Related topics: climate change , carbon dioxide , greenhouse gas
Greenhouse gas
hideGreenhouse gases are gases in an atmosphere that absorb and emit radiation within the thermal infrared range. This process is the fundamental cause of the greenhouse effect. Common greenhouse gases in the Earth's atmosphere include water vapor, carbon dioxide, methane, nitrous oxide, and ozone. In our solar system, the atmospheres of Venus, Mars and Titan also contain gases that cause greenhouse effects. Greenhouse gases greatly affect the temperature of the Earth; without them, Earth's surface would be on average about 33°C (59°F) colder than at present.
Human activities since the start of the industrial era around 1750 have increased the levels of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere. The 2007 assessment report compiled by the IPCC observed that "changes in atmospheric concentrations of greenhouse gases and aerosols, land cover and solar radiation alter the energy balance of the climate system", and concluded that "increases in anthropogenic greenhouse gas concentrations is very likely to have caused most of the increases in global average temperatures since the mid-20th century".
For more information about Greenhouse gas, read the full article at
Wikipedia.
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News tagged with carbon emissions
Forests could flip from sink to source of CO2: study
Apr 17, 2009 |
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Forests that today soak up a quarter of carbon pollution spewed into the atmosphere could soon become a net source of CO2 if Earth's surface warms by another two degrees Celsius (3.6 degrees Fahrenheit), cautions ...
Synthetic Tree Captures Carbon 1,000 Faster Than Real Trees
Jul 09, 2009 |
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(PhysOrg.com) -- Scientists have designed a synthetic tree that traps carbon dioxide from the air in an attempt to combat growing emissions. The device looks less like a tree and more like a small building, ...
Scientists map speed of climate change
Dec 23, 2009 |
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New study finds that the average ecosystem will need to shift about a quarter mile per year to keep pace with global climate change.
Acid oceans: the 'evil twin' of climate change
Dec 18, 2009 |
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(AP) -- Far from Copenhagen's turbulent climate talks, the sea lions, harbor seals and sea otters reposing along the shoreline and kelp forests of this protected marine area stand to gain from any global ...
Heating from carbon dioxide will increase five-fold over next millennia
Space & Earth / Earth Sciences
Jan 29, 2009 |
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(PhysOrg.com) -- Scientists at the University of Liverpool have found that heating from carbon dioxide will increase five-fold over the next millennia.
Climate change not man-made, say majority of Britons: poll
Nov 15, 2009 |
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Less than half of Britons believes that human activity is to blame for global warming, according to a poll carried out for The Times newspaper and published on Saturday.
Family planning a major environmental impact
Jul 31, 2009 |
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Some people who are serious about wanting to reduce their "carbon footprint" on the Earth have one choice available to them that may yield a large long-term benefit - have one less child.
New method may help allocate carbon emissions responsibility among nations
Jul 06, 2009 |
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Just months before world leaders are scheduled to meet to devise a new international treaty on climate change, a research team led by Princeton University scientists has developed a new way of dividing responsibility ...
Researchers Discover Use for Carbon Dioxide in Conversion of Biomass Into Biofuel
Nov 11, 2009 |
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(PhysOrg.com) -- Researchers at Columbia University have successfully discovered a beneficial use for carbon dioxide in the conversion of organic materials, such as grass and bark, into fuel. Their findings ...
Camelina jet fuel could cut carbon emissions by 84 percent
Jul 15, 2009 |
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The seeds of a lowly weed could cut jet fuel's cradle-to-grave carbon emissions by 84 percent.
Humans 'damaging the oceans': research
Jul 29, 2009 |
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Mounting evidence that human activity is changing the world's oceans in profound and damaging ways is outlined in a new scientific discussion paper released today.
Biofuels could hasten climate change
Apr 14, 2009 |
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A new study finds that it will take more than 75 years for the carbon emissions saved through the use of biofuels to compensate for the carbon lost when biofuel plantations are established on forestlands. If the original ...
Draft Copenhagen deal targets maximum 2 C warming
Dec 11, 2009 |
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The first official draft blueprint for a deal at the UN climate talks sees targets of limiting global warming to 1.5 or 2.0 degrees Celsius (2.7 or 3.6 degrees Fahrenheit), according to a document seen by ...
Growth versus global warming
Oct 12, 2009 |
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(PhysOrg.com) -- Houses on stilts, small scale energy generation and recycling our dishwater are just some of the measures that are being proposed to prepare our cities for the effects of global warming.
Massive glacier in sub-Antarctic island shrinks by a fifth
Space & Earth / Earth Sciences
Jul 22, 2009 |
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One of the biggest glaciers in the southern hemisphere shrivelled by a fifth in 40 years, French scientists said on Wednesday.
