Greenhouse effect

The greenhouse effect is a natural process that warms the Earth’s surface. When the Sun’s energy
reaches the Earth’s atmosphere, some of it is reflected back to space and the rest is absorbed and re-
radiated by greenhouse gases.

Greenhouse gases include water vapour, carbon dioxide, methane, nitrous oxide, ozone and some
artificial chemicals such as chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs).

The absorbed energy warms the atmosphere and the surface of the Earth. This process maintains the
Earth’s temperature at around 33 degrees Celsius warmer than it would otherwise be, allowing life on
Earth to exist.

Enhanced greenhouse effect

The problem we now face is that human activities – particularly burning fossil fuels (coal, oil and
natural gas), agriculture and land clearing – are increasing the concentrations of greenhouse gases.
This is the enhanced greenhouse effect, which is contributing to warming of the Earth.

Greenhouse effect
Step 1: Solar radiation reaches the Earth's atmosphere - some of this is reflected back into space.
Step 2: The rest of the sun's energy is absorbed by the land and the oceans, heating the Earth.
Step 3: Heat radiates from Earth towards space.
Step 4: Some of this heat is trapped by greenhouse gases in the atmosphere, keeping the Earth
warm enough to sustain life.
Step 5: Human activities such as burning fossil fuels, agriculture and land clearing are increasing
the amount of greenhouse gases released into the atmosphere.
Step 6: This is trapping extra heat, and causing the Earth's temperature to rise.
Why is a greenhouse called a
greenhouse?
Greenhouses were originally referred to as botanical gardens. But
since the term “greenhouse effect” has been introduced to
describe the way a portion of the sun’s heat is absorbed by the
earth’s atmosphere, which keeps our planet warm at night, there
has also been a shift to the name of the currently known
greenhouse. This is because the same process that warms up the
earth also takes place in a greenhouse, where the glass structure
will capture the sunlight and the area under the glass will heat up.
That is why now greenhouse is the widely used term to describe
these glass or polycarbonate structures.
Greenhouse gases (GHG) include carbon dioxide, water vapor, methane, ozone,
nitrous oxide and fluorinated gases. These molecules in our atmosphere are called
greenhouse gases because they absorb heat. There may not be much of some of
these gases in our atmosphere, but they can have a big impact. These molecules
eventually release the heat energy and it is often absorbed by another greenhouse
gas molecule.

More technically: Greenhouse gases effectively absorb thermal

infrared radiation, emitted by the Earth’s surface, by the atmosphere itself due
to the same gases, and by clouds. Atmospheric radiation is emitted to all sides,
including downward to the Earth’s surface. Thus, greenhouse gases trap heat within
the surface-troposphere system. This is called the greenhouse effect.

Gases that trap heat in the atmosphere are called greenhouse gases. This
section provides information on emissions and removals of the main greenhouse
gases to and from the atmosphere. For more information on the other climate
forcers, such as black carbon, please visit the Climate Change Indicators:
Climate Forcing page.

 Carbon dioxide (CO2): Carbon dioxide enters the atmosphere through

burning fossil fuels (coal, natural gas, and oil), solid waste, trees and other
biological materials, and also as a result of certain chemical reactions
(e.g., manufacture of cement). Carbon dioxide is removed from the
atmosphere (or "sequestered") when it is absorbed by plants as part of the
biological carbon cycle.
 Methane (CH4): Methane is emitted during the production and transport of
coal, natural gas, and oil. Methane emissions also result from livestock and
other agricultural practices, land use and by the decay of organic waste in
municipal solid waste landfills.
 Nitrous oxide (N2O): Nitrous oxide is emitted during agricultural, land use,
industrial activities, combustion of fossil fuels and solid waste, as well as
during treatment of wastewater.
 Fluorinated gases: Hydrofluorocarbons, perfluorocarbons, sulfur
hexafluoride, and nitrogen trifluoride are synthetic, powerful greenhouse
gases that are emitted from a variety of industrial processes. Fluorinated
gases are sometimes used as substitutes for stratospheric ozone-depleting
substances (e.g., chlorofluorocarbons, hydrochlorofluorocarbons, and
halons). These gases are typically emitted in smaller quantities, but
because they are potent greenhouse gases, they are sometimes referred
to as High Global Warming Potential gases ("High GWP gases").
Each gas's effect on climate change depends on three main factors:

How much is in the atmosphere?

Concentration, or abundance, is the amount of a particular gas in the
air. Larger emissions of greenhouse gases lead to higher concentrations in
the atmosphere. Greenhouse gas concentrations are measured in parts
per million, parts per billion, and even parts per trillion. One part per
million is equivalent to one drop of water diluted into about 13 gallons of
liquid (roughly the fuel tank of a compact car). To learn more about the
increasing concentrations of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere, visit
the Climate Change Indicators: Atmospheric Concentrations of
Greenhouse Gases page.
How long do they stay in the atmosphere?

Each of these gases can remain in the atmosphere for different amounts
of time, ranging from a few years to thousands of years. All of these gases
remain in the atmosphere long enough to become well mixed, meaning
that the amount that is measured in the atmosphere is roughly the same
all over the world, regardless of the source of the emissions.
How strongly do they impact the atmosphere?

Some gases are more effective than others at making the planet warmer
and "thickening the Earth's blanket."

For each greenhouse gas, a Global Warming Potential (GWP) has been
calculated to reflect how long it remains in the atmosphere, on average,
and how strongly it absorbs energy. Gases with a higher GWP absorb
more energy, per pound, than gases with a lower GWP, and thus
contribute more to warming Earth.

Global Warming Potential and Atmospheric Lifetime for Major

Greenhouse Gases

Carbon Dioxide CO2 1 100*

Methane CH4 25 12

Nitrous Oxide N2O 265 121

Chlorofluorocarbon-12 (CFC-12) CCl2F 10,20 100
2 0

Hydrofluorocarbon-23 (HFC-23) CHF3 12,40 222

0

Sulfur Hexafluoride SF6 23,50 3,20

0 0

Nitrogen Trifluoride NF3 16,10 500

0

Sources and Concentrations of Major Greenhouse Gases

Carbon Dioxide Fossil fuel

combustion;
Deforestation;
Cement production

Methane Fossil fuel

production;
Agriculture;
Landfills

Nitrous Oxide Fertilizer

application; Fossil
fuel and biomass
combustion;
 Industrial processes

Chlorofluorocarbon- Refrigerants
12 (CFC-12)

Hydrofluorocarbon- Refrigerants
23 (HFC-23)

Sulfur Hexafluoride Electricity

transmission

Nitrogen Trifluoride Semiconductor

manufacturing

THE ADVANTAGES
GREENHOUSE EFFECT PROMOTES LIFE
Greenhouse gases keep our planet liveable by holding onto some
of Earth’s heat energy so that it does not all escape into space.
This heat-trapping is known as the greenhouse effect. The
greenhouse effect helps to maintain a certain temperature level
on Earth’s surface, making it habitable for living beings. Thanks to
the greenhouse gases, the earth is warm enough to sustain life.

PROTECTION FROM DANGER

Greenhouse gases protect all living things on Earth from
dangerous solar radiation. They block those parts of the solar
radiation which are harmful to our existence and bounce them
back into the atmosphere. The greatest example is that of UV or
UltraViolet radiation. Ozone, which is one of the main greenhouse
gases, acts as a shield against the UV rays entering the earth. In
the absence of the ozone layer, there will be no resistance to the
UV rays, and they would reach us directly

THE DIS-ADVANTAGES
GLOBAL WARMING
This is by far the greatest disadvantage of the greenhouse effect.
Global warming is the long-term warming of the planet’s overall
temperature. Though this warming trend has been going on for a
long time, its pace has significantly increased in the last hundred
years due to the burning of fossil fuels. As the human population
continues to increase, so has the volume of fossil fuels being
burnt.

RISE IN SEA LEVELS

As the Earth continues to warm due to the greenhouse gases,
water heats up and expands causing sea levels to rise. The effects
of sea-level rise are already being felt, and the forecasts are not
very hopeful. First, water is increasingly invading coastal
areas, causing soil erosion and threatening farmland, housing, or
recreation areas. The flooding of wetlands and pollution of
aquifers also occur, affecting the flora and fauna of each place,
causing the loss of habitat for fish, birds, plants, and many other
species.
IMPACT ON THE MARINE LIFE
The greenhouse gases are depriving our oceans of oxygen.
Marine biologists will tell you that fish species such as tuna and
swordfish, known as the deep-water divers of the ocean for
hunting at depths of 200 metres, are today repeatedly coming to
surface view.

The reason for this is that warming sea temperatures have

zapped oxygen out of waters even far out to sea, making it
difficult for the predators to breathe—let alone hunt—in deep
water. As the planet’s atmosphere traps more heat, so the oceans
get warmer.

All of these can only tell one thing, and that is if we do not care
for our environment we will all suffer the severe repercussions
that this will have. Our very existence is being undermined and
shortened by all of our actions. One question to ask yourself after
reading all this is Do you think that it is saving or killing our
planet?