The question of the effects of global warming on the world climate has frequently risen during the last decades. This matter is vitally important for us because the consequences of global warming may be unpredictable. Different scientists throughout the world studied this question. Most of them blame human activity in the nature destruction and mention the anthropogenic factor as the main. That is why in 1997, in Kyoto, a Protocol was signed, which limited amounts of greenhouse gas emissions for every country. The only country in the world, that has not ratified the Kyoto Protocol, is the USA, the biggest carbon producer in the world.

The reasons for climate’s changing are still unknown, but among the main external actions is change of the Earth’s orbit (so-called Milankovitch cycles), change of solar variation and volcanic activity.

According to one of the hypothesis, global warming will lead to deceleration of the Gulf Stream, powerful, warm, and swift Atlantic Ocean current, which will cause a sharp drop in Europe’s average annual temperature. Types of climates in some countries might change and become more continental.

As for me, the most interesting theory that I’ve found is the theory that climate’s changing is absolutely a natural process which comes after the Little Ice Age (LIA) which lengthened on Earth during XIV—XIX centuries. This period was the coldest during the last two thousand years according to the average annual temperature.

While studying the results of the research of those scientists who explored the effects of global warming on the ice-covered Arctic, I have found out that the average temperature on the Antarctic Peninsula during the last fifty years increased by 2,5 ºC. The Larsen Ice Shelf, located in the northwest part of the Weddell Sea, was stable during the last 10000 years, but in 2002 an iceberg with the total square of nearly 2500 square meters chopped off. This practically led to the destruction of the Larsen Ice Shelf. It is only one of the examples of how global warming effects the ice-covered Arctic and today we can evidence Arctic shrinkage.

A lot of scientific facts prove that the fact of global warming exists, and its effects we can observe now and we need immediate actions to prevent it. On the other hand, some scientists put forward a theory that the so-called global warming is simply manipulation of coward scientists with environmental and political motives, who fabricate scientific data to create an illusion of global warming. «It is the greatest scam in history» says  John Coleman, American news weathercaster.  Bjorn Lomborg, Danish author, academic, and environmental writer argue that many of the expensive and elaborate actions now being taken to stop global warming will cost hundreds of billions of dollars and will not bring any noticeable changes in world’s temperature. He proposes to focus on another global problem such as HIV/AIDS, etc. (Lomborg, 2007). In 2008, a famous British scientist (naturalist), was dismissed by BBC bosses because he did not believe in man-made global warming. The question is: Who benefits from the dissemination of information about global warming?

Another interesting fact considers the American politician in 2007, Albert Gore won the Nobel Peace Prize. The award was given for efforts to build up and spread greater knowledge about man-made climate change. He made a great effort and organized a lot of concerts, meetings and lectures on this theme. Turning back, I’d like to focus your attention on the fact that the United States declined the Kyoto Protocol. I’ve found controversial the fact that one of America’s most influential politics wins Nobel Peace Price for environmental protection and the fact that USA declined the only international document which protects our world.

Among those scientists who insist on the existence of the global warming there are those who believe that the results of global warming can be opposite. One of the arguments that defends this point of view is that a number of hurricanes will decrease.  For years scientists insisted that global warming will cause more storms and a rise in hurricanes, but according to a new study in Geophysical Research Letters journal, warmer temperatures may actually decrease the amount of hurricanes that hit each year.