Fossil fuels
The greenhouse gases:
The following table shows the major ‘greenhouse’ gases that have contributed to the ‘enhanced’ greenhouse effect. These have been produced by the burning of fossil fuels such as coal in power stations, petrol in cars and biomass such as wood and dung. Water vapour, which is not included in the table, has the greatest greenhouse effect but it is not significantly affected by human activity.
| Gas |
Conc
(ppm) |
Av. time
spent in
atmosphere
|
Source |
Why it has increased |
CO2
Carbon
Dioxide
|
360 |
100yrs |
Burning of fossil fuels
Respiration (breathing)
|
Growing demand for fossil fuels
Destruction of rainforests
Decline in global photosynthesis
Burning of cleared vegetation
|
CH4
Methane
|
1.7 |
10yrs |
Melting permafrost
Leaks from gas and oil fields
From ruminant stomachs (e.g. cows)
Rice cultivation (paddy fields)
Biomass burning
Landfill sites
Sewage treatment
Animal waste
|
More ruminants
Greater use of landfill
More paddy fields
|
N20
Nitrous
Oxide
|
0.3 |
130yrs |
Burning of fossil fuels
Denitrifying bacteria
|
Growing demand for fossil fuels
More fertiliser use
More land under cultivation
|
Deforestation
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