Climate Change

• Enhanced Greenhouse Effect – Human activity (anthropogenic) is changing the composition of the atmosphere and making it more effective at trapping heat 
• Global warming – the result of EGE 
• Climate change – may be a result of both sets of processes 
• The three main greenhouse gases are CO2 Methane Nitrogen Oxide
• Human activities reduce ability of the environment to absorb greenhouse gases, especially CO2 so more is found in the atmosphere 
• As human activity increases so too does the concentration of greenhouse gases, which leads to an increase in the amount of outgoing solar radiation being trapped 
• The demand for energy is growing because of increasing population and new technology. Most of our energy is produced through burning fossil fuels (coal, oil, natural gas) which produce fuel. 
• As levels of disposable income rise, increase demand for the fuel production of consumer goods leads to industrial growth and the need for more fuel, resulting in more fossil fuels being burnt. 
• With cars being more affordable and more people taking planes over long distances, huge quantities of fuel are used. Almost all transport relies on burning fossil fuels in some way, again increasing the amount of greenhouse gases released.  
• Population growth has led to a higher demand for food productions. Mechanisation means more fuel is burnt, and intensive farming of cattle and rice resulting in increased production of methane which is a greenhouse gas.  

   
• The difference between natural greenhouse effect and human enhanced greenhouse effect is that more heat is being trapped in earth and not escaping into space. More greenhouse gases such as Methane and CO2 is way higher in the atmosphere and traps the heat on earth. The atmosphere is more re-emitted heat and more re-radiated heat.