With the rapid development of the society, global warming is becoming one of the most serious environmental problems with each passing day. Global warming is called a theory by some people while others insist on calling it a proven set of facts. Although opinions are various, they both consider global warming is climate change that is leading to an increase in the overall air and water temperature. Furthermore, both opinions agree that this trend will have a great impact on Earth (Global Warming.com, 2012). Earth absorbs energy from the sun; at the same time, Earth re-radiates the energy back into space. Normally, the thin layer of atmosphere can trap a portion of the outgoing radiation, which keeps Earth's temperature within a comfortable region; nevertheless, the layer of atmosphere is being thickened by a great deal of carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases caused by humans. As it thickens, it traps more radiation than it used to; therefore, the temperature of Earth's surface is increasing (Appendix A). This increase doesn't seem to be a problem for humans, but it does a lot of harm to Earth and us. There are three main effects caused by global warming that have great influence on humans' lives: rising sea levels, natural disasters, and ecological destruction. .
The first effect that is caused by global warming is rising sea levels. Over the past century, the great majority of glaciers and the ice sheets have lost mass, which can lead to rising sea levels (Climate Institute, 2010). The researchers found that when the temperature goes beyond a particular level or a high temperature is sustained for a long period, glaciers and ice sheets will lose mass (Climate Institute, 2010). It is global warming that causes the increasing temperatures. For instance, Majuro, the capital of Marshall Islands, is trended to lose three fourths of its land because of a half-meter rise in sea levels.
