O greenhouse effect it is a climatic and atmospheric phenomenon responsible for the retention of heat from the sun's rays, causing the maintenance of temperatures. If he didn't exist, the days on Earth would be much colder. There is, however, some controversy involving the process of intensifying the greenhouse effect due to the emission of polluting gases into the atmosphere.
How does the greenhouse effect work?
The greenhouse effect gets its name because it works just like a glass greenhouse created to help raise plants. This greenhouse receives the heat waves, but does not allow them to disperse, contributing to the rapid heating of its internal area. A similar process can be observed, for example, when we leave a car locked in the sun for a long time: the sun's rays enter through the glass, but remain trapped inside. So, when we go into the car, we feel that the temperature inside it is much higher compared to the external environment.
Illustrative scheme of the greenhouse effect
Is the greenhouse effect natural or man-made?
The greenhouse effect is a natural and important process, as it is fundamental to human life. Without it, average temperatures would be below -15ºC, drastically reducing the diversity of species on the planet. However, its intensification is considered a result of human action on the environment and can lead to rising temperatures, causing terrible consequences in the structural logic of the planet, in the view of some scientists.
The main issue is the increase in the concentration of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere. The main "villain" gases would be Carbon Dioxide (CO2) and Methane (CH4), in addition to some others present in smaller quantities in the atmosphere. Such factor, according to some projections, would be the result of the emission of polluting gases, such as factory chimneys, forest burning, among other practices.
These gases work like car windows in the sun, as we explained in the previous example, letting the heat in in the atmosphere, but making it difficult to exit, causing a disproportionate rise in temperatures, which was called in Global warming.
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In the case of carbon dioxide, its absorption can be carried out by plant formations, such as forests and marine algae, which would have the function of absorbing CO2 and issue O2 for the atmosphere. However, with the pollution of the oceans and the destruction of forests, this process is compromised, which becomes another impact factor for the intensification of the greenhouse effect.
Mind Map: Greenhouse Effect
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Is there evidence that the greenhouse effect could become harmful to the planet?
The IPCC (Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change), a body subordinate to the Organization of the United Nations (UN), records that, between 1900 and 2000, there was an average rise of 0.6°C in the temperatures of the Earth. In addition, the agency claims that most of this increase occurred over the last 20 years of the 20th century. The IPCC claims that this increase is directly linked to the concentration of greenhouse gases in the planet's atmosphere and estimates that, if there is no changes in environmental policy in the world, temperatures are expected to increase 1.8º throughout the 21st century, causing major catastrophes environmental issues.
However, this position is not a consensus in the scientific community, and there are those climatologists who dispute such claims. For them, the data that affirm the increase in CO emissions2 in the atmosphere are unreliable as they are not in line with data from satellite projections. Furthermore, in their arguments, temperatures are not fully increasing and climatic variations would be cyclical and natural rather than anthropogenic.
Thus, we can say that there is no consensus neither against nor in favor of the interference that human action has on the greenhouse effect and its intensification, requiring the expansion of studies and the correct dissemination of its results.
By Me. Rodolfo Alves Pena
*Mental Map by Rafaela Sousa
Graduated in Geography