Environmental Engineering Reference
In-Depth Information
3
The Threat of Climate Change
A major risk for the planet
Although the effects on the environment of greenhouse gas emissions
related to energy consumption have only been felt quite recently, their
consequences are potentially disastrous.
When fossil fuels are burned, the carbon extracted from the ground as
oil, gas and coal is discharged into the atmosphere as CO
2
. As a result, the
CO
2
concentration in the atmosphere increases progressively. Despite
being present in relatively low amounts, the CO
2
modifies the transpar-
ency of the air with respect to infrared radiation, acting like the glazing on
a greenhouse.
This leads to global warming, a process which has already started and
which can be expected to accelerate if the necessary measures are not
taken in time.
As far back as the end of the nineteenth century, the Swedish chemist
Arrhenius had predicted the consequences of an increase in atmospheric
CO
2
content on the increase in average temperature on the surface of the
earth. However, the risks involved have only been truly understood
recently.
Global warming now receives extensive media coverage and is dis-
cussed in numerous international summits. The actions initiated so far
nevertheless fall well short of what is actually required.
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