Climate Change Series The science of climate change is hugely complex because it encompasses the entirety of the world’s natural systems. Scientists have to take into account an enormous number of variables: the natural variations of the earth’s climate; the carbon cycle, by which greenhouse gases are emitted and absorbed; the orbit of the earth around the sun; the role clouds play in reflecting the sun’s rays or trapping heat on the earth’s surface.
Our knowledge of some of these – such as the earth’s orbit – is well-established but in other areas there are still large gaps. For instance, it is difficult to tell how much clouds contribute to global warming or detract from it.
