Many problems could result from global warming. The biggest ones include the rising sea level. Higher sea levels could lead to flooding of low-lying coastal areas and cities, including Egypt, the Netherlands and Bangladesh. Some countries might even disappear completely! Another problem caused by global warming is changes in weather patterns. Many areas globally are experiencing increased hurricanes, floods and other unusual weather. A third problem associated with global warming is the effect on animals. Fish populations could be affected while some insects that spread disease might become more common. We can still take several steps to solve the problem of global warming. One solution would be to stop producing carbon dioxide. We can do this by switching from oil, coal and gas to renewable energy. Another solution would be to plant more trees. Trees absorb carbon dioxide and produce oxygen, which is not a greenhouse gas. A third solution could be to use less energy and recycle more products. Generating electricity is one of the main sources of carbon dioxide. If we use less electricity, we will produce less carbon dioxide. The global average temperature rose significantly during the past century. The prevailing scientific view is that most of the temperature increases since the mid-20th century has been caused by increases in atmospheric greenhouse gas concentrations produced by human activity. Most scientists agree the planet’s temperature has risen by 0.5 degree Celsius since 1900 and would continue to increase at a higher rate. As a result, the world is getting warmer. The year 1990 was the hottest year in the last century. Together with 1991, 1983, 1987, 1988 and 1989 have been measured to be the warmest six years in the last hundred years. 1991 was the second warmest year of the past century. The consequences of the rise in temperature are being felt all over the globe. The findings of scientific research done in this field revealed that the earth’s temperature is likely to rise from 1.4°C to 5.8°C within a period of 100 years. Unfortunately, the imbalance that we have created between our life and earth is already showing the signs of disasters in the form of floods, cyclones, landslides, tsunamis and droughts. If the imbalance continues to rise, one day, this would pose a question on the existence of this planet. An important constituent of the environment, carbon dioxide is warming the earth’s surface. It increases the water evaporating into the atmosphere. Since water vapours are greenhouse gases, this causes greater warming. The warming causes more water vapour to be evaporated. The C02 level is expected to rise in the future due to the ongoing burning of fossil fuels and land use change. The rate would depend largely on uncertain economic, sociological, technological and natural developments. Other gases such as methane, CFCs, nitrous oxide, tropospheric ozone are also responsible for global warming. Increases in all these gases are due to explosive population growth; increased industrial expansion; technological advancement; deforestation and growing urbanisation. Trees play a significant role in the global carbon cycle. They are the largest land-based mechanism for removing carbon dioxide from the air. Deforestation is checking these positive processes. It is the second principal cause of atmospheric carbon dioxide. Deforestation is responsible for 25 per cent of all carbon emissions entering the atmosphere, as 34 million acres of trees are burnt and cut each year. Together with 1991, 1983, 1987, 1988 and 1989 have been measured to be the warmest six years in the last hundred years. 1991 was the second warmest year of the past century. The consequences of the rise in temperature are being felt all over the globe Every day, over 5,500 acres of rainforest are destroyed. As a consequence of the massive loss of forests, global carbon dioxide levels rise approximately by 0.4 per cent each year. These levels have not been experienced on this planet in millions of years. We know the forests are great absorbers of carbon dioxide. Here is a close relationship between global warming and population growth. Today, the large population on earth is using destructive technologies. Approximately, 80 per cent of atmospheric carbon dioxide increases are due to man’s use of fossil fuels may they be coal, gas or oil. A large portion of carbon emission is attributed to the burning of gasoline in the internal-combustion engine of vehicles. Vehicles with poor gas mileage contribute the most to global warming. Besides, the sulphur gas group is the most harmful. It contributes around 30 per cent to global warming. This gas is also emitted from the burning of fossil fuels. Increases in global temperatures would cause a rise in sea level. It would lead to melting glaciers; changes in rainfall patterns; increased intensity and frequency of extreme weather. As per the latest survey report, the rate of melting of glaciers has seen a sharp increase in recent times. Even those glaciers considered permanent, have been affected by global warming. These shrinking glaciers are going to pose a major problem of drinking water. As a result, sea levels have risen from 0.35 mm to 0.4 mm. Scientists have warned in their reports that most of the glaciers would disappear within a period of 15 to 25 years. It would create problems of drinking water and food grains in most of the North American countries. India is not unaffected from it. The Himalayan glaciers have shrunk about 30 per cent since 1970. The rise in sea levels is a major cause of concern. A large number of cities located in coastal areas would submerge in the sea. Besides, many island countries would ultimately “lose their existence and will be washed away from the surface of the earth.” The damage of rising sea levels is diverse. Buildings and roads close to the water could be flooded and could suffer damage from hurricanes and tropical storms. Experts believe global warming could increase the intensity of hurricanes by over 50 per cent. In addition, as the sea rises, beach erosion takes place, particularly on steep banks. Since 1971, 90 per cent of the warming has occurred in the oceans. Despite the oceans’ dominant role in energy storage, the term “global warming” is also used to refer to increases in the average temperature of the air and sea at earth’s surface. Since the early 20th century, the global air and sea surface temperature have increased by about 0.8 °C (1.4 °F), with about two-thirds of the increase occurring since 1980. Each of the last three decades has been successively warmer at the Earth’s surface than any preceding decade since 1850. Scientific understanding of the cause of global warming has been increasing. In its fourth assessment (AR4 2007) of the relevant scientific literature, the International Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) reported that scientists were more than 90 per cent certain that most of the global warming was being caused by increased concentrations of greenhouse gases produced by human activities. In 2010, it was recognised by the national science academies of all major industrialized nations. Affirming these findings in 2013, IPCC said that the largest driver of global warming was carbon dioxide emissions from fossil fuel combustion, cement production and land-use changes, such as deforestation. Future climate change and associated impacts would vary from region to region around the globe. Continued The writer is an Assistant Professor (English) at Mehran University of Engineering and Technology, Jamshoro, Sindh