Abstract
The ill-named greenhouse effect ensures a temperature suitable for the development of life on the Earth's surface. Its increase, linked to rising concentrations ofCO2, methane and other gases, is the primary cause of global warming. Yet this effect is often misunderstood, with some claiming that it is saturated. We will return to the physics of the phenomenon and the history of its understanding.
Other disturbances, both natural and man-made, contribute to climate change. What are they, and can we quantify their relative contribution to that of greenhouse gases ? What measurements are available to assess them ?
