• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer

RealClimate

Climate science from climate scientists...

  • Start here
  • Model-Observation Comparisons
  • Miscellaneous Climate Graphics
  • Surface temperature graphics
You are here: Home / Extras / Glossary / Greenhouse Gases (“GHGs”)

Greenhouse Gases (“GHGs”)

28 Nov 2004 by group

Greenhouse Gases (GHGs) refer to any atmospheric gases that absorb long wave radiation (emitted from the surface), thereby causing the planet’s surface to be warmer than it would be otherwise. These gases include water vapour, CO2, CH4, N2O, many CFCs (chloro-fluro-carbons). Ozone (O3) as well as being a shortwave absorber (in the ultra-violet range) also has a small longwave greenhouse effect. Other components of the atmosphere also absorb longwave radition (specifically aerosols and clouds) and hence have a greenhouse effect while not being gases themselves.
Oxygen (O2) and nitrogen (N2) while being the dominant gases in the atmosphere do not have significant absorption lines in the relevant longwave range and so are not greenhouse gases.

Filed Under: Glossary

Primary Sidebar

Search

Search for:

Email Notification

get new posts sent to you automatically (free)
Loading

Recent Posts

  • The Puzzling Pleistocene
  • How robust is our accelerometer?
  • Unforced Variations: Mar 2026
  • EPA’s final* ruling on CO2
  • The Climate Science reference they don’t want Judges to read
  • Koonin’s Continuing Calumnies

Our Books

Book covers
This list of books since 2005 (in reverse chronological order) that we have been involved in, accompanied by the publisher’s official description, and some comments of independent reviewers of the work.
All Books >>

Recent Comments

  • Nigelj on Unforced Variations: Mar 2026
  • Karsten V. Johansen on Unforced Variations: Mar 2026
  • patrick o twentyseven on EPA’s final* ruling on CO2
  • Karsten V. Johansen on Unforced Variations: Mar 2026
  • zebra on The Puzzling Pleistocene
  • jgnfld on The Puzzling Pleistocene
  • MA Rodger on How robust is our accelerometer?
  • Tomáš Kalisz on The Puzzling Pleistocene
  • John Pollack on Unforced Variations: Mar 2026
  • Ray Ladbury on Unforced Variations: Mar 2026
  • Ron R. on Unforced Variations: Mar 2026
  • Edward Burke on How robust is our accelerometer?
  • Paul Pukite (@whut) on Unforced Variations: Mar 2026
  • Barton Paul Levenson on Unforced Variations: Mar 2026
  • zebra on Unforced Variations: Mar 2026
  • Tomáš Kalisz on Unforced Variations: Mar 2026
  • MA Rodger on How robust is our accelerometer?
  • Martin Smith on Unforced Variations: Mar 2026
  • Nigelj on Unforced Variations: Mar 2026
  • Radge Havers on Unforced Variations: Mar 2026
  • Dave_Geologist on The Puzzling Pleistocene
  • Dave_Geologist on The Puzzling Pleistocene
  • Pete Best on Unforced Variations: Mar 2026
  • Mr. Know It All on Unforced Variations: Mar 2026
  • Nigelj on Unforced Variations: Mar 2026
  • Paul Pukite (@whut) on Unforced Variations: Mar 2026
  • Piotr on The Puzzling Pleistocene
  • Piotr on The Puzzling Pleistocene
  • Paul Pukite (@whut) on Unforced Variations: Mar 2026
  • Piotr on The Puzzling Pleistocene

Footer

ABOUT

  • About
  • Translations
  • Privacy Policy
  • Contact Page
  • Login

DATA AND GRAPHICS

  • Data Sources
  • Model-Observation Comparisons
  • Surface temperature graphics
  • Miscellaneous Climate Graphics

INDEX

  • Acronym index
  • Index
  • Archives
  • Contributors

Realclimate Stats

1,401 posts

15 pages

251,003 comments

Copyright © 2026 · RealClimate is a commentary site on climate science by working climate scientists for the interested public and journalists.