Energy goes back to space from the Earth system in two ways: reflection and emission. Part of the solar energy that comes to Earth is reflected back out to space in the same, short wavelengths in which it came to Earth. The fraction of solar energy that is reflected back to space is called the albedo. Over the whole surface of the Earth, about 30 percent of incoming solar energy is reflected back to space. Because a cloud usually has a higher albedo than the surface beneath it, the cloud reflects more shortwave radiation back to space than the surface would in the absence of the cloud, thus leaving less solar energy available to heat the surface and atmosphere. Hence, this ΓÇ£cloud albedo forcing,ΓÇ¥ taken by itself, tends to cause a cooling or ΓÇ£negative forcingΓÇ¥ of the EarthΓÇÖs climate.
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Different parts of the Earth have different albedos. For example, ocean surfaces and rain forests have low albedos, which means that they reflect only a small portion of the SunΓÇÖs energy. Deserts, snow, and clouds, however, have high albedos; they reflect a large portion of the SunΓÇÖs energy.
