What is Climate Change?

Causes of Climate Change

Greenhouse Gases

Human Influence on Climate Change

Evidences & Effects of Global Warming

The Kyoto Protocol

Climate Change Mitigation

Climate Change Adaptation

Clean Development Mechanism

Joint Implementation

Emissions Trading/ Cap and Trade

Characteristics of Greenhouse Gases

The main greenhouse gases defined within the context of the Kyoto Protocol are:

1. Carbon Dioxide (CO2);

2. Methane (CH4);

3. Nitrous Oxide (N2O);

4. Hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs);

5. Perfluorocarbons (PFCs); and

6. Sulphur Hexafluoride (SF6)

These gases are called greenhouse gases because they produce greenhouse effects (refer to Greenhouse Gases).

The major atmospheric constituents (nitrogen, N₂ and oxygen, O₂) are not greenhouse gases. This is because homonuclear diatomic molecules such as N₂ and O₂ neither absorb nor emit infrared radiation, as there is no net change in the dipole moment of these molecules.

Water Vapour is a natural greenhouse gas and is responsible for about 36-70% of the greenhouse effect on Earth.

Carbon dioxide results from both natural and human sources and causes about the 9-26% of the greenhouse effect. Human CO2 emissions are thought to come from burning of fossil fuels for energy supply for such things as manufacturing engines, lautomobiles, aviation industries etc, and from deforestation. 

Methane gas results from industrial activities as well as from landfill operations, agricultural activities etc. Methane is believed to provide close to 4-9% greenhouse effect of the atmosphere.

The percentage of the GHGs has been increasing since the start of industrial revolution in 1750. This is demonstrated by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC)  list of greenhouse gases shown below. IPCC was established in 1988 by the World Meteorological Organization (WMO) and the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) to assess the "risk of human-induced climate change".

GHGs & Concentration Changes Post-Industrial Revolution (1750) (Source: IPCC)

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