Climate Change (Global Warming-4)

The concentrations of nitrous oxide have increased by 5-10% since pre-industrial times. The cause of this increase is highly uncertain, but it has been understood that the use of nitrogenous fertilizer, land clearing biomass burning and fossil fuel combustion have all contributed. Nitrous oxide is currently increasing at a rate of about 0.25% per year, which represents and imbalance between sources and sinks of about 30%. CFC’s were introduced
into the atmosphere for the first time during the century; the most common species are CFC-12 and CFC-II. Of major concern because of their potential to deplete stratospheric ozone, the CFCs also represent about 15% of the current increases in the greenhouse effect.