The Industrial Revolution, which began in Great Britain in the seventeenth century, brought great technological
to the world, but it has also created many problems. One of the most serious problems is the fact that the temperature of the
and the water in the oceans is rising. This problem, known as "global warming" or "climate change", is already having many serious effects, including the melting of
in the polar regions, rising sea levels, and an increase in the number of hurricanes and cyclones. In coming decades, global warming is expected to seriously affect hundreds of millions of people through increased coastal flooding, reductions in
supplies,
shortages and increasing health problems. Climate scientists all around the world now accept
that proves global warming is caused by human activity. One of the major causes is
of the atmosphere with "greenhouse gases" like carbon dioxide and
. Since the beginning of the Industrial Revolution there has been a 40% increase in the concentration of
dioxide in the atmosphere, a chemical known to cause atmospheric warming. This increase is mostly due to the burning of fossil fuels like
and
. Our modern industrial world depends on fossil fuels for most of our energy needs. They are used for
in cars, ships and planes, and for electricity
in power stations. These technologies will continue to be used, and global warming will continue to
us, until alternative technologies like solar, wind, and thermal
replace them. Until then, one of the best things we can do is use less
and fewer products. We can also share our
of the problem with the people we know and vote for politicians who want to solve the problem. Unless we all do whatever we can to reduce the impact of global warming, it could become the most serious problem
has ever faced.
Written by
Matt Errey for EnglishClub