Climate refers to long-term weather patterns in a specific region, shaped by factors like temperature, precipitation, and wind. Climate change signifies significant alterations in these patterns over extended periods, often decades or more. While natural causes like volcanic eruptions can influence climate, human activities, primarily the burning of fossil fuels, have become the dominant driver of recent climate change. This accelerated warming traps heat in the atmosphere, leading to rising global temperatures and a cascade of impacts including more extreme weather events, sea-level rise, disruptions to ecosystems, and increased risks to public health.
Source:
National Geographic. (n.d.) Earth's changing climate. https://education.nationalgeographic.org/resource/earths-changing-climate/
Adaptation
Carbon footprint
Greenhouse gases
Mitigation
Resilience
Sources:
Environmental Protection Agency. (2016, September 19). Glossary of climate change terms. https://19january2017snapshot.epa.gov/climatechange/glossary-climate-change-terms_.html
U.S. Energy Information Administration. (2024, June 18). Energy and the environment explained: Greenhouse gases and the climate. https://www.eia.gov/energyexplained/energy-and-the-environment/greenhouse-gases-and-the-climate.php
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