Extreme weather and global warming

Essay by mjhoward4College, UndergraduateA, September 2013

download word file, 6 pages 0.0

ENG 102-V1

Extreme Weather and Global Warming

Over the last few decades, there has been a signifacant change to the climate on our planet Earth. People around the world are beginning to connect the dots between global warming and the impact it has on recent extreme weather patterns. If someone didn't believe in global warming before, there have been many extreme weather occurences that can be linked to an increase in global warming. An increase in Earth's temperature will create more episodes of heat waves, severe storms, floods, and droughts. These episodes and their effects on those around the world, is our most visible impact of global warming on our everyday lives. While it may not be the only reason, global warming is playing a major role in extreme weather occurences around the world these last few decades.

Global warming is by far one of the biggest issues that our world faces today.

Other forms of air pollution and carbon dioxide are accumulating in the Earth's atmosphere like a blanket, holding the sun's heat and causing an increase in the planet's tempereature. According to the National Resources Defense Council (NRDC), "over the past 50 years the average global temperature has increased at the fastest rate in recorded history" (NRDC). They go on to say, "…the 10 hottest years on record have all occurred since 1990. Scientists say that unless we curb global warming emissions, average U.S. temperatures could be 3 to 9 degrees higher by the end of the century" (NRDC). Global warming is a complex issue, and its full impacts are hard to predict in advance. In looking for the greatest contributor to global warming, the United States has to look in the mirror. NRDC's research finds that, "Americans make up just 4 percent of the world's population," and...