The impact of greenhouse gases

Compared with carbon dioxide, methane, nitrous oxide, CFCs higher greenhouse effect. For example, a molecule of methane is a greenhouse effect 21 times that of carbon dioxide molecules, nitrous oxide is 206 times that of CFCs, compared with thousands of times to ten thousand times. However, because of carbon dioxide than other gases, so the greenhouse effect of carbon dioxide is still the biggest. Figure 3-10 for the 1980 to 1990 between the various man-made greenhouse gases in the atmosphere caused by the increase in the proportion of radiation. The effects of carbon dioxide accounted for 55%, methane 15%, 6% nitrous oxide, CFCs (CFC; destruction of stratospheric ozone culprits; see chapter V) is a total of 24%. 

 Another characteristic of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere of their stay (ie, lifetime) is longer. Such as listed in Table 3.2, carbon dioxide, the life period of the life period of 50 ~ 200 years, methane 12 ~ 17 years to 120 years of nitrous oxide, CFC-12 for 102 years. Once these gases into the atmosphere, it is almost impossible recovery, only by the natural process so that they gradually disappear. In the atmosphere due to their long lifespan, the impact of greenhouse gases are long-lasting and global. From any one corner of the Earth to the atmospheric emissions of carbon dioxide molecules, in its 100 years of life-long period, have the opportunity to travel around the world, affecting the climate around. Even if mankind to cease immediately all man-made greenhouse gas emissions from the industrial revolution, the cumulative greenhouse gas will continue to exert their greenhouse effect, the impact of the Earth's climate.