The trapping of radiation by the earth’s atmosphere is known as Greenhouse effect. Life would not have been possible without this process. Carbon dioxide and methane are greenhouse gases. Carbon dioxide produces the maximum greenhouse effect. Due to increase in the amount of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere, the average temperature of the earth’s atmosphere is gradually increasing. This is called global warming.
Global warming has become a major concern for governments worldwide. Many countries have reached an agreement to control the situation by reducing the emission of greenhouse gases.
Following are the harmful effects of global warming:
1. Global warming can cause sea levels to rise dramatically. It has resulted in flooding of coastal areas in many places.
2. It could result in wide ranging effects on rainfall patterns, agriculture, forests, plants and animals.
3. It has caused an increase in the melting of polar icecaps which has resulted in the rise of sea level more quickly over the last century.
4. There has to be check on the emission of greenhouse gases at the present level. This may cause the temperature to rise by more than 2 degrees by the end of the century which is very dangerous.
