Impact of Human Activity The impact of human activity on global weather and long term climate change
The large amounts of the Earth's natural resources being used by the human race is having an effect on the atmosphere. The two major human activities affecting the Earth's climate are:

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Industry
Over the last 200 years, industry has led to increases in "greenhouse" gases. The effects of these gases, CO2 in particular, is still unclear but it is believed that they will result in an overall warming of the Earth's atmosphere.

In October 1984, a hole was found in the ozone layer over, Antarctica. The ozone layer protects us from harmful radiation from the sun.

Ozone Hole 1985 to 1994
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It is estimated that chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs) are responsible for this hole. Until world governments agreed to stop using them at the Monreal Summit, CFCs were being released into the atmosphere five times faster than they were being destroyed by ultraviolet radiation from the Sun. It is thought that the complete ban on CFCs will not eliminate the Antarctic ozone hole for at least 50 years.

Mass Deforestation

Forests store large amounts of CO2. The Amazonian rainforests contain at least 20% of the world's CO2. Destruction of the rainforests would release about four fifths of this to the atmosphere.


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Deforestation of the Brazilian Amazon Basin
Red shows large amounts of rainforest destruction.

Rainforest destruction in Brazil in (a) 1970, (b) 1975, and (c) 1980