WHY IS THE EARTH GETTING HOTTER?

by Beatriz Lourenço

“Global Warming” is the term used to refer to the gradual increase in average global temperatures due to the constant release of greenhouse gases into the Earth’s atmosphere; the main gases are: carbon dioxide , methane  , nitrous oxide , hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs) and perfluorocarbons (PFCs); the last two being from the halocarbon family.

Among these gases mentioned, carbon dioxide is the biggest contributor to global warming, as it´s  the most abundant gas and the one that lasts the longest, and can remain, on average, 100 years in the atmosphere.

The greenhouse effect is a natural phenomenon that makes it possible to maintain life on Earth. The Brazilian Ministry of the Environment explains that “part of the solar energy that reaches the planet is reflected directly back into space, upon reaching the top of the Earth’s atmosphere – and part is absorbed by the oceans and the Earth’s surface, promoting its warming”. From this, the portion of heat that is radiated back into space is blocked by greenhouse gases, and in this way, they directly contribute to global temperature control and prevent the planet from getting cold enough to be impossible to maintain life on Earth.

However, human activities involving, for example, the burning of fossil fuels (oil, coal and natural gas) and logging, have increased the concentration of these and other gases contained in the atmosphere, making the greenhouse effect process to accelerate significantly, causing the planet starts to get hotter, as there is more heat retained than necessary.

Still, according to data provided by the Brazilian Ministry of the Environment, it is known that the majority of climate changes noticed in the last five decades come from human actions, which bring global warming as an undeniable consequence.

The removal of forests, for example, especially tropical ones, reduces the Earth’s ability to absorb , as trees act as carbon sinks. Additionally, deforestation often releases  stored in vegetation and soil.

In this way, the entire heat cycle on the planet is unregulated and we have other factors that also influence current climate changes:

• Natural Climate Phenomena (El Niño and La Niña): These are opposite phases of the ENSO (El Niño-Southern Oscillation) climate cycle and cause significant variations in the global climate. El Niño tends to warm global temperatures and alter precipitation patterns, while La Niña has a cooling effect.
• Variations in Solar Radiation: The amount of solar energy reaching the Earth can vary due to solar cycles and sunspots, although these variations are relatively small and have less impact on global warming compared to greenhouse gases.
• Degelo das Calotas Polares: O derretimento das geleiras e calotas polares libera grandes quantidades de água doce nos oceanos, afetando correntes oceânicas e padrões climáticos.

If you want to learn about it, you can read more in https://antigo.mma.gov.br/informma/item/195-efeito-estufa-e-aquecimento-global.html.

Did you like? Don’t forget to read our weekly articles, which will certainly help you in several aspects. Also visit our Instagram @inqportal and if you want to send us any suggestions, this is our email: inq.vdc@ifba.edu.br