Naresh (2023) states, “Global warming is a gradual increase in the earth’s temperature generally due to the greenhouse effect caused by increased levels of carbon dioxide, CFCs, and other pollutants.” Global warming is a gradual increase in Earth’s surface temperature over the past century, disrupting the planet’s climatic pattern. Despite being controversial, scientists have provided evidence supporting the constant rise in Earth’s temperature (Think & Learn, n.d). Similarly, the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) explained global warming “as the long-term heating of Earth’s surface observed since the pre-industrial period (between 1850 and 1900) due to human activities, primarily fossil fuel burning, which increases heat-trapping greenhouse gas levels in Earth’s atmosphere.” The National Geographic Society (2024) equally contends that global warming is the long-term increase in the planet’s total temperature. Though this warming trend has been ongoing for a long time, it has accelerated dramatically in the recent century due to the use of fossil fuels.
Global warming can simply be explained as the long-term increase in Earth’s average surface temperature due to human activities, primarily burning fossil fuels and deforestation, which release greenhouse gases into the atmosphere, trapping heat and warming the planet. The main greenhouse gases responsible for global warming are carbon dioxide, methane, and nitrous oxide.
The issue of global warming cannot be discussed in isolation as it has created a more severe problem of climate change which has become a topical one around the globe. The National Geographic Society (2024) confirms that global warming has occasioned another climate issue called climate change. Sometimes these phrases are used interchangeably, however, they are different. NASA indicates that the term global warming is not interchangeable with the term “climate change.” The National Geographic Society (2024) argues that climate change refers to global changes in weather patterns, growing seasons, and sea level rise due to warmer seas and melting ice sheets, posing a significant threat to life on Earth through widespread flooding and extreme weather.
NASA reports that the Earth’s climate has evolved, having experienced a significant increase in temperature, not seen in the past 10,000 years. There have been eight cycles of ice ages and warmer periods occurring in the last 800,000 years. The end of the last ice age around 11,700 years ago marked the beginning of the modern climate era and human civilization.
Historically, the Earth’s climate has significantly changed due to geological processes, solar radiation variations, volcanic activity, and atmospheric composition changes. For instance, starting from;
Precambrian Era (4.6 billion to 541 million years ago): The Earth’s climate was predominantly hot and hostile, with high quantities of carbon dioxide (CO2) in the atmosphere. The Earth went through many ice ages, although it was generally warmer than it is now (Walker, 1990). Windley, (2024) indicates that during the Precambrian era, the climate was largely influenced by the tectonic arrangement of continents. During supercontinent formation, there were few volcanoes, few island arcs, and short oceanic spreading ridges, leading to low CO2 emissions and low surface temperatures. Conversely, during continental breakup, which led to maximum rates of seafloor spreading and subduction, there were high CO2 emissions from numerous volcanoes in oceanic ridges and island arcs. This enhanced the atmospheric greenhouse effect, warming Earth’s surface and preventing glaciation (Windley, 2024).
Paleozoic Era (541 to 252 million years ago): The Paleozoic era (ancient life) experienced significant climate fluctuations, including ice ages and warm periods, culminating in a major ice age and glacier formation (Walker, 1990). The Paleozoic period, spanning six periods (i.e, Cambrian, Ordovician, Silurian, Devonian, Carboniferous, Permian), was marked by significant temperature fluctuations due to continental mass shifts, resulting in continents breaking apart, fracturing the Earth’s crust, and altering the atmosphere’s chemistry, forming the Earth’s six main geological periods (Kielmas, 2018). During this era, fish diversified and marine organisms were very abundant. In North America, the Paleozoic is characterized by multiple advances and retreats of shallow seas and repeated continental collisions that formed the Appalachian Mountains.
Mesozoic Era (252 to 66 million years ago): The Mesozoic (middle life) era saw warmer temperatures and high sea levels, allowing dinosaurs to thrive and maintain a more stable climate compared to earlier periods. This era includes the Triassic, Jurassic, and Cretaceous Periods. Adding to it the age of dinosaurs, Pangaea, a supercontinent, separated into fragmented continents. Together with elevated carbon dioxide and the sun’s brightness, tectonic changes influenced the global climate, leading to warm and humid greenhouse conditions (Lee, 2021). Tang (2024) reports that during the Mesozoic Era, Earth’s climate was generally warm, with less temperature difference between equatorial and polar latitudes than today. This period marked a geologic and biological transition, and continents began to evolve into their current configurations.
Cenozoic Era (66 million years ago to present): The Cenozoic (recent life) era began with cooling and ended at the Paleogene-Neogene boundary around 34 million years ago, transitioning from a greenhouse to an icehouse climate with the growth of ice sheets in Antarctica and the Arctic. The Cenozoic is divided into three periods: the Paleogene, Neogene, and Quaternary; and seven epochs: the Paleocene, Eocene, Oligocene, Miocene, Pliocene, Pleistocene, and Holocene. The early Cenozoic period saw a warmer global climate with less than half of the current equatorial-to-polar thermal gradients. Earth’s cooling began 50 million years ago and has continued to this day. A unique feature of the Cenozoic was the development of glaciation on the Antarctic continent and in the Northern Hemisphere, resulting in extensive geologic records on continents and ocean floor. Glaciation left predominantly unconsolidated tills and glacial moraines, with North America extending as far south as Kansas, Illinois, Ohio, and Long Island, New York (Berggren, 2024). Humans evolved from hominids in the last 4 million years of the Cenozoic era.
Quaternary Period (2.6 million years ago to present): The Quaternary Period is the third and last of the three periods of the Cenozoic Era, which began only 2.58 million years ago. This is less than 0.1% of all geologic time. A thin layer of sediments deposited during the Quaternary covers much of the Earth’s land surface. According to the National Geographic Society (n.d), the Quaternary saw continents slowly inching along, driven by plate tectonics. However, the planet’s wobble caused ice ages to occur, lasting about 100,000 years. By 800,000 years ago, a cyclical pattern emerged, with warmer interglacials lasting 10,000 to 15,000 years each. The last ice age ended around 10,000 years ago, leading to rapid sea levels and the continents’ present-day outline. When temperatures drop, ice sheets spread from the Poles, covering North America, Europe, Asia, South America, and Antarctica. This leads to a fall in sea levels, and land bridges form between continents, allowing animals and humans to migrate between them.
Modern Era: Human activities, including burning fossil fuels and deforestation, have significantly impacted Earth’s climate, releasing greenhouse gases and causing a rapid increase in global temperatures, known as anthropogenic climate change. The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) states that human activity has significantly influenced climate change since the 1970s. These Human activities have reportedly increased Earth’s global average temperature by about 1 degree Celsius since pre-industrial times, with the rate currently exceeding 0.2 degrees Celsius per decade (National Aeronautics and Space Administration, n.d). Evidence from natural sources and modern equipment, such as ice cores, rocks, and tree rings, supports the warming of the planet proceeding at an unprecedented rate over millennia. These changes are primarily due to minor orbital variations. The human activities mentioned are partly due to the increase in human population increasing the volume of fossil fuels i.e. coal, oil, and natural gas burned which increases heat-trapping greenhouse gas levels in Earth’s atmosphere leading to a rise in the Earth’s average surface temperature (National Geographic Society, 2024).
According to NASA, not only do human activities directly cause climate change however the human activities have exacerbated natural processes, including internal variability like cyclical ocean patterns and external forces like volcanic activity, changes in the Sun’s energy output, and Earth’s orbit. This has trapped more of the Sun’s energy in the Earth’s system. The excess energy has caused significant warming of the atmosphere, ocean, and land, leading to rapid changes in the atmosphere, ocean, cryosphere, and biosphere. Earth-orbiting satellites and advanced technologies have enabled scientists to gather extensive data on our planet’s climate, revealing signs of a changing climate over time.
The Causes of Global Warming
Greenhouse gases, or GHGs, are gases in the Earth’s atmosphere that trap heat. They absorb heat from the sun during the day, which warms the Earth’s surface, and release it at night, thereby keeping the Earth’s average temperature at 14˚C (57˚F). The gases act like the glass walls of a greenhouse – hence the name, greenhouse gases (National Grid, 2023). According to the United States Environmental Protection Agency (2024), gases that trap heat in the atmosphere are called greenhouse gases. These gases include, Carbon dioxide (CO2), Methane (CH4), Nitrous oxide (N2O), Water vapour and Fluorinated gases are the major greenhouse gases.
NASA reports that CO2 is a crucial atmospheric gas released through natural processes and human activities like burning fossil fuels and deforestation. Methane, a greenhouse gas, comes from plant-matter breakdown in wetlands, landfills, rice farming, livestock digestion, manure, and leaks from fossil fuel production and transportation. Nitrous oxide, a potent greenhouse gas, is produced by farming practices and has increased by 18% in the last 100 years. It is released during commercial and organic fertilizer production and use, as well as burning fossil fuels and vegetation. Water vapour, the most abundant greenhouse gas, increases with Earth’s warming but only persists for a few days, unlike CO2, which can remain in the atmosphere for centuries (National Grid, 2023).
Fluorinated gases, including hydrofluorocarbons, perfluorocarbons, sulfur hexafluoride, and nitrogen trifluoride, are synthetic greenhouse gases emitted from various applications. They are sometimes used as substitutes for stratospheric ozone-depleting substances (e.g., chlorofluorocarbons, hydrochlorofluorocarbons, and halons). Chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs) are chemical compounds of industrial origin, used as refrigerants, solvents, and spray can propellants. Fluorinated gases are potent, with global warming potentials (GWPs) ranging from thousands to tens of thousands, making them high-GWP gases. They trap more heat than CO2 for a given amount of mass (United States Environmental Protection Agency, 2024).
Greenhouse gases, which act like glass walls, are responsible for the Earth’s natural greenhouse effect, which keeps temperatures below -18˚C (-0.4˚F) for life to exist. The greenhouse effect is a natural process where greenhouse gases in the Earth’s atmosphere trap heat from the sun, preventing it from escaping into space, thereby maintaining a stable temperature range that supports life. The greenhouse effect is crucial for Earth’s habitable climate. However, human activities, such as burning fossil fuels and deforestation, have increased the concentration of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere, leading to an enhanced greenhouse effect known as global warming. This is corroborated by National Grid (2023) that human activities, since the Industrial Revolution, have significantly increased the release of greenhouse gases, leading to global warming and climate change. The increase in greenhouse gases has accelerated global temperatures, making them the highest since records began, highlighting the urgent need for urgent action (National Grid, 2023). Human activities are believed to be influencing the balance of the greenhouse effect towards global warming, if not already occurring (Ngaaso & Attom, 2015). For instance, The emission of large volumes of carbon dioxide into the atmosphere through human activities like the burning of fossil fuels, deforestation and tree clearing causes global warming. The World Wildlife Fund International (n.d) identified the burning of fossil fuels like coal and gas for electricity or car power as releasing CO2 pollution into the atmosphere. This confirms the report by Gibbens (2024) which states that carbon dioxide is the most prevalent greenhouse gas, accounting for approximately 75% of all climate-warming pollution in the atmosphere. This gas results from the production and combustion of oil, gas, and coal. Land cleared for forestry or agriculture accounts for approximately one-quarter of carbon dioxide emissions. Ngaaso and Attom (2015) contend human activity especially, the combustion of fossil fuels, has rapidly increased carbon dioxide levels in the atmosphere since the onset of the Industrial Revolution. It is argued that the current level of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere is higher than at any time in the past 160,000 years (Ngaaso &Attom, 2015).
World Wildlife Fund International cited Australians as a big producer of CO2 pollution compared to the rest of the world indicating the level of CO2 pollution per person as nearly double the average of other developed nations and more than four times the world average. For instance, electricity generation is reported to be the main cause of carbon pollution in Australia as 73% of electricity comes from burning coal and 13% from burning gas. Also, plants and trees regulate climate by absorbing carbon dioxide and releasing oxygen. Forests and bushland act as carbon sinks, limiting global warming to 1.5°C. However, human activities like clearing vegetation for farming, urban development, or selling tree products like timber and palm oil release stored carbon back into the atmosphere, contributing to global warming. According to the World Wildlife Fund International, deforestation and forest degradation account for up to one-fifth of global greenhouse gas pollution. The presence of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere is not bad, because it helps to maintain a stable temperature range that supports life. However, the high volumes of it in the atmosphere cause global warming by enabling the gas to trap more heat from the sun.
The release of methane (CH4) from agriculture, livestock, oil and gas production leaks, and landfills is a common greenhouse gas which contributes to global warming. It accounts for 16% of emissions but is 25 times more potent than carbon dioxide and dissipates more quickly. It can cause significant warming, but reducing methane pollution can limit atmospheric warming (Gibbens, 2024). Methane, despite being less abundant, has a higher heat-trapping potential than carbon dioxide over a 20-year timeframe, allowing even small amounts of it to significantly contribute to global warming. It also contributes to the enhanced greenhouse effect by trapping heat and raising Earth’s temperature, leading to climate change. Methane can trigger feedback loops, such as the Arctic permafrost thawing due to global warming, releasing trapped methane, further amplifying the warming effect. NASA confirms that methane, a greenhouse gas, originates from both natural and human-caused sources. It is produced through plant-matter breakdown in wetlands, landfills, rice farming, livestock animals’ digestion and manure, and leaks from fossil fuel production and transportation.
Nitrous oxide (N2O) is a potent greenhouse gas that traps heat in the Earth’s atmosphere by absorbing infrared radiation and preventing it from escaping into space, thereby increasing global temperature. According to NASA, nitrous oxide, a greenhouse gas, is produced by farming practices, including commercial and organic fertilizer production, burning fossil fuels, and vegetation burning, and has increased by 18% in the last 100 years. Nitrous oxide, a byproduct of nitrogen-based fertilizers used in agriculture, is a major source of emissions. Industrial processes like nitric acid production also release nitrous oxide into the atmosphere, contributing to the overall increase in atmospheric concentrations. Nitrous oxide has a long atmospheric lifetime of 114 years, making it a significant contributor to global warming. It has a high global warming potential compared to other greenhouse gases like carbon dioxide. It is about 300 times more potent in trapping heat than carbon dioxide over 100 years. The increase in nitrous oxide emissions over the last century has further exacerbated the greenhouse effect and global warming.
Also, other greenhouse gases like hydrofluorocarbons, perfluorocarbons, sulfur hexafluoride, nitrogen trifluoride, chlorofluorocarbons etc. have potent global warming potentials. It is reported that they trap more heat than CO2 for a given amount of mass (United States Environmental Protection Agency, 2024). Hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs) are synthetic compounds used in refrigeration, air conditioning, and foam insulation, with high global warming potential. They trap heat in the atmosphere, contributing to global warming. Perfluorocarbons (PFCs) are used in industrial processes like aluminium production and semiconductor manufacturing, with high global warming potential. Sulfur Hexafluoride (SF6) is used in electrical transmission equipment and insulating gases, with a high global warming potential. Nitrogen Trifluoride (NF3) is used in semiconductor production and flat-panel displays, with high global warming potential. Chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs) were used in refrigeration, air conditioning, and aerosol propellants before their phase-out due to ozone depletion. Although less abundant, CFCs still have high global warming potential and contribute to global warming. The emission of all these gases in large volumes into the atmosphere increases or enhances the greenhouse effect by way of trapping more heat and causing an increase in the earth’s temperature.
Human activities significantly contribute to the rise in greenhouse gas emissions, exacerbating global warming and climate change. For instance, hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs) are widely used in refrigeration, air conditioning, and foam insulation in a variety of sectors, resulting in the emission of these synthetic substances into the environment. HFCs have a high global warming potential and play an important role in trapping heat in the atmosphere, which contributes to global warming. Perfluorocarbons (PFCs) are used in industrial processes such as aluminium production and semiconductor manufacture, both of which have a strong potential for global warming. PFC emissions from these activities increase greenhouse gas concentrations in the atmosphere, boosting the greenhouse effect and warming the earth.
Sulphur hexafluoride (SF6) is a widely used insulating gas in electrical transmission equipment due to its excellent insulation properties. However, its high global warming potential, resulting from equipment leaks or maintenance, contributes to the greenhouse effect. Nitrogen trifluoride (NF3) is used in semiconductor production and flat-panel displays as a cleaning agent, but despite being less abundant than other greenhouse gases, it has high global warming potential and can persist in the atmosphere for extended periods. The historical use of Chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs) has contributed to global warming. The Montreal Protocol has significantly reduced the use of CFCs in refrigeration, air conditioning, and aerosol propellants, but these compounds still exist in the atmosphere and have a high global warming potential, contributing to the legacy emissions of CFCs. These chemical compounds, not found in nature, are of industrial origin and were utilized as refrigerants, solvents, and spray can propellants (National Aeronautics and Space Administration, n.d).
Urbanization and population growth significantly contribute to global warming through increased energy consumption, greenhouse gas emissions, and land use changes. Urban growth and population growth lead to increased energy demand for homes, buildings, transportation, and industries, resulting in the burning of fossil fuels like coal, oil, and natural gas, releasing carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases into the atmosphere, which contribute to global warming. Urbanisation and population growth further result in deforestation as the need for human habitation encourages people to remove or destroy forests or stands of trees from the land for non-forest use such as building houses, stores, lorry stations, industries etc. leading to the loss of carbon sinks. Deforestation occasioned by burning also sends carbon dioxide into the atmosphere and reduces the number of trees available to convert carbon dioxide into oxygen (Ngaaso & Attom, 2015). This development contribute to the reduction of the Earth’s capacity to absorb carbon dioxide thereby causing global warming or exacerbating it. This is in tandem with the argument by Soken-Huberty (n.d) that trees play a crucial role in combating global warming by absorbing carbon dioxide during photosynthesis and releasing oxygen. Deforestation, on the other hand, releases carbon, and accounts for less than 10% of global warming pollution as of 2021. This decrease is due to efforts to save forests and increased burning of fossil fuels.
Impacts of Global Warming
According to the World Wildlife Fund International, the Earth’s temperature has already risen by 1°C compared to pre-industrial levels. The seemingly minor temperature increase is causing significant climate changes. The world’s temperature can only be slightly increased by a small amount of extra energy. This extra energy is like force-feeding the global climate system. The greenhouse effect, a widely accepted scientific theory, is under debate over whether human activities are intensifying it or will soon intensify it, thereby raising Earth’s temperature and altering climate across the globe. The debate also revolves around the extent of temperature rise and its impact on different climate regions (Ngaaso &Attom, 2015). However, NASA argues that the impact of human-induced global warming is currently occurring, irreversible for living beings, and will worsen as greenhouse gases continue to be added to the atmosphere. Similarly, Gibbens (2024), contends that global warming is causing significant impacts on Earth’s polar regions and mountain glaciers, particularly the Arctic, which is experiencing four times faster warming than the rest of the planet, leading to reduced ice habitats and disrupted jet stream flow, resulting in more unpredictable global weather patterns. Some of the major effects of global warming are espoused below:
The melting of ice caps and rising sea levels. According to the World Wildlife Fund International, global warming is melting glaciers and ice caps, increasing ocean volume and mass, leading to rising sea levels. This poses threats to low-lying islands and coastal cities due to rising temperatures. Similarly, Denchak (2022) argues that Arctic temperatures are rising twice as fast as global averages, and ice sheets are melting rapidly, causing severe consequences for people, wildlife, and plants, and potentially leading to rising sea levels. Denchak (2022) reported that by 2100, oceans are predicted to rise by 1.6 to 6.6 feet, posing a threat to coastal systems, low-lying areas, and major cities like Los Angeles, Miami, New York City, Mumbai, Rio de Janeiro, and Sydney. Not only in the Arctic region does global warming cause glacial melting, but even in the Himalayas and other mountain ranges leading to sea level rise, flooding, and land erosion (Bayes-Fleming, 2024). A typical example is the recent flooding happening in the whole city of Dubai which is believed to be occasioned by a rise in sea level exacerbated by heavy downpours amid thunderstorms. Also, heavy rain on May 07, 2024 in Brazil’s southernmost state caused massive flooding and landslides, killing at least 85 people. Over two-thirds of Rio Grande do Sul’s 497 municipalities have been affected, leaving over 150,000 displaced and over 130 missing. Eldorado do Sul is “100% destroyed” said the mayor. Global warming leads to higher temperatures, accelerating the melting of ice caps. This process exposes darker surfaces, absorbing more heat from the sun. Warmer temperatures cause water to expand, increasing sea levels. Additionally, glaciers retreat, adding more water to the oceans and contributing to rising sea levels. To Ngaaso & Attom (2015), heat expands water slightly, leading to why global sea levels rise when the oceans get warm. They argued further that if warming at the poles causes partial melting of ice sheets and glaciers, the rise would be even more.
Global warming has caused the rise in temperatures resulting in extreme weather events such as hurricanes, heatwaves, droughts, floods etc. and climate changes. In the view of World Wildlife Fund International (n.d), global warming is causing an increase in the frequency and intensity of extreme weather events such as bushfires, cyclones, droughts, and floods. This corroborates with the position of Ngaaso & Attom (2015) that global warming leads to weather extremes occasioned by prolonged heat waves and drought. As the upper layers of the seawater get warm, the resultant impact is the occurrence of more frequent and fierce hurricanes and typhoons. Bayes-Fleming (2024), argues that global warming is causing Earth’s temperature to rise, leading to increased unseasonal and prolonged heatwaves, with 2023 reported as being the hottest year ever recorded, causing health issues, droughts, and wildfires. Earth warming will lead to more extreme weather events like heat waves and droughts, with the U.S. experiencing record-high temperatures, heavy storms, floods, and droughts in the past 50 years (Just Energy, 2023). Denchak, (2022), indicates that higher temperatures are causing a rise in disasters such as storms, heat waves, floods, and droughts, as they create an atmosphere that accumulates and releases more water, causing wetter areas to become wetter and dry areas to become drier. Warmer temperatures impact weather patterns, including rainfall, which can become heavier and less predictable, leading to flooding due to increased moisture in the atmosphere (Bayes-Fleming, 2024).
Global warming has a health implication for human life, for instance, it increases diseases, heat-related illness etc. For instance, the World Wildlife Fund International (n.d) assert that severe heatwaves may cause death and illness, particularly among the elderly and increase the risk of mosquito-borne diseases due to increased humidity and temperatures. This is in tandem with Ngaaso & Attom’s (2015) argument that warmer weather would disrupt food and fresh water supplies thereby displacing millions of people and altering disease patterns in unpredictable ways. Tropical climates from the equator are expected to spread diseases like malaria and yellow fever to previously temperature-stable areas. Just Energy (2023) contend that global warming poses health risks, with areas experiencing wildfires and drought experiencing reduced air quality, leading to respiratory and cardiovascular hospitalizations. Vector-borne diseases, particularly Lyme disease, are growing in areas with cold climates, influenced by temperature, precipitation, and humidity. Milder winters in Lyme disease-affected regions reduce the number of disease-carrying ticks, increasing the risk of contracting the disease. Therefore, addressing climate change is crucial to protect human health. Similarly, Denchak (2022), agree that the rising frequency of droughts, storms, and floods due to a warming atmosphere poses significant risks to public health and safety. These conditions not only scorched lawns but also threaten access to clean drinking water, fuel wildfires, and cause dust storms, extreme heat events, and flash flooding.
Global warming, according to the World Wild Fund, can lead to droughts and worsen living conditions, especially in Africa. The IPCC report predicts that 75-250 million people in Africa will lack adequate water and face food shortages by 2020 due to a 50% decline in crop productivity. Rising temperatures could also lead to food shortages for 130 million people in Asia (Kasotia, 2007). Water scarcity is a global health concern, leading to death, disease, and crop failure. Heavy rains cause overflow in rivers and lakes, causing damage, contamination, and mould infestation. A warmer, wetter environment also increases foodborne and waterborne illnesses, as well as disease-carrying insects like mosquitoes, fleas, and ticks (Denchak, 2022).
Also, global warming negatively impacts the social and economic life of people. In 2021, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration reported 20 US weather and climate disaster events, causing at least $1 billion in losses. These events, including severe storms, floods, drought, and wildfires, endanger people and affect over 4 in 10 Americans, costing $145 billion, excluding health damages (Denchak, 2022). Bayes-Fleming (2024) argues that global warming-induced extreme weather events require significant financial investment for reconstruction and infrastructure repair, with damage estimated to cost 13 million pounds for an hour. As these events become more frequent, governments may struggle to fund necessary restorations, leading to increased vulnerability for communities without shelter, electricity, or water. According to the World Wildlife Fund International, climate change, including severe drought, heat waves, flooding, and extreme weather, occasioned by global warming is causing farmers to face challenges in grazing livestock and growing produce, reducing food availability and increasing costs. Global warming impacts social life as extreme weather events like bushfires, storms, floods, cyclones, and coastal erosion are expected to cause increased damage to homes and increase insurance premiums. The increasing frequency and severity of droughts and reduced rainfall are potentially leading to water shortages.
Global warming disrupts social life as the climate change occasioned by it can impact food security by affecting crop yields, leading to food shortages and increased prices, disrupting food supply chains, and increasing malnutrition risk. Water scarcity can result from altered rainfall patterns, leading to competition for resources and conflicts over access. Industries relying on water, such as agriculture and manufacturing, may also face challenges. Rising sea levels and extreme weather events can cause displacement and migration, straining social services, increasing resource competition, and creating social tensions. Global warming’s effects, including infrastructure damage, agricultural productivity loss, increased healthcare costs, and supply chain disruptions, can lead to substantial economic costs, burdening governments, businesses, and individuals, resulting in reduced economic growth and financial instability. This is in tandem with the argument by Bayes-Fleming (2024) that the impact of global warming on daily life and a country’s economy is significant. For instance, Kenya’s GDP could drop by 7.25% in less than 30 years if climate change continues at its current rate. Droughts, heatwaves, and floods severely impact agriculture and tourism, highlighting the potential economic damage caused by global warming.
Global warming further impacts the ecosystems through the loss of biodiversity and habitat destruction. Large-scale forest diebacks could lead to the mass extinction of species, and fish deaths due to rising temperatures, and threaten parks, wildlife reserves, wetlands, and coral reefs due to regional climate shifts (Ngaaso & Attom, 2015). Also, the World Wildlife Fund International indicate rising ocean temperatures and acidity as causing extreme coral bleaching events, such as the 2016 Great Barrier Reef disaster. Global warming causes ecosystem stress through temperature rises, water shortages, fire threats, drought, weed and pest invasions, storm damage, and salt invasion. The UN’s Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) has revealed that many life forms are moving north into deeper waters to survive as their habitats change. Some animals, like weeds and pests, are adaptable to climate change, while highly specialized species, such as the Burmese python of Florida, face the most danger as their habitats may disappear completely (Just Energy, 2023). Climate change poses a significant threat to one in six species, forcing them to either adapt or move to survive. The rapid pace of change makes it difficult for species to adapt quickly, and the increasing destruction of habitats makes moving increasingly challenging (World Wildlife Fund International, n.d). According to JustEnergy (2023), global warming and climate change have already led to the extinction of some animals, such as the golden toad, and up to half of plant and animal species in naturally rich areas like the Amazon and Galapagos Islands could face extinction by the turn of the century.
Global warming contributes to ocean acidification and affects marine life. Earth’s oceans absorb excess heat and carbon dioxide from the atmosphere, acting as buffers against climate change. However, this can lead to long-term disasters. Carbon dioxide mixes with seawater, forming carbonic acid, which reduces ocean pH by .1pH since pre-industrial times. By 2100, further acidification could reach 0.14 to 0.35, making marine life difficult (JustEnergy, 2023). Oceans absorb more CO2 than air, causing warmer and more acidic seas. Warming waters bleach coral reefs, drive stronger storms, and threaten shellfish, including crustaceans essential for marine food chains, while rising ocean acidity threatens their survival (World Wildlife Fund International, n.d). Climate change occasioned by global warming is causing oceans to become more acidic, posing a significant threat to underwater life, particularly creatures with calcium carbonate shells or skeletons. This could significantly impact shellfisheries, with the U.S. shellfish industry potentially losing over $400 million annually by 2100 due to the impacts of ocean acidification (Denchak, 2022).
Fossil fuel burning releases carbon dioxide into the atmosphere, which is absorbed by the oceans and reacts with seawater to form carbonic acid, causing a decrease in ocean pH levels. This acidification impacts marine life, particularly those relying on calcium carbonate for shells and skeletons, such as corals, molluscs, and plankton species, as lower pH levels make it harder for these organisms to form and maintain their structures. Ocean acidification weakens coral reefs’ calcium carbonate skeletons, leading to coral bleaching, reduced growth rates, and increased vulnerability to rising sea temperatures. Shellfish, such as oysters, clams, and mussels, also face challenges due to acidification, hindering larvae’s growth and survival rates, affecting overall population health and overall survival rates.
Again, global warming is argued to severely pose threats to global food security and agriculture. As argued by JustEnergy (2023), climate plays a crucial role in agriculture, with temperature and carbon dioxide impacts affecting crop yields. However, nutrient levels, soil moisture, and water availability conditions also play a role. Therefore, as espoused by the World Wildlife Fund International (n.d) climate change, including severe drought, heat waves, flooding, and extreme weather, is causing farmers to face challenges in grazing livestock and growing produce, reducing food availability and increasing costs. Severe droughts and floods pose a threat to food security, as climate change and global warming intensify challenges in agriculture, animal raising, and fish catchment methods. Climate change is expected to significantly impact food security globally, regionally, and locally. It can disrupt food availability, reduce access to food, and affect food quality. Increases in temperatures, precipitation patterns, extreme weather events, and water availability may reduce agricultural productivity. Extreme weather events can also disrupt food delivery, leading to increased food prices and spikes in the future (United States Environmental Protection Agency, 2016).
It is evident from the above that once the climate changes with severe drought, heat waves, flooding, and extreme weather, it significantly alters the timing and duration of growing seasons, thereby affecting the planting and harvesting of crops. Temperature and rainfall fluctuations can disrupt agricultural calendars, leading to crop failures and reduced food production. Global warming can lead to the spread of pests and diseases, causing crop damage and yield losses, exacerbated by reduced availability of food crops, further exacerbating food insecurity.
Current Global Efforts and Challenges
The level of devastation and potential destruction associated with global warming and those manifesting has woken and prompted the world to act to avert the impending catastrophe as predicted. The discussion surrounding the effect of global warming was earlier disputed by some sections of people as a conspiracy theory until the impact befell the world. The world then adopted treaties to combat the surge in atmospheric pollution. For instance;
Climate science advanced in the 1970s, utilizing numerical modelling and satellite imaging. The United Nations established the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) in 1988 to share scientific knowledge on climate change’s causes, challenges, and consequences. The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change’s (IPCC) role is to prepare and publish reports providing a current understanding of climate change’s state.
The United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), established in 1992, initiated the fight against climate change at the second Earth Summit in Rio de Janeiro. The primary international treaty aimed at combating climate change by preventing harmful human-made disruption to the global climate system, with the EU and its member countries being among its 197 Parties.
The 1997 Kyoto Protocol, ratified by 192 the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) Parties, was the world’s only legally binding instrument for cutting greenhouse gas emissions before the Paris Agreement. However, it only covers about 12% of global emissions due to many major emitters not being signatories. The top decision-making body for the Kyoto Protocol is the Conference of the Parties (COP), which represents all parties and governments that are not parties attend as observers.
The Paris Agreement, also known as the Paris Climate Accords, is an international treaty adopted in 2015 that covers climate change mitigation, adaptation, and finance. It was negotiated by 196 parties at the 2015 United Nations Climate Change Conference (UNFCCC). As of February 2023, 195 UNFCCC members are parties to the agreement. Iran is the only major emitter not ratified. The US withdrew from the agreement in 2020 but rejoined in 2021.
The Paris Agreement aims to limit global temperature rise to below 2°C (3.6°F) above pre-industrial levels, with a preference for 1.5°C (2.7°F), to significantly mitigate the effects of climate change. The agreement mandates each country to submit a Nationally Determined Contribution (NDC) detailing its climate action plan, including emission reduction targets and adaptation strategies, reflecting its unique circumstances and capabilities. The Paris Agreement promotes global collaboration, recognizing that developed nations should lead in reducing emissions and providing financial and technological support to developing nations to transition to low-carbon economies. The agreement promotes transparency and accountability by requiring countries to regularly report on their emissions and progress towards their National Development Goals, thereby fostering trust and ensuring compliance with their commitments.
The Agreement offers financial and technological support to signatory countries to effectively implement climate action plans, with developed countries expected to lead in financial support due to their resources. The framework is customized to meet specific needs, encouraging both developed and developing nations to take action.
Countries are boosting their renewable energy investments, including solar, wind, and hydropower, to decrease their reliance on fossil fuels and decrease greenhouse gas emissions. For instance, China committed to reaching carbon neutrality by 2060 and a peak in CO2 emissions before 2030, with recent studies suggesting they may achieve this earlier. The country reduced its coal mining capacity by 400 million tonnes since 2016, aiming to reduce it further. This reduction, along with increased renewable energy generation and energy efficiency measures, seems to be plateauing China’s coal consumption and emissions. China is also leading in electric vehicle production and sales, advancing innovation and reducing costs globally (Grantham Institute, n.d). These initiatives have slowed the rate at which Chinese emissions are increasing.
The world is promoting energy efficiency improvements in buildings, transportation, and industries aimed at reducing energy consumption and emissions. As part of efforts to curb global warming, the US have instituted Affordable Home Energy Earth Shot aims to reduce decarbonizing housing costs by 50% within a decade, save Americans on energy bills, and alleviate persistent low-income household burdens. The government has updated energy efficiency standards for appliances and equipment, aiming to save $1 trillion over 30 years and reduce emissions by 2.4 billion tons through these standards (The Whitehouse, 2021).
During the Obama administration, over $390 billion has been invested in clean energy manufacturing, electric vehicles, batteries, and clean power projects. Over 3 million Americans have been employed in clean energy sectors. Electric vehicle sales have quadrupled, reaching one million annual sales three years earlier than expected. Public EV chargers have increased by over 70%, and companies have announced a new battery manufacturing capacity to supply 13 million EVs per year by 2030 (The Whitehouse, 2021).
According to the White House (2021), over $50 billion has been secured to reduce industrial emissions and promote clean manufacturing, including billions for clean hydrogen hubs and innovation in the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law. The Inflation Reduction Act provides tax credits for solar, wind, battery, and critical material manufacturing, grants for emissions-cutting technologies, and loans for industrial transformation in the clean energy economy.
In 2022, China, the US, India, the EU27, Russia, and Brazil were the six largest global greenhouse gas emitters, accounting for 50.1% of the global population, 61.2% of GDP, 63.4% of fossil fuel consumption, and 61.6% of global GHG emissions (Crippa et al, 2023). The US has been a major emitter reason the government initiated a phasedown of super-polluting hydrofluorocarbons in appliances, aiming to reduce emissions by 85% over 15 years, including a 40% reduction starting in 2024, and strengthen domestic manufacturing of alternatives (The Whitehouse, 2021).
The United States government has secured over $40 billion for climate-smart agriculture, forestry, rural development, and ecosystem restoration through the Inflation Reduction Act and Bipartisan Infrastructure Law (The Whitehouse, 2021). Climate-smart agriculture (CSA) is a strategy that aims to improve agricultural systems’ resilience to climate change, reduce greenhouse gas emissions, and enhance food security and sustainable development. It involves three main objectives: climate adaptation, mitigation of greenhouse gas emissions, and food security. Climate adaptation involves implementing resilient crop varieties, water management techniques, and soil conservation practices to help farmers withstand climate-related challenges. Mitigation of greenhouse gas emissions involves techniques like conservation agriculture, agroforestry, and improved livestock management. Food security is improved by increasing agricultural productivity, enhancing resilience to climate shocks, and ensuring sustainable resource management. This approach supports rural livelihoods, protects biodiversity, and increases food production with fewer inputs.
The world (some countries) is employing carbon prices to combat global warming and climate change. Forty-six (46) countries are currently implementing carbon taxes or emissions trading schemes (ETS) to price emissions, with others reportedly considering similar measures (Black, Parry & Zhunussova, 2022). The carbon tax is a levy applied to greenhouse gas emissions from direct production or burned fuels, affecting goods and services with higher emissions. The emissions trading system, also known as a cap and trade, adjusts carbon prices over time, defining a maximum pollution level and requiring manufacturers to obtain licenses to emit greenhouse gases. The cost of these licenses increases as emissions approach the cap (Ritchie & Rosado, 2022).
The Effort Sharing Regulation (ESR) sets emission reduction targets for EU Member States in non- Emissions Trading Scheme (ETS) sectors, which account for 60% of the EU’s total emissions. The current ESR aims to reduce emissions by 30% by 2030, but the European Commission proposed a revision in July 2021, aiming for 40% reductions by 2030. This target is broken down into legally binding national targets based on GDP per capita, varying by country. The new proposal adds approximately 10% reductions to existing ESR targets, bringing the EU-wide ESR target to 40% by 2030. The wealthiest Member States need to reduce emissions by 50% below 2005 levels, while the poorest around 10%. This revision aims to increase the overall EU emission reduction to at least 55% net emissions by 2030.
As part of the current effort to tackle the climate crisis, the UN Secretary-General instituted a Climate Ambition Summit aimed at showcasing leaders from various sectors, including government, business, finance, local authorities, and civil society, who have taken credible actions to accelerate decarbonization and deliver climate justice. The summit demonstrated that tangible and ambitious action to cut emissions and deliver climate justice was possible and practical. It emphasized the alignment of sectoral, local, national, and international plans with science-backed targets to accelerate decarbonization and advance climate justice, and fairness. The summit also focused on credibility and accountability.
Also, the Youth Advisory Group on Climate Change instituted by the Secretary-General offers practical advice, diverse youth perspectives, and concrete recommendations to accelerate the implementation of his climate action agenda. Convened under the United Nations Youth2030 and Our Common Agenda, the group serves as a mechanism for the Secretary-General to hear directly from young people, working towards global climate action and achieving all 17 Sustainable Development Goals.
As part of efforts to meet the Paris Agreement, Ghana has embarked on a tree-planting initiative officially named “Green Ghana Project”. The project since its inception in 2021 has been celebrated in June every year marked by a tree-planting campaign across the country in a day. This initiative seeks to; create enhanced national awareness of the necessity of collective action towards the restoration of degraded landscapes in the country. Inculcate the values of planting and nurturing trees and their associated benefits amongst the youth; enhance livelihoods for rural communities through their engagement in the production of tree seedlings; beautify communities and the environment; and ultimately mitigate climate change.
Global efforts to combat global warming have made significant progress, but several challenges still hinder their effectiveness. For instance;
The Paris Agreement, despite requiring monitoring and reporting of carbon emissions, lacks the enforceability to force a country to reduce emissions. Most actions related to reducing emissions are passed by legislative bodies or heads of state and agreements with the international community are second to those. If a country fails to meet its obligations, other countries might use soft power to coerce actions, such as sanctions or diplomatic means. However, major powers like the U.S. and China are less susceptible to this form of peer pressure (Nahm, 2023). For instance, The EU Emissions Trading System (ETS), a key part of European climate policy, has a poor track record of ineffective carbon price signals, exemptions for polluting industries, and insufficient incentives for decarbonisation. Even a recent revision failed to align with the Paris Agreement’s objectives, indicating a need for reform (Climate Action Network, n.d).
Despite good intentions, financing, clean technologies, and economic synergies, the political economy remains a significant obstacle to the fight against global warming and climate change (The World Bank, 2023). Governments may not prioritize climate action due to competing interests or short-term economic concerns, while bureaucratic processes and political gridlock appear to have hindered effective climate policies, especially among developing countries. Powerful industries, like fossil fuel companies, may lobby against climate regulations. The World Bank, (2023) indicates that social tensions are causing setbacks for climate action, with reasons not always predictable. For instance, Indonesia successfully reformed fossil fuel subsidies in 2005, while France’s carbon tax increase in 2018 sparked protests.
Financing hurdles show that the global climate financing system is inefficient, underfunded, and discriminatory. National budget constraints and unsustainable debt levels are linked to ineffective policy frameworks, uneven regulation, and insufficient private sector participation. Climate finance is a critical issue, especially for developing countries, requiring financial support to transition to low-carbon economies and adapt to climate impacts. Mobilizing the $100 billion annual commitment and increasing financial flows is essential. However, reports indicate that many countries are not contributing their fair share of climate finance. According to Bos, Gonzalez and Thwaites (2021), international institutions like the UN and the European Union use objective indicators like Gross National Income and population to determine countries’ contribution to their budgets. However, no agreement exists for the $100 billion goal. Researchers from Oxfam, Overseas Development Institute, WRI, and ETH Zurich have proposed fair allocation of climate finance efforts among contributor countries. In 2018, the US faced a climate finance shortfall of $21 billion and up to $40 billion per year, which was more than double the combined shortfalls of all other countries under every effort-sharing approach (Bos, Gonzalez and Thwaites. 2021). Furthermore, increased perceptions of investment risk in Africa, perceived and actual foreign currency hazards, the complexity of existing international climate financing systems, and data constraints all contribute to a decline in climate-aligned investments (Mohieldin, Kenewendo & Wambui, 2023). Transitioning to renewable energy sources and climate-friendly policies can be costly due to significant upfront investments. Economic dependence on fossil fuels makes it difficult to transition. Some industries fear stringent climate regulations could disadvantage them in countries with laxer regulations.
Resistance from industries and vested interests is also obstructing the effort to combat global warming and climate change. Lawrence, Pegg & Evans (2019) reported that fossil fuel-dependent industries, like the oil and gas industry, influence policy-making and regulations, leading to weaker or delayed climate policies. There are instances, when they resort to funding disinformation campaigns to raise doubts about climate change and proposed solutions, making it difficult to build support for decisive action. Additionally, these industries resist transitioning to low-carbon alternatives due to profitability and market share concerns, leading to opposition to policies that would accelerate the shift to renewable energy sources and sustainable practices. These contribute to the complexity and inefficiency of climate change efforts.
The lack of public awareness and education on global warming and its rippling effect on climate change is obstructing the global effort to combat global warming and climate change. It is a general knowledge that when people lack knowledge of what their actions manifest into, they persistently indulge in such acts. Many people are ignorant of the fact that the increasing incidence of climate change especially the more hotter the atmosphere has become is largely a result of the activities of human beings towards the natural environment. The ignorance is perpetuating human-induced global warming and climate change, as efforts are underway to combat it, therefore making it challenging for the world to immediately cut the emission of greenhouse gases.
Another major obstacle obstructing the global effort against global warming and climate change is the falling short of adaptation finance. The Paris Agreement aims to balance climate finance between mitigation and adaptation, with climate-vulnerable countries and the UN Secretary-General advocating for a 50/50 split. France, Germany, Japan, and the US are the largest climate finance contributors, with their finance primarily focused on mitigation, with adaptation finance accounting for only 25% of total climate finance. Australia, Belgium, Iceland, Ireland, the Netherlands, and Switzerland are nearing a 50/50 balance in their provision of adaptation finance, with the United Kingdom being the only country in the top five contributing to this balance (Bos, Gonzalez, and Thwaites, 2021).
Solutions and Future Directions
The efforts to address global warming and climate change have encountered some obstructions that require urgent or gradual measures to help resolve and realise the general objective of keeping a global temperature below -18˚C (-0.4˚F). The solution and the way forward into the future include but are not limited to;
There should be an increase in public awareness and extensive education on global warming and climate change especially the human activities contributing to the climate crisis is fundamental to combating global warming and climate change. The increase in public awareness about climate change’s impacts and the importance of individual actions can drive behavioural change and support for climate policies, thereby empowering individuals and communities to take action. This is very necessary because the lack of public awareness of the fact that global warming is caused most especially by human activities is rendering all efforts aimed at combating climate change ineffective. This is because as efforts are underway and the activities causing the problem are persisting, the objective cannot be realised. Therefore, the school curriculum should incorporate climate change education, educating students about its science, impacts, and solutions. Critical thinking and problem-solving skills should be encouraged to engage students in finding solutions. Public awareness campaigns should be launched to inform the public about climate change, using various media channels and community events. There should be workshops and training sessions to educate individuals on sustainable practices, energy efficiency, waste reduction, and climate-friendly behaviours, providing practical tips to reduce carbon footprint.
The world and international community should be encouraged to work together and commit to the agreement signed for instance the Paris Agreement. This can be achieved by organising multilateral workshops that bring together representatives from various countries to discuss best practices and knowledge on climate change mitigation strategies, fostering collaboration and learning from each other’s experiences and challenges. Though these workshops and conferences are been organised annually, the commitment to act is missing therefore countries should be committed to the agreement signed. There should be a capacity-building initiative that involves offering training sessions to individuals, policymakers, and stakeholders on sustainable practices, such as renewable energy technologies, energy-efficient practices, waste management strategies, and sustainable agriculture methods.
According to the Grantham Research Institute on Climate Change and the Environment (2022), greenhouse gas emissions are considered pollution due to their potential harm to the climate and contribute to outdoor air pollution, which is associated with 4.2 million deaths annually. However, society has not recognized the link between human activities and increased greenhouse gas emissions, leading to emitters being not held responsible for controlling this form of pollution. This results in a “market failure” where the costs of pollution are externalized to society, as everyone shares and has the right to use greenhouse gases, which are emitted into the atmosphere. Therefore similar to the polluter pays principle, if not the same name, there should be the application of the emitter pays principle, where countries and industries emitting greenhouse gases are made to pay to address the problems emanating from their activities. To discourage the emitter and encourage them to employ environmentally friendly practices, the polluter or emitter pay principle should be punitive to entice emitters to renewable energy technologies, energy-efficient practices, waste management strategies, and sustainable agriculture methods.
There should be a concerted effort to transition the world to renewable energy sources like solar, wind, bioenergy, geothermal and hydroelectric power can significantly reduce greenhouse gas emissions, which can be incentivized by governments through subsidies and regulations. The advanced countries and the international community should extend a helping hand to the developing countries to enable them poised for this transition.
Also employing a more sustainable and natural-based solution for the future is crucial in meeting the challenges emanating from the efforts aimed at combating global warming and the effects associated with global warming. Nature-based solutions, such as protecting and restoring ecosystems like forests, wetlands, and mangroves, can help sequester carbon dioxide, benefit biodiversity, and support local communities.
Conclusion
Considering the dire consequence of global warming which includes melting of ice caps and rising sea levels, an increase in temperatures, resulting in extreme weather events like hurricanes, heatwaves, droughts, and floods, increased diseases and heat-related illnesses, posing health risks, particularly for the elderly. It also negatively impacts social and economic life, with 20 US weather and climate disaster events causing at least $1 billion in losses in 2021, affecting over 4 in 10 Americans and costing $145 billion, excluding health damages. It severely poses threats to global food security and agriculture, contributes to ocean acidification and affects marine life. These among others signal the urgent need to address global warming.
The social cost of carbon, which represents the economic damages caused by each ton of carbon dioxide emitted, highlights the urgency of reducing emissions and transitioning to a more sustainable energy system. Delaying action will result in higher economic impacts and human suffering, emphasizing the need for immediate action. These dangers associated with global warming are a call to action for individuals, industries, international communities and all governments around the world to act immediately with commitment.
A hope for a sustainable future can only be envisaged through the efforts to address global warming today. That is, the world’s future regarding climate change rests on today’s decisions because going by the current trajectory and rate of emission, it would not be wrong to argue that the worst is yet to happen hence the need for a concerted action now.
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