The greenhouse effect

A greenhouse effect has always existed, keeping the Earth warmer than it would be without an atmosphere.

More about the greenhouse effect 


In 1896 the Swedish chemist Svante Arrhenius predicted that industrial activity would eventually have an impact on the global climate. Since then, numerous laboratory experiments, as well as atmospheric measurements, have proved his prognosis.

Before the Industrial Revolution, which started in the middle of the 18th century, economies depended mostly on small-scale agriculture and commerce. Subsequently, advances in technology, large-scale construction of factories, colossal manufacturing and large-scale mechanised agriculture have led to increased pollution and the production of greenhouse gases, such as CO₂, NO_x, Freon and methane, as well as water vapour.

The increased concentration of "greenhouse gases" leads to an increase in the amount of trapped solar energy, thereby raising the temperature of the Earth's atmosphere.