The Greenhouse Effect and Climate Change
The warming of the atmosphere by heat reflected from the
earth is called the greenhouse effect. Carbon dioxide in the air
is very important in this process because it absorbs heat. The
greenhouse effect actually makes the Earth habitable. During the past
century large amounts of carbon dioxide have been released into the
atmosphere by burning coal, oil, gas and wood. Some scientists
believe this process may enhance the greenhouse effect.
This enhanced greenhouse effect may change the heat
balance of the earth. This is a very complicated process. It
involves the plants which use carbon dioxide to produce food, the
circulation of the atmosphere, and heat and gas exchanges between the
air and the oceans. We know little about these matters on a
world-wide scale. Many people are now studying these subjects and
sophisticated computer models are being developed to help us better
understand the effects an enhanced greenhouse effect will have on a
global scale.
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A very small rise in the air temperature may have a very
great change on the earth. A rise of 3 degrees Celsius in average
annual temperature would make the grain growing areas of southern Alberta
and Saskatchewan unsuitable for agriculture. Reducing carbon
dioxide emissions would require basic changes in our lifestyles.
Even though there is some evidence that global temperatures are
increasing, these changes are very gradual and are presently within the
naturally occurring temperature cycles that the Earth has experienced
since the last ice age. The effects of climate change caused by an
enhanced greenhouse affect are still being debated.