GLoBaL WarminG part (1)

	GLOBAL WARMING IS EFFECTING THE EARTH AT A GREAT EXTEND Since global warming appeared during the last decade as a serious environmental issue, it has been the subject of a lot of debate. Global warming is defined as the warming of the earth by greenhouse gases emitted into the atmosphere naturally or by mankind. But there are many questions about global warming, from its causes to its full effects.
		Many people even question whether or not global warming exists. And if global warming does exist, people question why it exists. But there is one fact that no one has questioned - the surface temperature of the earth has increased 0.45 - 0.6 degrees Celsius in the past century.
	Is the increased temperature something we need to worry about? Well, there are two different viewpoints. The believers in global warming think that the increased temperature proves that global warming exists, and that it's a significant problem that should not be taken lightly. Skeptics of global warming believe that the increased temperature is a natural phenomenon, and that if global warming does exist, it's not something to be worried about. What makes this debate so interesting is that there is valid scientific data to prove either side.
		Global warming has been proven and disproven using computer climate models. Believers in global warming use them to show that in the next century there will be a significant rise in the Earth's temperature, and an increase in the height of sea level. Global warming skeptics suggest that the models are not entirely based on fact, and that they can not be trusted.
	There are many arguments for and against the existence of global warming. We'll take a look at some of the arguments for both sides on the following pages, starting with the believers in global warming. Surface analysis has shown that the temperature of the earth has increased dramatically over the past century because of the emission of greenhouse gases. Greenhouse gases, such as carbon dioxide, act as a shield and trap heat inside the atmosphere. The graph shows how the temperature rises when the carbon dioxide in the atmosphere increases. The fear is that the earth's temperature will continue to increase. An increase in the planet's temperature may eventually cause the ice caps to melt and the sea levels to rise. The world's coastlines, like the one pictured to the left, will be washed away. There will also be widespread outbreaks of disease for both humans and wildlife. The idea that serious disasters like these could happen from global warming is cause for alarm. The following is a list of web sites from people or organizations who believe in global warming. There is a brief description of each site with a link to it. The Environmental Protection Agency The EPA is a governmental agency that protects the environment. Its web site covers a tremendous amount of information about global warming. The Sierra Club The Sierra Club is a non-profit environmental protection organization. This site offers a list of global warming-related news it has posted. The Environmental Defense Fund The EDF is an America-based environmental organization. It offers a solid explanation of global warming on its site. Scientific American Scientific American puts its magazine online at its web site. This link leads you to its articles on global warming and its perceived effects. The White House Find out about the U.S. government's position on global warming here! Review environmental statements from President Clinton and Vice-President Gore. The United Nation Environmental Program The UNEP is a branch of the UN that focuses on environmental issues. Perform a search on global warming to view many related articles. Out There News Out There News is a news organization based on the Web that lets you experience the news. This link features its articles on global warming. Skeptics of global warming believe that global warming is not an environmental problem. They think that the recent increase in the earth's temperature is no cause for alarm. And they believe that earth's coastlines and polar ice caps are not in danger of disappearing. Skeptics believe that the climate models used to prove global warming and to predict its effects are misrepresented. They point out that according to the models, the last century should have been much worse than it actually was. Temperature increases occurred before the widespread emission of carbon dioxide in the middle of the 20th century. As the graph below shows, there have been widespread temperature fluctuations throughout time. Temperature increases are also attributed to the fact that most of the observations are taken in cities or airports where temperatures may be skewed higher. Look for information on the Urban Heat Island Effect to find out more about this. The following is a list of web sites from people or organizations who are skeptical about global warming. There is a brief description of each site with a link to it. The Heartland Organization The Heartland Institute is a nonprofit public policy research organization that has posted many articles about the science (or lack of) behind global warming. The Junk Science Home Page A web site that posts "junk science" - faulty scientific research used to support a personal agenda. Read its article on global warming. The Science & Environmental Policy Project SEPP was founded on the idea that credible science must be the basis for health and environmental decisions. Read their reports on scientists that are questioning worldwide global climate accords. World Climate Report The World Climate Report is a leading site in finding weakness in current global warming science and policy. The online magazine has a wealth of information. resouces : (http://weathereye.kgan.com/expert/warming/explain.html ) (http://weathereye.kgan.com/expert/warming/belivers.html) (http://weathereye.kgan.com/expert/warming/skeptics.html)