Greenhouse Effect

Greenhouse effect is the term for the role the atmosphere in warming the earth’s surface. The atmosphere is largely transparent to incoming short-wave solar radiation, which heats the earth’s surface. Much of this radiation is reflected back by gases such as carbon dioxide, methane, nitrous oxide and ozone in the atmosphere. This heating effect is at the root of the theories concerning global warming.

The amount of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere has been increasing by 0.4 per cent a year because of the use of fossil fuels such as oil, gas, and coal. The cutting of tropical forests has also been a contributing factor in the carbon cycle. Other gases that contribute to the greenhouse effect, such as methane and halocarbons, are increasing even faster. The net effect of these increases could be a worldwide rise in temperature, estimated at 2˚ to 6˚ C (4˚ to 11˚ F) over the next 100 years. Warming of this magnitude would alter climates throughout the world, affect crop production, and cause sea levels to rise significantly. If this happened, millions of people would be badly affected by flooding.

Слова к тексту:

absorb (v) [əb´sכ:b] – поглощать

alter (v) [´כ:ltə] – изменять

affect (v) – влиять

be affected by – подвергаться воздействию

чего-либо

carbon dioxide [´kα:bən daı´oksaıd] – двуокись углерода, углекислый

газ

cause (v) – послужить причиной/поводом

для чего-либо

contribute (v) – содействовать, способствовать

estimate (v) – оценивать