Introduction The issue of global warming has been characterized by substantial controversy. This controversy has been brought about by the fact that a large faction of the human population does not want to take responsibility for the ever increasing levels of global warming. Thus credible research and real life experience have both served to prove that human activities are the leading cause of global warming. As environmentalists engage in campaigns aimed at sensitizing people about how their actions lead to global warming, it becomes clear that not everyone is aware of the fact that humans bear the greatest responsibility for global warming. This paper is an in-depth evaluation of the facts surrounding global warming, and it seeks to establish the causes and effects of the phenomenon, and proposes solutions for mitigating the effects of global warming. Causes of global warming As evidenced in the discussion above, environmentalists have conducted credible scientific research in a bid to establish the cause of global warming. Virtually all of the aforementioned research point to greenhouse gases as the leading cause of the global-warming phenomenon. Since greenhouse gases are products of human activities, it is apparent that human beings bear the responsibility of causing, and exacerbating the phenomenon of global warming. Research has shown that greenhouse gases like carbon dioxide, methane, and the like form some kind of a blanket cover above the earth’s atmosphere. This cover acts as a cushion for heat on the earth’s surface, and thus the heat cannot escape to the atmosphere. This leads to warming of the earth’s surface, which is essentially what global warming refers to. As human beings burn fossil fuels in search of energy, or even use gas in automobiles, more carbon dioxide is released to the atmosphere, and thus it fortifies and thickens the aforementioned cushion. This leads to more warming on the earth’s surface. This explains why the global warming problem worsens every decade. Effects of global warming Global warming has far-reaching effects on the environment, which in turn affects the socio-economic and political realms of the society. The phenomenon is responsible for the occurrences of droughts. For instance, the proverbial Lanina phenomenon is as a result of the climate change, which is attributable to global warming. This phenomenon has had adverse effects on the food security of several developing countries, which has in turn affected the social and economic structures as people try to adapt to the drought, and as governments implement emergency response measures. Other effects of global warming include loss of biodiversity due to climate change, extinction of species, melting of ice-caps on the tops of mountains (Ryan). Proposed solutions Since it has been established that humans bear the greatest responsibility for causing global warming, it is of essence that human beings check their activities to ensure that negligible volumes of greenhouse gases are sent to be atmosphere. This can be achieved by employing noble means like carpooling to reduce the exhaust of carbon dioxide from automobiles, ensuring that factories are fitted with air-cleansing materials in order to reduce the releas