So in this unit we look at the radiation budget of the Earth - how much energy enters and leaves the system. We then study how increasing greenhouse gas concentrations have altered the radiation budget. We focus on carbon dioxide and methane, levels of which have increased dramatically as a result of human activity. We also look in detail at the role of water vapour. We know that water vapour is the most important natural greenhouse gas but we are very unsure how it will affect global warming in the future.
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Over the past few decades, the average temperature of the Earth has been increasing dramatically. Greenhouse gases are responsible for this. © NASA GISS.
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