Human Influence on the Greenhouse Effect

Figure 34.11

National Park Service
William Elder

This figure appears in chapter 34 of the Climate Change Impacts in the United States: The Third National Climate Assessment report.

http://nca2014.globalchange.gov/report/appendices/faqs/graphics/human-influence-greenhouse-effect

(left) A stylized representation of the natural greenhouse effect. Most of the sun’s radiation reaches the Earth’s surface. Naturally occurring heat-trapping gases, including water vapor, carbon dioxide, methane, and nitrous oxide, do not absorb the short- wave energy from the sun but do absorb the long-wave energy re-radiated from the Earth, keeping the planet much warmer than it would be otherwise. (right) In this stylized representation of the human-intensified greenhouse effect, human activities, predominantly the burning of fossil fuels (coal, oil, and gas), are increasing levels of carbon dioxide and other heat-trapping gases, increasing the natural greenhouse effect and thus Earth’s temperature. (Figure source: modified from National Park Service10).

Free to use with credit to the original figure source.

Other figures containing images in this figure : 33.1: Human Influence on the Greenhouse Effect

This figure was created on October 22, 2013.

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