CHAPTER lll

DISCUSSION
The Greenhouse Effect
This section provides an overview of the earths atmospheric Greenhouse Effect by
briefly exploring the atmospheres of nearby planet and discussing our atmospheres greenhouse
gases. The general concepts found in this section include the following:

1. The earths Greenhouse Effect is what makes this planet suitable for life as we know it.
2. The earths atmosphere contains trace gases, some of which absorb heat. These gases
(water vapor, carbon dioxide, methane, ozone, and nitrous oxide) are referred to as
Greenhouse Gases.
3. Albedo has an important influence on the earths temperature.
4. Greenhouse are structures designed to retain heat.
5. The heat-trapping ability of a greenhouse is influenced by a number of factors including
the transparency of the greenhouse cover, color of the surfaces inside the greenhouse, and
type of surfaces inside.
Instead, part of our atmosphere act as an insulating blanket of just the right
thickness, trapping sufficient solar energy to keep the global average temperature in a
pleasant range. The Martian blanket is too thin, and the Venusian blanket is way too
thick! The Blanket here is a collection of atmospheric gases called Greenhouse Gases
based on the idea that the gases also trap heat like the glass walls of a greenhouse do.
These gases, mainly water vapor (H2O, Carbon Dioxide (CO2), Methane (CH4), and
Nitrous Oxide N2O), all act as effective global insulators , To understand why, its
important to understand a few basic fact about solar radiation and the structure of
atmospheric gases.
 CHAPTER lV

RECOMMENDATION
1.Earth and Social System Research
Successfully addressing the challenges of global , regional, and local
climate change requires enhanced understanding of earth system dynamic at many
scales. Climate change is very complete phenomenon involving the coupled physical,
chemical and biological processes affecting the atmosphere, land and fresh water
surfaces, and the oceans. (NRC, 2010a) The United State has been a leader in earth
system and climate change research, and, after a reduction in support at mid-decade,
federal funding has recently increased. This enhanced research funding is required to
support increase activities addressing a range of vital topics, including atmospheric
chemistry, dynamics and radiative transport, cloud and aerosol chemistry and physics;
ocean biogeochemistry and dynamics; glacial, ice cap and sea ice dynamics;
hydrology; terrestrial and ocean ecology ; soil microbiology ; multi-scale earth
system modeling and other key disciplines. The ability to quantify trends in climate
parameters and resulting impacts on geological ecological systems at relevant scales
will require the enhancement and maintenance of sophisticated earth observation
satellites as well as comprehensive in situ atmospheric, oceanic, and ecological sensor
system. Earth system research must thoroughly investigate the rate, extent, and
consequences of changing ocean acidity (NRC, 2010e) and to evaluate the
effectiveness and consequences of geo-engineering schemes to manipulate solar
radiation reaching the earths surface and to remove and sequester greenhouse gases
from emissions streams or the ambient atmosphere.

Recommendation 1a
Maintain robust and uninterrupted federal funding for a comprehensive
U.S. earth system research program to better define and document current and predict
future impact of climate change on local, regional, national ,and global scales.
Cooperation and collaborate with other nations on both a wide-ranging earth system
research agenda and the maintenance and enhancement of necessary earth observing
systems that detect and track key climate parameters should be emphasized.

Recommendation 1b
Expand the current U.S. climate research program to more fully
investigate the interactions of earth systems with vital societal system components
and activities. The aim is to better inform the systematic analyses required to develop
the evaluate potential climate change mitigation and adaptation strategies and to
measure the effectiveness and consequences of implemented policies.

2. Greenhouse Gases Emission Reduction

It is unquestioned that greenhouse gas emissions and levels have been
increasing over the past 150 years, as fossil fuels have become the dominant fuels
worldwide. Although we cannot precisely predict the effects on the earths climate,
scientific consensus expects increased global temperatures resulting in adverse
consequences throughout much of the world. Even in the face of uncertainty, the
most prudent action by the United State and other nations is to minimize greenhouse
gas emissions using current technologies to avert the most severe projected effects of
climate change while also graining the benefits of reduced fossil fuel combustion
(NRC, 2010b).

Recommendation 2a
The united states should develop a portfolio of subsides, tax, regulatory,
and other un centives to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and allow advanced energy
technologies, as they mature, to operate on as even playing field with current energy
sources .A carbon pricing strategy is a critical foundation of the policy portfolio for
liming future climate change. It creates in centives for cost-effective reduction of
GHG and provides the basic for innovation and a sustainable market for renewable
resources (NRC, 2010b). This carbon pricing strategy should take into consideration
the full life-cycle cost and sustainability implications of the carbon effects from
various energy options. The united state should also work closely with all major
greenhouse-gas emitter nations to secure their commitment to similar greenhouse-gas
emission reductions.

Recommendation 2b
The united states should significantly raise its public and private sector
investments in technologies to mitigate climate change through economically viable
energy conservation, sustainable fuel substitution for fossil fuels, carbon
sequestration, and non-fossil fuel base energy sources with significantly reduced life
cycle impacts on the environment. The following key actions should be include:

A. Encouragement to share best practices for business and industry using private
sector funding for development of enhanced low-emission, energy technologies
and energy-efficient processes-especially since many of these are cost effective.
Encouragement of additional venture funding to commercialize new energy-
efficient technologies. The growing international demand for advanced,
sustainable energy and energy-efficient process technologies in both developed
 and developing country represent a major market that U.S. based companies
should make very effort to serve, reaping economic benefits for themselves and
environmental benefits for everyone.
B. Comprehensive evaluation of the life cycle environmental, health, safety,
economic and social impacts of new and existing technologies and processes
before and during new technology implementation to ensure they help solve
climate change issues without creating unanticipated problems.
C. Enhanced federal R and D funding to develop both innovation energy sources
with low net greenhouse gas emission and energy-efficient technologies and
processes for the industrial, agricultural and transportation sectors.
D. Federal government revaluation of subsides and tax, regulatory and other
incentives, as they mature, to operate on an even playing field with current energy
sources.

3. Adaptation of Global Change

The current levels of long-lived atmospheric greenhouse gases and the level of
increased CO2 and heat absorbed by the worlds oceans ensure that the climate will almost
certainly continue to increase for decades, even if greenhouse gas and absorbing particle
emissions are scaled back to more sustainable levels (IPCC, 2007; NRC, 2010a; 2010c). Thus,
our nation and the world must be prepared to adapt to changes in water supplies, agricultural
productivity, serve weather patterns, sea-level rise, ocean acidification and ecosystem viabilities.
The enhanced research and development activities called for in recommendations 1a
and 1b; above, will help us better predict the circumstances, to which we must adapt additional
research will be needed to understand how to enable society to survive and thrive under new
climate conditions. In cooperation with local, state and regional government, community,
business, environmental and academic leaders the federal government will need to develop a
collaborative national climate change adaption strategy (NRC, 2010d). The White House
Council on Environmental Quality (CEQ) has issued a progress report on the progress of a
federal interagency task force charged to recommend actions to support a national climate
change adaption strategy (CEQ, 2010).

Recommendation 3a
Collaboration at very level of government and with other nations should be
encouraged to asses current and probable future climate change impacts at local, state, regional
national and global scales and to share ways to successfully cope with climate change effects.

Recommendation 3b
Local, state, and regional entities should identify relevant climate change threats
and develop and evaluate appropriate adaption strategies that meet the needs of their
communities. The federal government, working collaboratively with local, state, and regional
governments and appropriate stakeholders, should integrate these adaptation strategies into a
national climate change adaptation strategy.

4. Climate Change Literacy and Education

As described above, climate science is highly complex, requiring a multi-temporal
and multi-spatial understanding of the interrelationships of intricate chemical, physical, and
biological systems. Evaluating policy alternatives requires an understanding of engineering
trade-offs associated with risk, life-cycle, and cost-benefit analyses. Decisions involve many
factors beyond climate science, including economics, social values, competing priorities, and the
risk of uncertainty. Climate change educations requires a risk-management approach that
integrates diverse and complicated disciplines to account of the inherent uncertainties about the
timing likelihood, and severity of the impacts, as well as the human dimensions that greatly
influence making decisions. As described by the climate literacy guide (USGRP, 2009), a
climate-literature person.

A. Understand the essential principles of Earths climate system,

B. Knows how to assess scientifically credible information about climate,
C. Communicates about climate and climate change in a meaningful way,
D. Is able to make informed and responsible decisions with regard to that may affect
climate.

To make informed decisions, people needs basic understanding of the causes,

likelihood, and severity of the impacts of climate, and the range, cost, and efficacy of
different options to limit or adapt. Transparency, accountability, and fairness in the
measurement, reporting, and verification of data on climate change risks and under
abilities, sources of GHG emissions, and climate policy are priorities, climate educators
and communicators at all levels of society should Set a tone of respect for diverse
perspectives and an open and honest consideration of the implications of various
responses to climate change. When discussion moves from core scientific concerts to
more complex issues involving societal values, students should learn how to engage in
responsible, respectful discourse and debate, as well as critical thingking and analysis
skills (NRC, 2010d).
Climate change education for the public is essential to informed rational
personal choices. Informal science education can play a critical role in reaching broad
and diverse audiences and is well situated to help improve public climate change
awareness, understanding, and informed decision, making.
As thought leaders in their communities, public institutions such as schools,
museums, and universities must take a lead role in demonstrating sustainable
technologies and reducing their own emissions footprint in an area of decreasing financial
resources, such investment can also pay significant dividends in reducing the cost of
education. Properly implemented, these initiatives provide living laboratories for
students, teachers, parents, and the broader public to explore, learn and understand what
sustainability means and how this relates to reducing the risk of climate change.

Recommendation 4a
Develop a national strategy to support climate change education and
communication that both involves students, technical professionals, public servants and
the general public, as well as being integrated with state and local initiatives. A national
climate education act could serve as a catalyzing agent to reinvigorate science,
technology, engineering ,and mathematics (STEM) education across the nation. Such as
strategy should include an integrated approach to sustainable education that connects
science with social science, risk management, and economic issues. Such a policy must
also include integrated support for informal science educations.
Recommendation 4b
Provide federal support to facilitate the implementation of green and
sustainable technologies that transform our educational environment specific supported
activities should include efforts to recover or retain green space, retrofit programs to
enhanced energy efficiency or encourage the use of sustainable energy technologies,
conservation of water resources, the use of renewable resources, and other efforts that
reduce greenhouse gas emissions (including emissions from electrical power generation,
heat commuting, and air travel).