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In this global era, environmental issues, especially global warming, have become an international concern. The issue of global warming has actually existed since the 18th century. This issue began to emerge with the advent of the Industrial Revolution, when the steam engine was first invented by Thomas Newcomen and further developed by James Watt. The Industrial Revolution also triggered large-scale coal mining and usage, which in turn caused widespread air pollution. Initially, this issue received little attention until the theory of the "greenhouse effect" was discovered by Jean Baptiste Fourier.
According to the greenhouse effect theory, what happens in the atmosphere is similar to what happens inside a greenhouse. As a result, the average surface temperature has increased by 0.74 ± 0.18 °C over the past hundred years. The increase in average surface temperature is caused by the release of greenhouse gases such as carbon dioxide, methane, nitrous oxide, partially fluorinated hydrocarbons, perfluorinated hydrocarbons, and sulfur hexafluoride into the atmosphere, leading to global warming on Earth (Utina, 2015).
Through this article, I would like to introduce you to Global Warming and Its Impacts on the Environment.
Global Warming
Global warming is the process of increasing the average temperature of the Earth's atmosphere, oceans, and land. Global warming has negative impacts on the global environment. The increased global temperature due to global warming is projected to cause changes such as rising sea levels, abnormal weather patterns, as well as changes in rainfall and precipitation patterns. Other effects of warming can have implications for agriculture, loss of glaciers, extinction of various animal species, and increased incidence of heat-related illnesses or deaths (Pratama & Parinduri, 2019).
Greenhouse Effect as the Primary Cause of Global Warming
Global warming is caused by the penetration of solar radiation into the Earth's atmosphere, and a portion of this radiation is converted into heat energy in the form of infrared radiation, which is absorbed by the air and the Earth's surface. Some of the infrared light is reflected back into the atmosphere and trapped by greenhouse gases, thereby increasing the Earth's temperature (Utina, 2015). This process is known as the greenhouse effect. The greenhouse effect depends on the amount of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere, the time spent in the atmosphere, and the ability to absorb energy. Increased greenhouse gases can enhance the greenhouse effect and contribute to global warming. Greenhouse gases include CO2 (carbon dioxide), H2O (water vapor), CH4 (methane), CFC (chlorofluorocarbon), and O3 (ozone).
In fact, the greenhouse effect is necessary as a living system on Earth. Without the greenhouse effect, the Earth would be like the planet Mars, where it has a thick enough atmosphere to retain solar heat, making the atmosphere colder and not conducive to the existence of life. However, if the greenhouse effect becomes too pronounced compared to normal conditions, the system becomes destructive (Pratama & Parinduri, 2019), considering that the majority of greenhouse gas emissions are caused by human activities.
Therefore, efforts or solutions are needed to combat global warming by changing lifestyles and everyday behaviors of society. There are several known efforts that can slow down the effects of greenhouse gases, including:
First, preventing carbon dioxide from being released into the atmosphere by storing the gas or its carbon components elsewhere. This method is called carbon sequestration.
Second, reducing greenhouse gas emissions. The easiest way to reduce carbon dioxide gas, which contributes to the greenhouse effect in the air, is through reforestation (Pratama & Parinduri, 2019).
Other Causes of Global Warming
In addition to the greenhouse effect, there are several other factors that contribute to global warming. Some of them include:
1. Land use change
Deforestation or large-scale clearing of forests can lead to increased carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions into the atmosphere. Forests function as natural carbon sinks, and when these forests are eliminated, the carbon stored in the trees is released into the atmosphere.
2. Air pollution
Emissions of pollutants such as sulfur dioxide (SO2) and nitrogen dioxide (NO2) from fossil fuel combustion and industries can contribute to global warming. These gases, besides being air pollutants, also have the potential to influence climate change.
3. Fossil fuel usage
The combustion of fossil fuels such as coal, oil, and natural gas produces greenhouse gas emissions such as CO2 and methane (CH4). These gas emissions increase their concentration in the atmosphere and contribute to global warming.
4. Agricultural practices
Agricultural practices such as burning agricultural land, the use of synthetic fertilizers, and the management of agricultural waste can result in greenhouse gas emissions such as nitrous oxide (N2O) and methane. Intensive agriculture and deforestation to expand agricultural land also play a role in global warming.
5. Industrial changes
Industrial activities such as the production and use of certain chemicals, including refrigerants known as hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs) and perfluorocarbons (PFCs), can contribute to the greenhouse effect and global warming.
6. Albedo changes
Changes in the Earth's surface albedo, which is its reflectivity to sunlight, can also affect global warming. For example, melting ice in the polar regions causes increased heat absorption in those areas, which accelerates warming.
All of these factors interact and influence each other within the Earth's climate system, resulting in significant global temperature increase and observed climate changes.
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