The earth’s temperature is determined by the incoming radiation from the
sun and the outgoing infrared radiation emitted by the earth. Radiation emitted by the
earth is largely dependent on the composition of the earth’s atmosphere. The
accumulation of greenhouse gases, due to human activities, in the earth’s atmosphere
absorbs infrared radiation emitted by the earth’s surface and keeps it in the atmosphere.
With today’s rate of fossil fuel utility, compounds are released into the atmosphere, soil
and seas on a daily basis, resulting in significant changes in the atmosphere. In
recognition of how damage caused by fossil fuels harms an environment shared by all,
the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCC) put forth the
Kyoto Protocol in 1997. Climate change is among the many reasons, which make
increased research on and immediate implementation of solar powered technologies not
simply a luxury, but a necessity for the future environmental wellbeing of earth. This
chapter presents the problem of global warming, its reasons and efforts led by decision
makers to seek various approaches to tackle the core of the problem and mitigate its
severe environmental, economic and social impacts.
Keywords: Anthropogenic gases, Cap-and-trade, Carbon credit, Carbon dioxide,
Certified emission reductions, Clean development mechanism, European Union
allowances, Global warming, Greenhouse gases, Kyoto Protocol, Terrestrial
temperature.
