Global Warming Controversy. Scientists opinions about climate change and whether it is a natural occurrence or rather a devastating consequence of human activity are very controversial. Therefore, there has been a lot of discussion throughout the past

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Identify an issue about which there is scientific controversy. Analyze why this controversy has arisen.

With the expression of ‘climate change’ we define “changes in climate, such as temperature, precipitation, wind, that differ significantly from previous average conditions”. It is one of the most controversial scientific issues of the modern age, due to different researchers and scientist’s interpretation of these findings. It involves the increase of temperature, but also vast disasters, such as tornados, forest fires, droughts and the melting of the poles. Scientist’s opinions about climate change and whether it is a natural occurrence or rather a devastating consequence of human activity are very controversial. Therefore, there has been a lot of discussion throughout the past years to discuss what measures should be taken.

Global warming is most likely the major matter of climate change, which is claimed to be caused by Carbon dioxide, methane, ozone and chlorofluorocarbons belong to a group of gases, called the greenhouse gases. These exist in the natural atmosphere and are responsible for absorption and release of heat. Carbon dioxide is the main gas being produced by the human way of life and is the main reason for global warming.

By observations, computer models or satellite readings scientists and meteorologists received certain results and measurements, which they then interpret in different ways. Therefore their opinions divide the theory of climate change in two sides:

Scientists, who believe in climate change due to human causes, and their opinion get supported by solid facts.  Records over the last 150 years show a steady industrialization resulting in an increase of carbone dioxide concentration by 31 percent. Furthermore, the same records also show the amount of methane in the atmosphere, which has increased by alarming 151 percent. Besides these telling facts, we also know that driving cars, generating electricity from coal-fired power plants and the general use of fossil fuels enlarge the amount of greenhouse which pollutes the air. Until a certain point the greenhouse effect is a natural warming process, but this increase of greenhouse gases with human causes intensifies the greenhouse effect. Higher concentrations of CO2 trap more infrared energy in the atmosphere than it naturally occurs. In that way the atmosphere and Earth surface get heated up by the additional heat. Moreover, the average temperatures have climbed 0.8 °C around the world since 1880, most of it in recent decades, according to NASA’s research. Also the 20th century’s last two decades were the hottest in 400 years, according to several climate studies. Another source of global warming is the variation in the brightness of the sun. Now it is rising again and detailed studies suggest that solar effects may be responsible for 30 to 57 percent of the observed global warming.

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Supporters of the theory that global warming is caused by human activities, predict severe climate changes for the future: it is causing the polar ice caps to melt rapidly destroying the habitats of their native animals, especially polar bears that need the ice to survive. The melting of the ice in turn causes the sea levels to rise which can cause floods and the destruction of coastal areas. One the other hand huge droughts can also be instigated by the temperature rise, resulting as famines especially in third world countries. If the oceans are heated by global warming, the Gulf ...

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