The earth's spin axis is tilted with respect to its orbital plane. This is what causes the seasons. When the earth's axis points towards the sun, it is summer for that hemisphere. When the earth's axis points away, winter can be expected. Changes in the Earth's orbit around the sun and changes in the tilt and wobble of the Earth's axis can lead to cooling or warming of the Earth's climate because they change the amount of energy our planet receives from the sun.
@ Rk, actually earth does not have seasons, the earth's tilted axis causes the seasons or in other words the earth's movement around the sun causes seasons.
Rk Naresh - You describe Milankovitch cycles. More important than solar radiation is Tidal Pumping by Sun’s gravity opens our tectonic plates & bent seismic in oceans.