The Greenhouse Effect

not notice it or know nothing about it. The melting

of ice, earthquakes and other natural disasters… Are they connected in any way with the greenhouse effect?

of the Earth, which in turn radiates energy back into

space. Some of this radiation, which is nearly all in infrared spectrum, is trapped in the atmosphere by greenhouse gases. The trapped radiation warms the lower atmosphere, or the troposphere. Some heat then finds its way back down to the Earth's surface, making it hotter than it would otherwise be.

it , the planet would not be warm enough to

support life as we know it. The problem is that pre-industrial greenhouse gas levels are being boosted by burning fossil fuels. If nothing is done to curb emissions, the amount of CO2 in the atmosphere will probably be more than double pre-industrial levels by the end of this century.

to worry about?
No. Other gases can absorb infrared radiation and

contribute to greenhouse warming. These include methane, ozone, CFCs (chlorofluorocarbons) and nitrous oxide released by fertilizers.

the easiest to estimate is the “ice-melting” feedback. As the

world warms, ice caps will melt . Ice reflects solar radiation. Less ice - less reflection. So it will increase warming.

cooling the Earth.

of CO2 in the atmosphere?
Yes. Since the start of the

21st century, the rate of accumulation has accelerated. It is now at twice the 1990s level. It could be that the forests and oceans are losing the ability to absorb our pollution. If so, then global warming could shortly gather pace.

will have on the human race?
As rainfall patterns alter, rivers

will dry up in some regions, while others will flood.

low-lying areas.

fragile planet!