The greenhouse effect is a natural process where certain gases in Earth’s atmosphere trap heat, keeping the planet warm enough for life. Human activities are now strengthening this effect, leading to global warming and climate change.

Basic idea

  • Sunlight (mostly shortwave radiation) passes through the atmosphere and warms Earth’s surface.
  • The warm surface emits heat as longwave infrared radiation back toward space.
  • Greenhouse gases absorb part of this outgoing heat and re‑emit it in all directions, including back down, warming the surface and lower atmosphere.

Key greenhouse gases

  • Carbon dioxide (CO₂): Released by burning fossil fuels, deforestation, and cement production; main driver of recent warming.
  • Methane (CH₄): Comes from livestock, rice paddies, landfills, and fossil fuel extraction; very strong but shorter‑lived than CO₂.
  • Water vapour: The most abundant greenhouse gas, amplifying warming because warmer air holds more moisture.

Natural vs enhanced effect

  • Natural greenhouse effect keeps Earth’s average surface temperature near 15 °C, about 33 °C warmer than it would be without an atmosphere.
  • The enhanced greenhouse effect occurs when extra greenhouse gases from human activity intensify this warming, disturbing climate patterns, sea level, and ecosystems.

Why it matters now

  • Stronger greenhouse effect is driving more frequent heatwaves, changing rainfall, melting ice, and rising seas.
  • Limiting emissions (renewables, energy efficiency, protecting forests) slows the buildup of greenhouse gases and reduces future climate risks.

Information gathered from public forums or data available on the internet and portrayed here.