Greenhouse Gases on Our Planet
The process of increasing temperature by trapping solar energy in colder countries is called the greenhouse effect. This special type of house built for plant cultivation is called a greenhouse.
- Functional techniques: Solar energy from the sun is a waveform that first heats the surface and the adjacent atmosphere. Later, some gases in the atmosphere absorb the long-wavelength infrared rays emitted from the Earth’s surface. These gases include carbon dioxide, methane, and water vapour. The clouds and atmosphere absorb some of the heat radiated from the surface. It then returns to the surface, keeping it warm. This natural process of warming the Earth or increasing the temperature is called the greenhouse effect.
- Characteristics: i) Major greenhouse gases include CO₂, H₂O, CH₄, N₂O, and CFCs. ii) In 1827, J. Fourier first named the term “greenhouse effect.” iii) The greenhouse effect is more noticeable in the industrialized countries of the world (USA, Japan, Western European countries, etc.).
The sources of greenhouse gases, which cause global warming, are discussed below.
- Carbon dioxide: Among the greenhouse gases. The predominant gas is carbon dioxide. Fossil fuel combustion, such as coal, oil, and gas, is a major source of carbon dioxide. This includes vehicle exhaust, refineries, blast furnaces, and wildfires. The latest IPCC report in 2007 says that, before the industrial revolution, CO2 was 280 ppm. After that, it rose to 379 ppm. Carbon dioxide absorbs solar heat and increases the temperature of the atmosphere. CO₂ contributes 49% to global average warming today.
- Methane: Methane ranks after CO₂ in causing the greenhouse effect. Major sources of methane are cattle excreta, paddy fields, coal mines, wood burning, natural gas wells, rotting organic matter, and rotting garbage. The amount of CH₄ in the air has increased by 145% in the last 200 years. Methane contributes about 18% to the rise in the global average temperature.
- Chlorofluorocarbons: Human activities are increasing atmospheric chlorofluorocarbons by 5% a year. Freezers or refrigerators, pharmaceutical factories, paints, plastics, electronics industries, etc., are major sources of chlorofluorocarbons. In 1750–2013, emissions of CFCs increased to 820 times the world average.
CFCs contribute about 14% to global warming.
- Nitrous oxide: Nitrous oxide is a significant greenhouse gas. Fossil fuel combustion, wildfires, and deforestation are major sources of nitrous oxide. So are nitrogen fertilizers and microbial activity in soil. The amount of NO₂ in the atmosphere is 33 0 ppb. The gas is increasing at a rate of 0.4% in the atmosphere. Nitrous oxide contributes 6% to Earth’s average greenhouse gas emissions.
- Ozone: Ozone gas occurs in the lower atmosphere. Plays an important role in growth. Ozone is created in the lower atmosphere by various types of air purification and water purification devices. The amount of this gas in the air is increasing at a rate of about 0.5% to 2.0% per year. Ozone gas in the troposphere increased by about 40% between 1750 and 2013.
- Water vapour: Water vapour retains the warmth of the atmosphere. So when the amount of water vapour in the air increases, the temperature increases, and when it decreases, the temperature decreases. Again, water vapour forms clouds. They trap heat, preventing it from escaping into space. This increases the temperature.
Effects of Greenhouses on Our Planet
An increase in greenhouse gases in the atmosphere will likely have far-reaching effects.
- Increasing Earth’s average temperature: Currently, the Earth’s average temperature is increasing due to increasing greenhouse gas emissions. The average global temperature has increased by 1.5°C in just the last 250 years. By 2100 AD, the average global temperature is likely to increase by about 1°C to 3.5°C. As a result, an unimaginable disaster will befall the Earth’s biosphere.
- Average sea level rise: Global warming due to the greenhouse effect will lead to greater melting of polar and high mountain ice and sea level rise. Scientists fear that if the temperature of the Earth increases, the height of the sea level will increase by 30-90 cm. As a result, the coastal areas of India, Bangladesh, the Maldives, etc. will be submerged.
- Climate change: [i] The Northern Hemisphere will become warmer than the Southern Hemisphere due to less water content. [ii] Increased precipitation in tropical and temperate regions will rise by 10%–15%. [iii] Global warming will lead to a variety of other changes in weather and climate, such as an increase in the number and intensity of cyclones, an increase in the frequency of droughts, and possibly longer summers. Heavy rain and flooding may cause flooding in some places. [iv] The intensity of various atmospheric disturbances, including thunderstorms and cyclones, will increase considerably. [v] Winters will be more severe in the polar and adjacent regions.
- Glacier melting: About 10% of the Earth’s total land area is covered by glaciers. These glaciers are the source of water for most of the world’s rivers. But these glaciers are melting due to the increase in temperature. The total amount of ice in Antarctica has decreased by 20% in the last 50 years. Russia has also lost 50%, and Africa’s Mount Kilimanjaro has lost about 75%. As a result, there will be a severe crisis in irrigation, drinking water, water transportation, hydropower generation, etc.
- Effects on vegetation and agriculture: [i] Greenhouse effect Massive loss of temperate and tropical forests There are fears. [ii] Coastal mangroves Forests can be destroyed. [iii] If the temperature increases, the photosynthesis rate of plants will increase. As a result, corn, sugarcane, and despite the increase in the production of crops such as jowar, millet, and rice, crops like wheat, oats, barley, soybeans, tobacco, cotton, etc., will decrease significantly. [iv] In agriculture, pest infestation will increase. Also, the amount of weeds will increase.
- Increasing prevalence of diseases: Global warming will increase the prevalence and severity of various diseases. For example, [i] the greenhouse effect will increase the incidence of heart disease and stroke. [ii] The prevalence of malaria, dengue fever, yellow fever, encephalitis, etc. will increase in tropical regions. [iii] Asthma and allergies will increase.
- Endangerment of Biodiversity: Biodiversity is being severely damaged due to the greenhouse effect. Penguins in Antarctica have declined from 30,000 to 11,000 over the past 30 years due to warming. Scientists fear that if the average temperature of the atmosphere rises by 3°C, 40% of mammals, 23% of species, and a few percent of bird species will disappear forever.
- Increasing desertification: As the Earth warms, desert areas will become hotter, and the soil will become drier. As a result, due to excessive heat, the vegetation of the surrounding area will be destroyed, and the desert will expand.
- Damage to Marine Ecosystems: Increased global warming and less dissolved carbon dioxide in seawater will endanger marine ecosystems. As a result, about 50% of the seawater corals have been destroyed. In addition, all life in the sea, from plankton to whales, is facing destruction today.
- Changes in the water cycle: Higher temperatures will increase evaporation. Changes in precipitation patterns will disrupt the water cycle’s circulation between the ocean, atmosphere, and land.
Method of greenhouse effect decreasing
Many conferences, treaties, and talks have been held worldwide to control the greenhouse effect. The Bashundhara Conference, Johannesburg Summit, and Kyoto Agreement are key in this. The following are some measures that can be taken for the purpose of controlling the greenhouse effect—
- Conservation of fixed energy resources: Reducing the use of fixed energy resources such as coal, mineral oil, and natural gas, and properly conserving them will reduce the emissions of greenhouse gases, especially CO₂.
- Afforestation: Instead of deforestation, large-scale afforestation is needed to balance the environment.
- Use of renewable energy resources: The use of renewable energy resources, such as wind, solar, geothermal, etc., should be increased.
- Diffusion of Technology: The diffusion of technology from the country that invented the technology to other developing and underdeveloped countries.
- Reduction of production and use of CFCs: Production and use of CFC-emitting substances must be stopped by law.
- Diffusion of Technology: The diffusion of technology from the country that invented the technology to other developing and underdeveloped countries.
- Waste Management: Scientific and modern methods of waste management are required to reduce methane production.
- Expansion of research: The scope of research aimed at reducing greenhouse gas emissions and the greenhouse effect needs to be increased.
- Use of organic fertilizers: In order to control nitrous oxide levels, the use of organic fertilisers instead of nitrogen fertilisers should be increased in agriculture.
- Public awareness raising: Public awareness should be raised about how greenhouse gases harm the environment.
- Initiatives at National and International Levels: Strong action should be taken at the national and international levels to set a target level of greenhouse gas emissions.
