Environmental Issues Term Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Environmental Issues - Term Paper Example Mahli et al. (2008) support production of carbon dioxide by natural activities and the existence of a natural process for balancing the emission and removal of the gas into and from the atmosphere. The carbon dioxide produced by humans is minimal enough to be absorbed by the oceans. On the other hand, Turk and Bensel (2011) attribute the change in carbon dioxide composition to burning of fossil fuels by humans. It is believed that no one is sure why the climate keeps changing. The available information on climatic systems is minimal to attribute global warming to specific initiators. Therefore, since ancient climate was a natural event, even the modern changes could be attributed to natural factors. Opponents of this motion argue that the current warming greatly supersedes what was experienced in the ancient period. Hence, there could be some external influence – human activities. A new ice age had been predicted decades ago based on the previous alternation between about 100,000 years of ice age and about 10,000 to 30,000 years of warm interglacial periods. Despite the earth completing its 10,000th interglacial year, this appears elusive (Mahli et al., 2008). Global warming has been predicted to exist in many decades to come (Turk & Bensel, 2011). There has been no measure to prove that the current warming results from global warming. It could therefore be a result of a shift in the planetary reflectivity of the earth thus increased absorption; internal climatic system variation that causes the transfer of heat from one region of the earth onto the atmosphere; or the sun’s increased output (Zahran et al., 2007). However, direct observation negates these arguments. Human beings being the cause of global warming have the power to stop it. Governments have exhibited commitment to reduce emissions by between 50 and 80 percent by the year 2050 (Turk &