Global warming - szókincs

What is global warming?

It means the general increase of the temperature of the earth’s atmosphere.

What is it caused by?

It is caused by the high carbon-dioxide (CO2) concentration in the air. CO2 and methane are greenhouse gases (CFCs) and their high concentration leads to the greenhouse effect.

What is the greenhouse effect?

The rays of the sun bring heat to the earth’s atmosphere. The atmosphere is full of greenhouse gases which don’t let the heat escape back to space. (This is called the heat trap.) The greenhouse effect is indispensable for the earth, because without these gases living organisms would cool down and die. The problem is that the concentration of these gases is too high, so it keeps too much heat in the atmosphere.



What are the consequences of the global warming?

First of all, temperature is constantly rising. The biggest problems come from the polar regions, where the icecaps are melting. As a result, the sea level is increasing all around the world, and this process endangers many seaside countries. Due to the increased heat in the atmosphere, there is a significant climate change in the world. In many places the traditional seasons seem to be changing or disappearing. For instance, in Hungary, the summer months are too hot or too rainy, there is no in-between period. In Africa in many 3^rd world countries there is an increasing drought, and consequently people have almost no water and also no food. (There is thirst and famine/starvation/excessive hunger and therefore severe malnutrition).

What do people do to increase the amount of greenhouse gases?

-there is a widespread deforestation all over the world  - which means people cut down the trees in order to produce furniture, provide heating, sell timber and make a huge profit, make grazing areas, expand cities, and also to create industrial districts (trees absorb harmful gases and transform them into oxygen)

-around factories and industrial areas air pollution and the CO2 concentration is also much higher

-people use too many cars and this way they contribute significantly to the CO2 content of the air

What can we do against global warming?

-private people should use public transport (and also try walking or cycling, so their health can get a little benefit too)

-deforestation should be banned and punished strictly - if those companies keep cutting down our forests, they should implement replanting programs

-industries should use environmentally-friendly and more modern technologies (special filters on factory chimneys, use of renewable energy resources and reduce or even slowly eliminate the use of fossil energy resources)

-people should buy modern devices, which uses environmentally-friendly technologies