Why is it important?
The greenhouse effect is the rise in temperature that the Earth experiences because certain gases in the atmosphere (water vapor, carbon dioxide, nitrous oxide, and methane, for example) trap energy from the sun. Without these gases, heat would escape back into space and Earth’s average temperature would be about 60ºF colder. However, as we add more and more Carbon Dioxide into the planet's atmosphere through the burning of fossil fuels, the greenhouse effect is amplified and the Earth warms to above normal temperatures. This reason is why Carbon Dioxide is considered the number one factor to global warming.
The EPA concludes that if greenhouse gas emissions continue to rise on this current course, the temperature of the Earth's surface could rise from 3.2 to 7.2ºF above the 1990 levels by the end of the century. This may not sound like much, but it could change the Earth's climate as never before. At the peak of the last ice age (18,000 years ago), the temperature was only 7ºF colder than it is today.
If temperatures rise above normal levels for a few days, it's no big deal – the Earth will stay more or less the same. But if temperatures continue to rise over a longer period of time, then the Earth may experience some problems.
Ecological Systems
Climate change may alter the world's habitats and ecosystems All living things are included in and rely on these places. Many of these places depend on a delicate balance of rainfall, temperature, and soil type. A rapid change in climate could upset this balance and seriously endanger many living things.
Crops and Food Supply
Global warming will make the Earth warmer in cold places. People living in these places may have a chance to grow crops in new areas. But climate change also might bring droughts to places where we grow crops. In some parts of the world, people may not have enough to eat because they cannot grow the needed food.
Rising Sea Levels
Global warming may make the sea level become higher. Why? Well, warmer weather makes glaciers melt. A glacier is a large sheet of ice that moves very, very slowly. Some melting glaciers add more water to the ocean. Warmer temperatures also make water expand. When water expands in the ocean, it takes up more space and the level of the sea rises.
Sea level may rise between several inches and as much as 3 feet during the next century. This will effect both natural systems and manmade structures along coastlines. Coastal flooding could cause saltwater to flow into areas where salt is harmful, threatening plants and animals in those areas. For example, an increase in the salt content of the Delaware and Chesapeake bays is thought to have decreased the number of oysters able to live in those waters.
Oceanfront property would be affected by flooding, and beach erosion could leave structures even more vulnerable to storm waves. Coastal flooding also may reduce the quality of drinking water in coastal areas.