GLOBAL WARMING

Another major problem that looms on the horizon and
one that probably is already upon us and exerting its
effects, is the phenomenon of Global Warming. It can be
argued endlessly whether Global Warming is man made
or whether it's a naturally occurring phenomenon,
however the empirical evidence certainly shows that
Global Warming is indeed occurring. This is made
manifest in the melting glaciers and polar ice caps, the
increase in hurricane activity (with category 4 and 5
hurricanes, the most intense, doubling in frequency over
the past 50 years), changing rainfall patterns and of
course the actual increases in measured surface
temperatures.
The majority verdict of the scientific community points
towards the notion that Global Warming is at least
partly man made and brought about through the
emissions of so called green house gases such as
methane and carbon dioxide, which causes the earths
atmosphere to retain more heat. Also based on
computer climate models, it is projected that Global
Warming will continue with potentially dire
consequences for vast numbers of people living on this
planet. These predictions vary with some scenarios
describing temperature rises of 1 or 2 degrees
centigrade coupled with sea level rises of 80cm or so.
Other models predict temperature rises of 3 to 5 degrees
centigrade coupled with sea level rises of 7m! At the
extreme end we find truly doomsday scenarios where
the earths atmosphere is changed to such an extent
that it becomes similar to that of the planet Venus, with
surface temperatures way above the boiling point of
water, that is 250 degrees celsius together with
sulphuric acid rain. Though seemingly far fetched, the
world renowned scientist Stephen Hawking cited this
scenario as a distinct future possibility.
Even without considering these future predictions we are
already being affected by climate change in a way that
is detrimental to human life and well-being. It is
estimated that over 27,000 died as a direct result of the
2003 freak heat wave that was experienced over
Western Europe. Those that died were many the very
old and the very young. The deaths that have resulted
from crop failures in The Third World, brought about as
an indirect consequence of climate change, may number
into the millions. Hurricane Katrina which a few years
ago hit the Southern coastal city of New Orleans in the
USA is estimated to have killed over 1000 people.