This affect along with energy absorbed by the Earth's surface affects the long-term energy balance of the Earth and its atmosphere, which fundamentally controls the Earth's climate. Incoming radiation from the sun, mainly in the form of visible light, is absorbed at the Earth's surface and in the atmosphere above. This is called the greenhouse effect.
Natural events cause changes in climate.
Over longer time spans, tens or hundreds of thousands of years, natural changes in the geographical distribution of energy received from the sun and the amounts of greenhouse gases and dust in the atmosphere have caused the climate to shift from ice ages to relatively warmer periods. Human activities can also change the climate. The accumulation of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere due to human activities will change the climate by enhancing the natural greenhouse effect, leading to an increase in the Earth's average surface temperature. Some greenhouse gases occur naturally in the atmosphere, such as, water vapor, carbon dioxide, methane, nitrous oxide, and ozone. Once, all climate changes occurred naturally.