Greenhouse Effect

The average temperature globally has risen 2.2 degrees Fahrenheit (1.1 degrees Celsius) since the pre-industrialization era. A 2.2 degrees Fahrenheit rise in temperature does not sound like an immense increase, however, 2.6 million years ago, the ice age started because a two-degree average temperature drop occurred (Carlowicz). This shows that it only takes a small temperature fluctuation to cause a large amount of change on the Earth. Recently, temperatures have been rising on average annually due to climate change. Climate change is the gradual increase in temperatures, which is consequently causing the Earth to get warmer every year. Climate change is caused by the excess amount of greenhouse gases trapped in the Earth’s atmosphere. These

The greenhouse effect is defined as a naturally occurring process in which the accumulation of atmospheric gases prevents solar radiation from escaping into space; this radiation then heats the surface of the Earth (Isadora). The greenhouse effect keeps heat trapped in the Earth’s atmosphere, without it, the Earth would be much colder. It is essential to keep these gases trapped in the Earth’s atmosphere in order to maintain life on Earth; however, if there are too many greenhouse gases in the atmosphere, then the Earth’s average temperatures will rise. The different greenhouse gases in the atmosphere include water vapor, carbon dioxide, nitrous oxide, ozone, and methane (Isadora). Human activity is responsible for most of the outputs of these gases. How does the greenhouse effect work? The Earth’s atmosphere is largely transparent to visible-wavelength solar radiation, which reaches the earth’s surface. Some of this radiation is reflected from the surface, and the rest is absorbed. Much of the absorbed radiation is reemitted at infrared wavelengths and is in turn largely absorbed by certain gases, named greenhouse gases, present in the atmosphere. These gases reradiate the thermal radiation back toward the earth—hence the heating effect (Greenhouse Effect). Therefore, you can see how the excess amount of greenhouse gases consequently cause the Earth’s temperatures to rise due to

What is being done to stop climate change? China is one of the top pollution spewing countries in the world; however, they are beginning to take actions to become eco-friendly. “The country [China] invested $88 billion in renewable energy in 2016, more than any other country. In January, China 's National Energy Administration announced plans to invest another $360 billion in renewable-power generation by 2020” (Wanlund). If countries like China continue to increase their renewable energy usage, then less carbon dioxide will escape into the atmosphere, thus curtailing temperature increases. The United States has also tried to reduce carbon dioxide output, “President Barack Obama committed the United States to reduce its carbon dioxide emissions to 17 percent below 2005 levels by 2020” (Karaim). This bill unfortunately did not pass due to people believing that climate change is not a matter of national security or not believing that climate change is even real. President Obama also worked with other countries to help reduce greenhouse gas emissions, “The United States and 195 other countries on Dec. 12, 2015, signed the Paris Agreement on climate change, which aims to limit global temperature increases through use of renewable energy resources. It also calls on developed countries to contribute $100 billion a year to a fund created to help developing countries switch to renewable energy sources” (Wanlund).