How global warming works Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

How global warming works - Essay Example Global warming occurs because carbon monoxide and additional chemical emissions become trapped under the ozone layer; as a result, the temperature of the Earth steadily increases. The impact of global warming has been researched extensively, and in addition to the extinction of plant and animal species, the human race itself may one day become extinct. It has been suggested that global warming will have far-reaching consequences for all life on Earth. In observing the possible crash on the environment (the blend of all living and non-living basics in a specified area), the extinction of animals and plants as well as land formations are most important. It is thought that more than 120 species of amphibians have already vanished forever because of global warming. The Golden Toad, for example, which was once mostly found in Monteverde, Costa Rica, was one of the first amphibians to become extinct. This reptile was last seen in 1989. Animals are not the only living organism in danger of extinction-plants are also being harmed by the effects of global warming. Several plant species have been confirmed extinct because of radical changes in weather patterns in a number of areas (Abarbanel p57). The Fern Gully in Jamaica is an... Another example of the way in which global warming affects landscapes and ecosystems is the coral reef. These are important parts of the ecosystems in which they live-the death of a coral reef will in turn contribute to the eventual extinction of countless plant and animal species which live in it. The Pew Centre on Global Climate Change issued a report on February 13, 2004, stating that global warming might very well further contribute to the extinction of coral reefs. The report goes further to state that in areas with large geographic ranges and extremely high latitudes, certain coral species are very vulnerable to the effects of global warming, and that there is no doubt that coral species in these types of areas are affected. Plants and animals are not the only species which will experience the devastating effects of global warming. It is expected that the human race will be even more severely affected. Global warming will have far-reaching and destructive consequences, with famine in areas where the climate has been devastated to the extent that growing food is no longer possible, mass migration of people from significantly affected areas, and perhaps even war. Approximately two hundred million people may be affected if the sea-level rises significantly: Vietnam, Bangladesh, China, India, Thailand, Philippines, Indonesia and Egypt are on the top of the list. The consequences of a large increase in sea-level in such areas are likely to be severe: a dramatic change in climate, scarcity of resources in affected countries, and perhaps eventually mass migration of people out of affected countries, leading to scarcity of resources in the