Global Warming

Description:

Global warming is the trend of increasing temperatures on a global scale. The source of this heating is believed to be the greenhouse effect, which is the culmination of CO2 in the atmosphere acting as a warm blanket keeping the heat in.

Dynamics: The sun heats the earth's surface using its solar radiation. The heat coming from the surface can be seen as infrared radiation which under normal conditions can easily escape back again. However, large amounts of CO2 in the atmosphere prohibit the infrared heat-rays to escape quickly, causing global warming.

Enablers:

• Emission of greenhouse gases such as CO2
• Growth of the worlds population
• Economic growth, especially in emerging markets such as China, India and Brazil
• Slow implementation of renewable energy such as wind, water solar and biomass
• Lack of long term vision from governments and corporations

Inhibitors:

• Global Dimming
• Kyoto treaty: Although this will not reduce the CO2 emission enough to stop global warming
• More efficient energy/green energy
• Powersaving light bulbs ;)

Paradigms:

Solar radiation X passes through our atmosphere and heats the earths surface. The surface absorbes the energy and warmth (radiation Y) flows through the atmoshpere, while heating it. Greenhouse gases in the atmosphere adsorb radiation Y, thereby raising the temperature of the atmosphere.

Experts:

Climatologists.

CFC FREE

Timing:

1997 Kyoto Protocol, an amendment to the UNFCCC 2005 warmest year since instrumental measurements were made (1800s)

Web Resources:

• [1] The EPA Global Warming Kids Page
• [2] co2
• [3] Global Warming Wikipedia