{"id":99220,"date":"2021-04-01T20:23:21","date_gmt":"2021-04-01T14:53:21","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/blog.forumias.com\/?page_id=99220"},"modified":"2023-04-22T14:24:51","modified_gmt":"2023-04-22T08:54:51","slug":"climate-change-ii","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/forumias.com\/blog\/climate-change-ii\/","title":{"rendered":"Climate Change- II"},"content":{"rendered":"

Concept of Global Warming:<\/h2>\n

Global Warming<\/strong> is a gradual heating of the earth\u2019s surface, oceans and atmosphere. The increase in temperature is often a result of the Greenhouse Effect caused by increased levels of gases like Carbon Dioxide, CFCs and other pollutants. As per IPCC report, the world is 1.2o<\/sup>C warmer than pre-industrial levels.<\/p>\n

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Greenhouse Effect involves following steps:<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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1.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 High energy short wavelength solar radiation reaches the earth\u2019s atmosphere.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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2.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 About 30% of the sun\u2019s energy is reflected directly back into the space by the atmosphere, clouds and surface of the earth. The rest of the energy is absorbed into the earth\u2019s system.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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3.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 The Earth re-emits energy in the form of infrared radiation back into the atmosphere, at wavelengths longer than incoming solar energy.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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4.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Greenhouse gases in the atmosphere like Water Vapor, Carbon Dioxide, Methane, Nitrous Oxide, Fluorinated Gases like HFCs and SF6<\/sub>, Black Carbon and Brown Carbon, absorb much of the long wave energy (infrared radiation) emitted from the earth\u2019s surface. Thus, these gases prevent the energy from escaping the earth\u2019s surface, leading to warming of the atmosphere.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

Global Warming Potential (GWP)<\/strong> for a gas is a measure of the total energy that a gas absorbs over a period of time, compared to carbon dioxide. Gases with high GWP absorbs more energy than gases with lower GWP, thus contributing more to warming earth.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
GHG<\/u><\/p>\n

CO2<\/sub><\/p>\n

CH4<\/sub><\/p>\n

N2<\/sub>O<\/p>\n

HFC \u2013 23<\/p>\n

HFC \u2013 134a<\/p>\n

SF6<\/sub><\/td>\n

GWP for 100 years<\/u><\/p>\n

1<\/p>\n

23<\/p>\n

296<\/p>\n

12000<\/p>\n

1300<\/p>\n

22200<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n

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The term \u2018Carbon Fertilization\u2019<\/strong> is often used in the context of Greenhouse Gas emissions, which means high rate of plant growth due to increased concentration of CO2<\/sub> in the atmosphere.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

Black Carbon:<\/strong><\/p>\n

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  • It is commonly known as soot, is a solid particle or aerosol produced from incomplete combustion. It is released from biomass burning, cooking with solid fuels, vehicular emissions etc.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
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    • Black Carbon warms the earth by absorbing heat in the atmosphere and reducing albedo when deposited on snow. This is turn accelerates the melting of glaciers. Further, it also disrupts precipitation patterns.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div>\n
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      • Black Carbon is a Short-Lived Climate Pollutant (SLCP).<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div>\n
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        Brown Carbon:<\/strong><\/p>\n

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        • It is brown smoke released by the combustion of organic matter. It co-exists with Black Carbon when released in the atmosphere.<\/li>\n
        • Black Carbon is primarily released by high temperature combustion (diesel engines etc.) and Brown Carbon is mainly released by biomass combustion.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n

          Fluorinated Gases:<\/strong><\/p>\n

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          • \u00a0HFCs, PFCs, SF6<\/sub> are emitted through a variety of industrial processes like aluminum and semi-conductor manufacturing, substitution for ozone depleting substances, electrical transmission equipment.<\/li>\n
          • Fluorinated Gases have much longer lifetime compared to gases like Methane and Nitrous Oxide in the following order: SF6<\/sub>\/PFCs>HFCs>Nitrous Oxide>CO2<\/sub>>CH4<\/sub><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n

            Nitrous Oxide:<\/strong><\/p>\n

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            • It is naturally present in the atmosphere as a part of earth\u2019s Nitrogen Cycle.<\/li>\n
            • Natural sources include bacteria breaking down nitrogen in soils while human induced factors include agriculture, transportation and industry (fertilizers industry and in the production of adipic acid used to make fibers like nylon).<\/li>\n
            • Poultry industry also releases active nitrogen compounds into atmosphere<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n

              Methane:<\/strong><\/p>\n