Can you prove that CO2 can hold enough heat to change the temperature of the atmosphere? Yes, scientists have been able to prove that CO2 can indeed hold enough heat to change the temperature of the atmosphere. The phenomenon is known as the “greenhouse effect” and occurs when certain gases in the atmosphere (such as CO2) trap heat from the sun’s rays. This in turn warms the Earth's surface and the atmosphere around it. Scientists have found that increasing levels of CO2 and other greenhouse gases in the atmosphere have caused the EWarth’s temperature to rise. This is known as...