What is the significance of the Greenhouse Effect?

The Greenhouse Effect is significant because it is essential for maintaining Earth's temperature at a level conducive to life. Without the Greenhouse Effect, the planet would be too cold for most forms of life as we know them. The phenomenon occurs when certain gases in the Earth's atmosphere, known as greenhouse gases, trap heat from the Sun. This trapped heat warms the atmosphere and the Earth's surface, creating a stable climate that allows ecosystems to thrive.

The process itself is natural; it is the enhanced Greenhouse Effect, due to increased concentrations of greenhouse gases from human activities, that is contributing to climate change. Thus, while the Greenhouse Effect is vital for sustaining life by regulating temperatures, it becomes problematic when intensified by anthropogenic influences.