Global Warming

One of the most significant gases that is emitted when fossil fuels are burnt, is carbon dioxide (CO2). CO2 traps heat in the earth’s atmosphere. Since the initial use of fossil fuels, 150 years ago, the CO2 amount in the earth’s atmosphere has increased by about 25%. Not only the level of CO2 has increase in our atmosphere, but also has the burning of fossil fuels resulted in the amount of atmospheric methane and nitrous oxide, although not being the major source of the production of these gases.

The earth’s global temperature average had supposedly already risen by approximately 0.5°C in the last 100 years.

www.ai.org/idem/soe/99report/ air/Air09.html

The below charts are examples of greenhouse gas emission from the U.S.A. The first one concerns only the state Indiana. The second graph concerns the entire United States of America.

Carbon dioxide concentration trends

Source: Center for the Study of Carbon Dioxide and Global Change, 1999

U.S. National sulfur dioxide emissions

Source: U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Acid Rain Program Emissions Scorecard, 1995