In simple terms, the "Greenhouse Effect". When the sun shines on a greenhouse (or a conservatory or porch) the temperature inside begins to rise above the outside temperature, due to the heat becoming 'trapped'. The reason for this is that glass allows through the radiation from the sun, but blocks the radiation from the surfaces inside.
In the atmosphere, there are a number of gases that act like the glass in the greenhouse by reducing the amount of heat that is radiated back to space. The two most effective are methane and carbon dioxide. Measurements taken over the past 50 years show a steady increase in the concentration of carbon dioxide and it is believed that this has the effect of allowing global temperatures to rise.
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