Matija Kondic      31/8/2014

Global warming heat is hiding in the Atlantic Ocean

An article on the “ABC Environment” caught my attention. It affirmed that on August the 22^nd 2014, scientists have observed that the amount of heat trapped from rising greenhouse gases is being stored in the Atlantic Ocean which will mask the effects of greenhouse gas emissions. In Figure 1 below you can see the warm and cool surface waters circulating around various oceans. 

                                                     

                                                                          Figure 1 

The circulation of warm surface waters circulates through different oceans around the world.

This century the Atlantic Ocean has been hiding global warming heat by soaking up vast amounts of heat from the atmosphere. It will cause the water temperature to increase to a higher level until 2030, where the heat will be released from the waters of the Atlantic Ocean. The heat is also causing ice bergs in the Atlantic Ocean (some off the coast of countries near bye the Atlantic ocean) to melt which is explained in the “National Geographic news” and shown in Figure 2 below.

Figure 2
Ice bergs off the coast in Greenland shown in this picture, are breaking apart and may carry atmospheric heat which may help to slow global warming heat.

A social impact on this Global warming heat would cause a severe situation to food production in countries/continents next to the Atlantic Ocean explained in the “Hope Project" (by Daniel H). Those continents/countries include: Europe, North America, Eastern Canada, South America and Africa. Food production with global warming would be ruined due to levels of carbon dioxide arriving into the atmosphere and then into the food which people eat. With food productions decreasing, people working in the food industry or markets could lose money and face poverty. A dangerous fact about global warming is that many people face death and sickness as well as diseases expected by weather events such as blazing storms.

One Economic impact of this global warming problem is that it can deplete fish stock it. Fisherman wouldn't also able to collect fish and make enough money for themselves to survive because most fish that live in the Atlantic Ocean cannot survive in warm climates. Fishermen wouldn't also be able to sell enough fish at the fish markets for everyone to buy. Stocks of fish available in the market would decline. Therefore the price of fish would go up.

An Environmental impact on this problem would lead to a number of animals being extinct and moving to new oceans for survival. The reason is that a number of marine life animals that live in the Atlantic Ocean are meant to adapt to cold climates. In Consideration of global warming heat in their habitat, they can’t survive.  

The political implications involve mainly China if they are the country responsible for emitting the most amounts of Greenhouse gases. An example could be that America would stop trading with China if they were found guilty of polluting the atmosphere causing temperature of the Earth to increase. This could cause a political problem between China and America. Just like the current problem with Russian involvement in Ukraine. America might not want to continue a trade agreement with Russia anymore. This can cause political implications and war between both countries. The same could happen above with China and America. 

Alistor Doyle of The ABC Environment has 1 opinion on the Global warming issue in the Atlantic ocean. His opinion is that the Atlantic ocean crisis is a disaster to wildlife in the ocean. Daniel H, the author of the Hope Project and Jane J lee the author of National Geographic news both agree with Doyle. Daniel H and Jane J Lee's opinion is that it is terrible how global warming in the Atlantic Ocean could lead to certain disasters.

In my opinion I must admit that I agree with the 3 authors.This is a major catastrophe to our planet and I even agree that China and America could have political problems.

Sources:

• http://www.abc.net.au/environment/articles/2014/08/22/4072365.htm
• http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2014/08/140821-global-warming-hiatus-climate-change-ocean-science/ (information including ice berg picture)  
• http://www.hope-project.org/development/social-and-economic-effects-of-global-warming/