To understand the role of clouds in the atmospheric circulation and in the modulation of energy available at the surface, their effect on the atmospheric and surface absorption should be determined. The C1 data of the International Satellite Cloud Climatology Project, along with the Satellite Algorithm for Shortwave Radiation Budget, are used to estimate the shortwave cloud effects in terms of the cloud-radiative forcing at the top of the atmosphere (TOA), at the surface and of the atmospheric column on a global scale for the July months of 1983--1985. Global means of TOA cloud forcing range from -43.6 (1983) to -39.1 W m-2 (1985). The cloud forcing for July 1985 is underestimated, by about 8 W m-2, compared with that obtained from the earth Radiation Budget Experiment. The cloud forcing at the surface is almost identical to that at the TOA, indicating that the effect of clouds on the shortwave energy budget of the surface-atmosphere system is such that most of the cooling is at the surface. Regression analysis of the computed fluxes shows a strong linear correlation between the TOA and surface cloud forcing. The monthly averaged regional values of the atmospheric cloud forcing are generally less than the estimated uncertainty of 20 W m-2. Assuming that the uncertainties cancel, the global mean of the atmospheric cloud forcing is between 1 and 2 W m-2, suggesting a slight warming owing to the presence of clouds. ¿ American Geophysical Union 1993