Greenhouse gas formula. Greenhouse gases

Greenhouse gases - gaseous components of the atmosphere of natural or anthropogenic origin that absorb and re-emit infrared radiation.

Anthropogenic increase in atmospheric concentrations greenhouse gases leads to increased surface temperatures and climate change.
The list of greenhouse gases subject to limitation under the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (1992) is defined in Appendix A to the Kyoto Protocol (signed in Kyoto (Japan) in December 1997 by 159 states) and includes carbon dioxide (CO2) and methane ( CH4), nitrous oxide (N2O), perfluorocarbons (PFCs), hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs) and sulfur hexafluoride (SF6).

water vapor- the most widespread greenhouse gas - is excluded from this consideration, since there is no data on the increase in its concentration in the atmosphere (that is, the danger associated with it is not visible).

Carbon dioxide (carbon dioxide) (CO2)- the most important source of climate change, accounting for an estimated 64% of global warming.

Main emission sources carbon dioxide into the atmosphere are the production, transportation, processing and consumption of fossil fuels (86%), tropical deforestation and other biomass burning (12%), and remaining sources (2%), such as cement production and carbon monoxide oxidation. Once released, the carbon dioxide molecule cycles through the atmosphere and biota and is finally absorbed by oceanic processes or through long-term accumulation in terrestrial biological stores (i.e., taken up by plants). The amount of time at which approximately 63% of the gas is removed from the atmosphere is called the effective residence period. The estimated effective residence period for carbon dioxide ranges from 50 to 200 years.
Methane (CH4) has both natural and anthropogenic origin. In the latter case, it is formed as a result of fuel production, digestive fermentation (for example, in livestock), rice cultivation, deforestation (mainly due to the combustion of biomass and the breakdown of excess organic matter). Methane is estimated to account for approximately 20% of global warming. Methane emissions are a significant source of greenhouse gases.

Nitrous oxide (N2O)- the third most important greenhouse gas under the Kyoto Protocol. Released during production and use mineral fertilizers, V chemical industry, in agriculture, etc. It accounts for about 6% of global warming.

Perfluorocarbons- PFCs (Perfluorocarbons - PFCs). Hydrocarbon compounds in which fluorine partially replaces carbon. The main sources of emissions of these gases are the production of aluminum, electronics and solvents. During aluminum smelting, PFC emissions occur in an electric arc or during so-called “anode effects.”

Hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs)- hydrocarbon compounds in which halogens partially replace hydrogen. Gases created to replace ozone-depleting substances have exceptionally high GWPs (140 11700).

Sulfur hexafluoride (SF6)- greenhouse gas used as an electrical insulating material in the electric power industry. Emissions occur during its production and use. It persists in the atmosphere for an extremely long time and is an active absorber of infrared radiation. Therefore, this compound, even with relatively small emissions, has the potential to influence climate for a long time in the future.

Greenhouse effect from different gases can be reduced to a common denominator, expressing how much 1 ton of a particular gas gives a greater effect than 1 ton of CO2. For methane the conversion factor is 21, for nitrous oxide it is 310, and for some fluorinated gases it is several thousand.

1. Increasing the efficiency of energy use in relevant sectors of the national economy;
2. Protection and improvement of the quality of sinks and reservoirs of greenhouse gases, taking into account their obligations under the relevant international environmental agreements; promoting sound forestry practices, afforestation and reforestation in a sustainable manner;
3. Encouraging sustainable forms Agriculture in light of climate change considerations;
4. Promoting implementation, conducting research work, development and increased use of new and renewable energy, carbon dioxide absorption technologies and innovative environmentally friendly technologies;
5. Gradual reduction or elimination of market distortions, fiscal incentives, exemptions from taxes and duties, and subsidies that are contrary to the purpose of the Convention in all sectors that produce greenhouse gas emissions, and the use of market-based instruments;
6. Encouraging appropriate reforms in relevant sectors to facilitate the implementation of policies and measures that limit or reduce greenhouse gas emissions;
7. Measures to limit and/or reduce greenhouse gas emissions in transport;
Limit and/or reduce methane emissions through recovery and use in waste disposal, as well as in energy production, transportation and distribution.

These provisions of the Protocol are of a general nature and provide Parties with the opportunity to independently select and implement the set of policies and measures that will best suit national circumstances and priorities.
The main source of greenhouse gas emissions in Russia is the energy sector, which accounts for more than 1/3 of total emissions. The second place is occupied by the extraction of coal, oil and gas (16%), the third - industry and construction (about 13%).

Thus, the greatest contribution to reducing greenhouse gas emissions in Russia can be made by the implementation of huge potential energy saving. Currently, the energy intensity of the Russian economy exceeds the world average by 2.3 times, and average for EU countries - 3.2 times. The potential for energy saving in Russia is estimated at 39-47% of current energy consumption, and it mainly falls on electricity production, transmission and distribution of thermal energy, industrial sectors and unproductive energy losses in buildings.

The material was prepared based on information from open sources

Impact of greenhouse gases on climate

The group of greenhouse gases includes all types of gaseous compounds that affect the permeability of the atmosphere to sunlight and thermal energy. The presence of these gases in the atmospheric air is the reason that part of the thermal energy emitted by the Earth's surface does not go into space, but remains in the surface air layers. The higher the content of greenhouse gases in the atmospheric air, the more intensely the surface of the planet overheats.

Note 1

During geological history On Earth, their contents were constantly changing. At the same time, changes occurred in climatic indicators, as well as in a number of other parameters of the atmosphere, for example, its density, gas composition, transparency, etc., which largely determine the characteristics of the life activity of organisms. It is believed that since the Carboniferous period Paleozoic era(i.e., about 370 million years ago), the content of gases that contribute to the greenhouse effect stabilized at a level that allowed the planet to maintain temperature equilibrium.

The group of greenhouse gases includes:

  • water vapor,
  • carbon dioxide,
  • methane,
  • freons,
  • as well as nitrogen oxides and ozone.

Natural sources of greenhouse gases

Before the start of the industrial era, the main sources of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere were: evaporation of water from the surface of the World Ocean, volcanic activity and forest fires. Currently, volcanoes emit about 0.15–0.26 billion tons of carbon dioxide per year into the atmosphere. The specificity of volcanic activity is the extremely uneven supply of carbon monoxide into the atmosphere.

A lot of it is released during large eruptions, which occur relatively rarely - less than one per decade. At the same time, along with greenhouse gases, volcanoes also emit huge amounts of dust, which helps reduce the flow of solar radiation and some cooling. As modern research shows, the effect of the largest eruptions can cause a change in temperature on Earth on the order of several tenths of a degree, and last for several years. The amount of water vapor entering the atmosphere over the same period is equivalent to the evaporation of 355 thousand cubic kilometers of water.

Anthropogenic sources of greenhouse gases

With the intensification of industry, greenhouse gases began to enter the atmosphere during the combustion of fossil fuels (carbon dioxide), during development oil fields(methane), due to the loss of refrigerants and the use of aerosols (freon), rocket launches (nitrogen oxides), and the operation of automobile engines (ozone). In addition, human industrial activity has contributed to the reduction of forest areas, the main natural sinks of carbon dioxide on the continents.

Theoretically, with the complete combustion of fossil fuels (provided that all its deposits are exhausted), approximately the same amount of carbon dioxide will enter the atmosphere that was removed from it during geological history through the process of photosynthesis and preserved in the form of fossil carbon.

Since the oldest (and thinnest) deposits of caustobiolites date back to the Devonian period, it can be assumed that the content of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere will be slightly less than at the end of this period or at the beginning of the next, Carboniferous period (since the complete production of all useful components in modern deposits is not only economically unprofitable, but also technically extremely difficult). At this time, developed life already existed, including terrestrial life, but the climate was significantly different from the modern one. It was much warmer, more humid, and the atmosphere was more dense. The oxygen content in the atmosphere was close to modern levels, and the carbon dioxide content was significantly higher - about 0.2%, i.e. approximately 5.6 times higher than now.

Data scientific research provide information that without reducing the mass of greenhouse gases in the earth's atmosphere, humanity cannot avoid climate deterioration on the planet.

Where did they come from?

Greenhouse gases, being in the atmospheres of planets, contribute to the emergence of some dangerous effect. It is named accordingly - greenhouse. On the one hand, without this phenomenon our planet would never have been able to warm up enough for life to arise on it. On the other hand, everything is good in moderation and up to a certain point. Therefore, we will talk about the problems of civilization associated with the phenomenon of greenhouse gases, which, having played its positive role, changed its quality over time and became a topic for discussion, research and general concern.

Many millions of years ago, the Sun, heating the Earth, gradually turned it into a source of energy. Some of her warmth went into space. In addition, it was reflected by gases in the atmosphere and warmed the layers of air close to the ground. This process, similar to heat conservation under transparent film in greenhouses, scientists gave it the name. And they also named the gases that provoke it simply. Their name is “greenhouse gases”.

At the dawn of the establishment of the Earth's climate, the emergence this effect contributed to the active activity of volcanoes. Emissions in the form of water vapor and carbon dioxide remained in the atmosphere in huge quantities. It turned out hyper Greenhouse effect, which heated the World Ocean almost to the boiling point. And only with the advent of the green biosphere, which absorbs carbon dioxide from the atmosphere, temperature regime The planet gradually returned to normal.

However, general industrialization and the constant growth of production capacity have changed not only chemical composition greenhouse gases, but also the essence of this phenomenon.

They are known firsthand

A greenhouse gas is a compound that lingers in the Earth's atmosphere and becomes a barrier to its thermal radiation on its way to space. The heat given off by the planet comes back again. As a result, average temperatures are steadily rising, which can lead to unpredictable consequences.

Excessive heating of the planet occurs due to differences in the transparency of the layers of the atmosphere. Sun rays pass through them easily. The atmosphere is transparent to ultraviolet light. Teplov infrared radiation it is difficult to break through its lower layers, where greenhouse gases accumulate. The point is that they create a seal.

The Kyoto Protocol contains a clear list of greenhouse gases, the presence of which in the Earth's atmosphere should be combated. These include:

  • water vapor;
  • carbon dioxide;
  • methane;
  • nitrous oxide;
  • freons;
  • ozone;
  • perfluorocarbons;
  • sulfur hexafluoride.

Dangerous Potential

Water vapor is classified as a natural gas, but its participation in the formation of the greenhouse effect is quite large. He should not be underestimated.

Carbon dioxide is considered one of the main factors influencing the planet's climate. Its share in the atmosphere is about 64%, and its role in global warming is exactly that great. The main sources of its release into the atmosphere are:

  • volcanic eruptions;
  • metabolic process of the biosphere;
  • burning biomass and fossil fuels;
  • deforestation;
  • production processes.

Methane does not decay in the atmosphere for 10 years and poses a serious threat to the Earth's climate. Its greenhouse effect is 28 times greater than that of carbon dioxide, and in the next 20 years, if its emissions are not stopped, this superiority will reach 84. Its main sources are anthropogenic in nature. This:

  • agricultural production, in particular rice cultivation;
  • cattle breeding (increase in livestock and, as a consequence, sewage);
  • burning of forest.

Some of the greenhouse methane comes from leakage during mining. coal. It is also released when extracted natural gas.

Freons pose a particular danger to the environment. They are mainly used in aerosols and refrigeration applications.

Nitrous oxide is a greenhouse gas, which is one of the leading places in terms of quantity in the atmosphere and influence on global warming. Sources of its origin and application:

  • production of mineral fertilizers in the chemical industry;
  • the food industry uses it as a propellant;
  • in the mechanical and rocket engineering industries it is used in engines.

Ozone, or rather the part of it that is classified as harmful gases that create the greenhouse effect, is located in the lower layers of the troposphere. Increasing near the ground, its amount can harm green spaces, damaging their leaves and reducing the ability to photosynthesize. It is mainly formed as a result of the interaction of carbon oxides, nitrogen oxides with water vapor, sunlight and volatile organic compounds in the presence of oxygen. The main sources of these substances in the atmosphere are greenhouse gas emissions from industrial facilities, vehicles and chemical solvents.

Perfluorocarbons are a result of the production of aluminum, solvents and electronics. They are used in dielectrics, heat carriers, coolants, lubricating oils and even as artificial blood. They can only be obtained through chemical synthesis. Like most fluorinated gases, they are hazardous to environment. Their greenhouse potential is estimated to be hundreds of times higher than that of carbon dioxide.

Sulfur hexafluoride is also one of those greenhouse gases that are listed as potentially hazardous in the Kyoto Protocol. It is used in the field of fire extinguishing, electronic and metallurgical industry as a technological medium, its role as a refrigerant, etc. is known. Its emissions remain in the atmosphere for a long time and actively accumulate infrared radiation.

Ways to solve the problem

The world community is making a lot of efforts to develop a unified program of action to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.

One of the serious components of environmental policy is the approval of standards for emissions of fuel combustion products and the reduction of fuel use due to the transition of the auto industry to the production of electric vehicles.

Job nuclear power plants, which do not use coal and petroleum products, already indirectly reduce the amount of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere by several times.

Multinational gas and oil processing companies are coordinating with international environmental organizations and governments to combat methane emissions. They have already been joined by many large oil and gas producing states, such as Nigeria, Mexico, Norway, the USA, and Russia.

A significant reduction or ban on deforestation can also have a significant impact on improving the environment. As trees grow, they absorb enormous amounts of carbon dioxide. During cutting they release it. Reducing the percentage of arable land in tropical countries has already made a significant contribution to optimizing global greenhouse gas emissions.

New European restrictions on the technological characteristics of boilers and water heaters are part of the global environmental program. All developments of such household appliances must henceforth comply with the requirements of controlling the carbon dioxide emissions during their use. It is expected that, subject to the introduction of new technologies, this greenhouse gas will reduce its presence in the atmosphere by 136 million tons over six years.

Renewable energy – a challenge to greenhouse gases

IN Lately appeared fashion trend invest in the development of renewable energy industries. The percentage of its use in global consumption is slowly but steadily growing. It is called “green energy” because it originates in natural regular processes that occur in nature.

Resources such as water flows, wind, sunlight, tides, man has now learned to use for technical needs. The percentage of global energy consumption from renewable sources had already reached 20 by 2014. Every year, 30% more wind energy is used worldwide. The production of photovoltaic panels is increasing. Solar power plants are growing in popularity in Spain and Germany.

Running car engines emit greenhouse gases into huge quantities. Proof of this fact has become an incentive to search for “green” types of gasoline. Recent studies have shown that bioethanol can be considered as an alternative to petroleum-derived motor fuel. As part of an environmental program, Brazil has been producing ethanol from sugarcane for several years. It is produced in large quantities from US grains, rice and corn pulp. Biofuel is already beginning to partially replace gasoline in many countries around the world.

Everyone's contribution

Greenhouse gases and their destructive work cannot be seen or felt. It’s still hard for us to imagine all this. However this problem may affect the next generation. By thinking beyond themselves, people can take part in solving this problem today. If each of us plants a tree, puts out a fire in the forest in time, and switches to a car powered by electricity at the first opportunity, he will definitely leave his mark in the future.

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    • Greenhouse gases

    

    The main greenhouse gas is water vapor (H 2 O), which is responsible for approximately two-thirds of the natural greenhouse effect. Other major greenhouse gases are carbon dioxide (CO2), methane (CH4), nitrous oxide (N2O) and fluorinated greenhouse gases. These gases are regulated by the Kyoto Protocol.

    CFCs and HCFCs are also greenhouse gases, but are regulated by the Montreal rather than the Kyoto Protocol.

    Stratospheric ozone is itself a greenhouse gas. Thus, ozone depletion has served to mitigate some aspects of climate change, while restoration of the ozone layer will add to climate change.

    Carbon dioxide

    The main participant in the enhancement of the (artificial) greenhouse effect is carbon dioxide (CO 2). In industrialized countries, CO 2 represents more than 80% of greenhouse gas emissions.

    Currently, the world emits more than 25 billion tons of carbon dioxide every year. CO 2 /sub> can remain in the atmosphere from 50 to 200 years, depending on how it is returned to the earth and oceans.

    Methane

    The second most important greenhouse gas for enhancing the greenhouse effect is methane CH4. Since the beginning of the Industrial Revolution, atmospheric methane concentrations have doubled and contribute 20% of the contribution to the greenhouse gas effect. In industrialized countries, methane typically accounts for 15% of greenhouse gas emissions.

    Anthropogenic methane emissions are associated with mining, fossil fuel burning, livestock farming, rice cultivation and landfills.
    The GWP of methane is 23 times greater than that of CO 2 .

    Nitrous oxide

    Nitrous oxide (N2O) is naturally released from oceans and rainforests and by bacteria in soils. Sources of human influence include nitrogenous fertilizers, combustion of fossil fuels and industrial production chemicals that use nitrogen, such as wastewater treatment.

    In industrialized countries, N2O is responsible for approximately 6% of greenhouse gas emissions. Like CO 2 and methane, nitrous oxide is a greenhouse gas whose molecules absorb heat that tries to evaporate into space. N 2 O has 310 times greater potential than CO 2 .

    Since the beginning of the Industrial Revolution, atmospheric concentrations of nitrous oxide have increased by 16% and contribute 4 to 6% to the greenhouse effect.

    Fluorinated greenhouse gases

    The final group of greenhouse gases includes fluorinated constituents such as hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs), which are used as refrigerants and blowing agents; perfluorinated carbons (PFCs), which are released during aluminum production; and sulfur hexafluorides (SGF-SF 6), which are used in the electronics industry.

    These are the only greenhouse gases that are not produced in nature.

    Atmospheric concentrations are small, accounting for about 1.5% of the total greenhouse gas emissions of industrialized countries. However, they are extremely powerful; they have 1000-4000 times more potential than CO 2, and some have more than 22,000 times more potential.

    HFCs are one of the alternatives to HCFCs in refrigeration, air conditioning and foaming. The consequences of these powerful greenhouse capabilities are therefore one factor that must be taken into account when selecting alternatives and developing elimination strategies.

    Greenhouse gases

    Greenhouse gases are gases that are believed to cause the global greenhouse effect.

    The main greenhouse gases, in order of their estimated impact on the Earth's thermal balance, are water vapor, carbon dioxide, methane, ozone, halocarbons and nitrous oxide.

    water vapor

    Water vapor is the main natural greenhouse gas, responsible for more than 60% of the effect. Direct anthropogenic impact on this source is insignificant. At the same time, an increase in the Earth's temperature caused by other factors increases evaporation and the total concentration of water vapor in the atmosphere at almost constant relative humidity, which in turn increases the greenhouse effect. Thus, some positive feedback occurs.

    Methane

    A gigantic eruption of methane accumulated under the seabed 55 million years ago warmed the Earth by 7 degrees Celsius.

    The same thing can happen now - this assumption was confirmed by researchers from NASA. Using computer simulations of ancient climates, they tried to better understand the role of methane in climate change. Currently, most research on the greenhouse effect focuses on the role of carbon dioxide in this effect, although the potential of methane to retain heat in the atmosphere is 20 times greater than that of carbon dioxide.

    Varied Appliances, operating on gas, contribute to the increase in methane content in the atmosphere

    Over the past 200 years, methane in the atmosphere has more than doubled due to decomposition of organic matter in swamps and wet lowlands, as well as leaks from man-made objects such as gas pipelines, coal mines, increased irrigation and off-gassing from livestock. But there is another source of methane - decaying organic matter in ocean sediments, preserved frozen under the seabed.

    Usually low temperatures And high pressure keep methane under the ocean in a stable state, but this was not always the case. During periods of global warming, such as the late Paleocene thermal maximum, which occurred 55 million years ago and lasted 100 thousand years, movement lithospheric plates, in particular the Indian subcontinent, led to a drop in pressure on the seabed and could cause a large release of methane. As the atmosphere and ocean began to warm, methane emissions could increase. Some scientists believe that current global warming could lead to the same scenario - if the ocean warms up significantly.

    When methane enters the atmosphere, it reacts with oxygen and hydrogen molecules to create carbon dioxide and water vapor, each of which can cause the greenhouse effect. According to previous forecasts, all emitted methane will turn into carbon dioxide and water in about 10 years. If this is true, then increasing carbon dioxide concentrations will be the main cause of warming of the planet. However, attempts to confirm the reasoning with references to the past were unsuccessful - no traces of an increase in carbon dioxide concentration 55 million years ago were found.

    The models used in the new study showed that when the level of methane in the atmosphere sharply increases, the content of oxygen and hydrogen reacting with methane in it decreases (until the reaction stops), and the remaining methane remains in the air for hundreds of years, itself becoming a cause of global warming. And these hundreds of years are enough to warm up the atmosphere, melt the ice in the oceans and change the entire climate system.

    The main anthropogenic sources of methane are digestive fermentation in livestock, rice growing, and biomass burning (including deforestation). Recent studies have shown that a rapid increase in atmospheric methane concentrations occurred in the first millennium AD (presumably as a result of the expansion of agricultural and livestock production and forest burning). Between 1000 and 1700, methane concentrations fell by 40%, but began to rise again in recent centuries (presumably as a result of the expansion of arable land and pastures and forest burning, the use of wood for heating, increased numbers of livestock, sewage, and rice cultivation) . Some contribution to the supply of methane comes from leaks during the development of coal and natural gas deposits, as well as the emission of methane as part of biogas generated at waste disposal sites

    Carbon dioxide

    Sources of carbon dioxide in the Earth's atmosphere are volcanic emissions, vital activity of organisms, and human activity. Anthropogenic sources include the combustion of fossil fuels, the burning of biomass (including deforestation), and some industrial processes (for example, cement production). The main consumers of carbon dioxide are plants. Normally, the biocenosis absorbs approximately the same amount of carbon dioxide as it produces (including through biomass decay).

    The influence of carbon dioxide on the intensity of the greenhouse effect.

    Much still needs to be learned about the carbon cycle and the role of the world's oceans as a vast reservoir of carbon dioxide. As mentioned above, every year humanity adds 7 billion tons of carbon in the form of CO 2 to the existing 750 billion tons. But only about half of our emissions - 3 billion tons - remain in the air. This can be explained by the fact that most of the CO 2 is used by terrestrial and marine plants, is buried in marine sedimentary rocks, and is absorbed sea ​​water or otherwise absorbed. Of this large portion of CO 2 (about 4 billion tons), the ocean absorbs about two billion tons of atmospheric carbon dioxide each year.

    All this increases the number of unanswered questions: How exactly does seawater interact with atmospheric air, absorbing CO 2? How much more carbon can the seas absorb, and what level of global warming might affect their capacity? What is the capacity of the oceans to absorb and store heat trapped by climate change?

    The role of clouds and suspended particles in air currents called aerosols is not easy to take into account when building a climate model. Clouds shade the earth's surface, leading to cooling, but depending on their height, density and other conditions, they can also trap heat reflected from earth's surface, increasing the intensity of the greenhouse effect. The effect of aerosols is also interesting. Some of them modify water vapor, condensing it into small droplets that form clouds. These clouds are very dense and obscure the Earth's surface for weeks. That is, they block sunlight until they fall with precipitation.

    The combined effect can be enormous: the 1991 eruption of Mount Pinatuba in the Philippines released a colossal volume of sulfates into the stratosphere, causing a worldwide drop in temperature that lasted two years.

    Thus, our own pollution, mainly caused by burning sulfur-containing coal and oils, may temporarily offset the effects of global warming. Experts estimate that aerosols reduced the amount of warming by 20% during the 20th century. In general, temperatures have been rising since the 1940s, but have fallen since 1970. The aerosol effect may help explain the anomalous cooling in the middle of the last century.

    In 2006, carbon dioxide emissions into the atmosphere amounted to 24 billion tons. A very active group of researchers argues against the idea that human activity is one of the causes of global warming. In her opinion, the main thing is the natural processes of climate change and increased solar activity. But, according to Klaus Hasselmann, head of the German Climatological Center in Hamburg, only 5% can be explained by natural causes, and the remaining 95% is a man-made factor caused by human activity.

    Some scientists also do not connect the increase in CO 2 with an increase in temperature. Skeptics say that if rising temperatures are to be blamed on rising CO 2 emissions, temperatures must have risen during the post-war economic boom, when fossil fuels were burned in huge quantities. However, Jerry Mallman, director of the Geophysical Fluid Dynamics Laboratory, calculated that increased use of coal and oils rapidly increased the sulfur content in the atmosphere, causing cooling. After 1970, the thermal effect of long life cycle CO 2 and methane suppressed rapidly decaying aerosols, causing temperatures to rise. Thus, we can conclude that the influence of carbon dioxide on the intensity of the greenhouse effect is enormous and undeniable.

    However, the increasing greenhouse effect may not be catastrophic. Indeed, high temperatures may be welcomed where they are quite rare. Since 1900, the greatest warming has been observed from 40 to 70 0 northern latitude, including Russia, Europe, and the northern part of the United States, where industrial emissions of greenhouse gases began earliest. Most of warming occurs at night, primarily due to increased cloud cover, which traps outgoing heat. As a result, the sowing season was extended by a week.

    Moreover, the greenhouse effect may be good news for some farmers. High concentrations of CO 2 can have a positive effect on plants because plants use carbon dioxide during photosynthesis, converting it into living tissue. Hence, more plants means more absorption of CO 2 from the atmosphere, slowing global warming.

    This phenomenon was studied by American specialists. They decided to create a model of the world with double the amount of CO 2 in the air. To do this, they used fourteen-year-old pine forest in Northern California. Gas was pumped through pipes installed among the trees. Photosynthesis increased by 50-60%. But the effect soon became the opposite. The suffocating trees could not cope with such volumes of carbon dioxide. The advantage in the process of photosynthesis was lost. This is another example of how human manipulation leads to unexpected results.

    But these small positive aspects of the greenhouse effect cannot be compared with the negative ones. Take, for example, the experience with a pine forest, where the volume of CO 2 was doubled, and by the end of this century the concentration of CO 2 is predicted to quadruple. One can imagine how catastrophic the consequences could be for plants. And this, in turn, will increase the volume of CO 2, since what fewer plants, the greater the concentration of CO 2.

    Consequences of the greenhouse effect

    greenhouse effect gases climate

    As temperatures rise, the evaporation of water from oceans, lakes, rivers, etc. will increase. Since warmer air can hold more water vapor, this creates a powerful feedback effect: the warmer it gets, the higher the water vapor content in the air, which in turn increases the greenhouse effect.

    Human activity has little effect on the amount of water vapor in the atmosphere. But we emit other greenhouse gases, which makes the greenhouse effect more and more intense. Scientists believe that increasing CO 2 emissions, mostly from burning fossil fuels, explain at least about 60% of the Earth's warming since 1850. The concentration of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere is increasing by about 0.3% per year, and is now about 30% higher than before the industrial revolution. If we express this in absolute terms, then every year humanity adds approximately 7 billion tons. Despite the fact that this is a small part in relation to the total amount of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere - 750 billion tons, and even smaller compared to the amount of CO 2 contained in the World Ocean - approximately 35 trillion tons, it remains very significant. Reason: natural processes are in equilibrium, such a volume of CO 2 enters the atmosphere, which is removed from there. A human activity only adds CO 2.