HFC, for example, an industrial gas, has 11, 000 times the greenhouse effect of CO2.
First, "greenhouse gases" refers to several gases recognized by scientists as enhancing the greenhouse effect.
The harmful pollutants released into the air by coal-fired electricity generation, such as sulphur, also dampen the greenhouse effect.
This is the radiation the planet sheds as it cools, and it is the radiation captured by the greenhouse effect.
The gas would soon find its way into the atmosphere, where it would add to the greenhouse effect and cause the temperature to rise.
Due to the important role of humidity, tropical glaciers are likely to be the climatic indicators the most sensitive to climatic changes like the greenhouse effect.
"It is time to stop waffling so much and say that the evidence is pretty strong that the greenhouse effect is here, " he told reporters after that appearance.
Dr Harries's conclusion is that the greenhouse effect has changed over the past few years in exactly the way that those who believe in global warming would have predicted.
But the strength of the greenhouse effect depends on the chemical composition of the atmosphere, because the phenomenon is due to the absorption of infra-red radiation by various gases in the air.
The WMO data, meanwhile, confirms that atmospheric concentrations of the three gases principally responsible for the man-made component of the greenhouse effect - carbon dioxide, methane, and nitrous oxide - all rose during 2009.
That is because the CO2 greenhouse effect is weak and marginal compared to natural causes of global temperature changes.
FORBES: To The Horror Of Global Warming Alarmists, Global Cooling Is Here
Nonetheless, the idea that carbon dioxide spewed by the world's industries is causing more heat to be trapped in the atmosphere (the "greenhouse effect") has found wide acceptance.
In this audio section, BBC World Service environment specialist Richard Black explains the so-called greenhouse effect, global warming, the implications for the human race and the significance of the Kyoto summit.
CO2 is one of the substances responsible for greenhouse effect and as such, efforts are being made to reduce the emissions of CO2 worldwide.
The warming effect caused by greenhouse gases rose 29% since 1990 and 1.4% over the last 12 months ending Dec. 31, 2010.
These reflect sunlight away from Earth and thus oppose the effect of greenhouse gases.
That has led the Manomet Center for Conservation Sciences to say that the net effect on greenhouse gas emissions is higher.
Most of it is, of course, radiated back into space. (It is the partial blocking of this radiation by gases such as carbon dioxide that causes the much-talked-of greenhouse effect.) Some of it, however, goes in the opposite direction, into the ground.
Add the fact that it has little or no effect on reducing greenhouse gases, and the case for something better becomes appealing.
Both are far better at trapping heat than carbon dioxide, meaning that cows, chickens and their ilk have a larger greenhouse effect than all the cars, trucks and planes in the world.
For we do know very well what is the direct effect of a doubling of greenhouse gases.
FORBES: Maybe Climate Change Just Really Isn't A Problem After All?
Greenhouse effect: heating of the earth's atmosphere due to an increase in gases like carbon dioxide.
They also conclude that greenhouse warming has partially been offset by the cooling effect of aerosols - tiny particles of dust thrown into the atmosphere that can reflect solar radiation back into space.
The effect of diminishing sea ice isn't limited to increasing atmospheric greenhouse gas concentrations.
We also know that since the industrial revolution began, mankind's actions have contributed significantly to that greenhouse effect.
应用推荐