Albedo

From Emissions Wiki

Albedo refers to the ratio of light from the sun that is reflected by the Earth's surface to the light received by it.

Unreflected light is converted to infrared radiation (heat), which causes atmospheric warming. Thus, surfaces with a high albedo (for example snow and ice) generally contribute to cooling, whereas surfaces with a low albedo (such as forests) generally contribute to warming. Changes in land use that significantly alter the characteristics of land surfaces can therefore influence the climate through changes in albedo.