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Climate Change
The Greenhouse Effect
The greenhouse effect is the process by which absorption of infrared radiation by atmospheric gases warms a planet's atmosphere and surface. The atmosphere becomes warmer or cooler depending on whether the concentration of greenhouse gases (GHG) is greater or less.
On earth, most of the observed increase in globally averaged temperatures since the mid-20th century is very likely due to the observed increase in GHG concentrations caused by human activity. And models predict that global temperatures are likely to increase by 1.1 to 6.4 C by 2100, with disastrous consequences on the global economy and life threatening risks for the human race.
Greenhouse gases
| Gas |
Main Anthropogenic Origin |
GWP1 |
| Carbon dioxide (CO2) |
Fossil fuels combustion, land-use change |
1 |
| Methane (CH4) |
Agriculture, Landfills, fossil fuels industry |
21 |
| Nitrous Oxide (N2O) |
Livestock, nitric acid production |
310 |
| Sulphur hexafluoride (SF6) |
Electrical industry |
23900 |
| Hydrofluorocarbons (HFC) |
Refrigerants, propellants |
140 to 11700 |
| Perfluorocarbons (PFC) |
Refrigerants, propellants |
6500 to 9200 |
(1) Global Warming Potential (in CO2 equivalent) - factors defined by IPCC-Intergovernmental Panel for Climate Change |
