B. Com 2nd Sem (Hons./Gen.

)
Examination – 2022

PRAFULLA CHANDRA COLLEGE

23, 49, GARIAHAT ROAD,
Kolkata - 700 029
 Global Warming: Causes and Consequences

SUBMITTED BY
NAME : Altamash Mahfuz
Registration number: 046-1111-0358-21
CU Roll Number: 211046-21-0200
COLLEGE ROLL NO: 216692

PRAFULLA CHANDRA COLLEGE

23, 49, GARIAHAT ROAD,
Kolkata - 700 029

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 ACKNOWLEDGEMENT
It is a matter of great pleasure for me in submitting the project report on “Global Warming:
Causes and Consequences” a study for the fulfillment of B.Com 2 nd Semester session 2022-
23 under the University of Calcutta.

I want to give a thanks to University of Calcutta for introducing such a wonderful Subject
“Environmental Studies in the Syllabus of B.com 2nd Semester.

I want to give a thanks to Prafulla Chandra College for Providing us a great infrastructure
and lot of specialised and Qualified professors for Environmental Studies Subject.

I want to give a special thanks to our honorable Principal  Dr. Ratnakar Pani for giving us the
opportunity to prepare Project on the Above topic.

At this juncture, I feel deeply honored in expressing my sincere to my supervisor and other
Professors for their support in completing the project.

I want to give a thanks to Non-Teaching Staff, Students' Union for providing necessary
information regarding the project & also for their support in completing the project.

Also, a great thanks to my patents and friends who tried their best to give their support
either by giving me a lot of encouragement to keep up with this task or by supporting us
financially and pay all the cost required to complete this task.

Altamash Mahfuz

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Annexure- I

Supervisor’s Certificate
This is to certify that MR. ALTAMASH MAHFUZ a student of B.Com. Honours in Accounting

& Finance of Prafulla Chandra college under the University of Calcutta has worked under my

supervision of guidance for his project & project Report with the title The project report, which he

is submitting, in his genuine & Original work the best of my knowledge.

Signature:

Name:

Designation: PROFESSOR

Name of the College: Prafulla Chandra college

Place: Kolkata

Date: May, 2022

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Annexure- II

Student’s Declaration
I hereby declare that the Project Work with the title “GLOBAL WARMING: CAUSES AND
CONSEQUENCES” submitted by me for the partial fulfillment of the degree of b.Com. Honours in
Accounting & Finance under the University of Calcutta is my original work & has not been
submitted earlier to any other University/ Institution for fulfillment of the requirement of any
course of study.

I also declare that no chapter of this manuscript in whole or in part has been incorporated in
this report from any earlier work done by others or by me. However, extracts of any literature
which has been used for this report has been duly acknowledge providing details of such
literature in the references

Signature:

Name: Altamash Mahfuz

Address: Kolkata

Registration Number: 046-1111-0358-21

Place: Kolkata

Date: May, 2022

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 CONTENTS:

SL. NO. PARTICULARS PAGE NO.

1. INTRODUCTION………………………………………………………06 – 07

2. CAUSES OF GLOBAL WARMING ………………………………….08 – 14

3. CONSEQUENCES OF GLOBAL WARMING………………………….15 – 20

4. OBJECTIVE OF THE STUDY.……………………………………….21 – 21

5. METHODOLOGY OF STUDY………………………………………… 21 – 21

6. CONCLUSIONS & SUGGESTIONS…………………………………….22 –23

6. BIBLIOGRAPHY………………………………………………………24 –24

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 1. INTRODUCTION
GLOBAL WARMING

Figure 1:

Global warming is the slow increase in

the average temperature of the earth’s
atmosphere because an increased
amount of the energy (heat) striking the
earth from the sun is being trapped in
the atmosphere and not radiated out into
space.

Sources: NASA's Goddard Institute for Space Studies

Global warming is a term used for the observed century-scale rise in the average temperature of
the Earth's climate system and its related effects. Scientists are more than 95% certain that nearly
all of global warming is caused by increasing concentrations of greenhouse gases (GHGs) and
other human-caused emissions.

Global warming is when the earth heats up (the temperature rises). It happens when greenhouse
gases (carbon dioxide, water vapor, nitrous oxide, and methane) trap heat and light from the sun
in the earth’s atmosphere, which increases the temperature. This hurts many people, animals, and
plants. Many cannot take the change, so they die.

The average facade temperature of the globe has augmented more than 1 degree Fahrenheit since
1900 and the speed of warming has been almost three folds the century long average since 1970.
This increase in earth’s average temperature is called Global warming. More or less all specialists
studying the climate record of the earth have the same opinion now that human actions, mainly
the discharge of greenhouse gases from smokestacks, vehicles, and burning forests, are perhaps
the leading power driving the fashion.

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The gases append to the planet's normal greenhouse effect, permitting sunlight in, but stopping
some of the ensuing heat from radiating back to space. Based on the study on past climate shifts,
notes of current situations, and computer simulations, many climate scientists say that lacking of
big curbs in greenhouse gas discharges, the 21st century might see temperatures rise of about 3 to
8 degrees, climate patterns piercingly shift, ice sheets contract and seas rise several feet. With the
probable exemption of one more world war, a huge asteroid, or a fatal plague, global warming
may be the only most danger to our planet earth.

Global warming, the phenomenon of increasing average air temperatures near the surface

of Earth over the past one to two centuries. Climate scientists have since the mid-20th century
gathered detailed observations of various weather phenomena (such as
temperatures, precipitation, and storms) and of related influences on climate (such as ocean
currents and the atmosphere’s chemical composition). These data indicate that Earth’s climate
has changed over almost every conceivable timescale since the beginning of geologic time and
that human activities since at least the beginning of the Industrial Revolution have a growing
influence over the pace and extent of present-day climate change.

Giving voice to a growing conviction of most of the scientific community, the Intergovernmental

Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) was formed in 1988 by the World Meteorological
Organization (WMO) and the United Nations Environment Program (UNEP). The IPCC’s
Sixth Assessment Report (AR6), published in 2021, noted that the best estimate of the increase in
global average surface temperature between 1850 and 2019 was 1.07 °C (1.9 °F). An IPCC
special report produced in 2018 noted that human beings and their activities have been
responsible for a worldwide average temperature increase between 0.8 and 1.2 °C (1.4 and 2.2
°F) since preindustrial times, and most of the warming over the second half of the 20th century
could be attributed to human activities.

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 2. CAUSES OF GLOBAL WARMING
Figure 2:

There are various factors of global

warming, some of which are
natural and some are man-made
factors, one of the most prominent
factors in increasing global
warming is greenhouse gases
which are generated by certain
natural processes and human
actions. 

Sources:
https://www.mylearningtour.com/

Global warming occurs when carbon dioxide (CO2) and other air pollutants collect in the
atmosphere and absorb sunlight and solar radiation that have bounced off the earth’s surface.
Normally this radiation would escape into space, but these pollutants, which can last for years to
centuries in the atmosphere, trap the heat and cause the planet to get hotter. These heat-trapping
pollutants—specifically carbon dioxide, methane, nitrous oxide, water vapor, and synthetic
fluorinated gases—are known as greenhouse gases, and their impact is called the greenhouse
effect.

Though natural cycles and fluctuations have caused the earth’s climate to change several times over
the last 800,000 years, our current era of global warming is directly attributable to human activity—
specifically to our burning of fossil fuels such as coal, oil, gasoline, and natural gas, which results in
the greenhouse effect. In the United States, the largest source of greenhouse gases is transportation
(29 percent), followed closely by electricity production (28 percent) and industrial activity (22
percent).

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Curbing dangerous climate change requires very deep cuts in emissions, as well as the use of
alternatives to fossil fuels worldwide. The good news is that countries around the globe have
formally committed—as part of the 2015 Paris Climate Agreement—to lower their emissions by
setting new standards and crafting new policies to meet or even exceed those standards. The not-so-
good news is that we’re not working fast enough. To avoid the worst impacts of climate change,
scientists tell us that we need to reduce global carbon emissions by as much as 40 percent by 2030.
For that to happen, the global community must take immediate, concrete steps: to decarbonize
electricity generation by equitably transitioning from fossil fuel–based production to renewable
energy sources like wind and solar; to electrify our cars and trucks; and to maximize energy
efficiency in our buildings, appliances, and industries.

Global warming is the extra heat within the earth’s atmosphere which has caused the rise in global
temperature. Global warming leads and continues to cause climate change. Climate change can cause
rising sea levels, destruction of communities, as well as extreme weather conditions.

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Here are 10 causes of global warming that are contributing to the climate crisis. 

1. Oil and Gas

Figure 3:

Oil and Gas is used all the time in almost every

industry. It is used the most in vehicles,
buildings, production and to produce electricity.
When we burn coal, oil and gases it largely adds
to the climate problem. The use of fossil fuels is
also a threat to wildlife and the surrounding
environments, because of the toxicity it kills off
plant life and leaves areas uninhabitable.
 
Sources: https://www.livescience.com/37821-greenhouse-gases.html

2. Deforestation
Figure 4:

Deforestation is the clearance of woodland

and forest, this is either done for the wood or
to create space for farms or ranches. Trees
and forests turn carbon dioxide into oxygen,
so when they are cleared like the stored
carbon is then released into the environment.
Deforestation can also occur naturally which
has a greater effect because of the fumes
released from the fire.

Sources: https://ucsdnews.ucsd.edu/feature/deforestation-drives-disease-climate-change-and-
its-happening-at-a-rapid-rate.

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3. Waste  
Figure 5:

Humans create more waste now than ever before,

because of the amount of packaging used and the
short life cycle of products. A lot of items, waste
and packaging isn't recyclable, which means it
ends up in landfills. When the waste in landfills
begins to decompose/break down it releases
harmful gases into the atmosphere which
contribute to global warming.

Source:https://www.colorado.edu/ecenter/
2020/12/10/waste-and-its-contribution-climate-change

4. Power Plants 
Figure 6:

Power plants burn fossil fuels to operate,

due to this they produce a variety of
different pollutants. The pollution they
produce not only ends up in the
atmosphere but also in the water ways,
this largely contributes to global warming.
Burning coal which is used in power
plants is responsible for around 46% of
total carbon emissions.  

Source: https://www.transcend.org/tms/2016/09/how-nuclear-power-causes-global-warming/

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5. Oil Drilling 

Figure 7:

Oil drilling is responsible for 30% of the methane

population and around 8% carbon dioxide
pollution. Oil drilling is used to collect petroleum
oil hydrocarbons in this process other gases are
released into the atmosphere, which contribute to
climate change, it is also toxic to the wildlife and
environment it surrounds.

Source:https://www.theguardian.com/
business/2020/jan/08/oil-companies-climate-crisis-pr-spending

6. Transport and Vehicles 

Figure 8:

The large amount of transportation is

done through cars, planes, boats and
trains, almost all of which rely on
fossil fuels to run. Burning fossil
fuels releases carbon and other types
of pollutants into the atmosphere.
This makes transportation partly
responsible for the greenhouse gases.
This effect could be reduced with the
introduction of electric vehicles.

Source:https://www.carsuk.net/cars-
cause-global-warming-is-the-myth-about-to-be-debunked/

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7. Consumerism 
Figure 9:

Due to the innovations in technology and

manufacturing customers are able to purchase
any product at any time. This means we are
producing more and more products every year,
and over producing them. Most items we
purchase aren't very sustainable, and because of
the reduced lifetime of electronics and clothing
items, we are creating more waste than ever.

Source:https://www.nakedtruth.in/2015/05/01/consumerism-hidden-reason-behind-global-
warming/

8. Farming
Figure 10:

Farming takes up a lot of green space

meaning local environments can be
destroyed to create space for farming.
These animals produce a lot of
greenhouse gases for example methane,
as well as this they also produce an
extreme amount of waste. Factory
farming is responsible for even more
climate issues because of the extra
pollution it produces and the more
animals it can hold.

Source:
https://www.weforum.org/agenda/2019/07/agriculture-climate-change-solution/

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9. Industrialization 
Figure 11:

Industrialisation is harmful in a variety of ways. The

waste this industry produces all ends up in landfills,
or in our surrounding environment. The chemicals
and materials used within industrialisation can not
only pollute the atmosphere but also the soil
underneath it.

Source:https://www.landmarkacademyhub.co.uk/climate-change-impacts-of-the-industrial-
revolution/

10. Overfishing
Figure 12:

Fish is one of humans main sources of protein

and a lot of the world now rely on this industry.
Due to the amount of people buying and
consuming fish, there is now a reduced amount of
marine life. Overfishing has also caused a lack of

diversity within the ocean.  

Source: https://www.createwebquest.com/overfishing-global-warming-and-pollution

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 3. CONSEQUENCES OF GLOBAL WARMING
Figure 13:

As a result of global warming in the climate,

rising summer season, decreasing cold weather,
melting of ice rocks, temperature rise, changes
in air circulation pattern, rain without rain,
ozone layer, heavy storms  There are many
effects of events, cyclone, drought, flood and
so on.

Sources: https://www.joboneforhumanity.org/

The impacts of global warming are being felt everywhere. Extreme heat waves have caused tens
of thousands of deaths around the world in recent years. And in an alarming sign of events to
come, Antarctica has lost nearly four trillion metric tons of ice since the 1990s. The rate of loss
could speed up if we keep burning fossil fuels at our current pace, some experts say, causing sea
levels to rise several meters in the next 50 to 150 years and wreaking havoc on coastal
communities worldwide.

The earth’s ocean temperatures are getting warmer, too—which means that tropical storms can
pick up more energy. In other words, global warming has the ability to turn a category 3 storm
into a more dangerous category 4 storm. In fact, scientists have found that the frequency of North
Atlantic hurricanes has increased since the early 1980s, as has the number of storms that reach
categories 4 and 5. The 2020 Atlantic hurricane season included a record-breaking 30 tropical
storms, 6 major hurricanes, and 13 hurricanes altogether. With increased intensity come increased
damage and death. The United States saw an unprecedented 22 weather and climate disasters that
caused at least a billion dollars’ worth of damage in 2020, but 2017 was the costliest on record
and among the deadliest as well: Taken together, that year's tropical storms (including Hurricanes
Harvey, Irma, and Maria) caused nearly $300 billion in damage and led to more than 3,300
fatalities.

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Some of the Major impacts of Global warming are as follows:

3.1: GREENHOUSE EFFECT:

Figure 14:
Global warming occurs when carbon dioxide
(CO2) and other air pollutants collect in the
atmosphere and absorb sunlight and solar
radiation that have bounced off the earth’s
surface. Normally this radiation would escape
into space, but these pollutants, which can last
for years to centuries in the atmosphere, trap the
heat and cause the planet to get hotter. These
heat-trapping pollutants—specifically carbon dioxide, methane, nitrous oxide, water vapor, and
synthetic fluorinated gases—are known as greenhouse gases, and their impact is called the
greenhouse effect.

(Sources: https://commons.wikimedia.org/)

3.2: Climate change:

Figure 15:

Climate change refers to significant, long-term

changes in the global climate. Climate change is the
change in the average weather patterns in a region
over a long period of time. One component of climate
change is global warming, the long-term heating of
Earth due to greenhouse emissions. Climate change
includes both global warming driven by human-
induced emissions of greenhouse gases and the
resulting large-scale shifts in weather patterns.

(https://climate.nasa.gov/effects/)

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3.3: Melting Glaciers
Figure 16:

‘Projections suggest climate change impacts

within the next 100 years, if not sooner, the
world’s glaciers will have disappeared, as will the
Polar ice cap, and the huge Antarctic ice shelf,
Greenland may be green again, and snow will
have become a rare phenomenon at what are now
the world’s most popular ski resorts.

Source: https://warmheartworldwide.org/

3.4: Rising Sea Levels

Figure 17:

Climate change impacts rising sea levels.

Average sea level around the world rose about 8
inches (20 cm) in the past 100 years; climate
scientists expect it to rise more and more rapidly
in the next 100 years as part of climate change
impacts.

Source: https://warmheartworldwide.org/

Coastal cities such as New York are already seeing an increased number of flooding events and
by 2050 many such cities may require seawalls to survive. Estimates vary, but conservatively sea
levels are expected to rise 1 to 4 feet (30 to 100 cm), enough to flood many small Pacific island
states (Vanatu), famous beach resorts (Hilton Head) and coastal cities (Bangkok, Boston).

If the Greenland ice cap and/or the Antarctic ice shelf collapses, sea levels could rise by as much
as 20 ft (6 m), inundating, for example, large parts of Florida, the Gulf Coast, New Orleans and
Houston.

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3.5: Flooding
Figure 18:

While the specific conditions that

produce rainfall will not change, climate
change impacts the amount of water in
the atmosphere and will increase
producing violent downpours instead of
steady showers when it does rain.

Source: https://warmheartworldwide.org/

3.6: Worsening Droughts

Figure 19:

Despite downpours in some places, droughts and

prolonged heatwaves will become common.

Rising temperatures are hardly surprising,

although they do not mean that some parts of the
world will not “enjoy” record cold temperatures
and terrible winter storms. (Heating disturbs the
entire global weather system and can shift cold
upper air currents as well as hot dry ones. Single snowballs and snowstorms do not make climate
change refutations.)

Increasingly, however, hot, dry places will get hotter and drier, and places that were once
temperate and had regular rainfall will become much hotter and much drier.

The string of record high temperature years and the record number of global droughts of the past
decade will become the norm, not the surprise that they have seemed.

(Source: https://warmheartworldwide.org/)
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3.7: Supercell Storms
Figure 20:

A supercell is a highly organized

thunderstorm with some components that
set it apart from other "garden variety"
thunderstorms. Supercells have the
capability to produce tornadoes, damaging
hail and strong downdrafts (which translate
into straight-line winds at the surface).

(Source: https://warmheartworldwide.org/)

3.8: Increasing Tornados

Figure 21:

While there's been a recorded increase in

the overall number of observed tornadoes
since 1950, according to National Oceanic
and Atmospheric Administration data,
experts say that's largely a result of better
technology such as Doppler radar.

(Source: https://warmheartworldwide.org/)

3.9: other effects of global warming

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Each year scientists learn more about the consequences of global warming, and each year we also
gain new evidence of its devastating impact on people and the planet. As the heat waves,
droughts, and floods associated with climate change become more frequent and more intense,
communities suffer and death tolls rise. If we’re unable to reduce our emissions, scientists
believe that climate change could lead to the deaths of more than 250,000 people around the globe
every year and force 100 million people into poverty by 2030.

Global warming is already taking a toll on the United States. And if we aren’t able to get a handle
on our emissions, here’s just a smattering of what we can look forward to:

1. Disappearing glaciers, early snowmelt, and severe droughts will cause more dramatic
water shortages and continue to increase the risk of wildfires in the American West.

2. Rising sea levels will lead to even more coastal flooding on the Eastern Seaboard,
especially in Florida, and in other areas such as the Gulf of Mexico.

3. Forests, farms, and cities will face troublesome new pests, heat waves, heavy downpours,
and increased flooding. All of these can damage or destroy agriculture and fisheries.

4. Disruption of habitats such as coral reefs and alpine meadows could drive many plant and
animal species to extinction.

5. Allergies, asthma, and infectious disease outbreaks will become more common due to
increased growth of pollen-producing ragweed, higher levels of air pollution, and the
spread of conditions favorable to pathogens and mosquitoes.

6. Though everyone is affected by Global warming, not everyone is affected equally.

Indigenous people, people of color, and the economically marginalized are typically hit
the hardest. Inequities built into our housing, health care, and labor systems make these
communities more vulnerable to the worst impacts of climate change—even though these
same communities have done the least to contribute to it.

4. OBJECTIVES
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  To develop the familiarity and knowledge of the issue of global warming and related
issues

 To get the awareness of the challenges and obstacles that are faced when addressing
global warming

 To develop ideas and solutions to global warming

 To improve awareness and understanding of Global warming amongst citizens;

 To demonstrate that daily activities can collectively make a big difference and that each
individual has a role to play in the fight against Global warming;

 To motivate citizens to undertake these small, significant changes to their daily routine.

5. METHODOLOGY OF STUDY
Data Collection
This study is based on the particularly causes & Consequences of Global Warming. The
keywords “causes & Consequences of Global Warming” were used for the search and access the
relevant papers in the selected database.

Documentation of relevant secondary data in the form of published books and online literatures
was obtained from the websites which has been mentioned at the bibliography section.

5. CONCLUSIONS & SUGGESTIONS

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 5.1: CONCLUSIONS
Nevertheless, the conclusion is that natural systems around the world are being affected by
regional global warming, particularly temperature increases, and that these temperature increases
are very likely to be the result of anthropogenic emissions of greenhouse gases.

Most evident are reductions in snow, ice and frozen ground, which, in turn, are leading to
enlargement and increased numbers of glacial lakes, and increased ground instability in
permafrost and mountain regions. Although the greatest reduction in ice extent has occurred in
the Arctic.

If human don’t try to reduce this problem, the human will soon be extinct from change in
climates. “Global climate change has already had observable effects on the environment. Glaciers
have shrunk, ice on rivers and lakes is breaking up earlier, plant and animal ranges have shifted
and trees are flowering sooner”,

As there are increasing and decreasing of number of animals, and many things are changing, the
systems in the environment will collapse soon, and cause some type of organism to become
endangered or extinct. For example, in the North Pole, the decreasing in the area of glaciers is
causing polar bears to drown. Seals are the polar bear’s food, and it is harder for polar bears to
catch the seals when there are less areas of land. Polar bears will end up dying from drowning
and starvation. As a result, the seal’s population will increase and cause the fish population to
decrease. Therefore, the food chain will collapse and animals will come to extinction.

5.2: SUGGESTIONS

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The ‘Conclusion’ confirms that global warming is the major challenge for our global society.
There is very little doubt that global warming will change our climate in the next century. So
what are the solutions to global warming? First, there must be an international political solution.
Second, funding for developing cheap and clean energy production must be increased, as all
economic development is based on increasing energy usage. We must not pin all our hopes on
global politics and clean energy technology, so we must prepare for the worst and adapt. If
implemented now, a lot of the costs and damage that could be caused by changing climate can be
mitigated.

10 Ways to Stop Global Warming

1. Change a light. Replacing one regular light bulb with a compact fluorescent light bulb
will save 150 pounds of carbon dioxide a year.
2. Drive less.
3. Recycle more.
4. Check your tires.
5. Use less hot water.
6. Avoid products with a lot of packaging.
7. Adjust your thermostat.
8. Plant a tree.

6. BIBLIOGRAPHY
1. https://byjus.com/biology/biodiversity/ accessed on 05.05.2022 at 8 A.M

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2. https://www.britannica.com/science/global-warming
3. https://sustainabilitymag.com/top10/top-10-causes-global-warming
4. NASA's Goddard Institute for Space Studies
5. https://www.mylearningtour.com/
6. https://www.livescience.com/37821-greenhouse-gases.html
7. https://ucsdnews.ucsd.edu/feature/deforestation-drives-disease-climate-change-and-its-
happening-at-a-rapid-rate.
8. https://www.colorado.edu/ecenter/2020/12/10/waste-and-its-contribution-climate-change
9. https://www.transcend.org/tms/2016/09/how-nuclear-power-causes-global-warming/
10. https://www.theguardian.com/business/2020/jan/08/oil-companies-climate-crisis-pr-
spending
11. https://www.carsuk.net/cars-cause-global-warming-is-the-myth-about-to-be-debunked/
12. https://www.nakedtruth.in/2015/05/01/consumerism-hidden-reason-behind-global-warming/
13. https://www.weforum.org/agenda/2019/07/agriculture-climate-change-solution/
14. https://www.landmarkacademyhub.co.uk/climate-change-impacts-of-the-industrial-
revolution/
15. https://www.createwebquest.com/overfishing-global-warming-and-pollution
16. https://www.joboneforhumanity.org/
17. (https://commons.wikimedia.org/)
18. (https://climate.nasa.gov/effects/)
19. https://warmheartworldwide.org/
20. https://warmheartworldwide.org/
21. https://warmheartworldwide.org/
22. decade will become the norm, not the surprise that they have seemed.
23. https://warmheartworldwide.org/)

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