Greenhouse effect caused

Almost 80% of the sunlight that hits Venus is reflected back into space by the thick clouds surrounding the planet before it ever reaches the surface. Even so, temperatures at the surface of Venus are much hotter than those on Earth. However, this is not because Venus is closer to the Sun than the Earth. Scientists believe that the difference in the temperatures of the two planets is due to a runaway greenhouse effect caused by the large amount of sulfur dioxide in Venus atmosphere. 

The surge of nitrogen has become a global environmental phenomenon. It is less famous, but perhaps just as significant, as the greenhouse effect caused by burning oil and coal. 

Today methanol has become a very important feedstock for the production of many chemicals. Use as a clean fuel has increased and methanol is used in the production of the popular oxygenated fuel additive, MTBE. It has also been postulated that methanol could be a carrier of energy for safe transportation between remote countries. Furthermore, to prevent a greenhouse effect caused by COj generated from the tremendous oxidation reactions on the earth, methanol synthesis from CO2 is regarded as one of the potential solutions to decrease CO2 by the reaction with hydrogen which is produced by electrolysis of water, for example. Due to the increasing demand for methanol, many researchers are involved in the development of more active methanol synthesis catalysts. 

From a technical and economic viewpoint, COCONUT is still, in 1984, the only viable medium term strategy for most industrial nations. However, there are two other factors which have arisen to complicate the issue. One is public concern over the safety of nuclear power and the disposal of radioactive waste. The other is similar public concern over acid rain and the so-called "greenhouse effect caused by the build-up of CO2 in the stratosphere both of these undesirable effects have been ascribed to the burning of fossil fuels. These concerns are the subject of extensive public debate and professional evaluation at present and it is not profitable to speculate on the outcome[6]. Clearly, conservation alone is an inadequate strategy and the renewables will be continuously monitored and reassessed in the light of additional financial burdens which may fall on nuclear power and coal-burning to produce technical solutions which satisfy the public as regards safety and environmental issues. 

Other than longer-term supply issues the main driver for moving away from fossil resources is pollution. Since pre-industrial times the level of atmospheric CO2 has risen from 280 ppm to 360 ppm, and whilst some observers believe this may be a natural cycle in the Earth s history, most believe it is a direct consequence of burning fossil fuels. This additional CO2 is now thought to be the main cause of global warming via the greenhouse effect (see Box 6.1). 

In addition to hydrothermal and volcanic activity, metamorphism may have influenced the CO2 levels of the atmosphere and caused climate changes. Based on a model of the Cenozoic extension in the North American Cordillera, Nesbitt et al. (1995) demonstrated that CO2 generation associated with crustal extension may have been a major contributor to the elevated CO2 levels of the Cenozoic atmosphere and the resulting global warming due to the CO2 greenhouse effect. 

Urban smog, acid rain, ozone layer disruption and the greenhouse effect are environmental problems caused by atmospheric emissions. 

Global warming, mainly determined by the CO2 greenhouse effect Cooling, caused by reflection of solar irradiation due to the presence of thick clouds of sulphuric acid... 

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