Data Structure
Networking
RDBMS
Operating System
Java
MS Excel
iOS
HTML
CSS
Android
Python
C Programming
C++
C#
MongoDB
MySQL
Javascript
PHP
Physics
Chemistry
Biology
Mathematics
English
Economics
Psychology
Social Studies
Fashion Studies
Legal Studies
- Selected Reading
- UPSC IAS Exams Notes
- Developer's Best Practices
- Questions and Answers
- Effective Resume Writing
- HR Interview Questions
- Computer Glossary
- Who is Who
Global Warming due to the Greenhouse Effect
Introduction
We are burning fossil fuels and livestock and cutting forests that increase the global temperature and cause climate change. These activities release greenhouse gases like carbon dioxide, nitrous oxide, methane, etc. which are the main causes of the greenhouse effect. The sun radiates the earth by visible light, ultraviolet, and infrared, these lights are arrested around 70 % by the ocean and earth's surface, and the remaining gets back to space. Due to greenhouse gases, these radiations get trapped in the earth's atmosphere and cause an elevation in the earth's temperature.
What is the Greenhouse Effect?
In around 1824 French mathematician Joseph Fourier first coined the term greenhouse effect. He considered the earth's atmosphere as a ‘hotbox’ i.e., wooden box with a transparent glass lid that prevents the mixing of hot and cool air. The Chemist Svante Arrhenius got the credit for the first coin to use the greenhouse effect in 1896.
The greenhouse effect is the heating of the earth’s climate due to the trapping of heat radiated from the earth's surface. The earth’s climate allows the UV, visible and infrared lights to pass the layers of earth and utilised some and send back remaining heat back to space. But due to greenhouse gases, the radiation of the sun gets trapped by greenhouse gases and enhances the temperature of the earth.
Greenhouse Gases
The main cause of the greenhouse effect is gases like water vapours, CO2, methane, nitrous oxide, etc. that are produced by our activities. These gases occur in the atmosphere naturally, but our activities are increasing the concentration of these gases in the climate.
| Greenhouse Gases | Cause of Emission Greenhouse gases | Contribution to Global Warming |
|---|---|---|
| Carbon dioxide | Burning of Fossil fuels, Coal, oil, deforestation, etc. | 53% |
| Nitrous oxide | Burning of Coal, Fuel, oil, fertilizers, etc. | 5% |
| Methane | Livestock farming, the digestion of cow and sheep food produces methane gas. | 15% |
| Fluorinated Gases {Hydrofluorocarbons (HFC), perfluorocarbons (PFC), sulphur hexafluoride (SF6), nitrogen trifluoride (NF3), etc.} | These are emitted from the production of F-gases as, by product, HFC is used in Refrigerants, and fire suppressants. | 11% |
Global Warming
Since the revolution in industries the global temperature has increased by 1oC since 1880. It has been increasing by around 0.7oC every 10 years since 1980. From 2011 to 2020 these are the warmest decades. Currently, the global temperature is increasing by 0.2oC per decade. This continuous enhancement of global temperature causes global warming.
The main root of global warming is greenhouse gases primarily carbon dioxide, and air pollutants. More than 70% of solar radiation is absorbed by the ocean, plants, and land, and the remaining bounce back to space, but due to greenhouse gases nitrous oxide, CO_2, Methane, water vapours, fluorinated gases, etc the radiation gets trapped and causing the increase in the atmospheric temperature.
The substantial source of greenhouse gases is transportation (29%), electricity generation plants (28%), and industries (22%).
Effects of Global Warming
The impact of global warming is seen everywhere in the world in rising sea levels, melting of glaciers, some regions becoming warmer, drought, etc.
Due to global warming, the average temperature of the climate is increased causing scorching heat, hot days, and heat waves in inland areas. The temperature in arctic areas has magnified twice more than the global average.
Because of global warming, the climate changed a lot, hence causing droughts in water-stressed areas, affecting the production of crops, increasing dust storms, and even shortage of drinking water.
Global warming has caused the rise in sea level, hence causing threats to coastal and island life.
The escalating level of carbon dioxide absorbs more in seawater hence seawater becomes more acidic and causes a threat to marine life.
The change in the climate conditions menaces the survival of land and ocean species. Over one million species are at risk of being extinct in the coming decades and more than 1000 times animals lose their life due to climate change.
Global warming has increased various health risks to human as well as animal life. Increasing pollutants and CO2 cause respiratory problems, mental health, and more diseases in humans.
Climate change has caused more risk of storms and thunders hence affecting displacement and loss of lives.
Measure to Reduce Global Warming
Carbon dioxide alone is responsible for global warming around 36%. If we reduce the use of production of carbon, we can curb global warming.
Replace the regular bulbs with fluorescent bulbs, it will save energy around 150 pounds in a year.
By recycling the waste, we can reduce the CO2 emission by 2400 pounds.
Start using renewable energy to replace fossil fuels and reduce the impact of carbon dioxide.
Forestation can reduce the carbon dioxide in the atmosphere. A single tree absorbs around one ton of CO2.
Reduce the use of electronic appliances like TV, computers, music players, air conditioners, dryers, etc. Air conditioners are one of the origins of global warming.
Increasing awareness about global warming.
Conclusion
Global warming causes climate change and magnifies health and other risks to all species. We have studied that solar radiation enters the earth's atmosphere and gets trapped by greenhouse gases and air pollutants. This is causing elevations in the temperature of the earth. The cause of increasing greenhouse gases that absorb the radiation enhanced the global temperature between 1oC to 3.7oC in the twenty-first century. At the United Nations climate change conference that was held in Paris, a group of 195 countries planned to reduce the global temperature by 2oC.
FAQs
1.How much-fluorinated gases and methane are warmer than carbon dioxide?
The fluorinated gases released from the production, reactants as side products from industries, are 23000 times warmer than the carbon dioxide.
2.How much has the level of carbon dioxide risen since the ice age till today?
According to the Global Climate change portal, the atmospheric carbon dioxide that fluctuated back to the ice age was 180 parts ppm, now it is elevated around 50% by 410 parts per million.
3.What is the major source of methane gas in the atmosphere?
In cow belching the food is digested through enteric fermentation that converts sugar to simple molecules and produces methane gas as a by-product, in the processing of manure also releases methane gas.
4.What do you understand about climate forcing?
Climate forcing is cited as the difference in the energy balance of the earth’s plane. It is an imbalance in radiation absorbed at the earth’s layer and emits from the earth's top. It is represented by watt per square meter.
5.How much methane gas is more potent than carbon dioxide?
Carbon dioxide remains in the atmosphere for around 1000 years but methane stays for a decade and it is 80 times more potent than CO2
