1. Global Warming : The temperature on the earth is rising. This phenomenon known as Global Warming is the result of enhanced concentration of Greenhouse gases in the atmosphere caused mainly by human activities. Consequences of Global Warming:
Global temperature is likely rise by 2 to 5°C during the next century. Due to rise in temperature by 2 to 5°C, there is a chance of melting of ice caps on Earth’* poles. This melting of ice will result in the rise of the sea level. Large stretches of low lying areas will submerge and many island countries will face deep encroachment by sea water. Some may disappear altogether.
As the increase in temperature will be uniform all over the surface of the world, there will be serious climatic changes. This will bring various changes in wind and rain patterns.
Higher temperature will cause rise in transpiration, which in turn, will affect the groundwater table.
As the climatic belts shift from equator towards pole, the vegetation would also shift away from the equator.
Insects and pests will increase in the warmer climatic conditions. Thus, pathogenic **** will multiply.
2. Greenhouse Effect: Greenhouse are built in cold areas to grow the plants within it in warm temperature. But, due to Global Warming the whole earth is becoming a Greenhouse due to increase in temperature, which indirectly disturb the normal life on earth by challenging nature and nature will originate many unwanted problems of change in climate, radiation imbalance, **** etc. The rate of absorption of solar radiation by earth and its emission back into space as infra-red waves balances the heat on earth. This phenomenon plays a very important role in maintaining surface temperature of earth. The carbon dioxide and other gases form a blanket around the globe which prevent the passage of infra-red waves from earth back into space. Concentration of solar radiation produces much heat, making earth a very warm place. This phenomenon is similar to that of greenhouse in which the glass enclosed area gets heated up due to its insulation from the rest of the environment. Hence, warming of the atmosphere is due to the greenhouse effect. Hence, Global Warming is also known as Greenhouse Effect.
3. Normal Lapse Rate of Temperature : The decrease in Temperature is known as normal lapse rate, which is calculated as average decrease of 1°C for every 166 metres altitude gained. The lapse rate works mainly in troposphere which results in various types of weather and climatic changes affecting the life on earth.
4. CFCs : (Chlorofluorocarbons) are organic compounds that contain carbon, chlorine, fluorine produced as volatile deriatives of methane and ethane which catalyze the conversion of ozone (O3) into O2, while O3 is more powerful to absorb ultra-violet rays than that of O2. So CFCs disturb the ozone layer which is so essential for earth.
