Global warming is a growing concern, not only for scientists, but the general public. Temperatures at the Earth’s surface have increased by an estimated 0.6ºC over the 20th century. The 1990's were the hottest decade of the entire century.

Scientists agree unanimously that the warming is largely due to emissions of carbon dioxide and other gases responsible for the greenhouse effect. These gases are the result of human activities such as industrial processes, fossil fuel combustion, deforestation, etc.

The greenhouse effect is a natural phenomenon. The atmosphere of the earth contains certain gases that absorb solar radiation that is reflected by the surface of the earth and in this way traps the energy of this radiation in the atmosphere. Without these greenhouse gases, the earth would be about 30ºC colder. Human activities, however, increase the amount of these gases in the atmosphere, which causes more heat to be trapped and temperatures to rise.

The changes result in the melting of the Polar ice caps. Increased temperatures in the Arctic and Antarctic has led to vanishing of huge blocks of ice lead to sea level increases and flooding fertile coastlands. It also effects the precipitation and this results in frequent floods and long droughts. Generally this alteration may be referred to broadly as “climate change”.

Climate change influences different ascpects of the environment such as a decrease in the supply of fresh water, the destruction of ecosystems and a decline in biodiversity, reduction of the cultivated lands, frequent forest fires due to dry weather and high temperatures, increasing desertification and melting mountain glaciers. Major environmental changes inevitably carry severe economic and social consequences.

Global warming will affect to human health too. Apart from the heat waves and the unusual hot weather, which can be a shock for the human body, there is a prevalent increase and alteration of the geographical dissemination of the vector-borne diseases as malaria, tropical fever, etc., which are spread by mosquitoes and other insects. In addition growing industrial activities and automobile pollution may lead to chronic illnesses, allergies, etc.

According to scientistific surveys global warming will raise temperatures between 1.5 and 3.5º and the sea level up to 15-95 centimetres over the next 100 years.

The global dimensions of the problem has provoked the search for a solution on global scale to diminish the greenhouse gases and to encourage sustainable and efficient use of energy sources.

Read more about:
GLOBAL POLICY PROCESS. THE KYOTO PROTOCOL
CLIMATE CHANGE AND BULGARIA