Climate change is a long-term change in the average conditions or variability of Earth’s climate, including temperature, rainfall, wind patterns, and the frequency or intensity of certain extreme weather events.
Climate can change through natural processes, such as volcanic eruptions, variations in solar energy, and changes in ocean–atmosphere patterns. However, the rapid global warming observed since the industrial era is primarily driven by human activities, particularly the burning of fossil fuels and the resulting increase in greenhouse gases.
Climate change can affect ecosystems, agriculture, water supplies, human settlements, and public health. Its consequences include rising temperatures, sea-level rise, changing rainfall patterns, increased exposure to some forms of extreme heat, and shifts in the distribution of certain infectious diseases.
The effects are not identical everywhere. Some regions may experience more frequent or severe droughts, while others may face heavier rainfall or flooding. The specific impacts depend on geography, local conditions, natural climate variability, and the extent of future warming.
QUICK FACT
Climate change is not simply another name for global warming. Global warming describes the long-term increase in Earth’s average surface temperature, while climate change includes a wider range of long-term changes in the climate system.
COMMONLY CONFUSED WITH
- Global warming: The long-term rise in Earth’s average surface temperature, which is a major component and driver of current climate change.
- Weather: Atmospheric conditions over a short period, such as today’s temperature or rainfall.
- Climate: The long-term patterns of weather conditions in a region, typically assessed over periods of about 30 years or more.
- El Niño–Southern Oscillation (ENSO): A naturally recurring climate pattern that influences weather and climate from season to season and year to year.
SEE ALSO