The greenhouse effect occurs as a result. The greenhouse effect has always been there

In the 21st century, the global greenhouse effect is one of the most pressing environmental problems facing our planet today. The essence of the greenhouse effect is that the sun's heat is trapped near the surface of our planet in the form of greenhouse gases. The greenhouse effect is caused by the release of industrial gases into the atmosphere.

Greenhouse effect consists of increasing the temperature of the lower layers of the Earth’s atmosphere in comparison with the effective temperature, namely the temperature of the planet’s thermal radiation recorded from space. The first mention of this phenomenon appeared back in 1827. Then Joseph Fourier suggested that the optical characteristics of the Earth's atmosphere are similar to the characteristics of glass, the level of transparency of which in the infrared range is lower than in the optical. When visible light is absorbed, the surface temperature rises and emits thermal (infrared) radiation, and since the atmosphere is not so transparent for thermal radiation, heat collects near the surface of the planet.
The fact that the atmosphere is capable of not transmitting thermal radiation is caused by the presence of greenhouse gases in it. The main greenhouse gases are water vapor, carbon dioxide, methane and ozone. Over the past decades, the concentration of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere has increased significantly. The main reason scientists consider human activity.
Due to the regular increase in average annual temperatures in the late 1980s, there was concern that global warming caused by human activity was already occurring.

The influence of the greenhouse effect

The positive consequences of the greenhouse effect include additional “heating” of the surface of our planet, as a result of which life appeared on this planet. If this phenomenon did not exist, then the average annual air temperature near the earth's surface would not exceed 18C.
The greenhouse effect arose due to the huge amount of water vapor and carbon dioxide entering the planet's atmosphere over hundreds of millions of years as a result of extremely high volcanic activity. The high concentration of carbon dioxide, which is thousands of times higher than today, was the cause of the “supergreenhouse” effect. This phenomenon brought the water temperature in the World Ocean closer to the boiling point. However, after some time, green vegetation appeared on the planet, which actively absorbed carbon dioxide from earth's atmosphere. For this reason, the greenhouse effect began to decline. Over time, a certain equilibrium was established, allowing the average annual temperature to remain at +15C.
However, human industrial activity has led to the fact that large number carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases. Scientists analyzed data from 1906 to 2005 and concluded that the average annual temperature increased by 0.74 degrees, and in the coming years will reach about 0.2 degrees per decade.
Greenhouse effect results:

• temperature rise
• changes in the frequency and volume of precipitation
• melting glaciers
• sea ​​level rise
• threat to biological diversity
• death of crops
• drying up of sources fresh water
• increased evaporation of water in the oceans
• decomposition of water and methane compounds located near the poles
• slowdown of currents, for example, the Gulf Stream, resulting in sharply colder temperatures in the Arctic
• downsizing tropical forests
• expansion of the habitat of tropical microorganisms.

Consequences of the greenhouse effect

Why is the greenhouse effect so dangerous? The main danger of the greenhouse effect lies in the climate changes it causes. Scientists believe that the strengthening of the greenhouse effect will cause increased health risks for all humanity, especially for representatives of low-income segments of the population. A decrease in food production, which will be a consequence of the death of crops and the destruction of pastures by drought or, conversely, flooding, will inevitably lead to a shortage of food. Besides this, elevated temperature air causes exacerbation of cardiac and vascular diseases, as well as respiratory organs.
Also, an increase in air temperature can cause an expansion of the habitat of animal species that are carriers of dangerous diseases. Because of this, for example, encephalitis ticks and malaria mosquitoes can move to places where people lack immunity to borne diseases.

What will help save the planet?

Scientists are confident that the fight against the strengthening of the greenhouse effect should involve the following measures:

• reducing the use of fossil energy sources such as coal, oil and gas
• more efficient use of energy resources
• dissemination of energy-saving technologies
• use of alternative energy sources, namely renewable
• use of refrigerants and blowing agents that contain low (zero) potential global warming
• reforestation work aimed at natural absorption of carbon dioxide from the atmosphere
• abandoning cars with gasoline or diesel engines in favor of electric cars.

At the same time, even the full-scale implementation of the listed measures is unlikely to fully compensate for the harm caused to nature due to anthropogenic action. For this reason, we can only talk about minimizing the consequences.
First international conference, where this threat was discussed, took place in the mid-70s in Toronto. Then, experts came to the conclusion that the greenhouse effect on Earth is in second place in importance after nuclear threat.
Not only a real man Every person must do this to plant a tree! The most important thing in solving this problem is not to turn a blind eye to it. Perhaps today people do not notice the harm from the greenhouse effect, but our children and grandchildren will definitely feel it. It is necessary to reduce the volume of burning coal and oil, to protect natural vegetation planets. All this is necessary for planet Earth to exist after us.

The greenhouse effect is a phenomenon in which the solar heat entering the Earth is retained at the Earth's surface by so-called greenhouse or greenhouse gases. These gases include the familiar carbon dioxide and methane, the content of which in the atmosphere is steadily increasing. This is facilitated primarily not only by the burning of gigantic volumes of fuel, but also by a number of other factors, including deforestation, emissions of freons into the atmosphere, and improper agriculture and overgrazing of livestock. Deforestation is especially dangerous and undesirable. It will lead not only to water and wind erosion, thereby disturbing the soil cover, but will also continue the non-renewable decline organic matter biosphere, the same one that absorbs carbon dioxide from the atmosphere. It should also be noted that at least 25% of this gas contained in the atmosphere is due to unjustified deforestation in the northern and southern zones. Even more alarming is the evidence that deforestation and fuel combustion balance each other out in terms of carbon dioxide emissions. Forests also suffer due to their excessive use for recreation and recreation. Often the presence of tourists in such cases leads to mechanical damage to the trees and their subsequent illness and death. Mass visits also contribute to trampling of the soil and lower layers of vegetation.

The degeneration of forests with significant air pollution is very noticeable. Fly ash, coal and coke dust clog leaf pores, reduce light access to plants and weaken the assimilation process. Soil pollution with emissions of metal dust, arsenic dust in combination with superphosphate or sulfuric acid poisons the root system of plants, retarding its growth. Sulfur dioxide is also toxic to plants. Vegetation is completely destroyed under the influence of fumes and gases from copper smelters in the immediate vicinity. Damage to vegetation, and primarily to forests, is caused by acidic precipitation as a result of the spread of sulfur compounds over hundreds and thousands of kilometers. Acidic precipitation has a regional destructive effect on forest soils. A noticeable decrease in forest biomass is apparently also due to fires. Of course, plants are characterized by the process of photosynthesis, during which plants absorb carbon dioxide, which serves as biomass, but recently the level of pollution has increased so much that plants can no longer cope with it. According to scientists, every year all land vegetation absorbs 20–30 billion tons of carbon dioxide from the atmosphere in the form of its dioxide, and the Amazon alone absorbs up to 6 billion tons of harmful atmospheric impurities. Algae play an important role in the absorption of carbon dioxide.

Another problem of the modern dynamically developing world is the improper management of agriculture, which in some cases uses slash-and-burn crops that have not yet been eliminated in the equatorial regions. fire system and overgrazing of livestock leading to the same soil compaction. The problem of fuel combustion and the release of dangerous industrial gases such as freons is also traditional.

History of greenhouse effect research

An interesting point of view was put forward by the Soviet climatologist N. I. Budyko in 1962. According to his calculations, the concentration of atmospheric CO 2 is predicted to increase in 2000 to 380 parts per million, in 2025 - to 520 and in 2050. - up to 750. The average annual surface global air temperature will increase, in his opinion, compared to its value at the beginning of the twentieth century. by 0.9 degrees Celsius in 2000, by 1.8 degrees in 2025 and by 2.8 degrees in 2050. That is, we should not expect glaciation.

However, the study of the greenhouse effect began much earlier. The idea of ​​the mechanism of the greenhouse effect was first outlined in 1827 by Joseph Fourier in the article “Note on the Temperatures of the Globe and Other Planets,” in which he considered the various mechanisms of 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 of the 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 between the inside and outside of such a vessel exposed to direct 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 to the optical properties of glass, that is, its transparency in the infrared range is lower than transparency in the optical range.

The conclusions of other geophysicists such as V.I. Lebedev are also known. He believes that an increase in the concentration of CO 2 in the air should not affect the earth's climate at all, while the productivity of terrestrial vegetation, and in particular grain crops, will increase.

Physicist B. M. Smirnov also points to the possibility of increasing yields. In this regard, he considers the accumulation of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere as a factor beneficial for humanity.

A different point of view is held by the so-called Club of Rome, founded in 1968 and the Americans came to the conclusion that there is a gradual increase in the amount of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere. The opinions of a number of scientists about the cyclical nature of climate are interesting, saying that there are “warm” and “cold” centuries. This is not to say that they are wrong, because everyone is right in their own way. That is, in modern climatology we clearly trace 3 directions:

Optimistic

Pessimistic

Neutral

Causes of the greenhouse effect

In the modern balance of consumption of organic matter, 45% in our country belongs to natural gas in terms of reserves of which we occupy 1st place in the world. Its advantage over others organic fuel(fuel oil, coal, oil, etc.) is obvious: it has a lower carbon dioxide emission factor. In the global fuel balance, natural gas occupies a much more modest role - only 25%. Currently, the concentration of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere is 0.032% (in cities - 0.034%). Doctors say that the concentration of CO 2 in the air is harmless to human health up to a level of 1%, i.e. humanity still has enough time to solve this problem. The data from the RAS Institute is interesting. Thus, annual reports on air pollution problems provide data that Russia exhales 3.12 billion tons of carbon dioxide, with 1.84 kg per person per day. The lion's share of carbon dioxide is emitted by the car. Added to this are 500 million tons from forest fires, but overall in Russia the level of pollution is an order of magnitude lower than in foreign countries such as the USA. But the problem is not limited to carbon dioxide alone. Gases that create a greenhouse effect include a number of others, such as methane, so it is very important to be able to determine its real losses during production, transportation through pipelines, distribution in large cities and towns, and use in thermal and power plants. It should be noted that its concentration remained unchanged for a long time, and from the 19th to 20th centuries it began to grow rapidly.

According to scientists, the amount of oxygen in the atmosphere decreases annually by more than 10 million tons. If its consumption continues at this rate, then two-thirds of the total amount of free oxygen in the atmosphere and hydrosphere will be exhausted in just over 100 thousand years. Accordingly, the carbon dioxide content in the atmosphere will reach excessive concentrations.

According to research by Russian, French, and American scientists, the total level of these gases has reached its historical maximum over the past 420 thousand years, surpassing even emissions of natural origin, which include volcanism and the release of hydrates from the ocean floor. Proof of this is data from the “Pole of Cold” of the Russian Antarctic station Vostok, where polar explorers obtained an ice core with a thickness of 2547 m, clearly demonstrating this or similar data from glacial Tibet, one of the highest places on our planet.

It must be said that the natural greenhouse effect has always been characteristic of the Earth. It is with this that the age-old and not only cyclical climate is connected. A number of scientists also suggest that they are caused by a change in the Earth’s orbit relative to the Sun, but the inconsistency of this theory is obvious. Every year our planet passes 2 points of perihelion and aphelion, leading to a change in the planet’s orbit. Nevertheless, any significant changes, with the exception of the change of seasons, characteristic of other terrestrial planets such as Mars, do not occur. Large-scale changes occur extremely rarely, so there is no need to talk about the prevailing role of this factor.

Since the end of the 19th century, there has been a continuous debate between ecocentrists, who believe that a breakdown in cyclicality occurred with the beginning of industrialization, and anthropocentrists, who believe that this process is influenced not only by human economic activity. Here, first of all, it is necessary to note the differentiation of emissions. After all, even the United States emits only 20% of the global level, and the emissions of the “third world” countries, which after 1991 include Russia, do not exceed 10%.

But even standing aside from this debate, the evidence of climate warming becomes obvious. This is confirmed by a simple fact. Back in 1973 in the USSR on November 7 - the day of the Great October Revolution Socialist Revolution There was snow removal equipment in front of the column of demonstrators, but now there is no snow even in early December and even in January! Continuing this topic, geographers have already included 1990, 1995, 1997 and the last 2 years in the “list of the warmest” over the past 600 years. And in general, the 20th century, despite a number of costs, was recognized as the “warmest” in 1200 years!

However, apparently this is how man works - the only creature on Earth in the literal sense of the word “sawing the tree on which he sits.” What I mean is that the above information discovered in America makes you at least think, but at the same time, in the southeast of this country (Florida), swamps are being drained for the construction of prestigious houses and sugar cane plantations.

Possible consequences of the greenhouse effect

Nature never forgives mistakes. Climate change from the greenhouse effect can reach, and in some cases exceed, our wildest expectations. In this context, the most dangerous and alarming is the melting of the polar ice caps, as a result of a general increase in temperature by 5 degrees. As a result, chain reactions akin to the “domino effect” will begin. The melting of glaciers will lead, first of all, to an increase in the level of the World Ocean by, at best, 5–7 meters, and in the future even up to 60 meters. Entire countries will disappear, in particular low-lying ones such as Bangladesh, Denmark, the Netherlands, and many port cities around the world such as Rotterdam and New York. All this will lead to the second “great migration of peoples”, this time from the low-lying zones, in which, according to UN estimates, about a billion people live. Moreover, if over the last 250-300 years the level of the World Ocean has risen by an average of 1 mm per year, then in the 20s of the twentieth century. its rise reached 1.4-1.5 mm per year, which is equivalent to the annual increase in oceanic water mass for 520-540 cc. km. It is assumed that in the 20s of the XXI century. the rate of ocean level rise will exceed 0.5 cm per year. An increase in water mass will affect seismicity in different areas of the planet. By 2030, the Gulf Stream will disappear as a current. The consequence of this will be a decrease in the contrast between North and South.

Other existing ecosystems will also change. In particular, due to the change in the oblateness of the planet in Africa and Asia, crop yields will fall, the risk of catastrophic floods in Europe will increase, east coast USA, where coastal erosion will also occur. Thus, a number of catastrophically radical climate changes will occur in the UK, including a manifold increase in the frequency of hot and dry summers similar to the summer of 1995. Two such summers in a row will lead to drought, crop failure and famine. Aquitaine, Gascony, and Normandy will disappear from the map of France. In place of Paris there will be an ocean. The sword of Damocles hangs over Venice. Severe droughts will engulf Australia, the states of Texas, California, and long-suffering Florida. Where rain was very rare, it will become even rarer, in other wetter areas the amount of precipitation will increase even more. Average annual temperatures in Algeria will increase, glaciers in the Caucasus and Alps will disappear, and in the Himalayas and Andes they will decrease by 1/5, permafrost will disappear in Russia, calling into question the existence of northern cities. Siberia will change radically. The valleys of many rivers such as the Rio Grande, Magdalena, Amazon, and Parana will disappear. The Panama Canal will lose its importance. So, if we agree with the calculations of some scientists, then by the end of the first quarter of the 21st century. As a result of warming caused by an increase in CO 2 concentration in the atmosphere, the climate of Moscow will be similar to the modern climate of humid Transcaucasia.

There will be a restructuring of the entire atmospheric circulation system with corresponding changes in the thermal regime and humidification. The process of reformation will begin geographical zones with their “shift” to higher latitudes by a distance of up to 15 degrees. It must be taken into account that the atmosphere is a very dynamic system and can change extremely quickly; As for other components of the geosphere, they are more conservative. Thus, it takes hundreds of years for radical changes in soil cover. A situation is possible when the most fertile soils, for example chernozems, will find themselves in desert climatic conditions, and the already waterlogged and swampy taiga lands will receive even more precipitation. Desert areas may increase dramatically. Indeed, even at present, desertification processes are developing on 50-70 thousand square meters. km of cultivated areas. Warming will lead to an increase in the number of cyclones, including hurricanes. It is also important that certain animal populations may simply disappear from the face of the Earth, while a number of others may decline catastrophically. There is no doubt that the advancement of the tropical and subtropical zones will lead to an expansion of the habitats of pathogenic microbes and bacteria. Energy will also incur significant costs. Everything wasn't so bad if it weren't for the speed of everything that was happening. A person does not have time to adapt to changed conditions, because 50 centuries ago, when a similar phenomenon was observed, there were no factors accelerating it tens or even hundreds of times. Especially in this regard, developing countries that have just begun to create their economies suffer.

On the other hand, warming promises us great opportunities that people may not yet be aware of. There is no need to immediately refute these few statements. After all, man, in the words of Vernadsky, “a great geological force,” can reorganize his economy in a new way, for which nature, in turn, will provide great opportunities. So the forests will move further north and cover, in particular, all of Alaska; the opening of rivers in the Northern Hemisphere will occur 2 weeks earlier compared to the same period in the 19th century. This will give a “new breath” to river shipping. Agronomists will undoubtedly not be against increasing the growing season of plants in Europe by 1 month; there will be more wood. There are calculations by physicists according to which, when the concentration of CO 2 in the atmosphere doubles, the air temperature will increase by no more than 0.04 degrees Celsius. Thus, an increase in CO 2 concentration on such a scale may be more likely to be useful for agricultural production, because should be accompanied by an increase in the intensity of photosynthesis (by 2-3%).

Migratory birds will arrive earlier and stay with us longer than now. Winters will become significantly warmer, and summers will lengthen and become hotter; the heating season will objectively shorten in cities where warming will average about 3 degrees. In Russia, agriculture in the future may move to the north, as N.S. Khrushchev wanted, but the most important thing is that Russia will be able to raise these regions, destroyed by the liberal reforms of the 90s, by connecting them into a single road network we're talking about about the construction of a fundamentally new railway from Yakutsk further to Anadyr and Alaska through the Bering Strait and the possible continuation of existing ones such as the Transpolar Railway.

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"Vitebsk State Order of Peoples' Friendship Medical University"

Department of Medical and Biological Physics

Greenhouse effect: essence and characteristics

Student gr. No. 24

Bognat I.M.

Vitebsk, 2014

Introduction

The greenhouse effect as a problem faces our generation, the generation of new technologies, great opportunities, however, even modern technology and superpowers, which represent strength and opportunity, are by no means omnipotent, the most powerful force, which will be able to eliminate one of the most pressing problems today - the greenhouse effect. Only through joint efforts can we preserve the heritage of nature, as well as save our lives. After all, the Earth is ours common house. For me personally, the relevance of this topic is represented by the lines written above. I hope that this topic, which I will try to reveal today, will help, familiarize and guide people who care about our future on the right path!

The tasks that I would like to consider in this essay:

The essence of the greenhouse effect

What threats does it pose?

What will happen in the end and how to avoid it

As well as the main producers of the greenhouse effect

The purpose of my essay is described by the wonderful phrase of the Russian Soviet writer Mikhail Mikhailovich Prishvin: To protect nature means to protect the Motherland

1. History of the greenhouse effect

In order to consider the topic of the essay, it is necessary to delve a little into the history of the problem itself:

The greenhouse effect (greenhouse effect) of the atmosphere, the property of the atmosphere to transmit solar radiation, but retain earthly radiation and thereby contribute to the accumulation of heat by the Earth. The earth's atmosphere transmits short-wave solar radiation relatively well, which is almost completely absorbed by the earth's surface, since the albedo of the earth's surface is generally small. Heating due to absorption solar radiation, earth's surface becomes a source of terrestrial, mainly long-wave, radiation, the transparency of the atmosphere for which is low and which is almost completely absorbed in the atmosphere. Thanks to P. e. with a clear sky, only 10-20% of the earth's radiation can, penetrating through the atmosphere, go into outer space.

And so, the first person to talk about this problem was Joseph Fourier, in 1827 in the article “A Note on the Temperatures of the Globe and Other Planets.”

Even then, the scientist built theories about the mechanisms by which the formation of the Earth's climate occurs, while he considered both factors influencing the overall heat balance of the Earth (heating by solar radiation, cooling due to radiation, internal heat of the Earth), and factors influencing heat transfer and temperatures of climatic zones (thermal conductivity, atmospheric and oceanic circulation).

The conclusions of the experiment conducted by the scientist M. de Saussure require special attention: A vessel blackened from the inside, which was exposed to direct sunlight, was measured for temperature. A little later, 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 latter factor that received the name of the greenhouse effect in later literature - absorbing visible light.

A planet with a stable atmosphere, such as Earth, experiences much the same effect -- on a global scale.

To maintain a constant temperature, the Earth itself needs to emit as much energy as it absorbs from the visible light emitted towards us by the Sun. The atmosphere serves as glass in a greenhouse - it is not as transparent to infrared radiation as it is to sunlight. Molecules of various substances in the atmosphere (the most important of them are carbon dioxide and water) absorb infrared radiation, acting as greenhouse gases. Thus, infrared photons emitted by the earth's surface do not always go directly into space. Some of them are absorbed by greenhouse gas molecules in the atmosphere. When these molecules re-radiate the energy they have absorbed, they can radiate it both outward into space and inward, back toward the Earth's surface. The presence of such gases in the atmosphere creates the effect of covering the Earth with a blanket. They cannot stop heat from escaping outward, but they do allow heat to remain near the surface for more for a long time, so the Earth's surface is much warmer than it would be in the absence of gases. Without the atmosphere, the average surface temperature would be -20°C, well below the freezing point of water.

It is important to understand that the greenhouse effect has always existed on Earth. Without the greenhouse effect caused by carbon dioxide in the atmosphere, the oceans would have frozen long ago, and higher forms life would not have appeared. Currently, the scientific debate about the greenhouse effect is on the issue of global warming: are we, humans, disturbing the energy balance of the planet too much as a result of burning fossil fuels and other economic activities, while adding excessive amounts of carbon dioxide to the atmosphere? Today, scientists agree that we are responsible for increasing the natural greenhouse effect by several degrees.

The greenhouse effect does not only occur on Earth. In fact, the strongest greenhouse effect we know of is on our neighboring planet, Venus. The atmosphere of Venus consists almost entirely of carbon dioxide, and as a result the surface of the planet is heated to 475 ° C. Climatologists believe that we have avoided such a fate thanks to the presence of oceans on Earth. The oceans absorb atmospheric carbon and it accumulates in rocks, such as limestone - through this, carbon dioxide is removed 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, we observe an uncontrollable greenhouse effect on Venus.

Since the Earth receives energy from the Sun, mainly in the visible part of the spectrum, and the Earth itself, in response, emits mainly infrared rays into outer space.

However, many gases contained in its atmosphere - water vapor, CO2, methane, nitrous oxide - are transparent to visible rays, but actively absorb infrared rays, thereby retaining some of the heat in the atmosphere.

The gases that cause the greenhouse effect are not only carbon dioxide (CO2). However, it is the combustion of hydrocarbon fuels, accompanied by the release of CO2, that is considered the main cause of pollution.

Statistics on the formation of carbon dioxide can be seen in the right.

The reason for the rapid increase in the amount of greenhouse gases is obvious - humanity now burns as much fossil fuel per day as it was formed over thousands of years during the formation of oil, coal and gas deposits. From this “push” the climate system went out of “equilibrium” and we see larger number secondary negative phenomena: especially hot days, droughts, floods, sudden changes in weather, and this is what causes the greatest damage.

According to researchers, if nothing is done, global CO2 emissions will quadruple over the next 125 years. But we must not forget that a significant part of future sources of pollution has not yet been built. Over the past hundred years, temperatures in the northern hemisphere have increased by 0.6 degrees. The predicted temperature increase over the next century will be between 1.5 and 5.8 degrees. The most likely option is 2.5-3 degrees.

However, climate change is not just about rising temperatures. The changes also affect other climatic phenomena. Not only extreme heat, but also severe sudden frosts, floods, mudflows, tornadoes, and hurricanes are explained by the effects of global warming. The climate system is too complex to be expected to change uniformly and uniformly in all parts of the planet. AND main danger Scientists today see precisely the increase in deviations from average values ​​- significant and frequent temperature fluctuations.

However, carbon dioxide emissions are not the entire list of the main causes of the greenhouse effect; a clear example of this is the opinion of the majority of scientists who believe that the main sources are:

Increased evaporation of water in the oceans.

Increased emissions of carbon dioxide, methane, and nitrous oxide as a result of human industrial activity.

Rapid melting of glaciers, changes in climatic zones, which leads to a decrease in the reflectivity of the Earth's surface, glaciers and reservoirs.

Decomposition of water and methane compounds that are located near the poles. A slowdown in currents, including the Gulf Stream, which can cause a sharp cooling in the Arctic. Disruption of the structure of the ecosystem, reduction in the area of ​​tropical forests, disappearance of populations of many animals, expansion of the habitat of tropical microorganisms.

2. Industrial age

The strengthening of the greenhouse effect in the industrial era is associated primarily with an increase in the content of technogenic carbon dioxide in the atmosphere due to the combustion of fossil organic fuels by energy enterprises, metallurgical plants, and automobile engines: C + O = CO2, C3H8+ 502 = 3CO2 + 4H2O, C25H52 + 38O2 = 25СО2+26Н20, 2С8Н18+25О2 = 16СО2 + 18Н2О.

The amount of man-made CO2 emissions into the atmosphere increased significantly in the second half of the 20th century. The main reason for this was the colossal dependence of the world economy on fossil fuels. Industrialization, urbanization and rapid growth of the world's population have led to an increase in global demand for electricity, which is met mainly by burning fossil fuels. The growth of energy consumption has always been considered not only an important condition for technical progress, but also a favorable factor for the existence and development of human civilization. When man learned to make fire, the first leap in changes in the standard of living occurred; the energy resources were human muscular strength and firewood.

Energy consumption growth is currently about 5% per year, which, with population growth at just under 2% per year, means more than a doubling of per capita consumption. In 2000, the world consumed more than 16-109 kWh of energy, a quarter of this amount came from the United States and the same amount from developing countries together with China (Russia's share is about 6%). Currently, fossil fuels account for more than 90% of all primary energy resources, providing 75% of global production electrical energy. As a result of the combustion of fossil fuels only at thermal power plants (TPPs), not counting the operation of automobile engines and metallurgical enterprises, more than 5 billion tons of carbon dioxide are released into the atmosphere annually (25% of man-made carbon dioxide emissions into the atmosphere come from the United States and European Union countries, 1 1% - China, 9% - Russia).

Since the beginning of the 20th century, according to UN experts, the increase in CO2 emissions ranged from 0.5 to 5% per year. As a result, over the past hundred years, 400 billion tons of carbon dioxide have been released into the atmosphere through fuel combustion alone.

Development of industrialization and economic activity humans lead to the release of more and more impurities into the air, creating the famous greenhouse effect - carbon dioxide, methane and other “dirt”. This, accordingly, leads to the fact that average annual temperatures are slowly but surely increasing. Despite the fact that from year to year growth is measured in tenths and hundredths of a degree, quite respectable values ​​of several degrees Celsius accumulate over decades and centuries.

The latest climate models give the following result: by the beginning of the next century, that is, by 2100, the Earth’s climate will become warmer by 2-4.5 degrees relative to the so-called “pre-industrial” level (that is, relative to that ancient period when industry had not yet begun to emit greenhouse gases into the atmosphere). The average rating hovers around three degrees.

What is most important, however, does not seem to be how much the Earth will warm up during the 21st century. More importantly, the scientific world has generally agreed on the causes of the temperature jump. Over the past 20-30 years, the anthropogenic theory of global warming has constantly faced criticism from skeptics who believed that there may be natural causes. By 2007, the overwhelming majority of scientists agreed that neither solar radiation, nor volcanic activity, nor other natural phenomena could produce such a powerful thermal effect.

Consequences

The main consequence is an increase in the average annual temperature on the planet, i.e. global warming. All other negative consequences follow from this:

increase in water evaporation

drying up of fresh water sources

change in intensity, frequency of precipitation

melting glaciers (leads to disturbances in all ecosystems)

climate change.

Thus, an imbalance in the climate regulation system manifests itself in the form of an increase in frequency and intensification of abnormal weather phenomena, such as storms, hurricanes and tornadoes, floods and tsunamis. Research has shown that in 2004, the world experienced twice as many disasters as scientists predicted. Heavy rains over Europe gave way to drought. In the summer of the same year the temperature was in the range European countries reached 40 °C, although usually the maximum temperature does not exceed 25-30 °C. And finally, 2004 ended with a powerful earthquake in Southeast Asia (December 26), which generated a tsunami that killed hundreds of thousands of people.

Climate change could cost the world hundreds of billions of dollars unless urgent action is taken to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. Serious enough social consequences climate change for Russia. In a number of regions of Russia, droughts have become more frequent, the flood regime has changed, the area of ​​wetlands is increasing, and the zones of reliable agriculture are decreasing. All this causes significant damage to the relatively poor segments of the population associated with the agricultural sector.

Solutions to the problem

Unfortunately, if we stop polluting the atmosphere with carbon dioxide right now, even this will not stop the greenhouse catastrophe. The level of CO2 concentration present in the atmosphere today will inevitably increase the temperature on our planet by ten degrees in a few years. In addition, the complexity of the problem to be solved, according to climatologists, is the study and description of currents in the oceans. For this reason, no one is able to determine the exact lines of the disaster. Most experts agree that global warming will lead to a stop of the Gulf Stream and will all happen quite quickly - within two to three years. If this is destined to come true, then a cold snap is inevitable in the northern part of Europe, America and Russia. As a result, a significant part of the inhabited territory will become uninhabitable. Socio-economic problems will worsen, people will begin to migrate to more suitable areas for living. The entire territory of developed countries will turn into a disaster zone, and the expectation of the collapse of the world system of political and economic ties will become completely realistic. In this situation, the most important circumstance will be maintaining balance in the political system and preventing preconditions for the development of a global nuclear war. Therefore, to urgently reduce the greenhouse effect and air pollution, humanity needs to progressively but inevitably:

Reduce hydrocarbon fuel consumption. Dramatically reduce the use of coal and oil, which emit 60% more carbon dioxide per unit of energy produced than any other fossil fuel overall;

Increase energy efficiency, both at the domestic and industrial level; this also includes the introduction of more efficient heating and cooling systems into housing construction;

Increase the use of renewable energy sources - solar, wind and geothermal;

At existing power plants and factory furnaces that burn hydrocarbons, use filters and catalysts to remove carbon dioxide from emissions into the atmosphere, as well as introduce mechanisms at the state level that will significantly slow down the deforestation and degradation of forests;

Actively participate in the development of supranational agreements that ensure reductions in greenhouse gas emissions into the atmosphere (Kyoto Protocol).

Increase investments in scientific and practical developments and innovative technologies to neutralize the environmentally harmful consequences of human activity.

In parallel with reducing emissions of carbon dioxide and five other types of greenhouse gases, it is now very important to strengthen the fight against other harmful emissions into the atmosphere. Emissions harmful to human health include:

Products of incomplete oxidation (unburnt hydrocarbons - soot and carbon monoxide - carbon monoxide)

Oxidation products of impurities contained in fuel (sulfur oxides)

nitrogen oxides (cause asthma)

Particulate matter

Sulfuric and carbonic acids formed in the exhaust tract during condensation of water vapor

Anti-knock and wear-resistant additives and their destruction products

By-products of metallurgical and chemical production released into the atmosphere (brown smoke)

Radioactive emissions

Emissions from waste decomposition in landfills (methane).

greenhouse technogenic temperature climate

Conclusion

And so, in my abstract, I achieved the above objectives, achieved the necessary goal, and also described in detail the very essence of the problem. Of course, today many programs have been developed to ensure, or rather, slow down the greenhouse effect, one of the problems of their implementation is the unequal provision of resources, technology, the same corruption, dishonest work - all these problems are not directly related to the nature and capabilities of our race, but with the very essence of man. In the face of global catastrophes, humanity must unite, and not create regular conferences and international organizations. In my opinion, it is necessary to forcibly agitate the population to preserve nature, increase fines for non-compliance with international standards, carry out actions among the population, and so on, only with such methods, methods of working with the population, can success be achieved, because no technology can replace human life. The fight for life has begun!

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Greenhouse effect – the process of rising temperatures at the earth's surface due to increasing concentrations of greenhouse gases (Figure 3).

Greenhouse gases– these are gaseous compounds that intensively absorb infrared rays (heat rays) and contribute to heating the surface layer of the atmosphere; these include: primarily CO 2 (carbon dioxide), as well as methane, chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs), nitrogen oxides, ozone, water vapor.

These impurities prevent long-wave thermal radiation from the earth's surface. Some of this absorbed thermal radiation returns back to the earth's surface. Consequently, with an increase in the concentration of greenhouse gases in the ground layer of the atmosphere, the intensity of absorption of infrared radiation emanating from the earth’s surface also increases, and therefore the air temperature increases (climate warming).

Important Feature greenhouse gases - maintaining a relatively constant and moderate temperature on the surface of our planet. For maintaining favorable temperature conditions At the Earth's surface, carbon dioxide and water are mainly responsible.

Figure 3. Greenhouse effect

The earth is in thermal equilibrium with your surroundings. This means that the planet radiates energy into space at a speed equal speed absorption of solar energy. Since the Earth is a relatively cold body with a temperature of 254 K, the radiation of such cold bodies falls on the long-wave (low energy) part of the spectrum, i.e. The maximum intensity of the Earth's radiation is located near the wavelength of 12,000 nm.

Most of this radiation is retained by CO 2 and H 2 O, which absorbs it in the infrared region, thereby preventing heat from dissipating and maintaining a uniform temperature suitable for life at the Earth’s surface. Water vapor plays an important role in maintaining the temperature of the atmosphere at night, when the earth's surface radiates energy into outer space and does not receive solar energy. In deserts with a very arid climate, where the concentration of water vapor is very low, it is unbearably hot during the day, but very cold at night.

The main reasons for the strengthening of the greenhouse effect– significant release of greenhouse gases into the atmosphere and an increase in their concentrations; what happens due to the intensive burning of fossil fuels (coal, natural gas, petroleum products), removal of vegetation: deforestation; drying out of forests due to pollution, burning of vegetation during fires, etc. As a result, the natural balance between the consumption of CO 2 by plants and its intake during respiration (physiological, decay, combustion) is disrupted.

As scientists write, with a probability of more than 90%, it is human activity in burning natural fuels and the resulting greenhouse effect that largely explains global warming in the last 50 years. Processes caused by human activity are like a train that has lost control. It is almost impossible to stop them; warming will continue for at least several centuries, or even a whole millennium. As ecologists have established, until now the lion's share of the heat has been absorbed by the world's oceans, but the capacity of this giant battery is running out - the water has warmed up to a depth of three kilometers. The result is global climate change.

Concentration of the main greenhouse gas(CO 2) in the atmosphere at the beginning of the 20th century was » 0.029%, by now it has reached 0.038%, i.e. grew by almost 30%. If current impacts on the biosphere are allowed to continue, by 2050 the concentration of CO 2 in the atmosphere will double. In this connection, it is predicted that the temperature on Earth will increase by 1.5 °C - 4.5 °C (in the polar regions up to 10 °C, in the equatorial regions - 1 °C -2 °C).

This, in turn, can lead to a critical increase in atmospheric temperature in arid zones, which will lead to the death of living organisms and a decrease in their vital activity; desertification of new territories; melting of polar and mountain glaciers, which means raising the level of the world ocean by 1.5 m, flooding coastal zones, increased storm activity, population migration.

Consequences of global warming:

1. As a result of global warming, it is predicted change in atmospheric circulation , changes in precipitation distribution, changes in the structure of biocenoses; in a number of areas, a decrease in agricultural yields.

2. Global climate change . Australia will suffer more. Climatologists predict a climate catastrophe for Sydney: by 2070, the average temperature in this Australian metropolis will rise by about five degrees, forest fires will devastate its surroundings, and giant waves will destroy sea beaches. Europe will be devastated by climate change. The ecosystem will be destabilized by relentlessly rising temperatures, EU scientists predict in a report. In the north of the continent, crop yields will increase as the growing season and frost-free period increase. Already warm and arid climate This part of the planet will become even warmer, leading to droughts and drying up of many fresh water reservoirs ( Southern Europe). These changes will pose a real challenge for farmers and foresters. In Northern Europe warm winters will be accompanied by increased precipitation levels. Warming in the north of the region will also lead to positive phenomena: the expansion of forests and increased yields. However, they will go hand in hand with flooding, the destruction of coastal areas, the disappearance of some animal and plant species, and the melting of glaciers and permafrost areas. IN Far Eastern and Siberian regions the number of cold days will decrease by 10-15, and in the European part - by 15-30.

3. Global climate change is already costing humanity 315 thousand lives annually, and this figure is constantly increasing every year. It causes diseases, droughts and other weather anomalies, from which people are already dying. The organization's experts also provide other data - according to their estimates, currently more than 325 million people, usually from developing countries, are affected by climate change. Experts estimate the impact of global warming on the global economy at $125 billion in damage annually, and by 2030 this amount could rise to $340 billion.

4. Examination 30 glaciers in various regions of the globe, conducted by the World Glacier Watch, showed that in 2005 the thickness of the ice cover decreased by 60-70 centimeters. This figure is 1.6 times higher than the annual average of the 90s and 3 times – average 1980s Some experts believe that, given that the thickness of the glaciers is only a few tens of meters, if their melting continues at this rate, in a few decades the glaciers will disappear completely. The most dramatic processes of glacier melting have been observed in Europe. Thus, the Norwegian Breidalblikkbrea glacier lost more than three meters in 2006, which is 10 times more than in 2005. Threatening melting of glaciers has been noted in Austria, Switzerland, Sweden, France, Italy and Spain. In the area of ​​the Himalayan mountains. The current trend of melting glaciers suggests that rivers like the Ganges, Indus, Brahmaputra (the highest river in the world) and other rivers crossing the northern plain of India may become seasonal rivers in the near future due to climate change.

5. Swift thawing permafrost Due to climate warming, today it poses a serious threat to the Russian northern regions, half of which are located in the so-called “permafrost zone”. Experts from the Ministry of Emergency Situations of the Russian Federation give forecasts: according to their calculations, the area of ​​permafrost in Russia over the next 30 years will decrease by more than 20%, and the depth of soil thawing - by 50%. The greatest changes in climate may occur in the Arkhangelsk region, the Komi Republic, Khanty-Mansiysk Autonomous Okrug and Yakutia. Experts predict that the thawing of permafrost will lead to significant changes in the landscape, flooding of rivers, and the formation of thermokarst lakes. In addition, due to the thawing of permafrost, the rate of erosion of the Russian Arctic coasts will increase. Paradoxically, due to changes in the coastal landscape, the territory of Russia may be reduced by several tens of square kilometers. Due to climate warming from erosion coastline others suffer too Nordic countries. For example, the process of wave erosion will lead [http://ecoportal.su/news.php?id=56170] to the complete disappearance of the northernmost island of Iceland by 2020. The island of Kolbeinsey, which is considered the northernmost point of Iceland, will completely disappear under water by 2020 as a result of accelerating the process of abrasion - wave erosion of the coast.

6. World ocean level by 2100 could rise by 59 centimeters, according to a report by a UN expert group. But this is not the limit; if the ice of Greenland and Antarctica melts, then the level of the World Ocean may rise even higher. The location of St. Petersburg will then be indicated only by the top of the dome of St. Isaac's Cathedral and the spire of the Peter and Paul Fortress sticking out of the water. A similar fate will befall London, Stockholm, Copenhagen and other major coastal cities.

7. Tim Lenton, a climate expert at the University of East Anglia and his colleagues, using mathematical calculations, found that an increase in average annual temperature of even 2°C over 100 years would cause 20-40% of the deaths. Amazonian forests due to the impending drought. A 3°C rise in temperature will cause the death of 75% of forests within 100 years, and a 4°C rise in temperature will cause the disappearance of 85% of all Amazon forests. And they absorb CO 2 most efficiently (Photo: NASA, presentation).

8. At the current rate of global warming, by 2080 there will be up to 3.2 billion people per year. globe will encounter a problem shortage drinking water . Scientists note that water difficulties will primarily affect Africa and the Middle East, but a critical situation may also develop in China, Australia, parts of Europe and the United States. The UN has published a list of countries that will be most affected by climate change. It is led by India, Pakistan and Afghanistan.

9. Climate migrants . Global warming will lead to the fact that by the end of the 21st century, another category of refugees and migrants may be added to the various categories - climate-related ones. By 2100, the number of climate migrants could reach about 200 million people.

None of the scientists doubt that warming exists - it is obvious. But there are alternative points of view. For example, corresponding member Russian Academy Sciences, Doctor of Geographical Sciences, Professor, Head of the Department of Environmental Management, Moscow State University Andrey Kapitsa, considers climate change normal natural phenomenon. There is global warming, it alternates with global cooling.

Supporters "classical" approach to the problem of the greenhouse effect are based on the assumption of the Swedish scientist Svante Arrhenius about the heating of the atmosphere as a result of the fact that “greenhouse gases” freely transmit solar rays to the surface of the Earth and at the same time delay the radiation of the earth’s heat into space. However, heat exchange processes in the earth's atmosphere turned out to be much more complicated. The gas “layer” regulates the flow of solar heat differently than the glass of a home greenhouse.

In fact, gases such as carbon dioxide do not cause the greenhouse effect. This has been convincingly proven by Russian scientists. Academician Oleg Sorokhtin, working at the Institute of Oceanology of the Russian Academy of Sciences, was the first to create mathematical theory greenhouse effect. From his calculations, confirmed by measurements on Mars and Venus, it follows that even significant emissions of man-made carbon dioxide into the Earth’s atmosphere practically do not change the Earth’s thermal regime and do not create a greenhouse effect. On the contrary, we should expect a slight, fraction of a degree, cooling.

It was not the increased CO2 content in the atmosphere that led to warming, but As a result of warming, gigantic volumes of carbon dioxide were released into the atmosphere - mind you, without any human participation. 95 percent of CO 2 is dissolved in the world's oceans. It is enough for the water columns to warm up by half a degree - and the ocean will “exhale” carbon dioxide. Volcanic eruptions and forest fires also make a significant contribution to pumping CO 2 into the earth's atmosphere. Despite all the costs of industrial progress, the emission of greenhouse gases from the pipes of factories and thermal power plants does not exceed several percent of the total carbon dioxide turnover in nature.

There have been ice ages that were followed by global warming, and now we are in a period of global warming. Normal climate fluctuations, which are associated with fluctuations in the activity of the Sun and the Earth's orbit. Not at all with human activity.

We were able to look 800 thousand years ago into the Earth's past thanks to a well drilled into the thickness of a glacier in Antarctica (3800 m).

Using air bubbles preserved in the core, they determined the temperature, age, and carbon dioxide content and obtained curves for approximately 800 thousand years. Based on the ratio of oxygen isotopes in these bubbles, scientists determined the temperature at which snow fell. The data obtained covers most of Quaternary period. Of course, in the distant past, man could not influence nature. But it was found that the CO 2 content then changed very much. Moreover, each time it was the warming that preceded the increase in CO 2 concentration in the air. The theory of the greenhouse effect suggests the reverse sequence.

There are certain ice ages that alternate with periods of warming. Now we are just in a period of warming, and it has been going on since the Little Ice Age, which was in the 15th - 16th centuries; since the 16th century, there has been a warming of approximately one degree per century.

But what is called the “greenhouse effect” is not a proven fact. Physicists show that CO 2 does not affect the greenhouse effect.

In 1998 former president Frederick Seitz of the US National Academy of Sciences submitted a petition to the scientific community calling on the governments of the United States and other countries to reject the signing of the agreements reached in Kyoto to limit greenhouse gas emissions. The petition was accompanied by a survey from which it follows that the Earth has been warming over the past 300 years. And influence human activity climate change has not been reliably established. In addition, Seitz argues that increased CO2 stimulates photosynthesis in plants and thereby contributes to increased agricultural productivity and accelerated forest growth. The petition was signed by 16 thousand scientists. However, the Clinton administration brushed aside these appeals, making it clear that the debate about the nature of global climate change was over.

In fact, Cosmic factors lead to serious climate changes. Fluctuations change the temperature solar activity, as well as changes in the tilt of the earth's axis, the period of revolution of our planet. Fluctuations of this kind are known to have led to ice ages in the past.

The issue of global warming is a political issue. And here there is a struggle between two directions. One direction is those who use fuel, oil, gas, coal. They prove in every possible way that harm is caused by the transition to nuclear fuel. But supporters of nuclear fuel prove the opposite, that just the opposite - gas, oil, coal produce CO 2 and cause warming. This is a struggle between two large economic systems.

Publications on this topic are full of gloomy prophecies. I do not agree with such assessments. An increase in the average annual temperature of within one degree per century will not lead to fatal consequences. It takes a huge amount of energy to melt the ice of Antarctica, the boundaries of which have practically not shrunk over the entire period of observation. At least in the 21st century, climate disasters do not threaten humanity.

Deforestation and the pace of industrial development lead to the accumulation of harmful gases in the layers of the atmosphere, which create a shell and prevent the release of excess heat into space.

Ecological disaster or natural process?

Many scientists consider the process of rising temperatures to be a global environmental problem, which, in the absence of control over the anthropogenic influence on the atmosphere, can lead to irreversible consequences. It is believed that the first to discover the existence of the greenhouse effect and study the principles of its action was Joseph Fourier. In his research, the scientist considered various factors and mechanisms that influence climate formation. He studied the state of the planet's thermal balance and determined the mechanisms of its influence on average annual temperatures on the surface. It turned out that greenhouse gases play one of the main roles in this process. Infrared rays are retained on the Earth's surface, which is their effect on the heat balance. We will describe the causes and consequences of the greenhouse effect below.

The essence and principle of the greenhouse effect

An increase in the concentration of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere leads to an increase in the degree of penetration of short-wave solar radiation onto the surface of the planet, while a barrier is formed that prevents the release of long-wave thermal radiation from our planet into open space. Why is this barrier dangerous? Thermal radiation, which is retained in the lower spheres of the atmosphere, leads to an increase in ambient temperature, which negatively affects the ecological situation and leads to irreversible consequences.

The essence of the greenhouse effect can also be considered as the cause of global warming caused by an imbalance in the thermal balance of the planet. The mechanism of the greenhouse effect is associated with emissions of industrial gases into the atmosphere. However, to the negative impact of industry should be added deforestation, vehicle emissions, forest fires, and the use of thermal power plants to generate energy. The impact of deforestation on global warming and the greenhouse effect is due to the fact that trees actively absorb carbon dioxide and the reduction of their areas leads to an increase in the concentration of harmful gases in the atmosphere.

Ozone screen condition

The reduction in forest area, coupled with large volumes of emissions of harmful gases, leads to the problem of ozone layer destruction. Scientists are constantly analyzing the state of the ozone ball and their conclusions are disappointing. If current levels of emissions and deforestation continue, humanity will face the fact that the ozone layer will no longer be able to sufficiently protect the planet from the effects of solar radiation. The danger of these processes is caused by the fact that this will lead to a significant increase in environmental temperature, desertification of territories, and an acute shortage of drinking water and food. A diagram of the state of the ozone ball, the presence and location of holes can be found on many sites.

The state of the ozone shield worries environmental scientists. Ozone is the same as oxygen, but with a different triatomic model. Without oxygen, living organisms will not be able to breathe, but without the ozone ball, the planet will turn into a lifeless desert. The power of this transformation can be imagined by looking at the Moon or Mars. Depletion of the ozone shield under the influence of anthropogenic factors can lead to the appearance of ozone holes. The advantages of the ozone screen are also that it repels health hazards. ultraviolet radiation. Disadvantages - it is extremely fragile and too many factors lead to its destruction, and the restoration of characteristics is very slow.

Examples of how ozone depletion affects living organisms can be given for a long time. Scientists have noted that the number of cases of skin cancer has recently increased. It has been established that it is ultraviolet rays that contribute to the development of this disease. The second example is the extinction of plankton in the upper layers of the ocean in a number of regions of the planet. This leads to the disruption of the food chain; after the disappearance of plankton, many species of fish and marine mammals may disappear. Imagine how it works this system not difficult. It is important to understand what the results will be if measures are not taken to reduce anthropogenic impact on ecosystems. Or is it all a myth? Maybe life on the planet is not in danger? Let's figure it out.

Anthropogenic greenhouse effect

The greenhouse effect occurs as a result of the influence of human activities on surrounding ecosystems. The natural temperature balance on the planet is disrupted, more heat is retained under the influence of a shell of greenhouse gases, this leads to an increase in temperature on the surface of the Earth and ocean waters. The main reason leading to the greenhouse effect is the emission of harmful substances into the atmosphere as a result of the operation of industrial enterprises, vehicle emissions, fires and other harmful factors. In addition to disrupting the thermal balance of the planet, global warming, this causes pollution of the air we breathe and the water we drink. As a result, we will face illnesses and a general reduction in life expectancy.

Let's look at what gases cause the greenhouse effect:

• carbon dioxide;
• water vapor;
• ozone;
• methane.

It is carbon dioxide and water vapor that are considered to be the most hazardous substances which lead to the greenhouse effect. The content of methane, ozone and freon in the atmosphere also affects the disruption of the climate balance, which is due to their chemical composition, but their influence is currently not so serious. The gases that cause ozone holes also cause health problems. They contain substances that cause allergic reactions and respiratory diseases.

Sources of harmful gases are, first of all, industrial and automobile emissions. However, many scientists are inclined to believe that the greenhouse effect is also associated with the activity of volcanoes. Gases create a specific shell, which results in the formation of a cloud of steam and ash, which, depending on the direction of the wind, can pollute large areas.

How to combat the greenhouse effect?

According to ecologists and other scientists who deal with issues related to the conservation of biodiversity, climate change, and reducing human impact on the environment, it will not be possible to completely prevent the implementation of negative scenarios for human development, but it is possible to reduce the number of irreversible consequences of industry and humans on ecosystems. For this reason, many countries are introducing fees for the emission of harmful gases, introducing environmental standards into production, and developing options for how to reduce the destructive impact of humans on nature. However global problem lies in different levels of development of countries, in their attitude to social and environmental responsibility.

Ways to solve the problem of accumulation of harmful substances in the atmosphere:

• stopping deforestation, especially in equatorial and tropical latitudes;
• transition to electric vehicles. They are more environmentally friendly than conventional cars and do not pollute the environment;
• development of alternative energy. The transition from thermal power plants to solar, wind and hydroelectric power plants will not only reduce the volume of emissions of harmful substances into the atmosphere, but also reduce the use of non-renewable natural resources;
• introduction of energy-saving technologies;
• development of new low-carbon technologies;
• fight against forest fires, preventing their occurrence, establishing strict measures for violators;
• tightening of environmental legislation.

It is worth noting that it is impossible to compensate for the harm that humanity has already caused environment and fully restore ecosystems. For this reason, one should consider actively implementing actions aimed at reducing the consequences of anthropogenic impact. All decisions must be comprehensive and global. At this point in time, this is hampered by the imbalance in the level of development, life and education of rich and poor countries.