Greenhouse gas

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Greenhouse 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.
This text uses material from Wikipedia and is available under the GNU Free Documentation License.


News tagged with greenhouse gas emissions

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Science not faked, but not pretty (AP)

Science not faked, but not pretty

Space & Earth / Environment

created Dec 12, 2009 | popularity 3.1 / 5 (54) | comments 84

(AP) -- E-mails stolen from climate scientists show they stonewalled skeptics and discussed hiding data - but the messages don't support claims that the science of global warming was faked, according to an ...


A greener way to get electricity from natural gas

A greener way to get electricity from natural gas

Technology / Energy

created Dec 03, 2009 | popularity 3.7 / 5 (16) | comments 9

(PhysOrg.com) -- A new type of natural-gas electric power plant proposed by MIT researchers could provide electricity with zero carbon dioxide emissions to the atmosphere, at costs comparable to or less than ...


A farmer droving his sheep, northwest of Melbourne

Australian scientists aim to reduce sheep burps

Biology / Biotechnology

created Nov 29, 2009 | popularity 2.7 / 5 (9) | comments 9

Australian scientists are working to breed a sheep that belches less, as they look for ways to reduce harmful methane emissions from the country's woolly flocks, a researcher said Sunday.


UN: Fight climate change with free condoms (AP)

UN: Fight climate change with free condoms

Space & Earth / Environment

created Nov 18, 2009 | popularity 2.9 / 5 (12) | comments 38

(AP) -- The battle against global warming could be helped if the world slowed population growth by making free condoms and family planning advice more widely available, the U.N. Population Fund said Wednesday.


NASA, Google offer more precise emissions tracking (AP)

NASA, Google offer more precise emissions tracking

Space & Earth / Environment

created 11 hours ago | popularity not rated yet | comments 0

(AP) -- The question is a potential deal-killer: If nations ever agree to slash greenhouse gas emissions, how will the world know if they live up to their pledges?


Breakthrough in monitoring tropical deforestation announced in Copenhagen

Breakthrough in monitoring tropical deforestation announced in Copenhagen

Space & Earth / Environment

created Dec 10, 2009 | popularity 3.8 / 5 (5) | comments 0

Tropical forest destruction accounts for some 20% of global greenhouse gas emissions. But quantifying these emissions has not been easy, particularly for tropical nations. New technology, developed by a team ...


A view of an offshore wind power farm in Germany

EU grants 1.5 billion euros for wind farms, carbon capture

Technology / Energy

created Dec 09, 2009 | popularity 3 / 5 (1) | comments 0

The EU commission on Wednesday granted 1.5 billion euros (2.2 billion dollars) to offshore wind farms and carbon capture and storage schemes to help relaunch Europe's economy and cut greenhouse gas emissions.


Don’t Blame Cows for Climate Change

Don't Blame Cows for Climate Change

Space & Earth / Environment

created Dec 08, 2009 | popularity 3.3 / 5 (9) | comments 4

(PhysOrg.com) -- Despite oft-repeated claims by sources ranging from the United Nations to music star Paul McCartney, it is simply not true that consuming less meat and dairy products will help stop climate ...


UN: 2000-2009 likely warmest decade on record (AP)

Leaked document stirs anger at climate summit

Space & Earth / Environment

created Dec 08, 2009 | popularity 3.7 / 5 (11) | comments 24

(AP) -- A leaked Danish document at the U.N. climate conference provoked angry criticism Tuesday from developing countries who feared it would shift more of the burden to curb greenhouse gases on poorer countries.


List of 'unsung' wildlife affected by climate change released

Biology / Ecology

created Dec 07, 2009 | popularity 5 / 5 (2) | comments 0

The Wildlife Conservation Society today released a list of animals facing new impacts by climate change, some in strange and unexpected ways.


The last best chance: UN climate conference opens (AP)

The last best chance: UN climate conference opens

Space & Earth / Environment

created Dec 07, 2009 | popularity 2.1 / 5 (7) | comments 8

(AP) -- The largest and most important U.N. climate change conference in history opened Monday, with organizers warning diplomats from 192 nations that this could be the last best chance for a deal to protect ...


Cutting greenhouse pollutants could directly save millions of lives worldwide

Space & Earth / Environment

created Nov 25, 2009 | popularity 2.1 / 5 (14) | comments 8

Tackling climate change by reducing carbon dioxide and other greenhouse emissions will have major direct health benefits in addition to reducing the risk of climate change, especially in low-income countries, according to ...


Forests take center stage at Copenhagen

Forests take center stage at Copenhagen

Space & Earth / Environment

created 9 hours ago | popularity 3 / 5 (2) | comments 0

As the UN Climate Conference in Copenhagen approaches its conclusion, negotiations are focusing on the role of forests in mitigating climate change. The new 'Reducing Emissions from Deforestation and Forest ...


US-China showdown still looms over climate talks (AP)

US-China showdown still looms over climate talks

Space & Earth / Environment

created Dec 15, 2009 | popularity 5 / 5 (1) | comments 0

(AP) -- In a showdown between the world's two largest polluters, China accused the United States and other rich nations Tuesday of backsliding on fighting global warming and the top U.S. envoy said Chinese ...


World's mayors tackle climate change on their own (AP)

World's mayors tackle climate change on their own

Space & Earth / Environment

created Dec 14, 2009 | popularity 1 / 5 (2) | comments 0

(AP) -- It isn't easy getting Italy's city dwellers out of their Fiats, off their Vespa scooters and onto bicycles to ride to work, "like here in Copenhagen," says an Italian environmental official.