Global warming is an unusually fast increase in Earth’s global average surface temperature over the last century mainly due to human-caused greenhouse gas emissions released from humans burning fossil fuels, such as coal and oil. Earth has seen major climate change before without human help from its climate system. It is estimated that about 100 million years ago, the Earth experienced dramatic changes in its temperature. At the same time, a mass extinction occurred due to massive changes in both Earth and the atmosphere. The abrupt changes in Earth caused by the abrupt climate changes led to a shift in terrestrial ecosystems and altered the course of evolution.
This was followed by the onset of the Younger Dryas Epoch, which ushered in a period of rapid climate change known as the “glacial extinction” or the “interstitial mass extinction.” Scientists have concluded that there is no connection between the Younger Dryas and the observed global warming. In fact, global warming may actually have contributed to the demise of the megafauna and flora, including the giant sloths that roamed Earth at the time of the Younger Dryas. These mega-fauna and flora were wiped out because they couldn’t tolerate the extremely cold climate of the time. The climate changes that accompanied the Younger Dryas also caused the first large ice sheets to develop. With the glaciers forming, new landmasses started to separate, which caused the glaciers to retreat, creating a vast inland sea that is now known as the Amazon.
There are many things that can be done to slow down or even stop global warming. A variety of programs can reduce global warming, some of which are quite effective. By taking the right steps and using the right technologies, we can do our part to reduce carbon emissions and protect the planet for future generations. One important step we can take is to implement a national carbon tax. This is the most affordable, easiest and most effective way to reduce global warming and put a brake on the accelerated rate at which the planet is warming.
