"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 changes in the earth's climate, including warming temperatures and rising sea levels, as a result of human activities such as burning fossil fuels and deforestation.
Climate science: Understanding the science behind climate change, including how greenhouse gases (such as carbon dioxide) trap heat in the atmosphere, and the role of human activity in the increased levels of greenhouse gases.
Global warming: A term often used interchangeably with climate change, referring to the increase in global temperatures since the 19th century due to human activity.
Climate modeling: The use of complex computer simulations to model climate patterns and predict future climate trends.
Mitigation: Actions taken to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, such as renewable energy adoption, energy efficiency measures, and carbon capture and storage technology.
Adaptation: Measures taken to prepare for and adapt to the impacts of climate change, such as building sea walls to protect communities from rising sea levels, or adopting drought-resistant crop varieties.
International agreements: Agreements between countries aimed at addressing climate change, such as the Paris Agreement, which set a goal of limiting global warming to less than 2 degrees Celsius above pre-industrial levels.
Carbon footprint: The total amount of greenhouse gases produced by an individual, organization, or country.
Carbon pricing: Policies that put a price on carbon emissions, such as carbon taxes or cap-and-trade systems.
Renewable energy: Energy sources that are replenished naturally and have a low carbon footprint, such as solar, wind, and hydro power.
Climate justice: The idea that those who are most impacted by climate change (often the world's poorest countries and marginalized communities) should be given a greater role in shaping climate policy and actions.
Climate activism: Movements and actions aimed at mobilizing public support for climate change action, such as the youth-led movement for climate strikes.
Fossil fuel divestment: The process of withdrawing investments from companies involved in the extraction and production of fossil fuels, as a way to reduce funding for the industry and shift towards renewable energy.
Global Warming: An increase in the Earth's average surface temperature caused by the release of greenhouse gases from human activities such as burning fossil fuels, land-use changes, agriculture, and industrial processes.
Ocean Acidification: A decrease in the pH level of seawater due to the absorption of CO2 from the atmosphere, which can lead to significant impacts on marine ecosystems and food chains.
Depletion of Ozone Layer: The thinning of the Earth's protective ozone layer due to the release of chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs) and other ozone-depleting substances, leading to increased risk of skin cancer, damage to crops, and other health and environmental risks.
Extreme Weather Events: Climate change can increase the frequency, duration, and intensity of natural disasters such as hurricanes, droughts, and floods.
Melting of Polar Ice Caps: A result of rising temperatures, the melting of ice sheets and glaciers in polar regions can lead to sea-level rise and severe impacts on ecosystems and coastal communities.
Deforestation: The removal of forests and tree cover for agriculture, industrial and urban development, and other purposes, leading to the loss of carbon sequestration and ecosystem services, and increased carbon emissions.
Soil Degradation: Climate change can worsen soil erosion, desertification, and loss of soil nutrients, leading to reduced agricultural productivity, food scarcity, and land degradation.
Biodiversity Loss: Climate change can significantly impact biodiversity, causing species to go extinct, disrupting ecosystems, and reducing the planet's resilience to environmental stressors.
"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."