There is No Debate, Climate Change is a Fact Research Paper

There is No Debate, Climate Change is a Fact - Research Paper Example at least. Basically, the greenhouse effect operates by the following method. When sunlight penetrates the outer atmosphere and hits the earth’s surface, not all of solar power of the sun is absorbed. About one-third of this solar energy is bounced back into space. Atmospheric gases act by much the same method as the outer roof and wall of a typical garden greenhouse, therefore the terminology. These gases permit sunlight to enter then traps some of this solar energy. The energy that remains heats the earth (Gutierrez, 2008). This is a precarious balancing act. Because of these greenhouse gases being unnaturally augmented by man-made sources, more is constantly building up in the atmosphere consequently trapping more solar energy while reflecting less back to space. This preventable scenario is causing the earth to warm and the climate to change. The most prevalent of the greenhouse gases is Carbon Dioxide (CO2). Trees ‘breathe in’ CO2 then when trees die, CO2 it i s returned to the atmosphere. Clearing land by the mass burning of trees, which is happening at an exceptional rate in the tropical rain forests, is lessening the quantity of CO2 that is absorbed consequently increasing the amount that is put into the atmosphere. CO2 contributes approximately 50 percent of the total gases that create the greenhouse effect. ... The vast majority of fossil fuel consumption, its lethal pollutants and greenhouse-enhancing derivatives are in America, Russia and European countries. Four-fifths of the earth’s people live in nations that, combined, discharge just one-third of the total CO2 whereas just two nations, America and Russia combined, are to blame for discharging half. The escalating quantity of CO2 in the air is becoming more and more disconcerting. Motor vehicles are a considerable source of air pollution. â€Å"Vehicles produce high levels of carbon monoxides (CO) and a major source of hydrocarbons (HC) and nitrogen oxides (NOx), whereas, fuel combustion in stationary sources is the dominant source of sulfur dioxide (SO2)† (Socha, 2007). In addition, the burning of fuel oil to for home heating and to power companies along with the toxins emitted from smokestacks at coal-burning electric generating power plants contribute to create a dangerous imbalance of CO2 in the atmosphere. If the equ ilibrium between the levels of CO2 in the atmosphere and ocean is upset by injecting escalating amounts of CO2, the oceans of the world will continue to absorb greater concentrations of the gas than it normally would. This phenomenon results in the warming of the ocean waters which are then increasingly less capable to absorb CO2. As the seas lose the ability to maintain the intrusion of this organically equalizing cycle, the ever increasing quantities of CO2 stays in the atmosphere. Ever-increasing amounts of CO2 in the atmosphere cause the earth’s surface to warm further thus increasing the greenhouse effect. â€Å"Currently carbon dioxide is responsible for 57 percent of the global warming trend. Nitrogen oxides