. It should be noted that the greenhouse effect is a natural atmospheric phenomenon. If there were no greenhouse effect on Earth at all, then the average temperature on our planet would be about -21 ° C, and so, thanks to greenhouse gases, it is + 14 ° C. Therefore, purely theoretically, human activity, associated with the release of greenhouse gases into the Earth's atmosphere, should lead to further heating of the planet.

Let's take a closer look at greenhouse gases that can potentially cause global warming. The number one greenhouse gas is water vapor, contributing 20.6°C to the existing atmospheric greenhouse effect. In second place is CO 2 , its contribution is about 7.2°C. The increase in the content of carbon dioxide in the Earth's atmosphere is now of the greatest concern, since the growing active use of hydrocarbons by mankind will continue in the near future. Over the past two and a half centuries (since the beginning of the industrial era), the content of CO 2 in the atmosphere has already increased by about 30%.

In third place on our "greenhouse rating" is ozone, its contribution to total global warming is 2.4 °C. Unlike other greenhouse gases, human activity, on the contrary, causes a decrease in the ozone content in the Earth's atmosphere. Next comes nitrous oxide, its contribution to the greenhouse effect is estimated at 1.4°C. The content of nitrous oxide in the planet's atmosphere tends to increase; over the past two and a half centuries, the concentration of this greenhouse gas in the atmosphere has increased by 17%. A large amount of nitrous oxide enters the Earth's atmosphere as a result of burning various wastes. Methane completes the list of major greenhouse gases; its contribution to the total greenhouse effect is 0.8°C. The content of methane in the atmosphere is growing very rapidly, over two and a half centuries, this growth amounted to 150%. The main sources of methane in the Earth's atmosphere are decaying waste, cattle, and the decay of natural compounds containing methane. Of particular concern is the fact that the ability to absorb infrared radiation per unit mass of methane is 21 times higher than that of carbon dioxide.

The greatest role in the global warming taking place is assigned to water vapor and carbon dioxide. They account for more than 95% of the total greenhouse effect. It is thanks to these two gaseous substances that the Earth's atmosphere is heated by 33 ° C. Anthropogenic activity has the greatest impact on the increase in the concentration of carbon dioxide in the Earth's atmosphere, and the content of water vapor in the atmosphere grows following the temperature on the planet, due to an increase in evaporation. The total technogenic emission of CO 2 into the Earth's atmosphere is 1.8 billion tons / year, the total amount of carbon dioxide that binds the Earth's vegetation as a result of photosynthesis is 43 billion tons / year, but almost all of this amount of carbon is a result of plant respiration, fires, processes decomposition again finds itself in the atmosphere of the planet and only 45 million tons / year of carbon is deposited in plant tissues, land swamps and the depths of the ocean. These figures show that human activity has the potential to be a tangible force influencing the Earth's climate.

6. Factors accelerating and slowing down global warming

Planet Earth is such a complex system that there are many factors that directly or indirectly affect the climate of the planet, accelerating or slowing down global warming.

Factors accelerating global warming:
+ emission of CO 2 , methane, nitrous oxide as a result of human activities;
+ decomposition, due to temperature increase, of geochemical sources of carbonates with the release of CO 2 . The earth's crust contains 50,000 times more carbon dioxide in a bound state than in the atmosphere;
+ an increase in the content of water vapor in the Earth's atmosphere, due to an increase in temperature, and hence the evaporation of water from the oceans;
+ release of CO 2 by the World Ocean due to its heating (the solubility of gases decreases with increasing water temperature). For each degree increase in water temperature, the solubility of CO2 in it drops by 3%. The World Ocean contains 60 times more CO 2 than the Earth's atmosphere (140 trillion tons);
+ decrease in the Earth's albedo (the reflectivity of the planet's surface), due to the melting of glaciers, changes in climatic zones and vegetation. The sea surface reflects much less sunlight than the polar glaciers and snows of the planet, the mountains devoid of glaciers also have a lower albedo, the woody vegetation moving north has a lower albedo than the tundra plants. Over the past five years, the Earth's albedo has already decreased by 2.5%;
+ release of methane during permafrost melting;
+ decomposition of methane hydrates - crystalline icy compounds of water and methane contained in the subpolar regions of the Earth.

Factors slowing down global warming:
- global warming causes a slowdown in the speed of ocean currents, a slowdown in the warm current of the Gulf Stream will cause a decrease in temperature in the Arctic;
- with an increase in temperature on Earth, evaporation increases, and hence cloudiness, which is a certain kind of barrier to the path of sunlight. Cloud area increases by approximately 0.4% for every degree of warming;
- with the growth of evaporation, the amount of precipitation increases, which contributes to the waterlogging of lands, and swamps, as you know, are one of the main depots of CO 2 ;
- an increase in temperature will contribute to the expansion of the area of ​​\u200b\u200bwarm seas, and hence the expansion of the range of mollusks and coral reefs, these organisms are actively involved in the deposition of CO 2, which is used to build shells;
— an increase in the concentration of CO 2 in the atmosphere stimulates the growth and development of plants, which are active acceptors (consumers) of this greenhouse gas.

7. Possible scenarios for global climate change

Global climate change is very complex, so modern science cannot give an unambiguous answer about what awaits us in the near future. There are many scenarios for the development of the situation.

Scenario 1 – global warming will occur gradually
The Earth is a very large and complex system, consisting of a large number of interconnected structural components. There is a mobile atmosphere on the planet, the movement of air masses of which distributes thermal energy across the latitudes of the planet, on Earth there is a huge accumulator of heat and gases - the World Ocean (the ocean accumulates 1000 times more heat than the atmosphere) Changes in such a complex system cannot occur quickly. Centuries and millennia will pass before any tangible climate change can be judged.

Scenario 2 - global warming will occur relatively quickly
The most "popular" scenario at present. According to various estimates, over the past hundred years, the average temperature on our planet has increased by 0.5-1 ° C, the concentration of CO 2 has increased by 20-24%, and methane by 100%. In the future, these processes will continue and by the end of the 21st century, the average temperature of the Earth's surface may increase from 1.1 to 6.4°C compared to 1990 (according to IPCC forecasts, from 1.4 to 5.8°C). Further melting of the Arctic and Antarctic ice can accelerate the processes of global warming due to changes in the planet's albedo. According to some scientists, only the ice caps of the planet, due to the reflection of solar radiation, cool our Earth by 2 ° C, and the ice covering the surface of the ocean significantly slows down the processes of heat transfer between the relatively warm ocean waters and the colder surface layer of the atmosphere. In addition, over the ice caps, there is practically no main greenhouse gas - water vapor, since it is frozen out.
Global warming will be accompanied by rising sea levels. From 1995 to 2005, the level of the World Ocean has already risen by 4 cm, instead of the predicted 2 cm. If the level of the World Ocean continues to rise at the same rate, then by the end of the 21st century, the total rise in its level will be 30-50 cm, which will cause partial flooding of many coastal areas, especially the densely populated coast of Asia. It should be remembered that about 100 million people on Earth live at an altitude of less than 88 centimeters above sea level.
In addition to rising sea levels, global warming affects the strength of the winds and the distribution of precipitation on the planet. As a result, the frequency and scale of various natural disasters (storms, hurricanes, droughts, floods) will increase on the planet.
Currently, 2% of all land suffers from drought, according to some scientists, by 2050, up to 10% of all continents will be covered by drought. In addition, the seasonal distribution of precipitation will change.
Rainfall and storm frequency will increase in northern Europe and the western United States, and hurricanes will rage twice as often as in the 20th century. The climate of Central Europe will become changeable, in the heart of Europe winters will become warmer and summers rainier. Eastern and Southern Europe, including the Mediterranean, will face drought and heat.

Scenario 3 - Global warming in some parts of the Earth will be replaced by a short-term cooling
It is known that one of the factors in the occurrence of ocean currents is the temperature gradient (difference) between arctic and tropical waters. The melting of polar ice contributes to an increase in the temperature of the Arctic waters, and therefore causes a decrease in the temperature difference between tropical and Arctic waters, which will inevitably lead to a slowdown in the future in the future.
One of the most famous warm currents is the Gulf Stream, thanks to which in many countries of Northern Europe the average annual temperature is 10 degrees higher than in other similar climatic zones of the Earth. It is clear that the shutdown of this ocean heat conveyor will greatly affect the Earth's climate. Already, the current of the Gulf Stream has become weaker by 30% compared to 1957. Mathematical modeling has shown that in order to completely stop the Gulf Stream, it will be enough to increase the temperature by 2-2.5 degrees. At present, the temperature of the North Atlantic has already warmed up by 0.2 degrees compared to the 70s. If the Gulf Stream stops, the average annual temperature in Europe will decrease by 1 degree by 2010, and after 2010 the further increase in the average annual temperature will continue. Other mathematical models "promise" a more severe cooling in Europe.
According to these mathematical calculations, the complete stop of the Gulf Stream will occur in 20 years, as a result of which the climate of Northern Europe, Ireland, Iceland and the UK may become colder by 4-6 degrees than the present, rains will intensify and storms will become more frequent. Cooling will also affect the Netherlands, Belgium, Scandinavia and the north of the European part of Russia. After 2020-2030, warming in Europe will resume according to scenario No. 2.

Scenario 4 – Global warming will be replaced by global cooling
The stoppage of the Gulf Stream and other oceanic ones will cause the onset of the next ice age on Earth.

Scenario 5 - Greenhouse catastrophe
A greenhouse catastrophe is the most “unpleasant” scenario for the development of global warming processes. The author of the theory is our scientist Karnaukhov, its essence is as follows. An increase in the average annual temperature on Earth, due to an increase in the content of anthropogenic CO 2 in the Earth's atmosphere, will cause the transition of CO 2 dissolved in the ocean into the atmosphere, and will also provoke the decomposition of sedimentary carbonate rocks with additional release of carbon dioxide, which, in turn, will raise the temperature on Earth even more. higher, which will entail further decomposition of carbonates lying in the deeper layers of the earth's crust (the ocean contains 60 times more carbon dioxide than the atmosphere, and almost 50,000 times more in the earth's crust). Glaciers will melt intensively, reducing the Earth's albedo. Such a rapid increase in temperature will contribute to the intensive flow of methane from the melting permafrost, and an increase in temperature to 1.4–5.8 ° C by the end of the century will contribute to the decomposition of methane hydrates (icy compounds of water and methane), concentrated mainly in cold places on the Earth. Given that methane is 21 times more potent as a greenhouse gas than CO 2 , the temperature increase on Earth would be catastrophic. To better imagine what will happen to the Earth, it is best to pay attention to our neighbor in the solar system - the planet Venus. With the same atmospheric parameters as on Earth, the temperature on Venus should be only 60 ° C higher than the Earth's (Venus is closer to the Earth than the Sun), i.e. be in the region of 75 ° C, in reality, the temperature on Venus is almost 500 ° C. Most of the carbonate and methane-containing compounds on Venus were destroyed a long time ago with the release of carbon dioxide and methane. At present, the atmosphere of Venus consists of 98% CO 2, which leads to an increase in the temperature of the planet by almost 400 ° C
If global warming follows the same scenario as on Venus, then the temperature of the surface layers of the atmosphere on Earth can reach 150 degrees. An increase in the Earth's temperature even by 50°C will put an end to human civilization, and an increase in temperature by 150°C will cause the death of almost all living organisms on the planet.

According to Karnaukhov's optimistic scenario, if the amount of CO 2 entering the atmosphere remains at the same level, then the temperature of 50°C on Earth will be established in 300 years, and 150°C in 6000 years. Unfortunately, progress cannot be stopped; every year, CO 2 emissions are only growing. According to a realistic scenario, according to which CO2 emissions will grow at the same rate, doubling every 50 years, the temperature of 50 2 on Earth will already be established in 100 years, and 150 ° C in 300 years.

8. Consequences of global warming

An increase in the average annual temperature of the surface layer of the atmosphere will be more strongly felt over the continents than over the oceans, which in the future will cause a radical restructuring of the natural zones of the continents. The shift of a number of zones to the Arctic and Antarctic latitudes is already being noted.

The permafrost zone has already shifted hundreds of kilometers to the north. Some scientists argue that due to the rapid thawing of permafrost and the rise in the level of the World Ocean, in recent years the Arctic Ocean is advancing on land at an average speed of 3-6 meters per summer, and on the Arctic islands and capes, ice-rich rocks are destroyed and absorbed by the sea during the warm period of the year at speeds up to 20-30 meters. Entire Arctic islands disappear completely; so already in the 21st century, the island of Muostakh near the mouth of the Lena River will disappear.

With a further increase in the average annual temperature of the surface layer of the atmosphere, the tundra may almost completely disappear in the European part of Russia and will remain only on the Arctic coast of Siberia.

The taiga zone will shift to the north by 500-600 kilometers and decrease in area by almost a third, the area of ​​deciduous forests will increase by 3-5 times, and if moisture allows, the deciduous forest belt will stretch in a continuous strip from the Baltic to the Pacific Ocean.

The forest-steppes and steppes will also move to the north and cover the Smolensk, Kaluga, Tula, Ryazan regions, coming close to the southern borders of the Moscow and Vladimir regions.

Global warming will also affect animal habitats. The change of habitats of living organisms is already noted in many parts of the globe. The gray-headed thrush has already begun to nest in Greenland, starlings and swallows have appeared in subarctic Iceland, and the white heron has appeared in Britain. The warming of the Arctic ocean waters is especially noticeable. Now many commercial fish are found where they were not before. Cod and herring appeared in the waters of Greenland in sufficient quantities for their industrial fishing, in the waters of Great Britain - the inhabitants of the southern latitudes: red trout, big-headed turtle, in the Far Eastern Gulf of Peter the Great - the Pacific sardine, and in the Sea of ​​Okhotsk mackerel and saury appeared. The range of the brown bear in North America has already moved north to such an extent that they began to appear, and in the southern part of their range, brown bears stopped hibernating altogether.

An increase in temperature creates favorable conditions for the development of diseases, which is facilitated not only by high temperature and humidity, but also by the expansion of the habitat of a number of animal carriers of diseases. By the middle of the 21st century, the incidence of malaria is expected to increase by 60%. The increased development of microflora and the lack of clean drinking water will contribute to the growth of infectious intestinal diseases. The rapid multiplication of microorganisms in the air can increase the incidence of asthma, allergies and various respiratory diseases.

Thanks to global climate change, the next half century can. Already, polar bears, walruses and seals are being deprived of an important component of their habitat - Arctic ice.

Global warming for our country entails both pluses and minuses. Winters will become less severe, lands with a suitable climate for agriculture will move further north (in the European part of Russia to the White and Kara Seas, in Siberia to the Arctic Circle), in many parts of the country it will be possible to grow more southern crops and early ripening of the former. It is expected that by 2060 the average temperature in Russia will reach 0 degrees Celsius, now it is -5.3 degrees Celsius.

Unpredictable consequences will entail the thawing of permafrost, as you know, permafrost covers 2/3 of the area of ​​Russia and 1/4 of the area of ​​the entire Northern Hemisphere. There are many cities on the permafrost of the Russian Federation, thousands of kilometers of pipelines, as well as roads and railways have been laid (80% of BAM passes through permafrost). . Large areas may become unsuitable for human life. Some scientists express concern that Siberia may even be cut off from the European part of Russia and become the object of claims of other countries.

Other countries of the world are also waiting for drastic changes. In general, according to most models, winter precipitation is expected to increase in high latitudes (above 50°N and South), as well as in temperate latitudes. In southern latitudes, on the contrary, a decrease in the amount of precipitation is expected (up to 20%), especially in summer. The countries of Southern Europe, which are engaged in tourism, expect big economic losses. Summer dry heat and winter rain showers will reduce the “ardor” of those who want to relax in Italy, Greece, Spain and France. For many other countries living off tourists, far from the best of times will also come. Fans of skiing in the Alps will be disappointed, there will be “tension” with snow in the mountains. In many countries of the world, living conditions are deteriorating significantly. According to UN estimates, by the middle of the 21st century there will be up to 200 million climate refugees in the world.

9. Ways to prevent global warming

There is an opinion that a person will try in the future, how successful it will be, time will tell. If humanity does not succeed, and it does not change its way of life, then the fate of dinosaurs awaits the species Homo sapiens.

Even now, advanced minds are thinking about how to level the processes of global warming. Suggestions include breeding new varieties of plants and tree species whose leaves have a higher albedo, painting roofs white, installing mirrors in near-Earth orbit, sheltering glaciers from the sun's rays, etc. A lot of effort is being spent on replacing traditional types of energy based on the combustion of carbon raw materials with non-traditional ones, such as the production of solar panels, windmills, the construction of PES (tidal power plants), hydroelectric power stations, nuclear power plants. Offered such as, as well as a number of others. Energy hunger and fear of threatening global warming does wonders for the human brain. New and original ideas are born almost every day.

Much attention is paid to the rational use of energy resources.
To reduce CO 2 emissions into the atmosphere, the efficiency of engines improves, they are produced.

In the future, it is planned to pay great attention to, as well as directly from the atmosphere through the use of ingenious, pumping carbon dioxide many kilometers deep in the ocean, where it will dissolve in the water column. Most of the listed ways to "neutralize" CO 2 are very expensive. Currently, the cost of capturing one ton of CO 2 is approximately 100-300 dollars, which exceeds the market value of a ton of oil, and given that the combustion of one ton produces approximately three tons of CO 2, then many methods of capturing carbon dioxide are not yet relevant. Previously proposed methods of sequestering carbon by planting trees are recognized as untenable due to the fact that most of the carbon as a result of forest fires and decomposition of organic matter goes back into the atmosphere.

Particular attention is paid to the development of legislative regulations aimed at reducing greenhouse gas emissions. At present, many countries of the world have adopted the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (1992) and the Kyoto Protocol (1999). The latter has not been ratified by a number of countries that account for the lion's share of CO 2 emissions. So the United States accounts for about 40% of all emissions (recently, information has appeared that). Unfortunately, as long as a person puts his own well-being at the forefront, no progress is expected in addressing global warming issues.

A.V. Yegoshin

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Global warming- the most acute climate problem causing significant changes in the natural balance in the world. According to the report of Leonid Zhindarev (a researcher at the Faculty of Geography of Moscow State University), by the end of the 21st century, the level of the World Ocean will rise by one and a half to two meters, which will lead to catastrophic consequences. Approximate calculations show that 20% of the world's population will be left homeless. The most fertile coastal zones will be flooded, many islands with thousands of people will disappear from the world map.

Global warming has been monitored since the beginning of the last century. It is noted that the average air temperature on the planet has increased by one degree - 90% of the increase in temperature occurred in the period from 1980 to 2016, when the industrial industry began to flourish. It is also worth noting that these processes are theoretically irreversible - in the distant future, the air temperature may increase so much that there will be practically no glaciers left on the planet.

Causes of global warming

Global warming is a large-scale uncontrolled increase in the average annual air temperature on our planet. According to recent studies, the trend towards a global increase in air temperature has persisted throughout the history of the Earth's development. The climate system of the planet readily reacts to any external factors, which leads to a change in thermal cycles - the well-known ice ages are replaced by extremely warm times.

Among the main reasons for such fluctuations are the following:

  • natural change in the composition of the atmosphere;
  • solar luminosity cycles;
  • planetary variations (changes in the Earth's orbit);
  • volcanic eruptions, carbon dioxide emissions.

For the first time global warming was noted in prehistoric times, when the cold climate was replaced by a hot tropical one. Then this was facilitated by the exuberant growth of breathing fauna, which led to an increase in carbon dioxide levels. In turn, the increased temperature caused more intense evaporation of water, which further intensified the processes of global warming.

Thus, the first ever climate change was caused by a significant increase in the concentration of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere. At the moment, the following substances are known to contribute to the greenhouse effect:

  • methane and other hydrocarbons;
  • suspended soot particles;
  • water vapor.

Causes of the greenhouse effect

If we talk about modern realities, then approximately 90% of the entire temperature balance depends on the greenhouse effect, which is produced by the consequences of human activity. Over the past 100 years, the concentrations of carbon dioxide and methane in the atmosphere have increased by almost 150% - the highest concentration in the last million years. About 80% of all emissions into the atmosphere are the result of industrial activities (extraction and combustion of hydrocarbons, heavy industry, etc.).

It is also worth noting the significantly increased concentration of solid particles - dust and some others. They increase the heating of the earth's surface, increase the absorption of energy by the surface of the oceans, which leads to an increase in temperature throughout the Earth. Thus, human activity can be considered the cause of modern global warming. Other factors, such as changes in the activity of the Sun, do not have the desired effect.

Consequences of a global increase in temperature

The International Commission (IPEC) has published a working report that reflects possible scenarios for the consequences associated with global warming. The main motive of the report is that the trend towards an increase in the average annual temperature will continue, humanity is unlikely to be able to compensate for its influence on the planet's climate processes. It should be noted that the relationship between climate change and the state of ecosystems is currently poorly understood, so most of the forecasts are assumed.

Among all the expected consequences, one has been reliably established - the rise in the level of the World Ocean. As of 2016, an annual increase in the water level by 3-4 mm was noted. The increase in the average annual air temperature causes the emergence of two factors:

  • melting glaciers;
  • thermal expansion of water.

If current climate trends continue, by the end of the 21st century, the level of the World Ocean will rise by a maximum of two meters. In the next few centuries, its level may reach five meters above the present.

The melting of glaciers will change the chemical composition of the water, as well as the distribution of precipitation. An increase in the number of floods, hurricanes and other extreme disasters is expected. In addition, there will be a global change in ocean currents - for example, the Gulf Stream has already changed its direction, which has led to certain consequences in a number of countries.

Can't be overestimated. In the countries of the tropical regions, there will be a catastrophic decline in agricultural productivity. The most fertile regions will be flooded, which may eventually lead to mass starvation. However, it is worth noting that such serious consequences are expected not earlier than in a few hundred years - humanity has enough time to take appropriate measures.

Solving the problem of global warming and its consequences

At the international level, the fight against global warming is limited by the lack of common agreements and control measures. The main document that regulates climate change countermeasures is the Kyoto Protocol. In general, the level of responsibility in the fight against global warming can be assessed positively.

Industrial standards are constantly being improved, new environmental standards are being adopted that regulate industrial production. The level of emissions into the atmosphere is reduced, glaciers are taken under protection, and ocean currents are constantly monitored. According to climate scientists, maintaining the current environmental campaign will help reduce carbon dioxide emissions by 30-40% by next year.

It is worth noting the increase in the participation of private companies in the fight against global warming. For example, British millionaire Richard Branson has launched a scientific tender for the best way to prevent global warming. The winner will receive an impressive sum of $25 million. According to Branson, humanity must take responsibility for its actions. At the moment, several dozen applicants have been registered, offering their own solutions to this problem..