One of the most problematic side effects of fossil fuels is the lasting effect it has on our planets ecosystem, commonly referred to as the greenhouse effect. This is a natural effect that arises from the planets absorption of thermal radiation given off by the sun. The sun emits solar radiation that passes through the earth’s atmosphere. Naturally some of this radiation is absorbed into the Earth, giving a warming effect, while other is reflected off. Greenhouse gasses play a significant role throughout this process because they also absorb some of the sun’s radiation, and then emit the radiation back into the Earth’s atmosphere. The Image below provides a visual representation of this effect.
The highest contributor to this greenhouse effect is Carbon Dioxide which is given off from the use of fossil fuels. Currently, with the burning of such large quantities of fossil fuels, more and more of these greenhouse gases are building up in the atmosphere. This results in additional radiation being re-emitted back to the Earth, providing a warming effect. Hence, the Greenhouse effect. In Hong Kong specifically, CO2 is the overwhelming Green House Gas that is being emmited, as can be seen in the figure below.
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