"In common usage, climate change describes global warming—the ongoing increase in global average temperature—and its effects on Earth's climate system. Climate change in a broader sense also includes previous long-term changes to Earth's climate."
The long-term alteration of temperature and typical weather patterns in a place.
Greenhouse gases: These are gases, such as carbon dioxide, methane, and nitrous oxide, that trap heat in the atmosphere, causing the earth's temperature to rise.
The greenhouse effect: This is the process by which greenhouse gases trap heat in the earth's atmosphere, causing global warming.
Climate models: These are computer programs that simulate climate patterns and predict how they will change over time.
Climate feedbacks: These are processes that either amplify or dampen the effects of climate change. For example, greater carbon dioxide concentration leads to more plant growth, which absorbs more carbon dioxide, thereby reducing the concentration.
Climate variability: This is the natural variation in climate patterns due to factors such as El Nino and La Nina.
Climate trends: This refers to the long-term patterns in climate that result from factors such as human activity and natural climate cycles.
Carbon footprint: This is the amount of carbon dioxide that is emitted as a result of an individual or organization's activities, such as driving a car, heating a building or operating machinery.
Energy consumption: This refers to the amount of energy used by an individual or organization, including the source of the energy (renewable or non-renewable).
Fossil fuels: These are non-renewable resources, such as coal, oil, and natural gas, that are burned to produce energy, resulting in the release of greenhouse gases.
Renewable energy: This refers to energy sources that are sustainable and do not produce greenhouse gases, such as solar, wind or hydroelectric power.
Deforestation: This refers to the clearing of forests, which reduces the amount of carbon dioxide that is absorbed by plants, leading to an increase in atmospheric carbon dioxide concentrations.
Climate policy: This refers to the political decisions, laws and regulations that are implemented to mitigate the effects of climate change.
Carbon pricing: This refers to the use of taxes or other market-based mechanisms to encourage a reduction in carbon emissions.
Climate adaptation: This refers to measures that are taken to adapt to the effects of climate change, such as building sea walls to protect coastal cities from rising sea levels.
Mitigation: This refers to measures that are taken to reduce emissions of greenhouse gases, such as investing in renewable energy and implementing energy efficiency measures.
Carbon markets: These are markets where carbon emissions can be traded, allowing companies to buy and sell carbon credits.
Climate refugees: These are people who are forced to move due to the effects of climate change, such as rising sea levels or extreme weather conditions.
Natural disasters: These are extreme events, such as hurricanes and floods, that are predicted to become more frequent and severe as a result of climate change.
Climatic zones: These are regions with distinct climate patterns, such as the tropics, the equator, and the poles.
Ocean acidification: This is a process by which the acidity of seawater increases due to the absorption of carbon dioxide, which is harmful to marine life.
Biodiversity loss: This refers to the loss of plant and animal species due to climate change, pollution, deforestation and other factors.
Carbon capture and storage: This refers to techniques that are used to capture carbon dioxide emissions from fossil fuels and store them underground, reducing their impact on the atmosphere.
Climate engineering: This is the use of technological methods to artificially manipulate the earth's climate, with the goal of mitigating the effects of climate change.
Climate patterns: This refers to the long-term patterns in climate that result from factors such as human activity, natural climate cycles, and topographical factors.
Climate data analysis: This involves analyzing climate data to identify trends, understand mechanisms, and inform predictions.
Global Warming: An increase in the overall temperature of the Earth's atmosphere, primarily caused by human activities such as burning of fossil fuels.
Ocean Acidification: A decrease in the pH level of the world's oceans due to the absorption of carbon dioxide from the atmosphere, which can have devastating effects on marine life.
Glacial Retreat: The loss of ice from glaciers and ice sheets due to warming temperatures, causing sea levels to rise.
Melting of Arctic Sea Ice: A decline in the extent and thickness of sea ice in the Arctic Ocean, which can alter ocean circulation and have widespread impacts on marine ecosystems and human communities.
Drought: A prolonged period of abnormally dry weather, which can impact agriculture, water resources, and natural ecosystems.
Desertification: The process by which land becomes more arid and desert-like, often due to human activities such as deforestation and overgrazing.
Species Range Shifts: Changes in the geographic distribution of species due to changes in temperature and precipitation patterns, which can have cascading effects on entire ecosystems.
Extreme Weather Events: Severe weather conditions such as heatwaves, hurricanes, and floods, which are becoming more frequent and intense due to climate change.
"The current rise in global average temperature is more rapid than previous changes, and is primarily caused by humans burning fossil fuels."
"Fossil fuel use, deforestation, and some agricultural and industrial practices increase greenhouse gases, notably carbon dioxide and methane."
"Greenhouse gases absorb some of the heat that the Earth radiates after it warms from sunlight. Larger amounts of these gases trap more heat in Earth's lower atmosphere, causing global warming."
"Deserts are expanding, while heat waves and wildfires are becoming more common. Amplified warming in the Arctic has contributed to melting permafrost, glacial retreat, and sea ice loss. Higher temperatures are also causing more intense storms, droughts, and other weather extremes."
"Rapid environmental change in mountains, coral reefs, and the Arctic is forcing many species to relocate or become extinct."
"Even if efforts to minimise future warming are successful, some effects will continue for centuries. These include ocean heating, ocean acidification, and sea level rise."
"Climate change threatens people with increased flooding, extreme heat, increased food and water scarcity, more disease, and economic loss. Human migration and conflict can also be a result."
"The World Health Organization (WHO) calls climate change the greatest threat to global health in the 21st century."
"Adapting to climate change through efforts like flood control measures or drought-resistant crops partially reduces climate change risks, although some limits to adaptation have already been reached."
"Poorer communities are responsible for a small share of global emissions, yet have the least ability to adapt and are most vulnerable to climate change."
"Many climate change impacts are already felt at the current 1.2 °C (2.2 °F) level of warming."
"Under the 2015 Paris Agreement, nations collectively agreed to keep warming 'well under 2 °C'."
"With pledges made under the Agreement, global warming would still reach about 2.7 °C (4.9 °F) by the end of the century."
"Limiting warming to 1.5 °C will require halving emissions by 2030 and achieving net-zero emissions by 2050."
"Reducing emissions requires generating electricity from low-carbon sources rather than burning fossil fuels."
"This change includes phasing out coal and natural gas-fired power plants, vastly increasing use of wind, solar, nuclear and other types of renewable energy."
"Carbon can also be removed from the atmosphere, for instance by increasing forest cover and farming with methods that capture carbon in soil."
"Electricity generated from non-carbon-emitting sources will need to replace fossil fuels for powering transportation, heating buildings, and operating industrial facilities."
"Carbon can also be removed from the atmosphere, for instance by increasing forest cover and farming with methods that capture carbon in soil."