subject: Greenhouse Gases And Climate Change [print this page] We all know that energy from the sun is required for sustaining life on earth. The outer atmosphere deflects approximately 30% of the sunlight that comes to the earth and this light is then scattered back in space. Remaining sunlight reaches the surface of the earth and gets reflected upwards in the form of slow moving energy known as infrared radiation. Greenhouse gases absorb the heat caused by the infrared radiation like CO2, water vapor, methane and ozone, due to which it becomes difficult for the gases to escape the atmosphere.
According to experts, only 1% of the earths atmosphere is made up of greenhouse gases and these gases regulate the climate through heat trapping. This is known as the greenhouse gas effect. According to climate change experts, without the greenhouse gas effect, the average earth temperature will be colder by 30 degrees Celsius. This temperature will be too cold for the sustenance of our ecosystem. Therefore, the greenhouse effect is very much required for the earth; however it must be in a controlled manner.
How are we contributing to the greenhouse effect?
There is no doubt that the greenhouse effects is required for the ecosystem but it becomes a problem when the natural process gets distorted and accelerated by human activities and more greenhouse gases are created in the atmosphere which increase the temperature of the earth more than required. When we burn oil, coal, natural gas and gasoline the level of CO2 increases in the atmosphere. The level of harmful gases like nitrous oxide and methane also increases due to farming methods and changes in the use of land. Dangerous and long lasting industrial gases are produced from factories. These gases dont occur naturally yet they contribute to global warming and speed up the greenhouse gas effect.
The more greenhouse gases will be emitted in the environment, the more infrared radiation will be trapped and held. This in turn will increase the temperature of earth in a gradual manner, posing threat to the existence of mankind. Some scientists accept global warming as a serious issue while some dont. But one certainly cant deny the fact that climate change is here and it will cause more damage in the coming years.
