GREENHOUSE EFFECT AND GLOBAL WARMING Alessandra Vizioli and Sara Pepe Liceo Scientifico «Galilei» – class: II A English Teacher: Professoressa Miscia Roberta

The greenhouse effect is a process by which thermal radiation from a planetary surface is absorbed by atmospheric greenhouse gases and is radiated back in all directions.

Greenhouse gases are those gases present in the atmosphere which absorb and emit solar radiation within the thermal infrared range. This process is the fundamental cause of the greenhouse effect. The primary greenhouse gases are water vapour, carbon dioxide, methane, nitrous oxide, and ozone.

Chlorofluorocarbons are a group of highly dangerous greenhouse gases, that pollute the atmosphere. They are due to the use of aerosols, hairspray cans, fridges, plastic materials. A chlorofluorocarbon is an organic compound that contains only carbon, chlorine and fluorine, produced as a volatile derivative of methane and ethane.

The effects of global warming, caused by the excessive concentration of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere, are:

Storms: very bad weather characterized by strong wind, hail, thunder and lightning, heavy precipitation and intense freezing rain.

Floods : water inundations of lands that are normally dry. Floods often cause damage to houses and nature. While some floods develop slowly, others, instead, are “flash floods” like tsunamis, which can develop in just a few minutes and without visible signs of rain, causing appalling consequences.

Drought : a long period of abnormally low rainfall that adversely affects growing or living conditions. It can have a substantial impact on the ecosystem and on the agriculture of the affected region. Although droughts can persist for several years, even a short, intense drought can cause significant damage and harm to local economy.

Desertification: a type of land degradation in which a relatively dry land or region becomes increasingly arid, typically losing its bodies of water as well as vegetation and wildlife. It is caused by climate change and human activities. Desertification is a significant global, ecological and environmental problem.

Glaciers are the world’s largest reservoirs of water on our planet. Hence, the melting of glaciers can create severe environmental havoc, like sea levels increase, floods and water shortages in the years to come.

In conclusion: As human beings, we are the only ones who can reduce the risks we are all dangerously running. The world is «in our hands»!