Other Greenhouse Gases

Methane is removed continually from the atmosphere by reaction with OH radicals (Section 8.3). In contrast, chlorofluorocarbons and related volatile compounds are inert under the conditions of the lower atmosphere (troposphere), so atmospheric concentrations of these refrigerants and solvents will tend to increase as long as releases continue. The chief concern over chlorofluorocarbons is that they are a major factor in destruction of the stratospheric ozone layer (Section 8.3). They have been banned under the Montreal Protocol of 1988, but it is important that whatever substitutes (inevitably greenhouse active) are introduced to replace them degrade relatively quickly in the troposphere to minimize any contribution they may be capable of making to greenhouse warming. 

The concentration of nitrous oxide (N2O) in the atmosphere is only about 0.30 ppm but it increases by about 0.2% per year and so is at least partly of anthropogenic origin. Nitrous oxide is a product of the degradation of nitrate fertilizers, but some 7 x 10 tonnes of N2O axe released annually to the atmosphere during production of nylon.The residence time of N2O in the atmosphere is about 150 years, and it could in the future contribute up to 10% of the anticipated greenhouse warming. 

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Fantechi, R., and Ghazi, A. (eds.), "Carbon Dioxide and Other Greenhouse Gases Climatic and Associated Impacts." Kluwer Academic Publishers, Boston, 1989. 

Carbon dioxide and other "greenhouse" gases (e.g., methane) and their effect on global temperature DDT... 

Other greenhouse gases, include nitrous oxide (laughing gas), carbon tetrachloride, and several other minor gases. The collective greenhouse effect of these gases is estimated to add 50-150% to the increase in greenhouse effect expected from C02 alone. 

Nuclear energy does not produce as much C02 or other greenhouse gases as fossil power, but it s inaccurate to call nuclear technology C02 free. A large amount of electric power is used to enrich the uranium fuel, and the plants that manufacture the fuel in the U.S. are powered with coal. When fuel mining, preparation, transportation and plant construction are included with power production, nuclear power can produce about... 

In 2007, the atmospheric concentration of C02 passed 382 parts per million—and it is now at the equivalent of 430 parts per million (if the effect of other greenhouse gases are included). 

The consensus of scientists with expertise in climate and weather issues appears to he that global warming is of sufficient concern to demand some form of political action. They argue that it is more prudent to act now to reduce emissions of carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases and reduce the risk of global warming than to... 

As we shall see, the interrelationships between atmospheric composition, chemistry, and climate are very complex. For example, as discussed in more detail herein, it is clear that C02 emissions, primarily from fossil fuel combustion, have increased dramatically over the past century, leading to substantial increases in its atmospheric concentrations. The concentrations of a number of other greenhouse gases have been increasing as well (Ramanathan et al., 1985). In the simplest approach, these increases are expected to lead to a significant increase in the surface temperature, and indeed, there is general agreement that an increase of about 0.3-0.6°C over the past century has occurred (IPCC, 1996). 

Worldwide efforts to reduce carbon emissions officially began in 2005 with the Kyoto Protocol. The Protocol is a United Nations agreement to reduce emissions of carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases. The role of the United Nations is partially to formulate international laws and security measures. As of November 2007,174 nations had signed the Kyoto Protocol, thereby committing themselves to reducing carbon emissions on the schedule detailed in the Protocol. 

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