The Impact of Global Warming

SPEECH OUTLINING Specific Purpose: To inform about three issues of how global warming is affecting our weather, animals, and humanity’s future. Introduction I. Open with impact: Places are burning, cities are flooding, and the air in specific locations is not safe to breathe. What could be the cause of all this? A. What is global warming? NASA defines global warming as the unusually rapid increase in Earth's average surface temperature over the past century primarily due to the greenhouse gases released as people burn fossil fuels (NASA 2020). B. I have researched the issues of global warming and have found out as much as I possibly can in order to deliver an informative speech. C. We should all be concerned with what is happening to our planet Earth. II. Thesis: It is without a doubt that global warming is affecting the severity of our weather, driving species to extinction, and creating a damaging future for humanity. III. Connect: Do you believe global warming is a threat? A. A rise in the amount of extreme weather conditions B. An increase in animals being driven to extinction C. The change it will cause for humanity in the future Body (Preview: Today I will tell you how global warming is changing our weather, how animals are being affected, and what lies ahead for humanity in the future.) I. Main point: Global warming is causing more severe weather patterns and disasters. A. Average temperatures are rising, which is melting glaciers, ice caps, and causing droughts. 1. The Arctic Ocean is expected to become essentially ice free in summer before mid-century (NASA, 2020). B. Wildfires, heat waves, and strong tropical storms are increasing. 1. The frequency of the strongest (Category 4 and 5) hurricanes, have all increased since the early 1980s (NASA, 2020). C. Warmer temperatures increase the energy of the climatic system and can lead to heavier rainfall in certain locations. 1. Average U.S. precipitation has increased since 1900, but some areas have had increases greater than the national average, and some areas have had decreases (NASA, 2020). (Signpost: Now that you know how global warming is affecting our weather, I will be telling you about how it affects our wildlife.) II. Main point: Global warming is causing animals to go extinct because of the rapidly altering climate changes that are occurring. A. Ecosystems are becoming disrupted as temperatures continue to rise. 1. Animals within these ecosystems fail to adapt to these changes. a. Polar bears are drowning due to the melting of their sea-ice environment (WWF, 2019). b. African Elephants are dying of heat stroke as heat causes freshwater to dwindle (WWF, 2019). 2. Because animals fail to adapt to their altering environment, they are driven to extinction. B. Global warming is causing a shift in the timing of various natural cyclical events in the lives of animals (Earth Talk, 2020). 1. Birds have altered the timing of long-held migratory and reproductive routines to better sync up with the warming climate (Earth Talk, 2020) 2. Hibernating animals are ending their slumbers earlier each year due to warmer spring temperatures (Earth Talk, 2020). (Signpost: You must also understand how humanity’s future is impacted by global warming, which brings me to my final point.) III. Main point: Our future is in for a severe change from what we call normal today. A. Rising sea levels could overwhelm major cities and islands. 1. The average coastal area experiences relative sea level rise of less than 3mm per year (Brown & Nicholls, 2021). 2. Global sea level is expected to rise 1 - 8 feet by 2100 (NASA, 2020). B. Humanity will face higher temperatures. 1. Temperatures will not be uniform across the globe. C. Warmer water in the oceans will create more energy in tropical storms (NASA, 2020). 1. This makes storms much more dangerous and severe. 2. Potential destruction of coastal cities, homes, and businesses. D. Greater evaporation, during the summer and fall, will intensify drought conditions. 1. This will also potentially heighten wildfires. 2. Droughts in the Southwest and heat waves everywhere are projected to become more intense, and cold waves less intense everywhere (NASA, 2020). Conclusion I. II. Summarize: Our world will undergo major changes due to global warming. A. Global warming is affecting the severity of our weather, driving species to extinction, and creating a damaging future for humanity. B. It is important that everyone understands the negative effects of global warming so that we can fight for the health of our planet. Close with impact: We can ignore global warming and its negative impacts all we want, but we cannot ignore the fact that our world is set for some devastating changes.