Greenhouse Effect

The greenhouse effect is a term used to describe the trapping of heat in the earth's atmosphere that would otherwise escape into space. A naturally occurring greenhouse effect is essential to support life on earth because some heat is needed to maintain temperatures conducive to plant and animal survival. However, too much heat that is kept within the atmosphere because it is absorbed by the so-called greenhouse gases can lead to global warming. It is this problem of escalating concentrations of greenhouses gases that is typically linked to the greenhouse effect.

Most climate scientists now believe that increasing concentrations of greenhouse gases are a significant cause of climate change and global warming, and that these increases are due in large part to human activity rather than ...