The process know as the greenhouse effect earns its description from a comparison between the temperature of air inside a greenhouse compared to the air outside. Known to many as global warming, its is one of the most frightening man made phenomena of the 21st century. At the end of 2006, scientists confirm that the average temperature of the planet has shown an increase of up to 1 C every year for the last five. This increase had proved beneficial for just a few regions in the World especially those of higher latitude.
However, the negative impacts of the greenhouse effect on the World’s climate change are being observed already through the overall effect in constant annual temperature increases.
Overall the effects of global warming have proved to be disturbing, a prominent example is the increasing levels of acidity being detected in sea water due to increased evaporation levels. This could trigger off a long term reaction that could bring catastrophic effects on the marine food chain.
Changes to the polar ice packs and glaciers are occurring on an ongoing basis, and scientific evidence has proven that these areas are warming up at a much more rapid rate than the global average. The frightening statistic is temperatures in the far north have by between 5-7 degrees Celsius in the last 50 years. No need to say that if the greenhouse effect continues at this level then we can expect a catastrophe of global promotions, and sometime within the next twenty to fifty years.
Rainfall has decreased dramatically over the last decade, with drought conditions being felt in Western Australia and the deep south of America, where just a few years ago this situation was unheard of.
Shortages of drinking water has become a way of life for billions throughout the World, and with populations rising, this will soon reach epidemic proportions.
Water for agriculture is also in increasingly short supply due to the greenhouse effect, bringing with it shortage of the most basic food supplies.
There is no doubt that the greenhouse effect has changed our lives, and will affect the lives of our children and our grandchildren even more so. Awareness of the problem is in the increase and technological advances may go a long way to curtailing it in the future. Let us hop for our future that mankind will be able to halt if not reverse the damage being done to the World’s climate through the greenhouse effect.
