The Greenhouse Effect
The greenhouse effect is easily the first thing that comes to mind when you think of climate change. However, the greenhouse effect is in fact a completely natural phenomenon that human actions have thrown out of balance. Let me describe:
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The natural greenhouse effect is about how solar energy is distributed about the Earth.
As the sun shines down on Earth, a fraction of the energy is deflected into space by the atmosphere, while the rest penetrates through. When the energy hits the Earth's surface, the Earth absorbs some of it, but yet another fraction of it is deflected away. However, certain gases in the atmosphere, known as greenhouse gases, deflect the energy yet again, back towards the Earth.
This is called the greenhouse effect because it is similar to how a greenhouse works; a greenhouse is designed to retain its heats for a longer period of time by trapping it inside its glass windows and walls.
As mentioned above, greenhouse gases are the key component to the greenhouse effect. These gases have the special property to absorb infrared radiation and thereby trap the heat in the atmosphere. Notable greenhouse gases include water vapour, carbon dioxide, methane, and nitrous oxide.
The greenhouse effect is entirely natural, and is what keeps the Earth warm enough for life to exist. However, when it gets thrown out of balance, that's when the problems arise.
Since the beginning of the Industrial Revolution, the burning of fossil fuels such as coal and oil, as well as other human activities has been pumping plentiful amounts of pollution into the air... mostly greenhouse gases.
The surplus of greenhouse gases (carbon dioxide in particular) creates a human-enhanced greenhouse effect, leading to too much heat being trapped in the atmosphere, resulting in an overall heating of the Earth. This is what is commonly referred to as global warming, or climate change. This unnatural heating has many negative effects, including more extreme weather events, rising sea levels, seasonal alterations, and more. Human influences on the greenhouse effect can be directly linked to climate change.
In conclusion, the greenhouse effect a major component in determining the Earth's climate. Though it is a natural factor, it is also an anthropogenic factor due to human interference, putting literal tons of greenhouse gases into the atmosphere. The greenhouse effect should be in the foreground of our minds when we think of climate change.
