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What's happening to greenhouse gases?

Carbon dioxide is the most important greenhouse gas but there are many others. Carbon dioxide is an invisible gas and is all around us. Plants need it to survive and animals (like us) breathe it out. Over the past 10,000 years the amount of carbon dioxide in the air has been about the same. The amount made has been balanced by the amount used. But this balance is changing.

More being made

An important way that carbon dioxide is made is by burning fuels like coal, gas and wood. Also cars that run on petrol and diesel make carbon dioxide. In the last 100 years humans have been making far more carbon dioxide than ever before and so far more carbon dioxide is entering the air. The main reason for this is that our way of life has changed. Over 100 years ago there were few power stations burning coal to make electricity and people used horses instead of cars.

Less being used

As well as more carbon dioxide being made than in the past, less is being used.

Big changes over the last 100 years have upset the balance. So the amount in the atmosphere is going up and up all the time. The amount of other greenhouse gases, such as methane, is going up too.

This all means that less heat can escape and more is being trapped. Over the last 100 years the Earth’s temperature has increased by about 0.6 °C because of the greenhouse effect. This may not sound like a lot but even tiny changes can make a big difference.