Climate Change

{
  "id": "MLC-T-ENV-005232",
  "term": "Climate Change",
  "field": "Environment",
  "definition": "1. This term is commonly used interchangeably with \"global warming\" and \"the greenhouse effect,\" but is a more descriptive term. Climate change refers to the buildup of man-made gases in the atmosphere that trap the sun's heat, causing changes in weather patterns on a global scale. The effects include changes in rainfall patterns, sea level rise, potential droughts, habitat loss, and heat stress. The greenhouse gases of most concern are carbon dioxide, methane, and nitrous oxides. If these gases in our atmosphere double, the earth could warm up by 1.5 to 4.5 degrees by the year 2050, with changes in global precipitation having the greatest consequences.\n\n2. A term used to describe short and long-term affects on the Earth's climate as a result of human activities such as fossil fuel combustion and vegetation clearing and burning.\n\n3. Climate change refers to any significant change in measures of climate (such as temperature, precipitation, or wind) lasting for an extended period (decades or longer). Climate change may result from: (1) natural factors, such as changes in the sun's intensity or slow changes in the Earth's orbit around the sun; (2) natural processes within the climate system (e.g., changes in ocean circulation); (3) human activities that change the atmosphere's composition (e.g., through burning fossil fuels) and the land surface (e.g., deforestation, reforestation, urbanization, desertification, etc.).\n\n4. Climate change refers to any significant change in measures of climate (such as temperature, precipitation, or wind) lasting for an extended period (decades or longer). Climate change may result from: Natural factors, such as changes in the sun's intensity or slow changes in the earth's orbit around the sun; Natural processes within the climate system (e.g. changes in ocean circulation); Human activities that change the atmosphere's composition (e.g., through burning fossil fuels) and the land surface (e.g., deforestation, reforestation, urbanization, desertification, etc.)\n\n5. The term 'climate change' is sometimes used to refer to all forms of climatic inconsistency, but because the Earth's climate is never static, the term is more properly used to imply a significant change from one climatic condition to another. In some cases, 'climate change' has been used synonymously with the term, 'global warming'; scientists however, tend to use the term in the wider sense to also include natural changes in climate.\n\n6. A significant change in the Earth's climate. The Earth is currently getting warmer because people are adding heat-trapping greenhouse gases to the atmosphere. The term \"global warming\" refers to warmer temperatures, while \"climate change\" refers to the broader set of changes that go along with warmer temperatures, including changes in weather patterns, the oceans, ice and snow, and ecosystems around the world.\n\n7. Climate change refers to any significant change in the measures of climate lasting for an extended period of time. In other words, climate change includes major changes in temperature, precipitation, or wind patterns, among others, that occur over several decades or longer.\n\n8. The term \"climate change\" is sometimes used to refer to all forms of climatic inconsistency, but because the Earth's climate is never static, the term is more properly used to imply a significant change from one climatic condition to another. In some cases, \"climate change\" has been used synonymously with the term, \"global warming\"; scientists however, tend to use the term in the wider sense to also include natural changes in climate. See global warming, greenhouse effect, enhanced greenhouse effect, radiative forcing.\n\n9. A significant change from one climatic condition to another.\n\n10. Climate change refers to any substantial change in measures of climate (such as temperature or precipitation) lasting for an extended period (decades or longer). Climate change may result from natural factors and processes or from human activities.\n\n11. Non-random change in climate that is measured over several decades or longer. For example. when less energy reaches the earth. temperature decreases and the area covered by snow increases. Consequently less energy is available at the surface. and temperature further decreases..\n\n12. Climate change refers to any substantial change in measures of climate (such as temperature or precipitation) lasting for an extended period (decades or longer). Climate change may result from natural factors and processes or from human activities. See: Climate Change Indicators in the United States",
  "subject": "Climate change",
  "see_also": [
    "Global Climate Change"
  ],
  "references": [
    "Environmental Issues Terms & Acronyms",
    "EERE: Glossary of Energy Related Terms",
    "Heat Island Effect Glossary",
    "Clean Energy Glossary",
    "Terms of Environment",
    "Student's Guide to Global Climate Change",
    "Glossary of Climate Change Terms",
    "Greenhouse Gas Emissions",
    "EPA EV-Environmental Events-Climate Change",
    "Report on the Environment (ROE) Glossary",
    "NOAA Climate Program Office Glossary"
  ],
  "url": "https://mlchart.com/terminology/environment/climate-change/"
}