What effect can greenhouse gases have on climate?

The Earth needs to be in balance with the sun in order to sustain an even temperature. This means that the energy that the Earth receives from the sun must be equal to the energy that the Earth releases into space.

The sun's rays enter the atmosphere and warm the Earth's surface. This process releases heat that is not freely transferred through the atmosphere, and certain gases found there—known as greenhouse gases—trap that heat. They function similarly to a greenhouse's glass, letting the sun's light through but keeping the heat trapped.

A certain amount of the greenhouse effect is natural, but the rapid rise in greenhouse gases brought on by human activity is not; eventually, we will no longer be in balance with the sun, and Earth's temperature will rise to a new equilibrium.

Although the ozone layer is in the stratosphere and the greenhouse effect occurs in the troposphere, ozone depletion is a distinct problem.

Greenhouse gases can trap heat in the Earth's atmosphere, leading to an increase in global temperatures, a phenomenon known as global warming. This can result in various climate changes, including rising sea levels, melting polar ice caps, changes in precipitation patterns, more frequent and severe weather events, and disruptions to ecosystems and biodiversity.