How has the average temperature of the Earth's surface changed over the past decades?

About climate change now does not speak only lazy. Unusually hot and dry summer, frosty winters with a minimum of snow ... In short, the average temperature of the planet has definitely changed. But how has it changed, and how can this turn out in the not so distant future?

Scientists say that over the last century the temperature has risen by about 3 degrees. It seems to be a trifle, however, such a meager change in temperature led to a significant change in climatic conditions. The ice of Greenland and the Arctic melts, the biologists predict dark extinction of polar bears gloomily, and ornithologists write a thesis on the topic of a significant change in the flight routes for birds. In particular, many cranes now stop for wintering in regions more closely approximated to their habitats than they did half a century ago.

In general, there are sufficient grounds for asserting that the average temperature on Earth has significantly increased. But is this person involved in this phenomenon? Here the opinions of scientists differ drastically. Supporters of anthropomorphic climate change tend to blame the entire person, and their opponents argue that humanity has contributed little to warming.

The arguments of the latter are the simplest mathematical calculations. They show that the average temperature will grow much stronger than the average volcanic eruption. All the factories of the world for several years throw into the atmosphere less carbon dioxide than only one volcano for a couple of days of eruption! If we talk about powerful eruptions, like the one that destroyed the Cretan civilization, then the comparison resembles a wood-beetle bug and a woodworking plant.

Thus, the question of why the average temperature of the Earth has grown is still open to this day. However, what will the further warming lead to?

In principle, the consequences can be observed today: the area of deserts is expanding, gradual degradation of soils occurs, the level of the World Ocean is increasing. But it is not all that bad.

Ecologists say that if the average temperature continues to rise, then in most of our country this will be reflected positively. The vegetation period of plants will sharply increase, the climate will become warmer and softer. However, most coastal lands will be flooded, and crowds of refugees will rush into safe places, which obviously will not help stabilize the political and economic situation in the country.

But there is another danger. And her name is the greenhouse effect. With increasing temperature of the planet's surface, the content of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere sharply increases. Initially, this is what causes warming, which eventually gives way to a sharp cooling. Approximately, and began all the ice ages on our planet.

So what awaits us? To answer this question is unambiguously difficult: there is not enough statistical data. However, with sufficient confidence, we can say that the average temperature in the coming decades will still increase. There is no doubt that humanity should play less in big politics and think more about its own future.