GLOBAL WARMING AND THE KYOTO PROTOCOL

The evidence is clear and reproducible. As is discussed in Chapter 17, over the past 50 years both Earth s atmosphere and oceans have warmed by about o.5°C.This may not seem like much because local temperature fluctuations are m uch more pronounced. When Earth is looked at as a whole, however, all fluctuations should balance out. Instead, measurements tell us that, on average, warming spells have been more frequent than cooling spells. The result Is a gradual increase in Earth s average temperature. 

A greenhouse gas is any component of the atmosphere that allows visible solar radiation to reach the Earth s surface but prevents invisible infrared radiation (heat) from escaping back into outer space. This mimics the warming action of a greenhouse. If it were not for the atmosphere s greenhouse effect, Earth s average surface temperature would be a chilly-i8 C. 

So greenhouse gases keep us warm. It stands to reason that more 

Atmospheric concentrations of carbon dioxide have varied naturally throughout Earth s history. Present CO, concentrations, however, are now higher than any seen in at least the past 450,000 years. Recent direct measurements combined with sampling of air trapped in polar ice cores shows that the recent rise in CO, correlates well with industrialization, which began in the early 1800s, as revealed in the following graph  

Source National Oceanic and Atmo.spheric Admini.stracion (NOAA) www.cmdl.noaa.gov/infodata/faq cat-3.htrnl 

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Carbon dioxide from burning coal is the main focus of attention today, since it is implicated in global warming, and the Kyoto Protocol requires that emissions decline, notwithstanding increasing energy demand. 

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