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Climate Change

Definition

Climate change refers to long-term shifts in weather patterns and average temperatures on Earth due primarily to human activities such as burning fossil fuels, deforestation, and industrial processes. These activities lead to increased levels of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere, trapping heat and causing global warming.

Analogy

Think of Earth as a giant oven. Human activities like burning fossil fuels act like turning up the heat knob too high, causing temperature changes over time. Just as an oven affects its surroundings, climate change impacts our planet's ecosystems and weather patterns.

Related terms

Greenhouse Effect: The greenhouse effect is the natural process by which certain gases trap heat from the sun in Earth's atmosphere, maintaining a livable temperature for life on our planet.

Global Warming: Global warming specifically refers to the long-term increase in average surface temperatures on Earth due primarily to human-induced climate change.

Carbon Footprint: A carbon footprint measures the total amount of greenhouse gases, primarily carbon dioxide, released into the atmosphere as a result of an individual's or organization's activities.