Creates a greenhouse effect. What will help save the planet? The strongest greenhouse effect

Introduction………………………………………………………………………………2 – 3

1. The essence and concept of the greenhouse effect…………………………..4 - 10

1.1 Greenhouse effect……………………………………………………4 - 5

1.2 Greenhouse gases……………………………………………………...6 - 10

2. Consequences of the greenhouse effect………………………………….11 - 12

3. Environmental forecasting…………………………………….13 - 14

4. Ways to reduce the impact of the greenhouse effect on the state of the Earth’s climate…………………………………………………………………………………..15 - 16

Conclusion……………………………………………………………...17

References………………………………………………………..18

Appendix…………………………………………………………………………………..19

Introduction.

Protection of the natural environment and rational use of natural resources is one of the pressing global problems of our time. Its solution is inextricably linked with the struggle for peace on Earth, for the prevention of nuclear disaster, disarmament, peaceful coexistence and mutually beneficial cooperation of states.

Something strange is going on with the weather! Old people talk about this on the benches. Scientists talk about this at their seminars and conferences. Old-timers are surprised to notice that numerous folk signs like: “If the summer was cold, then winter...” It’s as if processes are taking place in nature that no longer fit into the previous schemes and formulas. Anomalous and quite powerful ordinary earthquakes, enormous floods and hurricanes have become frequent guests in many countries of the world, which previously knew about such troubles only by hearsay.

In recent decades, we have all observed a sharp increase in temperature, when in winter instead of negative temperatures, we observe thaws of up to 5–8 degrees Celsius for months, and in the summer months there are droughts and hot winds that dry out the soil of the earth and lead to its erosion. Why is this happening?

Scientists claim that the cause is, first of all, the destructive activities of mankind, leading to global climate change on the Earth.

The combustion of fuel in power plants, a sharp increase in the amount of waste from human production activities, an increase in motor transport and, as a consequence, an increase in carbon dioxide emissions into the Earth's atmosphere with a sharp reduction in the forested area, led to the emergence of the so-called greenhouse effect of the Earth.

1. The essence and concept of the greenhouse effect.

1.1 Greenhouse effect.

What is happening to the Earth's climate?

Human activity can lead to heating of the globe beyond its maximum permissible limits.

There are opposing opinions that the Earth's climate is changing, on the contrary, towards cooling. And, in general, in recent years meteorologists different countries They come to the conclusion that something has gone wrong in the comprehensive weather system of the globe. In their opinion, the climate on earth is beginning to change for the worse. Some meteorologists believe that a global natural disaster is approaching, which will be difficult to prevent. What should we fear: drought, crop failure, famine, or, conversely, count on a gradual improvement in the weather and a return to the climatic conditions of the first half of the 20th century, considered the best in world history.

Most scientists agree that the atmosphere, however, is warming rather than cooling. The reason for this is the enormous changes made by man. Now, according to meteorologists, human activity is becoming an increasingly important factor influencing the Earth's climate balance. The reason for this may be various factors, however, many scientists associate this with the greenhouse effect.

The concept of the greenhouse effect first appeared in physics. It was formulated by Tyndall back in 1863. In 1896, Arrhenius showed that carbon dioxide, which makes up an insignificant part of the atmosphere (about 0.03%), maintains its temperature 5-6 degrees C higher than if this gas were absent. In 1938, Callender first suggested the possible influence of anthropogenic carbon dioxide emissions on climate.

The greenhouse effect is the retention of a significant part of the thermal energy of the Sun at the earth's surface, which occurs due to an increase in the concentration of carbon dioxide. This happens because the atmosphere transmits most of the sun's radiation. Some of the rays are absorbed and heat the earth's surface, which heats the atmosphere. Another part of the rays is reflected from the surface of the Planet and this radiation is absorbed by carbon dioxide molecules, which contributes to an increase in the average temperature of the Planet.

The effect of the greenhouse effect is similar to the effect of glass in a greenhouse or greenhouse (this is where the name "greenhouse effect" comes from).

1.2 Greenhouse gases.

Let's consider what happens to bodies in a glass greenhouse. High energy radiation enters the greenhouse through the glass. It is absorbed by the bodies inside the greenhouse. They then themselves emit lower energy radiation, which is absorbed by the glass. The glass sends some of this energy back, providing extra heat to the objects inside. In exactly the same way, the earth's surface gains additional heat as greenhouse gases absorb and then release lower energy radiation.

Gases that cause the greenhouse effect due to their increased concentration are called greenhouse gases. These are mainly carbon dioxide and water vapor, but there are other gases that absorb energy coming from the Earth. For example, chlorofluorine containing hydrocarbon gases, for example, freons or freons, as well as in small quantities ozone, methane, nitrogen oxide. The concentration of these gases in the atmosphere is also increasing. [page 180]

NATURAL GAS.

Natural gas used in the energy sector is a non-renewable energy resource, but at the same time it is the most environmentally friendly type of traditional energy fuel. Natural gas is 98% methane,

the remaining 2% comes from ethane, propane, butane and some other substances. When gas is burned, the only truly dangerous air pollutant is a mixture of nitrogen oxides.

At thermal power plants and heating boiler houses that use natural gas, carbon dioxide emissions, which contribute to the greenhouse effect, are half as much as at coal-fired power plants that produce the same amount of energy.

The use of liquefied and compressed natural gas in road transport makes it possible to significantly reduce environmental pollution and improve air quality in cities, that is, to “slow down” the greenhouse effect. Compared to oil, natural gas does not produce as much environmental pollution during production and transportation to the point of consumption.

Natural gas reserves in the world reach 70 trillion cubic meters. If current production volumes continue, they will last for more than 100 years. Gas deposits are found both separately and in combination with oil, water, and also in the solid state (so-called gas hydrate accumulations). Most natural gas fields are located in inaccessible and environmentally sensitive areas of the Arctic tundra.

Although natural gas does not cause a greenhouse effect, it can be classified as a “greenhouse” gas because its use releases carbon dioxide, which contributes to the greenhouse effect.

CARBON DIOXIDE.

Carbon dioxide CO2 is formed during the complete oxidation of oxygen-containing fuel. CO2 released into the atmosphere remains in it for an average of 2-4 years. During this time, it spreads everywhere across the earth's surface. The influence of CO2 is expressed not only in its toxic effect on living organisms, but also in its ability to absorb infrared rays. When the earth's surface is heated by the sun's rays, part of the heat in the form of infrared radiation is reflected back into space. The reflected heat is partially intercepted by gases that absorb infrared radiation. If this phenomenon occurs in the troposphere, then the observed increase in temperature can lead to climate change - the greenhouse effect. It is CO2 emissions that largely determine the process of climate warming.

During combustion, as is known, oxygen is absorbed and carbon dioxide is released. As a result of this process, every year humanity emits 7 billion tons of carbon dioxide into the atmosphere! It’s hard to even imagine this magnitude. At the same time, forests on Earth are being cut down - one of the most important consumers of carbon dioxide, and they are being cut down at a rate of 12 hectares per minute!!! So it turns out that more and more carbon dioxide enters the atmosphere, but less and less is consumed by plants.

The carbon dioxide cycle on Earth is disrupted, so in recent years the content of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere has been increasing, albeit slowly but surely. And the more it is, the stronger the greenhouse effect.

METHANE

The next largest contributors to the greenhouse effect are methane CH4 and nitrous oxide N2O. The concentration of both gases is determined by both natural and anthropogenic factors. Thus, a natural source of CH4 is waterlogged soils in which anaerobic decomposition processes occur. Man added his own sources - rice plantations, extraction and transportation of natural gas, burning of biomass, etc. Natural suppliers of N2O to the atmosphere include the ocean and soil. The anthropogenic additive is associated with the combustion of fuel and biomass and the leaching of nitrogen fertilizers. There is an assumption that methane is the main cause of warming. In particular, Doctor of Geological and Mineralogical Sciences N.A. Yasamanov, suggest that methane is mainly to blame for the current global warming. Many “climate activists” consider the greenhouse effect and anthropogenic CO2 emissions into the atmosphere to be synonymous. Meanwhile, this gas does not rise to the upper layers of the atmosphere, but in the lower layer it is successfully absorbed by vegetation and soil organisms, and dissolves in rivers, lakes and seas. Most of the CO2 is spent on building the skeleton of aquatic organisms and is absorbed by phytoplankton, and the excess accumulates in bottom sediments. Methane from the earth's surface quickly reaches the boundary of the troposphere and stratosphere. Not only is it actively involved in the greenhouse effect, at an altitude of 15-20 km under the influence of sunlight it decomposes into hydrogen and carbon, which, when combined with oxygen, forms CO2. Where does methane come from into the atmosphere? It is formed in swamps when organic matter rots. No wonder it is also called swamp gas. Vast mangroves in the tropics also supply it in considerable quantities. It also enters the atmosphere from tectonic faults and cracks during earthquakes. Anthropogenic methane emissions are also large. Natural and anthropogenic emissions are estimated to be around 70% and 30%, but the latter are growing rapidly. In general, the steady increase in methane content in the atmosphere, recorded in recent decades, casts doubt on the fact that climate change is caused only by those anthropogenic factors that the “Kyoto enthusiasts” (Kyoto Agreement) who are rapidly multiplying in an increasingly warm climate are so fond of discussing.

NITROGEN OXIDES.

Thermal energy produces about 50% of nitrogen oxide emissions into the atmosphere. In quantitative terms, emissions of nitrogen oxides are 3-5 times lower than sulfur dioxide. However, they are more toxic, contribute to the formation of photochemical smog, and lead to the accumulation of ozone in the ground layer, which enhances the greenhouse effect. Nitrogen oxides have a pronounced irritating effect, especially on mucous membranes.

Sources of trace gases, primarily nitrogen oxides, are the combustion of fossil fuels and biota. Methane is released as a result of agricultural activities (livestock farming, rice growing), as well as due to disruption of the natural methane filter (from bacteria). Halogenocarbons are exclusively of anthropogenic origin.

If you look at the data on the greenhouse effect in different countries, you might be horrified. (see Appendix 1)

2. Consequences of the greenhouse effect.

As a result of atmospheric emissions, the average annual temperature has increased and continues to increase. And if the temperature continues to increase, this will have a serious impact on the global climate:

1. More rainfall will occur in the tropics as the additional heat will increase the water vapor content in the air.

2. In dry areas, rains will become even more rare and they will turn into deserts, as a result of which people and animals will have to leave them.

3. Sea temperatures will also rise, leading to flooding of low-lying coastal areas and an increase in the number of severe storms.

4. Rising temperatures on Earth can cause sea levels to rise because:

a) water, when heated, becomes less dense and expands; the expansion of sea water will lead to a general rise in sea level;

b) rising temperatures could melt some of the perennial ice covering some land areas, such as Antarctica or high mountain ranges.

The resulting water will eventually flow into the seas, raising their levels. It should be noted, however, that melting ice floating in the seas will not cause sea levels to rise. The Arctic ice cover is a huge layer of floating ice. Like Antarctica, the Arctic is also surrounded by many icebergs.

Climatologists have calculated that if the Greenland and Antarctic glaciers melt, the level of the World Ocean will rise by 70-80 m.

5. Residential land will be reduced.

6. The water-salt balance of the oceans will be disrupted.

7. The trajectories of cyclones and anticyclones will change.

8. If the temperature on Earth increases, many animals will not be able to adapt to climate change. Many plants will die from lack of moisture, and animals will have to move to other places in search of food and water. If rising temperatures lead to the death of many plants, then many species of animals will also die out.

In addition to the negative consequences of global warming, there are several positive ones. On the surface, a warmer climate appears to be a good thing, with the potential for lower heating bills and longer growing seasons in mid- and high-latitudes. Increasing the concentration of carbon dioxide can speed up photosynthesis.

However, potential yield gains may be offset by disease damage caused by pests, as rising temperatures will speed up their reproduction. Soils in some areas will be unsuitable for growing staple crops. Global warming would likely accelerate the decomposition of organic matter in soils, resulting in additional carbon dioxide and methane entering the atmosphere and accelerating the greenhouse effect. What awaits us in the future?

3. Environmental forecasting

Various measures are currently being discussed that could prevent the growing “anthropogenic overheating” of the Earth. There is a proposal to extract excess CO2 from the air, liquefy it and inject it into the deep ocean using its natural circulation. Another proposal is to disperse tiny droplets of sulfuric acid into the stratosphere and thereby reduce the arrival solar radiation to the earth's surface.

The enormous scale of anthropogenic reduction of the biosphere already gives reason to believe that the solution to the CO2 problem should be carried out by “treating” the biosphere itself, i.e. restoration of soil and vegetation cover with maximum reserves of organic matter wherever possible. At the same time, the search should be intensified, aimed at replacing fossil fuels with other energy sources, primarily environmentally harmless, not requiring oxygen consumption, wider use of water, wind energy, and for the future - the energy of the reaction of matter and antimatter.

It is known that every cloud has a silver lining, and it turns out that the current industrial decline in the country has turned out to be beneficial - environmentally. Production volumes have decreased. and, accordingly, the amount of harmful emissions into the atmosphere of cities has decreased.

The solution to the problem of clean air is very real. The first is the fight against the reduction of the Earth's vegetation cover, a systematic increase in its composition of specially selected species that cleanse the air of harmful impurities. The Institute of Plant Biochemistry has experimentally proven that many plants are capable of absorbing from the atmosphere components harmful to humans, such as alkanes and aromatic hydrocarbons, as well as carbonyl compounds, acids, alcohols, essential oils and others.

A big place in the fight against air pollution belongs to the irrigation of deserts and the organization of cultivated farming here, and the creation of powerful forest shelterbelts. A huge amount of work remains to be done to reduce and completely stop the emission of smoke and other combustion products into the atmosphere. The search for technology for “pipeless” industrial enterprises operating according to a closed technological scheme - using all production waste - is becoming increasingly urgent.

Human activity is so grandiose in scope that it has already acquired a global nature-forming scale. Until now, we have mainly been looking to take as much as possible from nature. And the search in this direction will continue. But the time is coming to work just as purposefully on how to give back to nature what we take from it. There is no doubt that the genius of mankind is capable of solving this enormous task.

Ways to reduce the impact of the greenhouse effect on the Earth's climate

The main measure to prevent global warming can be formulated as follows: find the new kind fuel or change the technology of using current types of fuel. This means that it is necessary:

Reduce fossil 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;

use substances (filters, catalysts) to remove carbon dioxide from smokestack emissions from coal-burning power plants and factory furnaces, as well as automobile exhaust;

increase energy efficiency;

require new homes to use more efficient heating and cooling systems;

increase the use of solar, wind and geothermal energy;

significantly slow down the deforestation and degradation of forests;

remove reservoirs for storing hazardous substances from coastal areas;

expand the area of ​​existing reserves and parks;

Create laws to prevent global warming;

identify the causes of global warming, monitor them and eliminate their consequences.

The greenhouse effect cannot be completely eliminated. It is believed that if not for the greenhouse effect, the average temperature on the earth's surface would be -15 degrees Celsius.

A number of recent actions taken at the international level can be considered attempts at climate control. These include some decisions taken at climate conferences under the UNFCCC, in particular decisions to limit greenhouse gas emissions.

Conclusion.

Man thinks that he is able to tame nature, but this is not at all true. Unfortunately, we understand this only when it is too late, when nature begins to play with us according to its own rules.

I believe that now all efforts must be made to ensure that the environment around us and us feel good, namely, that a closed cycle is developed in every production, that is, that nothing is thrown into the air or into rivers, but everything processed and used. Everyone will benefit from this. The state will receive additional products, and people will breathe clean air.

The problem is that when the hypothesis about anthropogenic factors of global warming is confirmed, it will be too late to do anything. It is likely that the prospect of the greenhouse effect could catalyze worldwide awareness of the urgent need to take action to protect our Earth.

Bibliography.

Glushkova, V.G., “Ecological and economic problems of Russia and its regions”, ed. "Moscow Lyceum", 2003

Miller, T. “Life in the Environment”: in 3 volumes: program for a universal ecologist. education: [transl. from English ] / Tyler Miller. – M.: Progress: Pangea, 1996 – 3 volumes.

Miller, T. “Life in the Environment”: in 3 volumes: program for a universal ecologist. education: [transl. from English ] / Tyler Miller. – M.: Progress: Pangea, 1993 – 1 volume.

Nikanorov, A.M. Global ecology [Text]: textbook. allowance / A.M. Nikanorov, T.A. Horuzhaya. – M.: PRIOR, 2000.

Udaltsov, G.A. “Ecology and the Future”, Moscow, ed. 1988

"Kaleidoscope" 12(46), 1997

Application.

Table 1.

The greenhouse effect is the delay of the planet's thermal radiation by the Earth's atmosphere. Any of us has observed the greenhouse effect: in greenhouses or greenhouses the temperature is always higher than outside. The same thing is observed on a global scale: solar energy, passing through the atmosphere, heats the surface of the Earth, but the thermal energy emitted by the Earth cannot escape back into space, since the Earth’s atmosphere retains it, acting like polyethylene in a greenhouse: it transmits short light waves from the Sun to the Earth and delays long thermal (or infrared) waves emitted by the Earth's surface. A greenhouse effect occurs.The greenhouse effect occurs due to the presence of gases in the Earth's atmosphere that have the ability to trap long waves.They are called “greenhouse” or “greenhouse” gases.

Greenhouse gases were present in the atmosphere in small quantities (about 0,1%) since its formation. This amount was enough to maintain the Earth's thermal balance at a level suitable for life due to the greenhouse effect. This is the so-called natural greenhouse effect; if it weren’t for it, the average temperature of the Earth’s surface would be 30°C lower, i.e. not +14° C, as it is now, but -17° C.

The natural greenhouse effect does not threaten either the Earth or humanity, since the total amount of greenhouse gases was maintained at the same level due to the cycle of nature, moreover, we owe our lives to it, provided that the balance is not upset.

But an increase in the concentration of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere leads to an increase in the greenhouse effect and disruption of the Earth’s thermal balance. This is exactly what happened in the last two centuries of civilization. Coal-fired power plants, car exhaust, factory chimneys and other human-made sources of pollution emit about 22 billion tons of greenhouse gases into the atmosphere each year.

The role of the greenhouse effect

The Earth's climate is greatly influenced by the state of the atmosphere, in particular, the amount of water vapor and carbon dioxide present in it. An increase in water vapor concentration causes an increase in cloudiness and, consequently, a decrease in the amount of solar heat reaching the surface. And a change in the concentration of carbon dioxide CO 2 in the atmosphere is the cause of weakening or strengthening greenhouse effect, in which carbon dioxide partially absorbs the heat emitted by the Earth in the infrared range of the spectrum, followed by its re-emission towards the earth's surface. As a result, the temperature of the surface and lower layers of the atmosphere increases. Thus, the phenomenon of the greenhouse effect significantly influences the moderation of the Earth's climate. In its absence, the average temperature of the planet would be 30-40°C lower than it actually is, and would not be +15°C, but -15°C, or even -25°C. At such average temperatures, the oceans would very quickly become covered with ice, turning into huge freezers, and life on the planet would become impossible. The amount of carbon dioxide is influenced by many factors, the main ones being volcanic activity and the life activity of terrestrial organisms.

But the greatest impact on the state of the atmosphere, and, consequently, on the Earth’s climate on a planetary scale, is exerted by external, astronomical factors, such as changes in solar radiation fluxes due to the variability of solar activity and changes in the parameters of the Earth’s orbit. The astronomical theory of climate fluctuations was created back in the 20s of the twentieth century. It has been established that a change in the eccentricity of the Earth's orbit from a possible minimum of 0.0163 to a possible maximum of 0.066 can lead to a difference in the number solar energy falling on the Earth's surface at aphelion and perihelion by 25% per year. Depending on whether the Earth passes its perihelion in summer or winter (for the northern hemisphere), such a change in the flux of solar radiation can lead to general warming or cooling on the planet.

The theory made it possible to calculate the time of ice ages in the past. Up to the errors in determining geological dates, the century of a dozen previous icing events coincided with the readings of the theory. It also allows us to answer the question of when the next closest icing should occur: today we live in an interglacial era, and it does not threaten us for the next 5000-10000 years.

What is the greenhouse effect?

The concept of the greenhouse effect was formed in 1863. Tyndall.

An everyday example of the greenhouse effect is heating from the inside of a car when it is parked in the sun with the windows closed. The reason here is that sunlight penetrates through windows and is absorbed by seats and other objects in the cabin. In this case, light energy turns into heat, objects heat up and release heat in the form of infrared, or thermal, radiation. Unlike light, it does not penetrate through the glass to the outside, that is, it is captured inside the car. Due to this, the temperature rises. The same thing happens in greenhouses, which is where the name of this effect comes from, the greenhouse effect (or greenhouse Effect). IN on a global scale The carbon dioxide contained in the air plays the same role as glass. Light energy penetrates the atmosphere, is absorbed by the surface of the earth, converted into its thermal energy, and released in the form of infrared radiation. However, carbon dioxide and some other gases, unlike other natural elements of the atmosphere, absorb it. At the same time, it heats up and in turn heats the atmosphere as a whole. This means that the more carbon dioxide it contains, the more infrared rays will be absorbed and the warmer it will become.

The temperature and climate to which we are accustomed are ensured by a concentration of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere of 0.03%. Now we are increasing this concentration, and a warming trend is emerging.
When concerned scientists warned humanity a few decades ago about the increasing greenhouse effect and the threat of global warming, they were initially looked upon as comical old men from an old comedy. But soon it became no laughing matter at all. Global warming is happening, and very quickly. The climate is changing before our eyes: unprecedented heat in Europe and North America is causing not only massive heart attacks, but also catastrophic floods.

In the early 60s in Tomsk, frost of 45° was common. In the 70s, a drop in the thermometer below 30° below zero already caused confusion in the minds of Siberians. The last decade scares us with such cold weather less and less often. But strong hurricanes have become the norm here, destroying roofs of houses, breaking trees, and cutting power lines. Just 25 years ago in the Tomsk region, such phenomena were very rare! To convince someone that global warming has become a fact, it is no longer enough to look at press reports, domestic and international. Severe droughts, monstrous floods, hurricane winds, unprecedented storms - now we have all become involuntary witnesses of these phenomena. In recent years, Ukraine has experienced unprecedented heat, tropical downpours, which lead to devastating floods.

Human activity at the beginning of the 21st century leads to a rapid increase in the concentration of pollutants in the atmosphere, which poses the threat of destruction of the ozone layer and sudden climate change, in particular global warming. To reduce the threat of a global environmental crisis, it is necessary to significantly reduce the emission of harmful gases into the atmosphere everywhere. Responsibility for reducing such emissions must be shared among all members of the world community, which differ significantly in many respects: level of industrial development, income, social structure and political orientation. Because of these differences, the question inevitably arises as to what extent a national government should control air emissions. The debatability of this problem is further enhanced by the fact that to date no agreement has been reached on the issue of the impact on environment increasing greenhouse effect. However, there is a growing understanding that, given the threat of global warming with all the ensuing devastating consequences, limiting harmful emissions into the atmosphere is becoming a task of paramount importance.

The coastal areas of the Azov and Black Seas are facing a real threat of extinction. The catastrophic floods that we are already dealing with will also occur much more frequently. For example, the Dnieper dams, in particular the Kiev dam, were built taking into account the most devastating floods ever to occur on the Dnieper.

The rapid increase in industrial and other air polluting emissions has led to a dramatic increase in the greenhouse effect and the concentration of gases that destroy the ozone layer. For example, since the beginning of the Industrial Revolution, the concentration of carbon dioxide CO 2 in the atmosphere has increased by 26%, with more than half of the increase occurring since the early 1960s. Concentration of various chloride gases, primarily ozone depleting ones chlorofluorocarbons (CFC), in just 16 years (from 1975 to 1990) increased by 114%. The concentration level of another gas involved in creating the greenhouse effect, methane CH 4 , has increased by 143% since the start of the Industrial Revolution, with about 30% of this growth occurring since the early 1970s. Until urgent action is taken at the international level, fast growth population and an increase in its income will be accompanied by an acceleration in the concentration of these chemicals.

Since careful documentation of weather patterns began, the 1980s have been the warmest decade. Seven of the hottest years on record were 1980, 1981, 1983, 1987, 1988, 1989 and 1990, with 1990 being the hottest on record. However, until now, scientists cannot say for sure whether such climate warming is a trend under the influence of the greenhouse effect or whether it is just natural fluctuations. After all, the climate has experienced similar changes and fluctuations before. Over the course of the last million years, eight so-called ice ages occurred, when a giant ice carpet reached the latitudes of Kyiv in Europe, and New York in America. The last ice age ended about 18 thousand years ago, and at that time the average temperature was 5° lower than now. Accordingly, the level of the world ocean was 120 m lower than it is today.

During the last ice age, the CO 2 content in the atmosphere dropped to 0.200, while for the last two warming periods it was 0.280. This is how it was at the beginning of the 19th century. Then it gradually began to increase and reached its current value of approximately 0.347. It follows that in the 200 years since the beginning of the Industrial Revolution, the natural control of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere through a closed cycle between the atmosphere, ocean, vegetation and processes of organic and inorganic decay has been grossly disrupted.

It is still unclear whether these climate warming parameters are truly statically significant. For example, some researchers note that the data characterizing climate warming are significantly lower than the indicators calculated using computer forecasts based on data on the level of emissions in previous years. Scientists know that some types of pollutants may actually slow down warming by reflecting ultraviolet rays into space. So whether climate change is consistent or whether the changes are temporary, masking the long-term effects of increasing greenhouse gases and ozone depletion is debatable. Although there is little evidence at the statistical level that climate warming is a sustainable trend, assessments of the potential catastrophic consequences of a warming climate have prompted widespread calls for preventive measures.

Another important manifestation of global warming is the warming of the world's oceans. In 1989, A. Strong of the National Atmospheric and Oceanic Administration reported: “Satellite measurements of ocean surface temperatures between 1982 and 1988 indicate that the world's oceans are warming gradually but noticeably by about 0.1°C per year.” year". This is extremely important because, due to their colossal heat capacity, the oceans hardly respond to random climate changes. The detected trend towards warming proves the seriousness of the problem.

The occurrence of the greenhouse effect:

The obvious reason for the greenhouse effect is the use of traditional energy resources by industry and motorists. Less obvious reasons include deforestation, waste processing, and coal mining. Significantly increasing the greenhouse effect are chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs), carbon dioxide CO 2 , methane CH 4 , sulfur and nitrogen oxides.

However, carbon dioxide still plays the greatest role in this process, since it has a relatively long life cycle in the atmosphere and in all countries its volumes are constantly increasing. Sources of CO 2 can be divided into two main categories: industrial production and others, accounting for 77% and 23% of the total volume of its emissions into the atmosphere, respectively. The entire group of developing countries (approximately 3/4 of the world population) accounts for less than 1/3 of the total industrial CO 2 emissions. If we exclude this group of countries, China, this figure will drop to approximately 1/5. Since in richer countries the level of income, and therefore consumption, is higher, the volume of harmful emissions into the atmosphere per capita is much higher. For example, per capita emissions in the United States are more than 2 times the European average, 19 times the African average and 25 times the corresponding figure for India. However, recently in developed countries (in particular, in the USA), there has been a tendency to gradually curtail production that is harmful to the environment and population and transfer it to less developed countries. Thus, the US government is concerned about maintaining a favorable environmental situation in its country, while maintaining its economic well-being.

Although the share of third world countries in industrial CO 2 emissions is relatively small, they account for almost the entire volume of its other emissions into the atmosphere. The main reason for this is the use of forest burning techniques to bring new lands into agricultural use. The indicator of the volume of emissions into the atmosphere for this article is calculated as follows: it is assumed that the entire volume of CO 2 contained in plants enters the atmosphere when burned. It is estimated that deforestation by fire accounts for 25% of all emissions into the atmosphere. Perhaps even more important is the fact that in the process of deforestation, the source of atmospheric oxygen is destroyed. Tropical rainforests provide an important mechanism for ecosystem self-healing as trees absorb carbon dioxide and release oxygen through photosynthesis. Destruction of tropical forests reduces the environment's ability to absorb carbon dioxide. Thus, it is precisely the characteristics of the land cultivation process in developing countries that determine such a significant contribution of the latter to the increase in the greenhouse effect.

In the natural biosphere, the content of carbon dioxide in the air was maintained at the same level, since its intake was equal to its removal. This process was driven by the carbon cycle, during which the amount of carbon dioxide extracted from the atmosphere by photosynthetic plants is compensated for by respiration and combustion. Currently, people are actively upsetting this balance by clearing forests and using fossil fuels. Burning every pound of it (coal, petroleum products and natural gas) produces approximately three pounds, or 2 m 3, of carbon dioxide (the weight triples because each carbon atom of the fuel attaches two oxygen atoms during the combustion process and becomes carbon dioxide). Chemical formula carbon combustion looks like this:

C + O 2 → CO 2

Every year, about 2 billion tons of fossil fuels are burned, which means that almost 5.5 billion tons of carbon dioxide enters the atmosphere. Another approximately 1.7 billion tons of it comes there due to the clearing and burning of tropical forests and oxidation organic matter soil (humus). In this regard, people are trying to reduce emissions of harmful gases into the atmosphere as much as possible and are trying to find new ways to fulfill their traditional needs. An interesting example This could be achieved through the development of new, environmentally friendly air conditioners. Air conditioners play a significant role in the occurrence of the “greenhouse effect”. Their use leads to an increase in vehicle emissions. To this must be added the slight but inevitable loss of coolant, which evaporates under high pressure, for example through seals at the hose connection. This coolant has the same climate impact as other greenhouse gases. Therefore, researchers began searching for an environmentally friendly refrigerant. Hydrocarbons with good cooling properties cannot be used due to their high flammability. Therefore, scientists chose carbon dioxide. CO 2 is a natural component of air. The CO 2 required for air conditioning appears as a by-product of many industrial production. In addition, natural CO 2 does not require the creation of an entire infrastructure for maintenance and processing. CO 2 is inexpensive and can be found throughout the world.

Carbon dioxide has been used as a cooling agent in fishing since the last century. In the 30s, CO 2 was replaced by synthetic and environmentally harmful substances. They made it possible to use simpler technology under high pressure. Scientists are developing components for a completely new cooling system using CO 2 . This system includes a compressor, gas cooler, expander, evaporator, manifold and internal heat exchanger. Required for CO 2 high pressure taking into account more advanced materials than before, it does not pose a great danger. Despite their increased pressure resistance, the new components are comparable in size and weight to conventional units. Tests of a new car air conditioner show that using carbon dioxide as a coolant can reduce greenhouse gas emissions by a third.

A constant increase in the amount of burned organic fuel (coal, oil, gas, peat, etc.) leads to an increase in the concentration of CO 2 in the atmospheric air (at the beginning of the twentieth century - 0.029%, today - 0.034%). Forecasts show that by the middle XXI century, the CO 2 content will double, which will lead to a sharp increase in the greenhouse effect, and the temperature on the planet will rise. Two more dangerous problems will arise: the rapid melting of glaciers in the Arctic and Antarctic, the “permafrost” of the tundra and the rise in the level of the World Ocean. Such changes will be accompanied by climate change, which is even difficult to foresee. Consequently, the problem is not simply the greenhouse effect, but its artificial growth generated by human activity, a change in the optimal content of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere. Human industrial activity leads to a noticeable increase in them and the appearance of a threatening imbalance. If humanity fails to take effective measures to limit greenhouse gas emissions and preserve forests, the temperature, according to the UN, will increase by another 3° in 30 years. One solution to the problem is environmentally friendly energy sources that would not add carbon dioxide and large amounts of heat to the atmosphere. For example, small solar power plants that consume solar heat instead of fuel are already being successfully used.

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, improper agricultural practices and overgrazing. 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 loss of organic matter in the biosphere, the very thing 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 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 root system 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 vegetation cover, 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, in a 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 incorrect practice of agriculture, which in some cases uses the slash-and-burn system, which has not yet been eliminated in the equatorial regions, and overgrazing of livestock, which leads to the same soil compaction. The problem of fuel combustion and hazardous emissions is also traditional. industrial gases such as freons.

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 “A Note on the Temperatures of the Globe and Other Planets,” in which he considered various mechanisms for the 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 in contrast to other fossil fuels (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 in general 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 also 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 major cities and populated areas, 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, which clearly demonstrates 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 primarily to a rise in sea levels in best case scenario by 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 an annual increase in oceanic water mass by 520-540 cubic meters. 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 and the risk of catastrophic floods will increase in Europe and on the east coast of the United States, 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 reforming geographical zones will begin with their “shift” to higher latitudes at 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 own 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, according to 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 beneficial 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 be shortened 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 liberal reforms 90s, 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.

The greenhouse effect is a rise in temperature on the surface of the planet as a result of thermal energy that appears in the atmosphere due to heating of gases. The main gases that lead to the greenhouse effect on Earth are water vapor and carbon dioxide.

The greenhouse effect allows us to maintain a temperature on the surface of the Earth at which the emergence and development of life is possible. If there were no greenhouse effect, the average surface temperature of the globe would be much lower than it is now. However, as the concentration of greenhouse gases increases, the impermeability of the atmosphere to infrared rays increases, which leads to an increase in the Earth's temperature.

In 2007, the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), the most authoritative international body that brings together thousands of scientists from 130 countries, presented its Fourth Assessment Report, which contained generalized conclusions about past and present climate changes, their impact on nature and people , as well as possible measures to counter such changes.

According to published data, between 1906 and 2005 the average temperature of the Earth rose by 0.74 degrees. In the next 20 years, the temperature rise, according to experts, will average 0.2 degrees per decade, and by end of XXI century, the Earth's temperature could rise from 1.8 to 4.6 degrees (this difference in data is the result of superimposing a whole set of future climate models, which took into account different scenarios for the development of the world economy and society).

According to scientists, with a 90 percent probability, the observed climate changes are associated with human activity - the burning of carbon-based fossil fuels (i.e. oil, gas, coal, etc.), industrial processes, as well as the clearing of forests - natural absorbers of carbon dioxide from the atmosphere .

Possible consequences of climate change:
1. Changes in the frequency and intensity of precipitation.
In general, the planet's climate will become wetter. But the amount of precipitation will not spread evenly across the Earth. In regions that already receive sufficient precipitation today, their precipitation will become more intense. And in regions with insufficient moisture, dry periods will become more frequent.

2. Sea level rise.
During the twentieth century average level sea ​​level rose by 0.1-0.2 m. According to scientists, during the 21st century the sea level rise will be up to 1 m. In this case, coastal areas and small islands will be the most vulnerable. Countries such as the Netherlands, Great Britain, and the small island states of Oceania and the Caribbean will be the first to be at risk of flooding. In addition, high tides will become more frequent and coastal erosion will increase.

3. Threat to ecosystems and biodiversity.
There are predictions that up to 30-40% of plant and animal species will disappear because their habitats will change faster than they can adapt to these changes.

When the temperature rises by 1 degree, a change in the species composition of the forest is predicted. Forests are a natural store of carbon (80% of all carbon in terrestrial vegetation and about 40% of carbon in soil). The transition from one type of forest to another will be accompanied by the release of large amounts of carbon.

4. Melting glaciers.
Modern glaciation of the Earth can be considered one of the most sensitive indicators of ongoing global changes. Satellite data show that there has been a decrease in snow cover of about 10% since the 1960s. Since the 1950s in the Northern Hemisphere, the area sea ​​ice decreased by almost 10-15%, and the thickness decreased by 40%. According to the forecasts of experts from the Arctic and Antarctic Research Institute (St. Petersburg), in 30 years the Arctic Ocean will completely open up from under the ice during the warm period of the year.

According to scientists, the thickness Himalayan ice melts at a rate of 10-15 m per year. At the current rate of these processes, two-thirds of the glaciers will disappear by 2060, and by 2100 all glaciers will completely melt.
Accelerating glacier melt poses a number of immediate threats to human development. For densely populated mountain and foothill areas, avalanches, flooding or, conversely, a decrease in the full flow of rivers, and as a consequence a decrease in fresh water supplies, pose a particular danger.

5. Agriculture.
The impact of warming on agricultural productivity is controversial. In some areas with temperate climate Yields may increase with small increases in temperature, but will decrease with large temperature changes. In tropical and subtropical regions, yields are generally projected to decline.

The biggest blow could be to the poorest countries, those least prepared to adapt to climate change. According to the IPCC, the number of people facing hunger could increase by 600 million by 2080, double the number of people currently living in poverty in sub-Saharan Africa.

6. Water consumption and water supply.
One of the consequences of climate change may be a shortage drinking water. In regions with arid climates ( central Asia, Mediterranean, South Africa, Australia, etc.) the situation will further worsen due to a reduction in precipitation levels.
Due to the melting of glaciers, the flow of the largest waterways of Asia - the Brahmaputra, Ganges, Yellow River, Indus, Mekong, Saluan and Yangtze - will significantly decrease. A lack of fresh water will not only affect human health and agricultural development, but will also increase the risk of political divisions and conflicts over access to water resources.

7. Human health.
Climate change, according to scientists, will lead to increased health risks for people, especially the less affluent segments of the population. Thus, a reduction in food production will inevitably lead to malnutrition and hunger. Abnormally high temperatures can lead to exacerbation of cardiovascular, respiratory and other diseases.

Rising temperatures may lead to changes in geographic distribution various types who are carriers of diseases. As temperatures rise, the ranges of heat-loving animals and insects (for example, encephalitis ticks and malaria mosquitoes) will spread further north, while the people inhabiting these areas will not be immune to new diseases.

According to environmentalists, humanity is unlikely to be able to completely prevent the predicted climate changes. However, it is humanly possible to mitigate climate change, to curb the rate of temperature rise in order to avoid dangerous and irreversible consequences in the future. First of all, due to:
1. Restrictions and reductions in the consumption of fossil carbon fuels (coal, oil, gas);
2. Increasing the efficiency of energy consumption;
3. Introduction of energy saving measures;
4. Increased use of non-carbon and renewable energy sources;
5. Development of new environmentally friendly and low-carbon technologies;
6. Through preventing forest fires and restoring forests, since forests are natural absorbers of carbon dioxide from the atmosphere.

The greenhouse effect does not only occur on Earth. Strong greenhouse effect - on the neighboring planet, Venus. The atmosphere of Venus consists almost entirely of carbon dioxide, and as a result the planet's surface is heated to 475 degrees. Climatologists believe that the Earth avoided such a fate thanks to the presence of oceans. 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, the planet experiences an uncontrollable greenhouse effect.

The material was prepared based on information from RIA Novosti and open sources

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If we consider the current problems of humanity, we can conclude that the most global of them is the greenhouse effect. It is already making itself felt and greatly changing environmental conditions, but its exact consequences are unknown, although it is clear that they may be irreparable.

To save humanity, we must find out the essence of the greenhouse effect and try to stop it.

What it is

The essence of the greenhouse effect is similar to the principle of operation of greenhouses, which is well known to all gardeners and gardeners. It lies in the fact that a certain greenhouse is formed above the planet, which, having transparency, freely allows Sun rays. They fall on the earth's surface and warm it up. Heat should normally pass through the atmosphere, and its lower layers have become so dense over the past few decades that they have lost their throughput. Thus, heat exchange is disrupted, which leads to the launch of the greenhouse effect mechanism.

The definition of the greenhouse effect is something like this: an increase in temperature in the lower atmospheric layers compared to the effective indicators characterizing thermal radiation Earth, which is observed from space. In other words, it is much warmer on the surface of the planet than outside its atmosphere. And since the layers are very dense, they do not allow heat to pass through, and it, under the influence of low cosmic temperatures, provokes the formation of condensation. A simplified diagram of the mechanism is presented below.

The issue of the greenhouse effect was first studied by Joseph Fourier back in the 19th century, who suggested that the earth's atmosphere is changing greatly and its properties begin to resemble glass in greenhouses, that is, it transmits the sun's rays, but prevents the return penetration of heat. Because of this, the so-called ones are synthesized, which consist of carbon, water vapor, ozone and methane.

The basis is steam, which provokes the formation of condensation. Carbon dioxide plays an equally important role in the greenhouse effect, the volume of which has recently increased to 20-26%. The shares of ozone and methane in the atmosphere are 3-7% each, but they also take part in the processes of the greenhouse effect.

Causes

Planet Earth has already experienced the greenhouse effect and global warming, and, probably, without such phenomena, humanity and all living things would not have been able to develop and live normally. Many centuries ago, the processes started due to the high activity of numerous volcanoes, the products of which erupted into the atmosphere. But as vegetation spread across the planet, the level of gases decreased and the situation stabilized.

In the modern world, the greenhouse effect is due to the following reasons:

• Active and uncontrolled use of various minerals extracted from the bowels of the Earth that have flammable properties. Humanity strives to use all the gifts of the planet, but it does so extremely thoughtlessly and rudely: in the process of combustion and burning, a huge amount of various decay products, as well as carbon dioxide, are released into the environment every day.
• Active deforestation throughout the Earth, which has recently become simply huge scale. Trees are cut down mainly for use as fuel, but sometimes areas are cleared for construction. One way or another, a decrease in the number green plants changes the composition of the air. The foliage absorbs carbon dioxide and releases oxygen. And the less vegetation on the planet, the higher the concentration of substances that thicken the atmosphere and enhance the greenhouse effect.
• A huge number of vehicles run on gasoline. During its operation, they are generated and immediately released into the air. They rush upward, penetrate into the lower atmospheric layers and make them even denser, enhancing the greenhouse effect.
• The development of the greenhouse effect in the atmosphere is facilitated by rapid population growth. Every person, inhaling oxygen, exhales carbon dioxide, and this, as is known, is the main development of the greenhouse effect.
• Forest fires, which are increasingly occurring due to weather changes and human negligence, also aggravate the greenhouse effect. A huge number of trees burn each year, which means that incredible amounts of carbon dioxide are released into the air and atmosphere.
• Numerous landfills that have filled the Earth's surface emit methane and other waste during the process of rotting waste. harmful substances, heavily polluting the lower atmospheric layers.
• Rapid pace of industrial development. Various processing plants and other industrial companies emit huge amounts of exhaust and vapors that enter the atmosphere almost immediately and provoke a greenhouse effect.
• Introduction of chemical and synthetic substances into all spheres of life. They are found in fertilizers, containers, clothing, food and other products modern production. Some compounds do not decompose and release vapors that rush into the atmosphere.

Possible consequences

It is not enough to know what the greenhouse effect is to understand how dangerous it is. And in order to assess the globality and seriousness of the problem, one should consider the consequences that threaten the planet and all living things. They may be as follows:

1. Atmospheric pollution and the compaction of its layers contribute to global warming. For a long time, scientists engaged in research climatic conditions, noticed an increase in average annual temperatures by several degrees. And such changes can upset the overall balance, leading to heat and drought in some southern regions.
2. Due to the greenhouse effect and the warming it causes, active climate change occurs. Water levels in the oceans are rising rapidly; coastal areas may be completely flooded within a few decades. And if we take into account that various crops are grown in these territories, then enormous damage will be caused agriculture, and this, in turn, can provoke acute food shortages.
3. Due to rising water levels in the world's oceans, many coastal cities, and in the future even entire countries, may be flooded. As a result, people will simply have nowhere to live. Moreover, some regions are already facing a real threat.
4. Under the influence caused by the greenhouse effect high temperatures Moisture evaporates much faster, and this has the most direct detrimental effect on the vegetation of the Earth. Reducing its volume will aggravate the problems and worsen the composition of the air. As a result, after centuries there may come a time when there will simply be nothing to breathe on the planet.
5. Heat is a threat to the health of many people, especially those suffering from cardiovascular and endocrine diseases. It is not for nothing that in the summer, mortality throughout the Earth increases markedly.
6. Due to the greenhouse effect and the serious climate changes caused by it, not only the flora of the planet, but also the fauna, that is, the animal world, may suffer. Some of its representatives are already considered endangered, including due to.
7. Humanity is already experiencing the power of natural anomalies: heavy rainfall, hurricanes, floods, tsunamis, tornadoes, earthquakes and other phenomena that threaten human life.

How to avoid serious consequences

The problem of the greenhouse effect on Earth is very relevant, so many scientists are actively developing and thinking through solutions.

1. First, energy consumption should be completely reconsidered. It is advisable to abandon combustible natural resources and solid fuel materials by switching to natural gas or alternative and as yet insufficiently developed natural sources, such as the sun, water, and wind.
2. Secondly, the greenhouse effect and its impact on planet Earth will weaken if humanity pursues a policy of conservation and energy conservation. To do this, you can, for example, fully insulate houses and use building and finishing materials that retain heat. Also in production and industrial enterprises equipment should be installed that will reduce energy consumption.
3. Thirdly, one of the ways to combat the greenhouse effect could be the re-equipment of the transport system. It is not necessary to give up cars, but you can purchase ones that work without exhaust gases settling in the lower layers of the atmosphere, for example, on solar powered or electricity. The development of alternative sources is underway, but its results are still unknown.
4. Fourthly, forests on Earth should be restored, deforestation should be stopped, and new trees should be planted. And if every inhabitant of the planet makes a contribution, this will have a significant impact on the overall situation. In addition, it is worth reconsidering the cultivation of various crops, namely, abandoning chemical fertilizers and spraying with poisons that pollute the atmosphere and enhance the greenhouse effect.
5. Fifthly, it is necessary to optimize the waste processing system so as not to pollute the atmosphere and the planet. Industrial enterprises must install wastewater treatment plants, minimizing emissions. The waste itself must be fully disposed of or recycled and used as secondary raw materials. In addition, to reduce landfills, production should use fully biodegradable and harmless materials.

Now the essence of the greenhouse effect and its influence on the atmosphere is clear to you, and you know why the planet is in danger. It is very difficult to eliminate such a phenomenon, but if all of humanity reconsiders its attitude towards the Earth and begins to act, then serious consequences can be avoided.