Introduction
The greenhouse effect refers to the overall rise in temperature that the Earth experiences due to "greenhouse gases" (such as water vapor, carbon dioxide, and methane) trapping the sun's energy. Without this greenhouse effect at work on our planet, the Earth would be too cold of a place for humans to be able to survive.Recently though, the greenhouse effect has become one of the central arguments surrounding the topic of global warming. The slightest increase in the world's temperature can impact storm patterns and frequency, precipitation, and lead to an increase in global sea levels. If increased carbon dioxide emmisions by humans are adding fuel to the greenhouse effect, this could in turn speed up the process of global warming.
Or could it? Some scientists like John Christy of the Earth System Science Center at the University of Alabama beg to differ. After going through millions of pieces of archived data from weather sattelites around the world, Christy found that they showed no signs of global warming.
So who's right? As a chairperson for the UN's Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, I am asking you, as the young and intelligent scientists that you are, to gather the data and choose a side. In a formal, 20-25 slide PowerPoint presentation, persuade me with the scientific evidence you collect whether or not you feel the increase in greenhouse gases is contributing to global warming.
Let the debate begin!