Prof. Dr.

Shakil Ahmed
Department of Botany,
University of the Punjab, Lahore
The greenhouse effect is a sustained, natural phenomenon.

It is a process by which thermal radiation from a planetary

surface is absorbed by atmospheric greenhouse gases and
is re-radiated in several different directions.

The emission of radiations by the atmosphere warms the

planet's surface. This global system of insulation is similar to
that which occurs in a greenhouse nursery for plants.
 There are two common representations of the
'Greenhouse Effect'

There is the 'natural' There is also 'man-made'

greenhouse effect that emissions, include those
manufactured and released
is the process of
due to processes
keeping Earth's controlled through human
climate warm and activity. For example the
habitable. burning of fossil fuels.
It was during the 19th century that scientists realized that gases
such as CO2 found within the atmosphere cause a "greenhouse
effect" that regulates the atmosphere's temperature.

Ironically, the discovery of the greenhouse effect did not happen

because scientists were trying to understand global warming; it
happened because they were searching for the mechanism that
triggered ice ages.
Jean-Baptiste-Joseph Fourier (March 21, 1768—May 16, 1830).
French physicist and mathematician.
Paved the way He postulated that the
towards the under- properties of the
standing of the Earth's atmosphere In other words, the
greenhouse effect. actually warm the Earth, through
Jean-Baptiste-Joseph
entire planet. various processes,
In 1824, his work
Fourier (March 21, 1768- was able to receive,
led him to believe Once he proposed generate, and
May 16, 1830). French
this concept, it
that the gases in the physicist transfer heat within
and
spurred
atmosphere could mathematician thought that its own system.
actually increase the the Earth actually
surface temperature had an “energy
of the Earth. balance”
 Svante Arrhenius (February 19, 1859-October 2, 1927).
Swedish chemist.

Contributed to scientific Many of Arrhenius's ideas

knowledge of the green house
effect and is credited with its
discovery.
Interested in developing a theory
to explain ice ages, he originally
speculated that it was changing
levels of CO2 in the atmosphere
that could significantly alter the
Earth's climate via the
greenhouse effect.
were based upon the work
and breakthroughs of
Fourier.
Arrhenius theorized in
1908 that the human
emission of CO2 would be
strong enough to prevent
the world from entering
another ice-age.
 Guy Stewart Callendar, (February 1898-October 1964).
Engineer, inventor, and amateur meteorologist.
Compiled a reliable global dataset
He was also credited with the
of surface temperatures and
development of the
documented an upward trend in
“Callendar Effect” which is
temperatures between 1900 and
1940. defined as
He was able to determine that it
“Climate change brought about
was the increase in fossil fuels that
by anthropogenic increases in
had caused the atmospheric CO2 to
rise about 10% from the 1800s and
the concentration of
that the increase in radiation had atmospheric CO2”.
contributed to the rising
temperatures.
 5. Some of the
1. Solar Radiation passes
3. Some Solar infrared radiation
through the clear
SUN atmosphere Radiation is reflected passes through the
by the atmosphere atmosphere and is
and earth’s Surface lost in space

4. Some of the infrared

2. Solar energy is
radiation is absorbed
absorbed by the
and re-emitted by the
Earth’s Surface
greenhouse gas
and Warms it
molecules

The Greenhouse Effect

 A greenhouse is a structure
with a glass or plastic roof and
side walls that is used for the
production of ornamentals and
food crops and may be used
seasonally or year round.

The closed environment of

a greenhouse has its own
unique requirements,
compared with outdoor
production.
 On the basis of glazing
For Commercial Production
Material

❖ Free-standing
Greenhouse ❖ Glasshouse

❖ Gutter-connected ❖ Polyhouse
Greenhouse
 A free-standing greenhouse can have a quonset (hoop),
gothic or gable roof shape.

https://filclairserren.be/en/products/glassgreenhouses/freest http://bostane.ir/post/148
anding-greenhouses/serralux-270m
▪ Easier to provide separate
environments as each
house is controlled by its
own heating/cooling
system.
▪ Individual houses can be
shut down for periods
when not in use saving
energy.
▪ Individual houses are
Tomatoes grown in containers in Free
easier to build and
Standing greenhouse
maintain. Photo: Paul Lopes, UMass Extension
▪ A gutter-connected
greenhouse is a series
of trusses connected
together.
▪ Less land is needed.
▪ Heat can be
centralized.
▪ Open-roof designs
that eliminate fans
and reduce electricity
use are available.
A gutter-connected greenhouse
Photo: Tina Smith, UMass Extension
http://www.mariasfarmcountrykitchen.com/keep-a-
greenhouse/
https://www.indiamart.com/proddetail/fixed-gable-window-
polyhouse-15811395391.html
 Greenhouse gases in the atmosphere allow sunlight to
freely pass through the Earth’s atmosphere and heat the
land and oceans.
These gases trap the heat from the sun and keep the
earth warm.

Water
Vapours CH4 O3
CO2 N2O CFCs
Greenhouse Gases Sources
Evaporation from soil, water reservoirs,
Water Vapours
and transpiration of plants.
Burning of fossil fuel (i.e., Coal Petroleum oil etc.)
Carbon dioxide used in industry, vehicles, Automobiles and power
plants, Respiration of plants and animals.
Decay of garbage, aquatic vegetation,
Methane paddy fields (Oryza sativa).

Nitrous Oxide Vehicles, burning of coal, nitrogenous fertilizers etc.

Reaction of Nitrogen oxides (NOx) with volatile
organic compounds (VOCs), Organic compound
Ozone evaporation from consumer products such as paints,
cleaners, and solvents

Chlorofluorocarbons Air conditioning industry, refrigerator, paint industry,

electric industry etc.
Approximate contribution of Greenhouse gases
by sector (%).
Sector CO2 CFC CH4 O3 N2O TOTAL
Energy 35 - 4 6 4 49
Deforestation 10 - 4 - - 14
Agriculture 3 - 8 - 2 13
Industry 2 20 - 2 - 24
% warming by 50 20 16 8 6 100
gas
Source: Kumar, H. D. (2006). Global climate change: insights, impacts and
concerns. Vitasta Publications.
 Certain fossil fuels are
becoming a necessity in
our lives. They are used
on a huge scale to
produce electricity and
transportation.
Coal plants in Germany © Sean Gallup/Getty Images
Source: https://www.lifegate.com/people/news/fossil-fuels
▪ The increase in
population will
increase the demands
on food, transportation
and housing/shelter.
▪ This increase means
more fossil fuels used
thus more carbon
emissions released
Source: http://sciencefacultymagazine.com/natural-
into our atmosphere. sciences-en/biology-en/population/
▪ Plants and trees
consume carbon dioxide
releasing oxygen
through photosynthesis.
▪ Excessive deforestation
and the burning of wood
releases more carbon
dioxide than the release
of oxygen
Source: https://www.freepik.es/vector-gratis/escenas-
deforestacion-maderas-picadas_1250817.htm
▪ Certain industries which
involve fertilizers, coal mining
and oil extraction produce
excessive amounts of
greenhouse gasses.
▪ Landfills filled with garbage
also produce carbon dioxide
and methane significantly
contributing to the cause of
the greenhouse effect. Landfill food waste
Source:https://www.thegrocer.co.uk/attachment?s
torycode=72120&attype=P&atcode=137221
Human activities accelerate
the natural process of CH4
Greenhouse Effect by CO2
creating more greenhouse
gases beyond their natural
levels and have added more N2O
new greenhouse gases in the
atmosphere than are
necessary to warm the planet
to an ideal temperature.
Greenhouse Effect
▪ The term global warming
refers to the increase in
average temperature of
the atmosphere.
▪ The increased
temperature causes faster
evaporation on land.
Source:http://img.juimg.com/tuku/yulantu/130104/2
35100-1301040Q64476.jpg
▪ Heat waves, droughts
and wildfires will be
more frequent.
▪ Melting polar icecaps will
raise ocean levels; the
Arctic Ocean could be ice
free in summer by 2050.
▪ Up to 300,000 people a
year will die partly from
spread of tropical
diseases.
Sea level rise is an increase in the height of the ocean surface relative to land.

Source:https://www.whoi.edu/main/topic/sea-level-rise
As the rising sea crawls
farther and farther up
the shore, in many
places it will seep into
the freshwater sources
in the ground that many
coastal areas rely on for
their drinking water. It
will contaminate our
drinking water. Source:https://sites.google.com/s
ite/islcpurityproject/
▪ The freshwater sources
we use for drinking
also supply the water
we use for irrigation.
▪ The intruding sea could
make these
groundwater sources
saltier. Saltwater can
stunt or even kill crops. Source: https://liter.kz/ru/articles/show/31283-
bez_poliva_ne_oboitis_
 Many forms of wildlife
make their home on the
beach. As the rising
ocean erodes the
shoreline and floods the
areas in which coastal
animals live, animals like
shorebirds and sea
turtles will suffer.
Sea Lions at Sea Lion Caves near Florence,
Oregon (Photo by Gary Hayes)
Source: http://coastexplorermagazine.com/features/best-
spots-for-oregon-coast-wildlife-viewing-and-bird-watching
 Changes in the climate due to excess greenhouse gases
are causing higher frequency both in drought and floods.

Source:http:www.officialgazette.gov.ph/images/uploads
/FeaturedImage_climatechange_150914_1246.jpg
Plant A Tree!
Use Public Transport!
Try not to use air conditioners!

"You burn the gas, you

get heat. When you
generate electricity,
you waste two-thirds
of the heat produced.“
(T. J. Blasing.)
Source: https://www.livescience.com/919-increased-air-
conditioners-produce-greenhouse-gas.html
Use the 3R Strategy!
Make an enviro0nmental club!
The Kyoto Protocol is an international treaty which extends the 1992
United Nations framework Convention On Climate
Change (UNFCCC) that commits state parties to reduce greenhouse
gas emissions.

The Kyoto Protocol was adopted in Kyoto, Japan on 11

December 1997 and entered into force on 16 February
2005.

Canada was actively involved in negotiations and signed

the Accord in 1997.
▪ Between 1990 and 2012 the original Kyoto Protocol
parties reduced their CO2 emissions by 12.5%.
▪ In 2011, Canada withdrew from the Kyoto Protocol
under PM Stephen Harper who had always strongly
opposed the Accord.
▪ Fact: The USA & China never signed the Kyoto
Protocol.
▪ According to the Global Carbon Atlas, the largest
contributors of greenhouse gases in 2016 were China and
the United States.
 Greenhouse gas levels in atmosphere break another record, UN

! report shows.
22 November 2018
Climate Change
https://news.un.org/en/story/2018/11/1026391

Levels of heat-trapping greenhouse gases in the atmosphere have reached

another new record high, according to a report issued on Thursday by the
United Nations weather agency, which reveals that there is no sign of reversal
of this trend, responsible for climate change, sea level rise, ocean acidification
and extreme weather.

“The science is clear. Without rapid cuts in CO2 and other greenhouse gases,
climate change will have increasingly destructive and irreversible impacts on
life on Earth. The window of opportunity for action is almost closed,” said
World Meteorological Organization (WMO) Secretary-General Petteri Taalas.
T h A N K

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