Primary Source Archives
Gale Primary Sources contains full-text archives and collections that provide firsthand sources, including historical documents, archives, journals, and news articles that examine and analyze global emissions.
Global Warming
Examine the contemporary issue of global warming from current scientific and historic perspectives.
Throughout earth’s history, the temperature has changed from periods of intense heat to ice ages. However, beginning in the eighteenth century, human activities associated with the Industrial Revolution have greatly impacted the composition of the atmosphere and the earth’s climate. The burning of fossil fuels, like coal and oil, and deforestation have caused a concentration of heat-trapping greenhouse gases to increase significantly in our atmosphere. While these gases are necessary to help keep the planet’s surface warm and inhabitable, the concentration of these gases continues to increase, while global temperature has risen far above past levels. Some of the observed effects include rising sea levels, shrinking glaciers, the early blooming of trees, the lengthening of growing seasons, and much more.
While scientists have been closely studying the long-term rise in the average temperature of the earth’s climate, climate models continue to cause disputes in political discussions and popular media. Over the last three decades, various groups have challenged the legitimacy of describing global warming as a social problem. Others dispute climate-related science supports a human-caused climate crisis.
Aside from the controversy surrounding it, global warming is an important issue that must be examined from all sides and without biases. Scientists are working to better understand future climate change and how it will vary by region over time. Climate change affects all life on earth, and any threats posed by global warming should be examined by scientists and global leaders for the overall welfare of every community on the planet.
