Atmosphere Contents

4. Energy Budgets

Human activities are augmenting the natural greenhouse effect

Greenhouse gasses

In a moist atmosphere the most effective greenhouse gas is water vapour, after that carbon dioxide is the most efficient. Other greenhouse gases include methane, ozone and chlorofluorocarbons. Without the greenhouse effect the Earth would be a frozen planet and it is unlikely that life would ever have evolved on it. Concerns about anthropogenic induced global warming arise because industrial activities are substantially increasing the amount of greenhouse gases (predominantly carbon dioxide). They are increasing considerably above their natural level, and consequently trapping more long-wave radiation and potentially causing a temperature rise and corresponding climatic change.

Why is the natural greenhouse effect important? How are human activities augmenting it?