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Greenhouse effect c. The strongest greenhouse effect

Greenhouse effect c. The strongest greenhouse effect

Many people have probably noticed that winters have recently become not as cold and frosty as in the old days. And often on New Year, and on Christmas (both Catholic and Orthodox), instead of the usual snow, it drizzles. The culprit may well be a climatic phenomenon such as the greenhouse effect in the Earth's atmosphere, which is an increase in the surface temperature of our planet due to heating of the lower layers of the atmosphere through the accumulation of greenhouse gases. As a consequence of all this, gradual global warming occurs. This problem is not so new, but Lately, with the development of technology, many new sources have emerged that fuel the global greenhouse effect.

Causes of the greenhouse effect

The greenhouse effect occurs for the following reasons:

  • Application of hot minerals such as coal, oil, natural gas In industry, when they are burned, large amounts of carbon dioxide and other harmful chemicals are released into the atmosphere.
  • Transport - a large number of both cars and trucks emitting exhaust gases also contribute to the greenhouse effect. True, the emergence of electric vehicles and the gradual transition to them can have a positive impact on the environment.
  • Deforestation, because it is known that trees absorb carbon dioxide, and with each destroyed tree, the amount of this same carbon dioxide only grows (including right now our wooded Carpathians are no longer so wooded, no matter how sad it is).
  • Forest fires are the same mechanism as during deforestation.
  • Agrochemicals and some fertilizers also cause the greenhouse effect, since as a result of the evaporation of these fertilizers, nitrogen, which is one of the greenhouse gases, enters the atmosphere.
  • The decomposition and combustion of garbage also contributes to the release of greenhouse gases, which increase the greenhouse effect.
  • The increase in population on planet Earth is also an indirect reason associated with other reasons - more people, which means there will be more garbage from them, industry will work harder to satisfy all our not small needs, and so on.

The influence of the greenhouse effect on climate

Perhaps the main harm of the greenhouse effect is irreversible climate change, and as a consequence the negative impact from them: evaporation of the seas in some parts of the Earth (for example, the disappearance of the Aral Sea) and, conversely, flooding in others.

What can cause flooding, and how is the greenhouse effect related? The fact is that due to rising temperatures in the atmosphere, glaciers in Antarctica and the Arctic are melting, thereby increasing the level of the world's oceans. All this leads to its gradual advance onto land, and the possible disappearance in the future of a number of islands in Oceania.

Territories that are little moistened by precipitation, due to the greenhouse effect, become very dry and practically uninhabitable. The loss of crops gives rise to hunger and a food crisis; we are now seeing this problem in a number of African countries, where drought is causing a real humanitarian catastrophe.

The impact of the greenhouse effect on human health

Besides negative influence on the climate, the greenhouse effect can have an impact on our health. So in the summer, due to this, abnormal heat occurs more and more often, which from year to year increases the number of people with diseases of the cardiovascular system. Again, due to the heat, people’s blood pressure increases or, on the contrary, decreases, heart attacks and epilepsy attacks, fainting and heat strokes occur more often, and all these are the results of the greenhouse effect.

Benefits of the greenhouse effect

Is there any benefit from the greenhouse effect? A number of scientists believe that such a phenomenon as the greenhouse effect has always existed since the birth of the Earth, and its benefits as “ additional heating“of the planet is undeniable, because as a result of one of these heatings, life itself once arose. But again, here we can recall the wise phrase of Paracelsus that the difference between medicine and poison is only in its quantity. That is, in other words, the greenhouse effect is useful only in small quantities, when the gases leading to the greenhouse effect, their concentration in the atmosphere is not high. When it becomes significant, this climatic phenomenon turns from a kind of medicine into a real dangerous poison.

How to minimize the negative consequences of the greenhouse effect

To overcome a problem, you need to eliminate its causes. In the case of the greenhouse effect, the sources that cause global warming must also be eliminated. In our opinion, first of all, it is necessary to stop deforestation, and, on the contrary, to plant new trees, shrubs, and create gardens more actively.

Refusal from gasoline cars, a gradual transition to electric cars or even bicycles (both good for health and for the environment) is also a small step in the fight against the greenhouse effect. And if many conscious people take this step, then this will be significant progress for improving the ecology of planet Earth - our common home.

Scientists are also developing a new alternative fuel, which will be safe for the environment, but when it will appear and become ubiquitous is still unknown.

And finally, you can quote the wise Indian leader White Cloud from the Ayoko tribe: “Only after the last tree is cut down, only after the last fish is caught and the last river is poisoned, only then will you understand that money cannot be eaten.”

Greenhouse effect, video

And finally, a thematic documentary about the greenhouse effect.

Modern civilization has an impact on nature strong influence. As a rule, negative. drainage of swamps and constant release into atmospheric air huge amount the most harmful substances- this is not a complete list of the “virtues” of humanity. Many people believe that the greenhouse effect also belongs to this category. Is this really true?

Historical reference

By the way, who was the author of the greenhouse effect (that is, the one who discovered this phenomenon)? Who first described this process and spoke about its influence on environment? A similar idea appeared back in 1827. The author of the scientific article was Joseph Fourier. In his work, he described the mechanisms of climate formation on our planet.

What was unusual about this work for that time was that Fourier considered the temperature and climatic features of different zones of the Earth. This is who was the author of the greenhouse effect, who was first able to explain Saussure’s experience.

Saussure's experiment

To verify his conclusions, the scientist used the experiment of M. de Saussure, which uses a vessel coated on the inside with soot, the neck of which is closed with glass. De Saussure conducted an experiment in which he constantly measured the temperature inside and outside the jar. Of course, it constantly increased precisely in the internal volume. Fourier was for the first time able to explain this phenomenon by the combined action of two factors at once: blocking heat transfer and different permeability of the vessel walls for light rays of different wavelengths.

Its mechanism is quite simple: when heated, the surface temperature increases, visible light is absorbed, and heat begins to be emitted. Since the material perfectly transmits visible light, but practically does not conduct heat, the latter accumulates in the internal volume of the vessel. As you can see, the mechanism of the greenhouse effect can easily be substantiated by every person who studied a standard physics course at school. The phenomenon is quite simple, but how much trouble it brings to our planet!

Origin of the term

It is worth knowing that Joseph Fourier is the author of the greenhouse effect in terms of its initial description in the literature. But who came up with the term itself? Alas, we will probably never get an answer to this question. In later literature, the phenomenon that was discovered by Fourier received its modern name. Today every ecologist knows the term “greenhouse effect”.

But Fourier’s main discovery was the substantiation of the actual identity of the Earth’s atmosphere and ordinary glass. Simply put, the atmosphere of our planet is perfectly permeable to visible light radiation, but it does not transmit it well in the infrared range. Having accumulated heat, the Earth practically does not release it. This is who the author of the greenhouse effect was. But why does this effect occur?

Yes, we described the primitive mechanism of its appearance, but modern science was able to prove that normal conditions IR rays can still quite easily escape beyond the planetary atmosphere. How is it that natural regulation mechanisms “ heating season» are they crashing?

Causes

In general, we described them in sufficient detail at the very beginning of our article. The following factors contribute to the occurrence of this phenomenon:

  • Constant and excessive burning of fossil fuels.
  • Every year, increasing volumes of industrial gases enter the planet’s atmosphere.
  • Forests are constantly being cut down, their areas are shrinking due to fires and soil degradation.
  • Anaerobic fermentation, release of methane from the bottom of the oceans.

You should know that the main “culprits” that trigger the greenhouse effect are the following five gases:

  • Divalent carbon monoxide, also known as carbon dioxide. Greenhouse effect 50% is provided precisely at his expense.
  • Carbon compounds of chlorine and fluorine (25%).
  • (8%). Toxic gas, a typical waste product from poorly equipped chemical and metallurgical industries.
  • Ground-level ozone (7%). Despite its critical role in protecting the Earth from excess ultraviolet radiation, can help retain heat on its surface.
  • Approximately 10% methane.

Where do these gases enter the atmosphere from? What is their effect?

- It is this substance that enters the atmosphere in large quantities when people burn fossil fuels. Approximately a third of its excess (above natural) level is due to the fact that humans are intensively destroying forests. The same function is performed by the constantly accelerating process of desertification of fertile lands.

All this means less vegetation that can effectively absorb carbon dioxide, which in many ways drives the greenhouse effect. The causes and consequences of this phenomenon are interrelated: every year the volume of divalent carbon monoxide emitted into the atmosphere increases by approximately 0.5%, which stimulates both the further accumulation of excess heat and the processes of degradation of vegetation on the surface of the planet.

- Chlorofluorocarbons. As we have already said, these compounds provide 25% of the greenhouse effect. The causes and consequences of this phenomenon have been studied for quite a long time. They appear in the atmosphere due to industrial production, especially outdated ones. Dangerous and toxic refrigerants contain these substances in huge quantities, and measures to prevent their leaks clearly do not give the expected result. The consequences of their appearance are even worse:

  • Firstly, they are extremely toxic to humans and animals, and for flora, proximity to fluorine and chlorine compounds is not very beneficial.
  • Secondly, these substances can significantly accelerate the development of the greenhouse effect.
  • Thirdly, they destroy which protects our planet from aggressive ultraviolet radiation.

- Methane. One of the most important gases, the increased content of which in the atmosphere implies the term “greenhouse effect”. You need to know that for just a hundred recent years its volume in the planet's atmosphere doubled. In principle, the bulk of it comes from completely natural sources:

  • in Asia.
  • Livestock complexes.
  • Systems for treating domestic wastewater in large settlements.
  • When organic matter rots and decomposes in the depths of swamps, in landfills.

There is evidence that significant amounts of methane are released from the depths of the World Ocean. Perhaps this phenomenon is explained by the activity of large colonies of bacteria, for which methane is the main metabolic by-product.

It is necessary to especially emphasize the “contribution” to the development of the greenhouse effect from oil production enterprises: a considerable amount of this gas is released into the atmosphere as a by-product. In addition, the constantly expanding film of petroleum products on the surface of the World Ocean also contributes to the accelerated decomposition of organic matter, which is accompanied by methane emissions.

- Nitric oxide. Formed in large volumes during many processes chemical production. It is dangerous not only by its active participation in the greenhouse mechanism. The fact is that when combined with atmospheric water, this substance forms real nitric acid, even in a weak concentration. This is where everything that has an extremely negative impact on people’s health comes from.

Theoretical scenarios of global climate disturbances

So what are the global consequences of the greenhouse effect? It is difficult to say about this for sure, since scientists are still far from a clear conclusion. Currently, there are several scenarios. To develop computer models, many different factors are taken into account that can accelerate or slow down the development of the greenhouse effect. Let's look at the catalysts for this process:

  • The release of the gases described above due to human anthropogenic activities.
  • CO 2 release due to thermal decomposition of natural hydrocarbonates. It is interesting to know that the crust of our planet contains 50,000 times more carbon dioxide than the air. Of course, we're talking about about chemically bound carbon monoxide.
  • Since the main consequences of the greenhouse effect are an increase in the temperature of water and air on the surface of the planet, the evaporation of moisture from the surface of the seas and oceans increases. As a result, the permeability of the atmosphere to infrared radiation deteriorates even more.
  • The oceans contain about 140 trillion tons of carbon dioxide, which, as water temperatures rise, also begins to be intensively released into the atmosphere, contributing to a more dynamic development of the greenhouse process.
  • A decrease in the reflectivity of the planet, which leads to accelerated accumulation of heat in its atmosphere. Desertification of lands also contributes to this.

What factors slow down the development of the greenhouse effect?

It is assumed that the main warm current - the Gulf Stream - is constantly slowing down. In the long term, this will cause a significant decrease in temperature, which will slow down the effect of greenhouse gas accumulation. In addition, for every degree of general warming, the cloud area over the entire territory of the planet increases by approximately 0.5%, which contributes to a significant reduction in the amount of heat that the Earth receives from space.

Please note: the essence of the greenhouse effect is to increase the overall temperature of the earth's surface. Of course, there is nothing good about this, but it is the above factors that often help mitigate the consequences of this phenomenon. In principle, this is why many scientists believe that the topic of global warming itself belongs to the category of completely natural phenomena that have occurred regularly throughout the history of the Earth.

The higher the evaporation rate, the greater the annual precipitation becomes. This causes both the restoration of swamps and the accelerated growth of flora, which is responsible for recycling excess carbon dioxide in the planet’s atmosphere. It is also expected that increased precipitation will in the future contribute to a significant expansion of the area of ​​shallow tropical seas.

The corals that live in them are the most important utilizers of carbon dioxide. Being chemically bound, it goes to build their skeleton. Finally, if humanity reduces the rate of deforestation at least a little, then their area will recover quite quickly, since the same carbon dioxide is an excellent stimulant for the spread of plants. So what are possible consequences greenhouse effect?

Main scenarios for the future of our planet

In the first case, scientists assume that global warming will occur quite slowly. And this point of view has many supporters. They believe that the World Ocean, which is a giant energy accumulator, for a long time will be able to absorb excess heat. It may be several millennia before the climate on the planet really changes radically.

The second group of scientists, on the contrary, advocates comparatively quick option catastrophic changes. This problem of the greenhouse effect is currently very popular; it is discussed at almost every scientific congress. Unfortunately, there is enough evidence for this theory. It is believed that over the past hundred years, the concentration of carbon dioxide has increased by at least 20-24%, and the amount of methane in the atmosphere has increased by 100%. In the most pessimistic version, it is believed that the planet’s temperature by the end of this century may well increase by a record 6.4°C.

Thus, in this case, the greenhouse effect in the Earth’s atmosphere will simply cause mortal trouble to all residents of coastal areas.

A sharp increase in sea level

The fact is that such temperature anomalies are fraught with an extremely sharp and almost unpredictable rise in the level of the World Ocean. So, from 1995 to 2005. this figure was 4 cm, although scientists vying with each other declared that one should not expect a rise above a couple of centimeters. If everything continues at the same pace, then by the end of the 21st century the level of the World Ocean will be at least 88-100 cm higher than the current norm. Meanwhile, about 100 million people on our planet live exactly at 87-88 cm above sea level.

Decreased reflectivity of the planet's surface

When we wrote about what the greenhouse effect is, the article repeatedly mentioned that it stimulates a further decrease in the reflectivity of the Earth's surface, which is facilitated by deforestation and desertification.

Many scientists testify that the ice cap at the poles can reduce the overall temperature of the planet by at least two degrees, and the ice that covers the surface of the polar waters greatly inhibits the release of carbon dioxide and methane into the atmosphere. In addition, in the region of the polar ice caps there is no water vapor at all, which significantly stimulates the global greenhouse effect.

All this will affect the global water cycle in such a way that the frequency of tornadoes, hurricanes and tornadoes of monstrous destructive power will increase several times, making it virtually impossible for people to live even in those territories that are very far from the ocean coasts. Unfortunately, redistribution of water will also lead to the opposite phenomenon. Droughts are a 10% problem today globe, and in the future the number of such regions may well increase immediately to 35-40%. This is a sad prospect for humanity.

For our country, the forecast in this case is much more favorable. Climatologists believe that most of Russia’s territory will be quite suitable for normal farming, and the climate will become much milder. Of course, most of the coastal areas (and we have a lot of them) will simply be flooded.

The third scenario assumes that a short period of rising temperatures will be replaced by global cooling. We have already talked about the slowdown of the Gulf Stream and the consequences. Imagine that this warm current will completely stop... Of course, it won’t come to the events described in the film “The Day After Tomorrow”, but the planet will definitely become much colder. Not for long, however.

Some mathematicians adhere to the theory (modeled, of course) according to which the greenhouse effect on Earth will lead to the fact that for 20-30 years the climate in Europe will become no warmer than in our country. They also assume that after this the warming will continue, the scenario of which is described in the second option.

Conclusion

Be that as it may, there is not much good in the scientists’ forecasts. We can only hope that our planet is a more complex and perfect mechanism than we imagine. Perhaps such sad consequences can be avoided.

MINISTRY OF EDUCATION OF THE REPUBLIC OF BELARUS

EE "BELARUSIAN STATE ECONOMIC UNIVERSITY"

ABSTRACT

by discipline: Fundamentals of ecology and energy saving

on the topic of: Greenhouse effect: causes and consequences

Checked by: T.N. Filipovic

HISTORICAL INFORMATION

The idea of ​​the mechanism of the greenhouse effect was first outlined in 1827 by Joseph Fourier in the article “A Note on the Temperatures of the Globe and Other Planets,” in which he considered various mechanisms for the formation of the Earth’s climate, while he considered both factors influencing the overall heat balance of the Earth ( heating by solar radiation, cooling due to radiation, internal heat Earth), as well as factors influencing heat transfer and temperatures of climatic zones (thermal conductivity, atmospheric and oceanic circulation).

When considering the influence of the atmosphere on the radiation balance, Fourier analyzed the experiment of M. de Saussure with a vessel covered with glass, blackened from the inside. De Saussure measured the temperature difference inside and outside such a vessel, placed on a straight line sunlight. Fourier explained the increase in temperature inside such a “mini-greenhouse” compared to the external temperature by the action of two factors: blocking convective heat transfer (glass prevents the outflow of heated air from the inside and the influx of cool air from outside) and the different transparency of glass in the visible and infrared range.

It was the last factor that received the name of the greenhouse effect in later literature - absorbing visible light, the surface heats up and emits thermal (infrared) rays; Since glass is transparent to visible light and almost opaque to thermal radiation, the accumulation of heat leads to such an increase in temperature at which the number of thermal rays passing through the glass is sufficient to establish thermal equilibrium.

Fourier postulated that the optical properties of the Earth's atmosphere are similar optical properties glass, that is, its transparency in the infrared range is lower than transparency in the optical range.

CAUSES OF THE GREENHOUSE EFFECT

The constantly increasing volumes of burned fuel, the penetration of industrially produced gases into the atmosphere, widespread burning and clearing of forests, anaerobic fermentation and much more - all this has led to the emergence of such a global environmental problem as the greenhouse effect.

Main chemicals The five gases that create the greenhouse effect are:

Carbon dioxide (50% of the greenhouse effect);

Chlorofluorocarbons (25%);

Nitric oxide (8%);

Ground level ozone (7%);

Methane (10%).

Carbon dioxide enters the atmosphere as a result of combustion various types fuel. About 1/3 of the amount of carbon dioxide is due to burning and deforestation, as well as desertification processes. Less forest means less green space woody plants, capable of absorbing carbon dioxide during photosynthesis. Every year, the content of carbon dioxide in the Earth's atmosphere increases by an average of 0.5%.

Chlorofluorocarbons contribute about 25% to the creation of the total greenhouse effect. They have a double danger for humans and the nature of the Earth: firstly, they contribute to the development of the greenhouse effect; secondly, they destroy atmospheric ozone.

Methane - one of the important “greenhouse” gases. Methane content in the atmosphere has doubled over the past 100 years. The main source of methane entering the Earth's atmosphere is the natural process of anaerobic fermentation, which takes place in wet rice production, livestock farming, and cleaning fields. Wastewater, in the decomposition of urban and housing wastewater, in the processes of rotting and decomposition of organic substances in household waste dumps, etc. Oil pollution of the land surface and the World Ocean also makes a significant contribution to the increase in free methane in the atmosphere of our planet.

Nitric oxide is formed in many technological processes of modern agricultural production (for example, during the formation and use organic fertilizers), as well as as a result of the combustion of ever-increasing volumes of various fuels.

POSSIBLE SCENARIOS OF GLOBAL CLIMATE CHANGE

Global climate changes are very complex, so modern science cannot give a definite answer to what awaits us in the near future. There are many scenarios for the development of the situation. To determine these scenarios, factors that slow down and accelerate global warming are taken into account.

Factors accelerating global warming:

Emission of CO 2, methane, nitrous oxide as a result of anthropogenic human activity;

Decomposition, due to increased temperature, of geochemical sources of carbonates with the release of CO 2. IN earth's crust there is 50,000 times more carbon dioxide in the bound state than in the atmosphere;

An increase in the content of water vapor in the Earth’s atmosphere, due to an increase in temperature, and therefore the evaporation of ocean water;

The release of CO 2 by the World Ocean due to its heating (the solubility of gases decreases with increasing water temperature). With each degree the water temperature increases, the solubility of CO2 in it decreases by 3%. The World Ocean contains 60 times more CO 2 than the Earth's atmosphere (140 trillion tons);

A decrease in the Earth's albedo (the reflectivity of the planet's surface), due to melting glaciers, changing climatic zones and vegetation. The surface of the sea reflects significantly less sunlight than the polar glaciers and snow of the planet; mountains without glaciers also have a lower albedo; woody vegetation moving north has a lower albedo than tundra plants. Over the past five years, the Earth's albedo has already decreased by 2.5%;

Methane release when permafrost melts;

Decomposition of methane hydrates - crystalline icy compounds of water and methane contained in the polar regions of the Earth.

Factors that slow down global warming:

Global warming causes a slowdown in the speed of ocean currents; a slowdown in the warm Gulf Stream will cause a decrease in temperatures in the Arctic;

As the temperature on Earth increases, evaporation increases, and hence cloudiness, which is a certain kind of barrier to the path of sunlight. Cloud cover increases by approximately 0.4% for every degree of warming;

With increasing evaporation, the amount of precipitation increases, which contributes to waterlogging, and swamps, as is known, are one of the main depots of CO 2;

An increase in temperature will contribute to the expansion of the area of ​​warm seas, and hence the expansion of the range of mollusks and coral reefs; these organisms take an active part in the deposition of CO 2, which is used for the construction of shells;

An increase in CO 2 concentration in the atmosphere stimulates the growth and development of plants, which are active acceptors (consumers) of this greenhouse gas.

Here are 5 scenarios for the future of planet Earth:

Scenario 1 – global warming will occur gradually. The earth is a very large and complex system consisting of large quantity interconnected structural components. The planet has a mobile atmosphere, the movement of air masses of which distributes thermal energy according to the latitudes of the planet, on Earth there is a huge accumulator of heat and gases - the World Ocean (the ocean accumulates 1000 times more heat than the atmosphere) Changes in such complex system cannot happen quickly. Centuries and millennia will pass before any significant climate change can be judged.

Scenario 2 – global warming will occur relatively quickly. The most “popular” scenario at present. According to various estimates, over the past hundred years the average temperature on our planet has increased by 0.5-1°C, the concentration of CO 2 has increased by 20-24%, and methane by 100%. In the future, these processes will continue and by the end of the 21st century, the average temperature of the Earth's surface may increase from 1.1 to 6.4°C. Further melting of the Arctic and Antarctic ice can accelerate global warming due to changes in the albedo of the planet. According to some scientists, only the ice caps of the planet, due to the reflection of solar radiation, cool our Earth by 2°C, and the ice covering the surface of the ocean significantly slows down the processes of heat exchange between relatively warm ocean waters and colder ones. surface layer atmosphere. In addition, there is practically no main greenhouse gas, water vapor, above the ice caps, since it is frozen out.

Global warming will be accompanied by rising sea levels. From 1995 to 2005, the level of the World Ocean has already risen by 4 cm, instead of the predicted 2 cm. If the level of the World Ocean continues to rise at the same speed, then by the end of the 21st century the total rise in its level will be 30 - 50 cm, which will cause partial flooding of many coastal areas, especially the populous coast of Asia. It should be remembered that about 100 million people on Earth live at an altitude of less than 88 centimeters above sea level.

In addition to rising sea levels, global warming affects the strength of winds and the distribution of precipitation on the planet. As a result, the frequency and scale of various natural disasters(storms, hurricanes, droughts, floods).

Currently, 2% of all landmass suffers from drought; according to some scientists, by 2050, up to 10% of all continental lands will be affected by drought. In addition, the distribution of precipitation between seasons will change.

In Northern Europe and the western United States, the amount of precipitation and the frequency of storms will increase, hurricanes will rage 2 times more often than in the 20th century. Climate Central Europe will become changeable, with warmer winters and rainier summers in the heart of Europe. Eastern and Southern Europe, including the Mediterranean, will experience drought and heat.

St. Petersburg College of Management and Economics

"Alexandrovsky Lyceum"

Report on the ecological principles of environmental management on the topic:

"Greenhouse effect"

Performed

student of group No. 105

Vorozhbinova Sofia.

St. Petersburg, 2011

GREENHOUSE EFFECT

The greenhouse effect is a rise in temperature on the surface of the planet as a result of thermal energy that appears in the atmosphere due to heating of gases. The main gases that lead to the greenhouse effect on Earth are water vapor and carbon dioxide.

The greenhouse effect allows us to maintain a temperature on the surface of the Earth at which the emergence and development of life is possible. If there were no greenhouse effect, the average surface temperature of the globe would be much lower than it is now. However, as the concentration of greenhouse gases increases, the impermeability of the atmosphere to infrared rays increases, which leads to an increase in the Earth's temperature.

In 2007, the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), the most authoritative international body that brings together thousands of scientists from 130 countries, presented its Fourth Assessment Report, which contained generalized conclusions about past and current climate changes, their impact on nature and people , as well as possible measures to counter such changes.

According to published data, during the period from 1906 to 2005, the average temperature of the Earth rose by 0.74 degrees. In the next 20 years, the temperature increase, according to experts, will average 0.2 degrees per decade, and by the end of the 21st century, the Earth's temperature may increase from 1.8 to 4.6 degrees (this difference in data is the result of the superposition of a whole complex of models future climate, which took into account various scenarios for the development of the world economy and society).

According to scientists, with a 90 percent probability, the observed climate changes are associated with human activity - the burning of carbon-based fossil fuels (i.e. oil, gas, coal, etc.), industrial processes, as well as the clearing of forests - natural absorbers of carbon dioxide from the atmosphere .

consequences of climate change:

1. Changes in the frequency and intensity of precipitation.

In general, the planet's climate will become wetter. But the amount of precipitation will not spread evenly across the Earth. In regions that already receive sufficient precipitation today, their precipitation will become more intense. And in regions with insufficient moisture, dry periods will become more frequent.

2. Sea level rise.

During the 20th century, the average sea level increased by 0.1-0.2 m. According to scientists, during the 21st century the sea level rise will be up to 1 m. In this case, coastal areas and small islands will be the most vulnerable. Countries such as the Netherlands, Great Britain, and the small island states of Oceania and the Caribbean will be the first to be at risk of flooding. In addition, high tides will become more frequent and coastal erosion will increase.

3. Threat to ecosystems and biodiversity.

There are predictions that up to 30-40% of plant and animal species will disappear because their habitats will change faster than they can adapt to these changes.

When the temperature rises by 1 degree, a change in the species composition of the forest is predicted. Forests are a natural store of carbon (80% of all carbon in terrestrial vegetation and about 40% of carbon in soil). The transition from one type of forest to another will be accompanied by the release of large amounts of carbon.

4. Melting glaciers.

Modern glaciation of the Earth can be considered one of the most sensitive indicators of ongoing global changes. Satellite data show that there has been a decrease in snow cover of about 10% since the 1960s. Since the 1950s, in the Northern Hemisphere, sea ice extent has decreased by almost 10-15% and thickness has decreased by 40%. According to forecasts of experts from the Arctic and Antarctic Research Institute (St. Petersburg), in 30 years the Northern Arctic Ocean During the warm period of the year it will completely break out from under the ice.

According to scientists, the thickness of the Himalayan ice is melting at a rate of 10-15 m per year. At the current rate of these processes, two-thirds of the glaciers will disappear by 2060, and by 2100 all glaciers will completely melt.
Accelerating glacier melt poses a number of immediate threats to human development. For densely populated mountain and foothill areas, avalanches, flooding or, conversely, a decrease in the full flow of rivers, and as a consequence a decrease in fresh water supplies, pose a particular danger.

5. Agriculture.

The impact of warming on agricultural productivity is controversial. In some temperate areas, yields may increase with small increases in temperature, but will decrease with large temperature changes. In tropical and subtropical regions, yields are generally projected to decline.

The biggest blow could be to the poorest countries, those least prepared to adapt to climate change. According to the IPCC, the number of people facing hunger could increase by 600 million by 2080, double the number of people currently living in poverty in sub-Saharan Africa.

6. Water consumption and water supply.

One of the consequences of climate change may be a shortage drinking water. In regions with arid climates (Central Asia, the Mediterranean, South Africa, Australia, etc.), the situation will become even worse due to a decrease in precipitation levels.
Due to the melting of glaciers, the flow of the largest waterways of Asia - the Brahmaputra, Ganges, Yellow River, Indus, Mekong, Saluan and Yangtze - will significantly decrease. Lack of fresh water will affect not only human health and development Agriculture, but will also increase the risk of political disagreements and conflicts over access to water resources.

7. Human health.

Climate change, according to scientists, will lead to increased health risks for people, especially the less affluent segments of the population. Thus, a reduction in food production will inevitably lead to malnutrition and hunger. Abnormally high temperatures can lead to exacerbation of cardiovascular, respiratory and other diseases.

Rising temperatures may change the geographic distribution of various disease-carrying species. As temperatures rise, the ranges of heat-loving animals and insects (e.g. encephalitis ticks and malaria mosquitoes) will spread further north, while the people inhabiting these areas will not be immune to new diseases.

According to environmentalists, humanity is unlikely to be able to completely prevent the predicted climate changes. However, it is humanly possible to mitigate climate change and curb the rate of temperature rise in order to avoid dangerous and irreversible consequences in the future. First of all, due to:

1. Restrictions and reductions in the consumption of fossil carbon fuels (coal, oil, gas);
2. Increasing the efficiency of energy consumption;
3. Introduction of energy saving measures;
4. Increased use of non-carbon and renewable energy sources;
5. Development of new environmentally friendly and low-carbon technologies;
6. Through preventing forest fires and restoring forests, since forests are natural absorbers of carbon dioxide from the atmosphere.

The greenhouse effect does not only occur on Earth. A strong greenhouse effect is on the neighboring planet, Venus. The atmosphere of Venus consists almost entirely of carbon dioxide, and as a result the planet's surface is heated to 475 degrees. Climatologists believe that the Earth avoided such a fate thanks to the presence of oceans. The oceans absorb atmospheric carbon and it accumulates in rocks such as limestone - thereby removing carbon dioxide from the atmosphere. There are no oceans on Venus, and all the carbon dioxide that volcanoes emit into the atmosphere remains there. As a result, the planet experiences an uncontrollable greenhouse effect.

In the atmospheric layers of our planet there are many phenomena that directly affect climatic conditions Earth. This phenomenon is considered to be the greenhouse effect, characterized by an increase in the temperature of the lower atmospheric layers of the globe in comparison with the temperature of the thermal radiation of our planet, which can be observed from space.

This process is considered one of the global environmental problems modernity, since thanks to it, solar heat is retained in the form of greenhouse gases at the surface of the Earth and creates the preconditions for global warming.

Greenhouse gases affecting the planet's climate

The principles of the greenhouse effect were first illuminated by Joseph Fourier, considering different types mechanisms in the formation of the Earth's climate. At the same time, factors influencing temperature conditions climatic zones and quality heat transfer, and factors that influence general condition heat balance of our planet. The greenhouse effect is provided by the difference in the transparency of atmospheres in the far and visible infrared ranges. The heat balance of the globe determines climate and average annual surface temperatures.

So-called greenhouse gases take an active part in this process, which delay infrared rays, involved in heating the Earth's atmosphere and its surface. In terms of the degree of influence and impact on the heat balance of our planet, the following types of greenhouse gases are considered to be the main ones:

  • water vapor
  • Methane

The main one on this list is water vapor (air humidity in the troposphere), which contributes to the greenhouse effect earth's atmosphere main contribution. Freons and nitrogen oxide also participate in the action, but low concentrations of other gases do not have such a significant effect.

The principle of action and causes of the greenhouse effect

The greenhouse effect, as the greenhouse effect is also called, consists in the penetration of short-wave radiation from the Sun to the surface of the Earth, which is facilitated by carbon dioxide. In this case, the Earth's thermal radiation (long-wave) is delayed. As a result of these ordered actions, our atmosphere is heated for a long time.

Also, the essence of the greenhouse effect can be considered as the possibility of an increase in the global temperature of the Earth, which can occur as a result of significant changes in the heat balance. Such a process can lead to the gradual accumulation of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere of our planet.

The most obvious cause of the greenhouse effect called the release of industrial gases into the atmosphere. It turns out that the negative results of human activity (forest fires, automobile emissions, the work of various industrial enterprises and combustion of fuel residues) become direct causes of climate warming. Deforestation is also one of these reasons, since forests are the most active absorbers of carbon dioxide.

If normalized for living organisms, then Earth's ecosystems and people will need to try to adapt to changed climate regimes. However, the most reasonable solution would still be to reduce and then regulate emissions.

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