Global warming and its impacts

• Greenhouse effect

  A naturally-occurring phenomenon that is responsible for heating of Earth's Surface and atmosphere
• Global warming

  The result of greenhouse gases trapping heat and light from the sun in the earth's atmosphere, which increases the temperature, heating up the earth
• Greenhouse


  A small glass house used for growing plants especially in winter season, where the glass panel lets the light in but does not allow heat to escape, causing the greenhouse to warm up
• Greenhouse gases


  • Carbon dioxide
  • Methane
  • Nitrogen oxides
  • Fluorinated gases
• Greenhouse effect


  1. Sunlight passes through the atmosphere and the earth's surface absorbs it

  2. The land heated by the sunlight emits back the heat as infrared rays

  3. Part of this heat is sent towards the ground, and it heats the earth's surface and the lower atmosphere again

  4. The Green House Gases absorb this heat
• Why is greenhouse effect dangerous?

  • Global Warming
  • Endangered Species
  • Climate Change
• Global warming


  The changes in the global temperature, brought about by the green house effect which is induced by enhanced greenhouse gases into the air
• Causes of global warming

  • Deforestation
  • Greenhouse gases
  • Landfill
  • Pollution
• Consequences of global warming

  • Climate change
  • Changes in wildlife adaptations and cycles
  • Increase in sea level
  • Impact on health
• Remedies for global warming

  • Afforestation
  • Follow the 3 R's (Reduce, Reuse, Recycle)
  • Use of fuel efficient vehicles
  • Eco-friendly technologies
  • Public awareness campaign
  • Reduce the emission of green house gases
• Ozone


  A gas present in the ozone layer in the stratosphere of the Earth, which absorbs almost all ultraviolet light harmful to many organisms
• Ozone hole

  An extraordinary low ozone concentration caused by the ozone layer depletion at the South Pole during the arctic winter and spring period
• Impacts of ozone depletion

  • Impact on the Biosphere
  • Damage to Crops
  • Impact on Humans (UV-B damage, Cataracts, Immune System)
• Dobson unit (DU)


  Unit of measurement of atmospheric ozone columnar density, which is dominated by ozone in the stratospheric ozone layer
• The standard ozone layer thickness is 300 DU
• UV B radiation

  • Damages DNA and Mutation may occur
  • Causes aging of skin, damage to skin cells and various types of skin cancers
• Cataracts


  Clouding that develops in the crystalline lens of the eye or in its envelope
• Snow blindness

  Result of overexposure to UVB and causes the inflammation of cornea
• Some viruses can be activated by increased exposure to UV, affecting our Immune system
• Montrel Protocol

  An International treaty signed at Montrel (Canada) in 1987 to control the emission of ozone depleting substances
• Impact on biosphere

  1. Microscopic algae called phytoplankton form the foundation of the undersea food chain.
  2. Less phytoplankton means less food for these animals to eat
  3. Estimated 16% ozone depletion could result in further loses of phytoplankton which leads to a loss of about 7 million tons of fish per year
• Impact on humans

  • UV B damages
  • cataracts
  • snow blindness
  • damage to immune system