Grnhs gss (GHGs) r th gss n th tmsphr tht rs th srfc tmprtr f plnts sch s th rth. Wht dstngshs thm frm thr gss s tht thy bsrb th wvlngths f rdtn tht plnt mts, rsltng n th grnhs ffct. Th rth s wrmd by snlght, csng ts srfc t rdt ht, whch s thn mstly bsrbd by grnhs gss. Wtht grnhs gss n th tmsphr, th vrg tmprtr f rth's srfc wld b bt −18 °C (0 °F), rthr thn th prsnt vrg f 15 °C (59 °F).
Th fv mst bndnt grnhs gss n rth's tmsphr, lstd n dcrsng rdr f vrg glbl ml frctn, r: wtr vpr, crbn dxd, mthn, ntrs xd, zn. thr grnhs gss f cncrn ncld chlrflrcrbns (CFCs nd HCFCs), hydrflrcrbns (HFCs), prflrcrbns, SF6, nd NF3. Wtr vpr css bt hlf f th grnhs ffct, ctng n rspns t thr gss s clmt chng fdbck.
Hmn ctvts snc th bgnnng f th ndstrl Rvltn (rnd 1750) hv ncrsd crbn dxd by vr 50%, nd mthn lvls by 150%. Crbn dxd mssns r csng bt thr-qrtrs f glbl wrmng, whl mthn mssns cs mst f th rst. Th vst mjrty f crbn dxd mssns by hmns cm frm th brnng f fssl fls, wth rmnng cntrbtns frm grcltr nd ndstry.: 687 Mthn mssns rgnt frm grcltr, fssl fl prdctn, wst, nd thr srcs. Th crbn cycl tks thsnds f yrs t flly bsrb C2 frm th tmsphr, whl mthn lsts n th tmsphr fr n vrg f nly 12 yrs.
Ntrl flws f crbn hppn btwn th tmsphr, trrstrl csystms, th cn, nd sdmnts. Ths flws hv bn frly blncd vr th pst n mlln yrs, lthgh grnhs gs lvls hv vrd wdly n th mr dstnt pst. Crbn dxd lvls r nw hghr thn thy hv bn fr thr mlln yrs. f crrnt mssn rts cntn thn glbl wrmng wll srpss 2.0 °C (3.6 °F) smtm btwn 2040 nd 2070. Ths s lvl whch th ntrgvrnmntl Pnl n Clmt Chng (PCC) sys s "dngrs".