Climate change refers to long-term alterations in the typical or average weather patterns of a region or the entire planet, including changes in temperature, precipitation patterns, and overall climate.

Difference Between Weather and Climate

• Weather: Short-term changes in temperature, clouds, precipitation, humidity, and wind in a region or city.
• Climate: Weather averaged over many years, differing for each season and changing slowly over tens, hundreds, and thousands of years.

Is Earth’s Climate Changing?
Earth’s climate is always changing. Observations show a warming trend over the past 100 years, with Earth’s average temperature rising by more than one degree Fahrenheit.

Causes of Climate Change

• Natural Causes: Changes in Earth’s orbit, solar energy, ocean changes, and volcanic eruptions.
• Human Activities: Burning coal, oil, and gas, which release greenhouse gases like carbon dioxide, leading to recent warming since the mid-1900s.

Forecast for Earth’s Climate
Climate models predict Earth’s average temperature will continue to rise over the next 100 years, causing rising sea levels, decreasing snow and ice cover, changing rainfall patterns, and more extreme weather events.

Impact of Earth’s Warming Climate

• Already Occurring: Rising sea levels, decreasing snow and ice cover, changing rainfall patterns, and shifting growing seasons.
• Future Impacts: More floods, droughts, heatwaves, and stronger hurricanes.

Difference Between “Climate Change” and “Global Warming”

• Global Warming: Long-term increase in Earth’s average temperature.
• Climate Change: Any long-term change in Earth’s climate, including warming, cooling, and other changes.

Studying Climate Change
NASA and other organizations use satellites and instruments to observe Earth’s land, air, water, and ice, helping to understand and predict climate change.

What Is Being Done About Climate Change?
Efforts include limiting greenhouse gas emissions, using energy more efficiently, and increasing clean energy sources like solar, wind, and water. Nations and communities are planning for unavoidable climate impacts.

How Can You Help?

• Use less energy and water.
• Plant trees.
• Learn about Earth and its climate to help solve climate-related problems.

Understanding and Addressing Climate Change
The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) assesses scientific and socio-economic information on climate change, its impacts, and solutions. The debate on climate change is over; action is needed to address the problem.