The ‘Greenhouse Effect’ Of Carbon Dioxide

In the last 100 years, the atmospheric carbon dioxide concentration has risen from about 0.027 per cent to over 0.033 per cent as a result of the increased combustion of coal and petroleum, in our industries and motors vehicles.

Carbon dioxide is removed from the atmosphere by being dissolved in the sea and being taken up by photosynthesis. Destruction of large areas of tropical forest could significantly reduce the proportion of carbon dioxide removed by photosynthesis.

An increasing concentration of atmospheric carbon dioxide may have the effect of ‘trapping’ the sun’s radiant energy in a similar ways to a greenhouse. This could results in a warming of the Earth’s Atmosphere, the melting of the polar ice-caps and a rise in sea level. There could also be climatic changes which would affect the important food-growing areas of the world.

So far, there is little convincing evidence that the global temperature is rising but case against the continued deforestation is persuasive even if the ‘greenhouse effect’ is discounted.

Done by: AuDrey