Page 103 - Oil and Gas Production Handbook An Introduction to Oil and Gas Production

Fig. Greenhouse emissions Source: Wikipedia Commons

There are many mechanisms affecting the overall balance of greenhouse
gases in the atmosphere, CO 2 has been measured both directly and in ice
cores, and has increased from a pre-industrial value of around 250 ppm to
385 ppm today. Methane has increased from 1732 to 1774 ppb (parts per
billion).

There is no full model that describes the net effect of these changes. It is
well accepted that without CO2, methane and water vapor, the global
average temperature would be about 30ºC colder. The current data
correlates well with a current global average temperature increase from a
pre-industrial global average of 13.7ºC to 14.4ºC today. The atmosphere and
seas have large heat trapping capacity, which makes their temperature rise.
These temperature rises lag behind greenhouse gas temperature increases.
It is therefore predicted that the temperature will continue to rise by about
1ºC even if there were no further increase in levels of CO 2 and methane.

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