1. GREENHOUSE EFFECT
AND CLIMATE CHANGE
by Brenda Batres

2. The Earth's climate is
changing in ways that
affect our weather
conditions, oceans,
snow, ice, ecosystems
and society.

3. GROUND TEMPERATURE
The Earth's temperature depends on the
balance between the energy entering and
leaving the planet's atmospheric system.
Many factors, both natural and human causes
changes in Earth's energy balance, including:

4. 
The changes in the
greenhouse effect, which
affects the amount of hea
retained by the Earth's
atmosphere

5.  Variations
in the
sun's energy that
reaches Earth

6. 
The changes in the
reflectivity of the
atmosphere and land
surface

7. The Earth's climate is changing...

8. These maps show temperatures across the world in the 1880s
(left) and the 1980s (right), as compared to average
temperatures from 1951 to 1980. This difference from average
is called an anomaly. The map on the left shows that it was
colder in the 1880's in most places. The map on the right shows
it was warmer in the 1980s in most places. Earth's average
surface temperature has increased almost 1.5°F during the
20th century. Two-thirds of the warming has occurred since
1975, at a rate of roughly 0.3°F-0.4°F per decade.
Source: NASA

9. The global average temperature increased by
more than 1.3°F over the last century.The
average temperature in the Arctic rose by
almost twice as much. The buildup of
greenhouse gases in our atmosphere and
the warming of the planet are responsible for
other changes, such as:
 Changing precipitation patterns
 Increases in ocean temperatures, sea level,
and acidity
 Melting of glaciers and sea ice


10. Natural causes alone can not explain many
of these changes. Human activities
contribute to climate change, primarily
when downloading into the atmosphere
each year billions of tons of carbon
dioxide (CO2) and other heat-trapping
gases, known as greenhouse gases.

12. GREENHOUSE
When sunlight reaches Earth’s surface, it can either be
reflected back into space or absorbed by Earth. Once
absorbed, the planet releases some of the energy back
into the atmosphere as heat (also called infrared
radiation). Greenhouse gases (GHGs) like water vapor
(H2O), carbon dioxide (CO2), and methane (CH4) absorb
energy, slowing or preventing the loss of heat to space.
In this way, GHGs act like a blanket, making Earth
warmer than it would otherwise be. This process is
commonly known as the “greenhouse effect”.

14. GREENHOUSE GASES

15. SOURCES OF EMISSIONS OF
GREENHOUSE GASES
The main sources of emissions of GHG in Mexico
are:

17. Electricity production Electricity production
generates the largest
share of greenhouse
gas emissions. Over
70% of our electricity
comes from burning
fossil fuels, mostly coal
and natural gas.

18. Transportation - Greenhouse gas
emissions from transportation primarily
come from burning fossil fuel for our
cars, trucks, ships, trains, and planes.
Over 90% of the fuel used for
transportation is petroleum based,
which includes gasoline and diesel

19. Industry - Greenhouse gas emissions from
industry primarily come from burning fossil fuels
for energy as well as greenhouse gas emissions
from certain chemical reactions necessary to
produce goods from raw materials.

20. 
Commercial and Residential - Greenhouse gas
emissions from businesses and homes arise
primarily from fossil fuels burned for heat, the
use of certain products that contain
greenhouse gases, and the handling of waste.

21. Agriculture - Greenhouse gas emissions from
agriculture come from livestock such as cows,
agricultural soils, and rice production.

22. 
Land Use and Forestry - Land areas can act as
a sink (absorbing CO2 from the atmosphere) or
a source of greenhouse gas emissions. In the
United States, since 1990, managed forests
and other lands have absorbed more CO2 from
the atmosphere than they emit.

23. IMPACTS
Climate change may increase or decrease
precipitation, influence yields of agricultural
crops, affect human health, cause changes in
forests and other ecosystems, or even affect our
energy supply.

24. WHAT YOU CAN DO ...

The reduce, reuse, and recycling in your home
helps conserve energy and reduce pollution
and emissions of greenhouse gases from
extraction, manufacturing and disposal. If there
is a recycling program in your community,
recycle your newspapers, soda bottles, paper
and other products. Also the composting of
food waste and yard cleanup reduces the
amount of waste you send to landfill and
reduces emissions of greenhouse gases.

25. REFERENCES
http://www.epa.gov/
http://www.inecc.gob.mx/