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Essay / Causes of Global Warming - 414
Nowadays, global warming is a major international problem that concerns people of all ages and backgrounds. Recently, a report was released claiming that global warming is natural, but most people are confident in the fact that this phenomenon is the result of human activity. First, one of the main causes of global warming is the emission of greenhouse gases. In fact, greenhouse gases are those gases present in the atmosphere which, by absorbing thermal radiation emitted by the Earth's surface, have a covering effect on it. It is closely linked to the development of industry and the use of fossil fuels as energy sources. The main greenhouse gases directly influenced by human activities are carbon dioxide, methane, nitrous oxide and chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs). Carbon dioxide is the most important greenhouse gas whose atmospheric concentration is increasing due to human activities. Methane is a component of natural gas. But its levels have increased directly with population growth. According to Desonie (2008), today about 60% of methane in the atmosphere comes from rice production, waste processing and incomplete combustion of rainforest materials. Nitrous oxide is a minor greenhouse gas, but it is also emitted by fossil fuels, forests and manufacturing. Chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs) are man-made chemicals considered non-toxic and non-flammable so they can be easily used in refrigerators and aerosol cans. However, CFCs are the most powerful gases that have an extremely negative effect on the atmosphere, as they cause the destruction of the ozone layer that protects the planet from the sun's ultraviolet rays. The increasing concentration of these gases leads to warming called the greenhouse effect. Second, land use changes can alter climate. As Dale (1997) has pointed out, these factors include logging, slash-and-burn agriculture, urbanization and agricultural expansion. Slash-and-burn agriculture is a technique particularly widespread in the tropics and involves burning tropical forest to create agricultural or ranch land...