Institute for Energy Studies Speaker Series Presents: The Overall Global Energy Balance

Increasing greenhouse gas concentrations cause global warming by upsetting the overall global energy balance equilibrium. It is not “natural causes.” The description that CO2 “traps heat” often is used, and it is not incorrect, but just how does CO2 do that? The explanation begins with conservation of energy. A few basics of atmospheric physics are used, such as it gets cold at high altitude. Fundamental principles of radiant energy transfer, that are understood by most people more than they might realize, are applied. At specific infrared wavelengths unique to greenhouse gases, the cold upper atmosphere radiates less energy than is emitted by the relatively warm surface of the Earth. As CO2 increases, infrared energy output at those wavelengths is reduced and the equilibrium energy balance is upset. Energy accumulates until the surface is sufficiently warm such that increased emitted energy restores the balance to a new equilibrium.

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