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Consider a simplified energy balance for Earth in which incoming solar radiation equals outgoing radiation at the top of the atmosphere. How does an increase in atmospheric greenhouse gases disturb this balance and lead to surface warming?

Greenhouse gases reflect incoming solar radiation back into space, which causes the upper atmosphere to cool and the surface to warm through heat conduction.

Greenhouse gases reduce the amount of outgoing infrared radiation that escapes directly to space, causing an energy imbalance that leads to warming until a new balance is reached at a higher surface temperature.

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Greenhouse gases increase the amount of incoming solar radiation that reaches Earth’s surface, directly amplifying the absorbed sunlight and raising temperatures.

Greenhouse gases convert incoming ultraviolet radiation into visible light, which the surface absorbs more efficiently, leading to warming.

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