The concept that the whole earth acts as one giant self-regulating system is called The Gaia Hypothesis and has shown how simple feedback mechanisms can work to control climate. Daisy World is a great example. There are multiple interwoven feedback loops operating to keep our planet stable enviromentally. Daisy World is a much simplified example of how our planetary enviroment thermo-regulates. The recent stories about the increasing methane emmissions from the quickly melting arctic offer a smoking gun for the 'how and now' questions.
Gaia has in the past heated until it generated enough clouds through evaporation to reflecte enough sunlight [albedo] for cooling to begin. During the heating/albedo building phase more evaporation means more rain in some places deserts in others. Either way it shows how holistic our little blue planet is and how ignorant we are of its methods or its design.
The greenhouse effect is just one of these feedback loops, the ocean's alkalinity may be more important, or the Atlantic Ocean circulation or ? might too. James Lovelock recognized the wonder of Gaia and through Daisy World and his man books he's taught us all to appreciate its wonder.
