What Causes Climate Change?
Although the climate has been changing naturally for many years, human influence has had a serious impact on the rate at which it is changing.
The Earth's atmosphere is composed of a variety of gases which are either constant or variable. Carbon dioxide and water vapor are greenhouse gases which are critical in influencing the Earth's average temperature and in causing the greenhouse effect. They are deemed greenhouse gases as they act like the glass from a greenhouse, trapping the sun's heat within the atmosphere while preventing the escape of all counter radiation into space. The greenhouse gasses absorb counter radiation and direct it back towards the Earth, resulting in a warming of the lower atmosphere, hence causing the greenhouse effect. This is a naturally occurring process that acts like the Earth's thermostat, regulating it's temperature. Without it, the world would be approximately 33°C colder, meaning that the naturally occurring greenhouse effect is vital to preserving life on Earth.
However, the amount of greenhouse gases humans are contributing to the atmosphere through industrialization and the burning of fossil fuels is not so natural. As more greenhouse gasses are produced, they concentrate in the atmosphere becoming available to absorb counter radiation. Since the natural greenhouse gasses are extremely effective at absorbing and trapping heat in the atmosphere already, a small contribution to the amount of these gases alters the balance of the greenhouse effect, hence causing raising temperatures in the Earth's surface and lower atmosphere.
Sources: David Suzuki Foundation, Environment Canada, Climate Change Connection
The Earth's atmosphere is composed of a variety of gases which are either constant or variable. Carbon dioxide and water vapor are greenhouse gases which are critical in influencing the Earth's average temperature and in causing the greenhouse effect. They are deemed greenhouse gases as they act like the glass from a greenhouse, trapping the sun's heat within the atmosphere while preventing the escape of all counter radiation into space. The greenhouse gasses absorb counter radiation and direct it back towards the Earth, resulting in a warming of the lower atmosphere, hence causing the greenhouse effect. This is a naturally occurring process that acts like the Earth's thermostat, regulating it's temperature. Without it, the world would be approximately 33°C colder, meaning that the naturally occurring greenhouse effect is vital to preserving life on Earth.
However, the amount of greenhouse gases humans are contributing to the atmosphere through industrialization and the burning of fossil fuels is not so natural. As more greenhouse gasses are produced, they concentrate in the atmosphere becoming available to absorb counter radiation. Since the natural greenhouse gasses are extremely effective at absorbing and trapping heat in the atmosphere already, a small contribution to the amount of these gases alters the balance of the greenhouse effect, hence causing raising temperatures in the Earth's surface and lower atmosphere.
Sources: David Suzuki Foundation, Environment Canada, Climate Change Connection