'Water vapour major player in climate change'
Wednesday, 22 July 2009
FE Report
Human activities are not the main causes of climate change, rather water vapour is the biggest contributor to the natural greenhouse effect.
Rafique Ahmed, professor of geography and earth science of Wisconsin University, expressed the view at a seminar on 'Global Warming: A Close Look at Climate Processes and Evidences' held Tuesday at CIRDAP auditorium in the city.
According to the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), the global average surface temperature has risen from .2 degree centigrade to .6 degree in the last century and it increased at a rate of 0.17 degree centigrade per decade in the last 30 years.
The warming over the last 50 years is attributed to human activities, in particular emissions of the greenhouse gases, carbon dioxide and methane. If the greenhouse gas emissions continue, the earth's average temperature will reach 1.4- 5.8 degrees centigrade by 2100, according to the IPCC 2007 report summary.
However, in his paper, Ahmed claimed water vapour contributes 97 per cent to greenhouse effect while human activity accounts for only three per cent.
Tawhidul Islam, professor of department of geography and environment of Jahangirnagar University, Digital Equality Network Executive Director Mahmud Tokon, among others, spoke at the programme presided over by former adviser to the caretaker government Muyeed Chowdhury.
Human activities are not the main causes of climate change, rather water vapour is the biggest contributor to the natural greenhouse effect.
Rafique Ahmed, professor of geography and earth science of Wisconsin University, expressed the view at a seminar on 'Global Warming: A Close Look at Climate Processes and Evidences' held Tuesday at CIRDAP auditorium in the city.
According to the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), the global average surface temperature has risen from .2 degree centigrade to .6 degree in the last century and it increased at a rate of 0.17 degree centigrade per decade in the last 30 years.
The warming over the last 50 years is attributed to human activities, in particular emissions of the greenhouse gases, carbon dioxide and methane. If the greenhouse gas emissions continue, the earth's average temperature will reach 1.4- 5.8 degrees centigrade by 2100, according to the IPCC 2007 report summary.
However, in his paper, Ahmed claimed water vapour contributes 97 per cent to greenhouse effect while human activity accounts for only three per cent.
Tawhidul Islam, professor of department of geography and environment of Jahangirnagar University, Digital Equality Network Executive Director Mahmud Tokon, among others, spoke at the programme presided over by former adviser to the caretaker government Muyeed Chowdhury.