Greenhouse gases (GHGs) are gases that trap heat within the atmosphere. Greenhouse gases can remain in our atmosphere from a few years to thousands of years.

How does this happen? The earth is made up of several atmospheric levels, these atmospheric levels making life possible as they provide us with the air we use to breathe, shield us from UV rays, etc. Another one the functions of the atmospheric levels is to trap heat that warms the earth, this can prevent extreme temperature dropping during night time.

This happens because earth traps the solar radiation from the sun and re-emits the energy as thermal energy. Greenhouse gasses traps the heat that was re-emitted by the earth, which consequently warms the earth. This is called the greenhouse effect.

Greenhouse gases are composed of various glasses, the primary compositions include carbon dioxide (CO₂), methane (CH₄), nitrous oxide (N₂O), and water vapour.

Carbon dioxide (CO₂): CO2 can be released through both natural proccesses and human activities. CO2 can be produced naturally through respiration, decomposition, etc. However, since the industrial revolution in the 19th century, human activities have increased the concentrations of CO2 in the atmosphere by approximately 50%. 

The largest industrial contributor to CO2 emissions is fossil fuel burning, this includes oils, coals, and natural gasses.. Moreover, industrial practices such as deforestation can decrease the amount of CO2 trees would normally absorb, and release the stored carbon back into the atmosphere. 

CO2 by far has been the biggest contributor to climate change, CO2 is not as effective at trapping greenhouse gasses compared to other compounds, but due to its abundance and long atmospheric lifetime, carbon has been the primary driver of global  warming