Final answer:
In the long term, if Earth continues to absorb more energy than it emits due to high greenhouse gas concentrations, it will lead to higher global temperatures, melting ice caps, rising sea levels, and potentially a runaway greenhouse effect.
Step-by-step explanation:
If the Earth continues to absorb more energy than it emits, the long-term effect will be a significant warming of the planet's climate. This warming is attributed to the accumulation of greenhouse gases such as carbon dioxide (CO2) in the atmosphere, which trap heat from the sun. These gases can remain in the atmosphere for up to a century, leading to prolonged climate effects.
The oceans play a critical role in this process as they absorb a lot of the excess heat, but they also take a long time to respond to changes in greenhouse gas concentrations; thus, even if CO2 emissions were halted today, we would still see warming continue for many decades. Furthermore, as temperatures rise, the polar ice caps will melt, raising sea levels and altering global climate patterns due to the introduction of additional water vapor, which is itself a potent greenhouse gas.