Greenhouse Gases

Greenhouse gases are responsible for the greenhouse effect.

It is important for you to realize that these gases are not equally harmful to the environment; some trap more heat than others.

Water Vapour

In fact, water vapour is the most abundant of these gases, but merely reacts to climate change.

In other words, when the atmosphere is warm, there is more water vapour. Thus there is a higher possibility of clouds and precipitation.

This is the reason why climate change will cause changes in precipitation and weather patterns, one of the differences between climate change and global warming.

Chlorofluorocarbons

Chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs) are synthetic (man-made and thus can't be found in nature).

Since it was so destructive to the ozone layer it was banned and is now largely regulated.

They actually caused holes in the ozone layers which fortunately have repaired themselves in recent decades.

The banning of CFCs was the most successful environmental act so far.

Nitrous oxide

Nitrous oxide is a powerful greenhouse gas often produced for the use of commercial and organic fertilizers, nitric acid production, fossil fuel combustion and biomass burning.

Methane

Methane is often produce through agriculture, decomposition of wastes in landfill and manure management for livestock. This gas is very harmful to the atmosphere, but is emitted in small quantities.

Carbon Dioxide

Carbon dioxide takes up a small percentage of these gases and are naturally emitted through cellular respiration and volcanoes.

By this natural process alone, carbon dioxide will increase very slowly over time or remain constant.

However, mankind has drastically increased the concentration of carbon dioxide from 280  to 390 parts per million in the last 150 years. This rapid change will have numerous effects on humankind and precious ecosystems.

Carbons from fossil fuels combine with oxygen to create carbon dioxide. Carbon dioxide is emitted primarily through the use of transportation, industries, energy consumption, agriculture and deforestation.

By reducing our carbon footprint (how much carbon dioxide we emit), we can help solve the climate crisis.

Essentially, it is important for us to determine the causes of climate change in order to do so.

Annual changes are measured in gigatons of carbon per year (GtC/y)

For More Information

• Carbon Dioxide
• Chlorofluorocarbons
• Hydrochlorofluorocarbons
• Hydrofluorocarbons
• Methane
• Nitrous Oxide
• Ozone
• Perfluorocarbons
• Sulfur Hexafluoride
• Water Vapour
  

From National Academies

Return to Top of Page

Return to Causes of Climate Change

Return to Climate Change Guide Home from Greenhouse Gases