Energy from the sun enters the Earth’s atmosphere and heats up the planet’s surface. A lot of this energy is reradiated back towards space, but certain gases, such as carbon dioxide and water vapor, trap a large amount of this energy within the Earth’s atmosphere. This is known as the “greenhouse effect” and the numerous gases involved in this process are called “greenhouse gases.” Many greenhouse gases occur naturally, and the greenhouse effect is necessary for maintaining life-sustaining temperatures on Earth. However, human activities since the Industrial Revolution, especially the use of fossil fuels, have led to unprecedented amounts of natural and synthetic greenhouse gases in the atmosphere. This is causing a corresponding rise in global temperatures at a rate that is unparalleled in historical records and has the potential to facilitate a number of adverse effects, including more severe weather, flooding of low laying coastal areas and islands, and regional droughts. (Back)