Climate Change and the Green House Effect

The world today is facing a major climate change. This environmental issue has been the major concern of scientists and ecologists for the last couple of decades. What causes climate change? This one million dollars question has no one definite answer. However, there is a broad consensus of opinion among environmental experts that the main problem stems from what is called the Green House Effect.

The Green house effect is connected directly to climate change since it is a process in which harmful gases, carbon dioxide (CO2) and methane (CH4), are emitted into the atmosphere in large quantities. Carbon dioxide and methane are natural gases, the former is a by-product of animals' respiration and the latter is emitted during volcanic activity. Methane can also be found in swamps environment and in areas where there is a large concentration of cattle since methane is involved in digestion metabolism.

Human environment is a major source of carbon dioxide and methane emissions. Methane is emitted from waste and carbon dioxide is produced in the burning of fossil fuels. Green House Effect is created when those gases (in addition to other gases such as chlorofluorocarbons – CFC) envelop the atmosphere and trap heat inside it the same way green house is used in agriculture. Methane and carbon dioxide create a one way barrier in the atmosphere through which the sun's rays can penetrate but from which they cannot escape. Thus heat emitted from ground cannot disperse in space. The ominous result is rise in Earth's temperature and climate change.

The concept Green House Effect, it is important to note, is not new. Already in the 19th century, environmental scientists referred to it. Prominent among them was Joseph Fourier. Fourier was aware of the fact that without the Green House Effect, sea temperature would be 30 degrees Celsius lower and marine life, as well as life on land, would not be possible. However, those environmentalists could not predict a situation in which the Green House Effect would be tenfold larger as a result of human activity In 1866, world average temperature was 14.5 Celsius (58.1 Fahrenheit). In 1995 an increase of 0.9 degrees Celsius was reported. Environment experts estimate that if by the next 100 years substantial decrease of air pollution and emission of Green House gases – carbon dioxide and methane – does not take place, world temperature will rise up to 5.3 degrees Celsius!

To sum up, the impact of Green House Effect and climate change on the environment is disastrous. It is up to us and to future generations to adopt new conduct – one that is much more in tune with the environmental limitation of our planet's biosphere.

01.05.2008. 23:18