Warming of the Oceans An Effect of Global Warming.

Amidst the technological innovations and social and economic development that the world has gone through, the entire international community is facing a serious environmental dilemma. This environmental problem has raised a considerable concern among the people and was able to catch global attention. Aside from the global financial crisis and widespread recession that the world is currently under, global warming poses another international threat that must be given equal attention to.
   
Global warming has been an existing problem since the mid-twentieth century, but has become a serious environmental problem at the start of the 21st century. Throughout history, humans have witnessed all the environmental imbalances they have created in the world. The unstoppable technological advances of the world greatly contributed to the enhancement of economic progress and improvement of the quality of life. However, the phenomenal growth of the economy and the increase in the standards of living has been achieved at the expense of environmental destruction that is pressing the contemporary society. Hence, as human beings are the ones responsible for taking care of and preserving nature, they should impose certain limitations in their attempts to acquire economic progress in order to protect the environment.
   
Global warming is indeed a true reality and is currently threatening human life. It is caused by humans  continuous emission of noxious gases in the atmosphere. The current status of the global warming is progressing, rendering detrimental effects to the planet and its inhabitants. Global warming renders a variety of notorious effects that affects the ways of living of people. These major changes have raised considerable concerns from various social groups. Global warming is one of the main issues that need urgent attention from the people because it creates concurrent detrimental effects on the various natural resources. As a result of humankind s neglect and carelessness. One of the detrimental effects of global warming is warming of the bodies of water causing the rising of the sea level and resulting in occurrences of coastal flooding.
Warming of the Oceans Sea Level Rise
   
The pivotal change in the composition of the earth s atmospheric condition gave birth to the term global warming, leaving the whole world unnerved of the damages it is currently causing and will continue to cause. Global warming is considered as the worst dilemma faced by humans as a result of their constant neglect of the environment. Global warming developed through the increased emissions of the noxious greenhouse gases resulting in an increase on the temperature of the earths surface (SciDev.Net, 121609).
  
 One should consider if global warming is true or a mere product of our imagination. Some scientists argue that what humans are experiencing right now is a natural occurrence and is a part of the earth s climate cycle. On the other hand, there are strong evidences that humans have caused global warming that is currently developing at a rapid pace and as such, it is no longer a natural phenomenon but an earthly dilemma. Theorists believe that the earth undergoes a climate cycle, wherein the planet cools down then heats up. Scientists pointed out that 75 million years ago, the earth experienced ten degrees higher of our today s temperature, but still, life has been sustained (Hopwood  Cohen, 121609).
   
Sea has been one of the major sources of livelihood and food for many people. Sea renders various benefits to humans it provides food and recreation for some. The emergence of global warming has great effects on bodies of water, and as such, poses immediate threats. Some of the effects of global warming include the loss of coral reefs because of warmer temperatures that affect the habitat and survival of marine life. However, the greatest danger of global warming is that it induces the continuous rise of the sea level. The increase in the sea level results from the thermal expansion of water and through the melting of the glaciers and ice sheets (Lovgren, 121609).
   
The warming of our atmosphere has been moderated by the vast amounts of bodies of water and prevented the rapid proliferation of the effects of global warming. Our oceans are slowly heated up by the warming atmosphere. The warming of the seas is more ominous than it appears because the heated ocean largely contributes to the energy that drives the storm. Warmer bodies of water cause storms to be stronger and more frequent. Also, warmer seas cause more evaporation increasing the water vapor content of clouds that bring rains and thereby causing warmer atmosphere. The water vapor content in the atmosphere is said to double the warming effect from carbon dioxide alone (Hyndman and Hyndman, 2008).
   
Thermal expansion is the primary contributor to the sea level rise. It already raised the planet s oceans from four to eight inches. Though the melting of glacier and ice sheets is less significant and hard to quantify, this phenomenon still hastens the increase in the sea level (Lovgren, 121609). Further, though there is a great uncertainty on the role of ice streams and icebergs in the sea level rise and scientists are unable to predict the degree of effect of the glacial outflow   humans still must not rule out the outflow as one of the major causes of sea level rise. As such, an estimated 3.5 cm will be added to the sea level resulting from the glacial outflow.

There are two ways that contribute on the rising of the sea level which are the warming of the oceans and the melting of the arctic region (Raven et al, 2008). The rise of sea levels may be capable of flooding the coastal areas and even submerge some of the places near the sea water, and as such, land formations will slowly be submerged in water. This may affect the established culture and livelihood on the areas that will be affected by sea level rise.

The emergence and popularity of the current environmental dilemma cause concern and alarm to the scientific community. Majority of the members of this community claimed that the current and future of global warming is caused by human activities. However, a minority claimed otherwise. They often quote that there are significant changes in the earth s climate and natural causes brought about global warming (Kellog, 2009).
Whatever may be the cause, people can only act to resolve this environmental problem. Humans can do something to stop the global warming or to significantly reduce and slow down its progression. People should take the first step in trying to slow down the process of global warming. The main solution would be to reduce the emission of the greenhouse gases within the earth s atmosphere.

George Monbiot is popular columnist in United Kingdom and a well-known environmental activist expressed that if the concentrations of carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases remain to be the same by the year 2030, the current earth s temperature will go up by two degrees centigrade higher (Recant, 121609). You may think that two centigrade is just a little thing but it is the point wherein some of the major ecosystems began to collapse. By that time, the climate change is beyond our control and will continue to accelerate.
Monbiot devises plan of action to resolve global warming. Though he used United Kingdom as his experimental subject, he assumed that it is applicable anywhere else. In order to mitigate global warming, we must first recognize the enormity of the problem. People must prevent the rising up of temperature by 20 degrees centigrade above their pre-industrial level. Preventing the increase in temperature means that we all have to cut down global greenhouse gases emission by 60 percent. The rich and highly industrialized countries will have to cut about 90 percent (Recant, 121609).
   
Global warming is a big challenge for everyone. It is a problem that cannot be solved by one nation or a few number of people. It is a problem that must be faced by all of us and we must take action in resolving it. Global warming does not only posed threats on the environment but it will have concurrent effect on our livelihood, lifestyle and most importantly to us. Global warming effects can be extended in the lives of people and bring undesirable outcomes. This all happens because of our neglect towards our environment for our fruitful attempt to achieve social and economic success. Our activities may benefit us but roved to be harmful to the environment. We may have improved the people s quality of life but we failed to protect and preserve our environment which is our habitat and the home of other major ecosystems.
  
We must all treat ourselves as citizens of the world and not as consumers. The simple things that we can personally do to solve global warming are not feasible if not done by many. The government should aid by mandating measures and actions to resolve the problem. Because of the power holds by the government, they can declare policies and provisions to protect the environment and prevent further damage on it. People must stand up against global warming and collectively start creating or applying solutions to the environmental problem. We all must fight ourselves, asserting each of us to do measures that will resolve the problem and not worsen it. People have proved themselves that they can do wonders in earth to achieve whatever they wanted. People are equipped of knowledge, tools and determination to resolve this problem. We must all strongly believe that people can do something about global warming. And yes we can, we all can do something if we all have the desire and attitude to solve the problem. Let us all desire a clean and safe environment for us and for the future generations.

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