The effects of elevated carbon dioxide levels on global temperature and other properties

4 The effects of elevated carbon dioxide levels on global temperature and other properties 

So far we have examined the global cycling of carbon without paying attention to the role C02 plays in the Earth s climate. Although C02 is a minor component of the atmosphere (see Section 3.2), it plays a vital role in the Earth s radiation balance and hence in controlling the climate. This is illustrated in Fig. 7.12a, which shows the wavelength emission spectrum of the Sun and the Earth, at their effective radiating temperatures of about 5700°C and -23°C respectively. 

---