The phrase “global warming” has become ubiquitous in modern-day discussions about climate change and the future of our planet. But where did it originate? The phrase was initially coined by ciyologist Wallace Broecker in 1975, in his paper “Climatic change: Are we on the brink of a pronounced global warming?”. Yet the concept itself had been around for far longer. In fact, the first documented use of the term “global warming” came in 1884, when a Swedish meteorologist, Svante Arrhenius, first proposed that human generated carbon dioxide would lead to rising temperatures.
For centuries, scientists had theorized that humans were having some kind of impact on the planet’s climate. In 1750, Joseph Knowles predicted that “vegetation will be enhanced, the climate be rendered more temperate, and products of the earth be increased.” In 1896, US geologist T.C. Chamberlin suggested that rising industrial emissions were likely to trap heat and cause “climatic alterations”. Yet Arrhenius is generally credited as the first scientist to connect greenhouse gases and global temperature rise expressly.
Arrhenius understood that an increase in carbon dioxide levels in the atmosphere would cause an increase in air temperature, and in turn, lead to an alteration to the climate. His paper ‘On the influence of Carbonic Acid in the Air upon the Temperature of the Ground’ argued that the average temperature on Earth had increased by 1-2°C over the past century, a figure that was approximately twice the average temperature increase over the following century.
After Arrhenius’ paper, it would still be decades before global warming began to enter into mainstream conversation. In 1979, the US National Academy of Sciences released a report warning of the danger of human-caused climate change. This alerted people to the immediate threat that global warming imposed. It wasn’t until the 1980s, however, that the lack of action surrounding the issue became more widely recognized. The United Nations Environment Programme, in 1988, asserted that human intervention was required to combat global warming, while the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) was formed the following year.
In the 21st century, global warming has become a rallying cry for environmental campaigners, with climate change having widespread implications across the entire globe. Unfortunately, there are still people who doubt the science and refuse to take the dangers seriously. While levels of awareness regarding global warming may be greater than ever, the same cannot be said for concerted action. That is why it is so important for people to educate themselves about the causes and effects of global warming and speak up about the need for more effective policy solutions.
Efforts to reduce global warming must be intensified if the planet is to be saved from the worst consequences of a changing climate. Doing so may require personal sacrifices, as well as legislative innovations. People must unite to limit their collective carbon footprints and embrace renewable energy sources. We must also be cognizant of the fact that global warming has long had tangible consequences in the form of melting ice caps, rising sea levels, and increasingly severe weather. In essence, it has been proven that human activity has driven the term “global warming” to become readily used today, and that we must act to prevent any further destruction to our planet.
In the light of this discussion, it is clear that progress must be made in order to combat global warming and ensure a future for our planet. The term “global warming” serves as an important reminder of the gravity of the situation, which is why it is so imperative that people begin to meaningfully address the challenge.
