A lot of people wonder exactly which gases are responsible for global warming. The following chart, which is based on a diagram released by the IPCC in 2005, clearly show carbon dioxide (CO2), methane (CH4) and nitrous oxide (N2O) are major contributors to rising temperatures. The role of CO2 is particularly alarming because a small rise in this gas's volume will lead to a lot of warming. The typical concentration of this gas is only 0.03% of the planet's air, but if this rose to 0.5%, it would get difficult to breathe.
Source: IPCC, The Environment Site, The Lances
