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What Is Greenhouse Effect, Its Causes, Impact and Mitigation

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Overwhelming evidence shows global warming is happening, and the rate is exponentially increasing. Lindsey & Dahlman (2024) note that since 1850, the Earth’s average ocean and land temperatures have risen by 0.11°F (0.06 °C) per decade, with a higher rise of 0.36 °F (0.20 °C) per decade reported since 1982.

The primary driver of global warming is anthropogenic greenhouse gas emissions. These gases trigger a natural phenomenon called the greenhouse effect, which is responsible for rising temperatures or global warming. The world is already experiencing the effects of global warming, some detrimental to humans and animals.

This article will discuss the greenhouse effect, how it triggers global warming and its causes. It will also mention the effects or impacts of global warming before suggesting practical steps to tackle it. 

Greenhouse effect
Diagram showing the greenhouse effect. Photo credit: A loose necktie, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons

What Is the Greenhouse Effect, and How Does It Cause Global Warming?

The greenhouse effect is a natural phenomenon in which greenhouse gases (GHGs) trap heat or infrared radiation from the Earth’s surface. These gases are nearly transparent to solar radiation from the sun but significantly absorb infrared radiation from the Earth’s surface (Jain, 1993).

Therefore, GHGs will allow solar radiation to reach the earth’s surface. However, they will absorb heat radiated by the earth’s surface into the atmosphere and emit it in all directions. Part of the emitted heat will go into space; the rest will go sideways or downward toward the Earth’s surface. The heat that goes downward will heat the atmosphere and the earth’s surface, making it warmer.

Put differently, GHGs work like an atmospheric blanket that traps some heat energy radiating from the Earth’s surface, much like greenhouses. This occurs in the lower atmosphere or troposphere.

Delving into details, the sun is the energy source for all the planets in our solar system. It emits light or solar (short-wave) radiation that travels through space to the Earth’s atmosphere.

The Earth’s atmosphere will reflect a portion to space, absorb some, and allow the rest to pass to the Earth’s surface, i.e., land and water. Some of the solar energy that hits the Earth’s surface heats it, while a portion is reflected. The heated Earth’s surface will emit heat or infrared (long-wave) radiation into the atmosphere and space. In the atmosphere, the greenhouse gases will absorb and emit part of the heat back towards the Earth’s surface. This heat is what warms the Earth’s atmosphere and surface.

Although the greenhouse effect is often seen as bad, it is vital to keeping the Earth warm and habitable. Treut et al. (2007, as cited in Cassia et al. 2018) note that without the greenhouse effect, the temperature of the Earth’s surface would be -19 °C, not the current 14  °C.  Therefore, this effect helps increase the Earth’s surface temperature by 33 °C, making it habitable.

Yes, the greenhouse gas effect is vital to keeping the Earth warm. However, anthropogenic activities, i.e., those driven directly or indirectly by humans, continually increase greenhouse gases in the atmosphere.

As the United States Environment Protection Agency [EPA] (2024) notes, some GHGs remain in the atmosphere for several to thousands of years. This increase in greenhouse gases in the atmosphere will raise the greenhouse effect or the amount of heat trapped. Trapping more heat will raise the temperature of the Earth’s surface and the atmosphere, causing global warming (Kweku et al., 2018).

What Are the Greenhouse Gases and Their Sources?

Greenhouse gases include ozone, water vapor, carbon dioxide (CO2), nitrous oxides (NXO), methane (CH4), and fluorinated gases. Water vapor and clouds, followed by carbon dioxide, absorb 50, 25, and 20% of infrared radiation (Schmidt et al., 2010). Fluorinated gases play a minor role, but their global warming power is higher.

Carbon Dioxide

Carbon dioxide, one of the most abundant greenhouse gases, comes from natural sources and anthropogenic activities. Natural carbon dioxide accounts for a smaller proportion and comes from the breakdown of organic matter or natural processes like volcanic eruptions. Natural carbon dioxide can also come from ocean-atmosphere exchange and plant-and-animal respiration.

The anthropogenic activities that produce CO2 gas include burning fossil fuels in internal combustion engines or power generation, cement manufacturing, transportation, industries, and land use (Yoro & Daramola, 2020). The other activities that release this gas are building, burning biomass, and damaging carbon dioxide sinks.

Methane

Methane is the second-most common greenhouse gas after carbon dioxide. Its global warming index is 28–36 times higher than carbon dioxide (Yoro & Daramola, 2020), making it more detrimental than carbon dioxide. Among the various sectors, the energy sector, especially fossil fuels, is the most significant contributor to methane emissions (Cassia et al., 2018). Fossil fuels are the top contributors because they contain methane. Some fossil fuels, like natural gas, have about 70–90% methane.

Methane emission sources are both natural and anthropogenic. Anthropogenic activities release most methane into the atmosphere compared to natural sources. Some of the largest methane emitters are fossil fuel exploration and transportation leaks, municipal landfills, agricultural activities like rice farming or livestock rearing, biomass burning, and organic matter breakdown in wetlands (Heilig, 1994).

Nitrous Oxide

Nitrous oxide (NO2) and nitrogen monoxide (NO) are the two nitrous oxide gases. NO2 is a potent greenhouse gas with a global warming potential 300 times stronger than carbon dioxide, while NO contributes to ozone synthesis (Cassia et al., 2018).

The sources of these gases are primarily anthropogenic. However, a smaller portion comes from natural sources like soil, tundra, and oceans (Yoro & Daramola, 2020). Of these sources, Thomson et al. (2012) note that over 75% of the nitrous oxide gases are from nitrification and denitrification processes by soil bacteria and fungi, primarily associated with nitrogenous fertilizers. These fertilizers are both organic and inorganic. However, a small portion comes from animal waste in the soil. Other anthropogenic activities that release nitrous oxides into the atmosphere include wastewater treatment and burning fossil fuels or biomass.

Fluorinated Gases

Fluorinated gases, or F-gases, are synthetic or human-made. Examples are hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs), sulfur hexafluoride (SF6), perfluorocarbons (PFCs), and nitrogen trifluoride (NF3). These gases are used in fire extinguishers, air conditioning, refrigeration, and aerosols. Other uses of fluorinated gases include electronics, electrical transmission and distribution equipment, and aluminum and magnesium production.

Although they effectively replaced ozone-depleting substances, F-gases are greenhouse gases that contribute to global warming in a long-lasting way. Sovacool et al. (2021) note that fluorinated gases are the most potent greenhouse gases known, some with a global warming potential of up to 24,000 times that of carbon dioxide. 

Water Vapor and Ozone

Water vapor in the atmosphere is transient, i.e., it will only last a few days or weeks compared to other gases, with effects lasting for years or thousands of years. Thus, it is not a driver of global warming. However, any activity that increases atmospheric water vapor will amplify global warming (Soden et al., 2005). For instance, an increase in temperature can raise the level of water vapor in the atmosphere. 

On the other hand, ozone occurs mainly in the stratosphere, with only a tiny amount in the lower atmosphere or a small troposphere, which limits its impact. Ozone in the troposphere is formed by nitrogen monoxide, carbon dioxide, and volatile organic compounds reacting in the presence of UV light. Methane can also react with hydroxide when the nitrous oxide level is high.

What Are the Effects of Global Warming?

Global warming is the long-term increase in temperature and weather patterns. Rossati (2017) notes that the effects of global warming are either acute disasters like droughts, heat waves, hurricanes, and floods (caused by glacial thawing) or gradual. Gradual effects include decreased water availability, desertification, soil degradation, and biodiversity loss. The higher temperatures can also create favorable conditions for pathogens that result in epidemics in animals or humans. 

How to Tackle GHG Emissions and Global Warming

Tackling global warming and climate change caused by greenhouse gases is intricate. It requires a multi-sectoral action plan and concerted efforts by various stakeholders, like the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), economic unions, governments, civil society, the private sector, local communities, etcetera. You can also play a role in lowering greenhouse gas emissions at a personal level. 

The first way to combat global warming caused by increased greenhouse emissions is to switch to renewable energy sources that do not use fossil fuels or burn biomass. These renewable energy sources include solar, wind, geothermal, tidal, or hydroelectric power. Renewable energy has the potential to reduce GHGs related to power production. For instance, it can decarbonize electricity by 90% (Osman et al., 2022). One way to encourage renewable energy uptake and investment is through government incentives, including taxes.

Sustainable building is another way to lower GHG emissions. The United Nations Environment Programme [UNEP] (n.d.) estimates that sustainable building policies can lower emissions from this sector by 90% and 80% in developed and developing nations. Ways include efficient building, recycling materials, and using low-emission materials like wood or low-carbon cement. Also, commercial and residential buildings should invest in renewable energy sources and energy-efficient HAVC technologies. Heat pumps are an example of an energy-saving heating and cooling solution.

Agriculture, forestry, and other land uses (AFOLU) are vital sectors of the economy, which, unfortunately, contribute about a quarter of global greenhouse gas emissions (Pradhan et al., 2019). The typical gases emitted include carbon dioxide, methane, and nitrous oxide. Ways to lower GHG emissions from AFOLU include conserving and using renewable energy in agriculture, sustainable forestry, bio-fertilizers, soil conservation, and carbon dioxide sequestration. Practices that support carbon dioxide sequestration include crop cover, mulching, less tillage, and adding carbon-rich materials. Also, adopting proper livestock and manure management practices, including pasture and grazing, will lower GHG emissions and promote carbon dioxide sequestration.

The transportation sector is another key contributor to GHG emissions. It accounts for 15% of total GHG emissions and over 20% of energy-related CO2 (Alhindawi et al., 2020). A quick solution is to use electric vehicles and trains. Those that use hydrogen, renewable natural gas, or biofuels will also reduce GHG emissions. Other ways include carpooling, biking, using public transport, and investing in energy-efficient vehicles or marine vessels. Furthermore, optimizing routes for truck drivers can help reduce distances and emissions.

You can also help lower GHG emissions at an individual level. Ways include walking, cycling, carpooling, using public transport, or investing in an efficient and, if possible, electric car. Practices like using energy-saving bulbs, less hot water, tankless heaters, drying your clothes on a line, and turning off electronics when not in use can save energy at home. Also, switch to renewable energy sources like solar, buy products with a green tag, and engage in advocacy.

Conclusion

The greenhouse effect is a natural phenomenon in which greenhouse gases like carbon dioxide, nitrous oxides, methane, and fluorinated gases trap or absorb heat or infrared radiation from the Earth’s surface. When these gases trap heat, they cause an increase in temperature.

If unchecked, the ever-increasing release of gases into the atmosphere from primarily anthropogenic activities can cause global warming. Global warming will cause disasters like hurricanes, heat waves, flooding, and drought, as well as long-term effects like loss of diversity, desertification, reduced water availability, and soil degradation.

Measures to mitigate the effects of global warming include using renewable energy, sustainable construction, and agriculture. Proper forest management and energy-saving measures can also significantly reduce GHG emissions.

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