Climate Change Case

John Edward Sevilla SPEECOM M77

Thesis Statement: Climate change is not solely caused by air pollution, rather by other factors such as solar irradiance, human interventions and natural phenomenon.

I. Introduction

A. Most of us probably thought that climate change are only caused by the burning of coal, oil and gas which are turned to electricity for our convenience. (Jenkins, 2009)

B. (Startling Statistics) Although humans are the prime contributors, since 90% of the heat entrapment of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere are caused by industrial activities, studies have shown that there are various factors affecting climate change. Some of these are volcanic eruptions, methane released to the atmosphere, and solar activities. (Ekwurzel, 2015)

C. Therefore, from the data gathered, one can deduce that climate change is not solely caused by air pollutants, rather by other factors such as solar irradiance, human interventions and natural phenomenon.

II. Body

A. Climate change is affected by human interventions.

1. Humans have been depending significantly on industrial activities. If these activities are not mitigated, it could cause catastrophic effects in the future. (Lynn, 2014)

B. Climate change is affected by natural phenomenon.

1. Volcanic eruptions of tiny particles contribute to the entrapment of heat in the atmosphere. These tiny particles also are capable of cooling the atmosphere through the increased reflection of the sun’s radiation. (USGS, 2009)

2. Infrared radiation, instead of going straight to space, is absorbed by methane. Methane retains heat which aid in the greenhouse gases. (Dunbar, 2005) and (Schimdt, 2010)

3. Radiative forcing has amplified the effects of greenhouse gases. Radiative forcing modifies the solar radiation in the earth’s atmosphere by causing an increase in temperature. (IPCC, 2015)

C. Climate change is affected by solar irradiance.

1. Solar radiation affects the lower atmosphere through the erratic fluctuations of the wavelengths of the solar radiation. It also affects cloud formation, in effect, it could either cool or heat up the atmosphere. (EPA, 2012)

2. UV radiation heats up the stratosphere, upper atmosphere, which could possibly cause a larger ozone hole that, could possibly lead to the increase in risk of skin cancer. (Goldberg, 2009) and (Ichoku, 2009)

III. Conclusion

A. Climate change is not solely caused by air pollution, rather by other factors such as solar irradiance, human interventions and natural phenomenon.

B. Although it is quite difficult to completely extinguish all the major components which cause climate change, the least we can do is to reduce the burning of materials which emit carbon into the atmosphere to avoid heat from getting trapped. Since the change in cooling is less than the change in heat absorption, adaptation would be beneficial because it will teach us how to develop technologies which would aid us in survival. Lastly, it would be prudent to find alternatives which would not release greenhouse gases into our atmosphere to avoid the dread change in climate. (UN, 2014)

C. Closing to remember

Dunbar, B. (2005, July 18). Methane's Impacts on Climate Change May Be Twice Previous Estimates. Retrieved May 22, 2015, from http://www.nasa.gov/vision/earth/lookingatearth/methane.html

Ekwurzel, B. (2015, March 23). How Do We Know that Humans Are the Major Cause of Global Warming? Retrieved May 22, 2015, from http://www.ucsusa.org/global_warming/science_and_impacts/science/human-contribution-to-gw-faq.html#.VV1ThLmqqkq

Goldberg,