By: Ava Sergio
Photo from: Wall Paper Up
Human interference, such as burning fossil fuels and unsustainable agricultural practices, have thrown off the earth's energy balance, which is needed to sustain the vast variety of life on our planet. Without these interferences, the earth would be in an energy balance with the net incoming solar radiation equaling the outgoing infrared terrestrial radiation. Unfortunately, the incoming radiation is much larger than the outgoing radiation which is a result of the greenhouse gas effect. The greenhouse gas effect is the largest contributor to the increase in global surface temperatures, and is therefore fueling global warming.
What are Greenhouse Gasses and What Do They Do?
Water vapor, carbon dioxide, methane, and nitrous oxide are all gases that absorb and emit infrared terrestrial radiation. They are called greenhouse gases. These gases warm the earth's surface because they emit infrared terrestrial radiation from the atmosphere to the ground.
What is the Greenhouse Gas Effect?
Photo from: Vector Stock
The overproduction of these gases due to agricultural and industrial revolutions has resulted in large quantities being released into the atmosphere. Consequently, these releases are helping to warm the earth at an alarming rate. They heat the earth through a positive feedback loop that is fueled by the terrestrial infrared radiation emitted by the gases. As the temperature of the earth increases, the amount of radiation emitted increases as well. The earth cannot naturally process the extra radiation that is being emitted at the required rate and it, therefore, accumulates in the atmosphere. As this accumulation increases, less heat can escape to space and more remains. The remaining heat is then absorbed by dark surfaces such as the oceans. This absorption causes their temperatures to increase which drives the ice sheets to melt and corals to bleach. Ideally, a large amount of heat being released into the atmosphere would be reflected off of light surfaces, such as the ice sheets, and exit to space. Unfortunately, this is not the case. With more and more ice melting due to increasing temperatures in the oceans, less radiation is being reflected and more is being absorbed.
How Are We Enhancing the Greenhouse Gas Effect?
Humans are enhancing the greenhouse gas effect through three main actions: burning fossil fuels, unsustainable agricultural practices, and deforestation. About 90% of the anthropogenic carbon dioxide being added to the atmosphere is from the burning of fossil fuels. The growing demand for energy increases the number of fossil fuels that are being extracted and burned. Since preindustrial times, we have more than doubled the release of carbon dioxide. This shows why our search for clean and renewable energy sources is so important. The remaining 10% of the anthropogenic carbon dioxide added to the atmosphere is a result of deforestation. Our forests remove and digest carbon dioxide from the atmosphere and release oxygen in its place. They are the lungs of our earth, in addition to our oceans. The destruction of these forests for timber and agricultural purposes increases the amount of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere. Unsustainable agriculture also contributes to the greenhouse gas effect because of the extraction of trees to make grazing space for livestock. In addition, cows that produce the world's supply of beef also excrete methane, another greenhouse gas. Methane is 84 times more potent than carbon dioxide and has more severe short-term effects on our planet because of how effectively it absorbs heat.
I Thought the Greenhouse Gas Effect Was a Natural Process?
Photo from: NPS
Despite all of the negative effects of greenhouse gases, the natural gas effect is actually a healthy process for the earth when done in much smaller amounts than it currently is. The gases block some of the cooling infrared terrestrial radiation from escaping to space. Cooling radiation occurs when infrared radiation falls within a specific range of wavelengths that allows it to exhibit a strong cooling effect. Without these gases, the average global surface temperature would be -18 degrees Celsius. This means that the natural gas effect is vital to maintain an average global surface temperature that supports most life on earth.
What Places Are Already Feeling the Impacts of the Greenhouse Gas Effect?
Lagos, Nigeria is one of the many places suffering from longer and more intense droughts caused by rising global temperatures. They are also at high risk of coastal erosion due to rising sea levels.
Haiti after hurricane Matthew in 2016. Photo from: PBS
Haiti is another location already suffering from the effects of climate change. Studies have shown that hurricanes are getting wetter and more intense with increasing global temperatures. Recovering from these natural disasters and preparing for new ones is highly expensive and can result in major setbacks for the country's economic development. This was already seen in Haiti's recovery from the 2010 earthquake and hurricane Matthew in 2016.
The Great Barrier Reef after it’s third mass-bleaching event in 5 years.
Photo from: NBC
The Great Barrier Reef in Australia has gone through mass coral bleaching events partly due to rising ocean temperatures. It was recently released by the IUCN that the conservation status of the Great Barrier Reef has declined from "significant concern" to "critical" as a result of climate change. A "critical" status is the most severe status the IUCN can assign. These three locations are not the only places in the world that are already being impacted. It has been estimated that about 250,000 people will die each year from climate change.
Strategies for Mitigating Global Warming
According to climate NASA, a two-part approach must be taken to mitigate global warming. They are calling it the "mitigation and adaptation" approach. Firstly, we need to reduce our emissions and stabilize the levels of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere. Secondly, we must adapt to the unavoidable level of climate change we have already created. As part of the "mitigation" approach, scientists at Simon Fraser University started the clean energy program entitled Clean Energy Canada. Their goal is to accelerate Canada's green energy transition. Part of the clean energy program includes: increasing renewable energy supply, enhancing energy efficiency by delivering the same services with less energy, and improving the infrastructures and systems that transmit, store, and use energy. A program similar to this can be implemented in other countries globally to help the world take meaningful steps towards slowing climate change.
Discussion Questions:
What are other ways the greenhouse gas effect will negatively impact the Earth in the near future if no action is taken to mitigate it?
Do you think focusing on renewable energy supplies is the best solution to reduce the amount of greenhouse gasses we emit into the atmosphere?