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What is “climate change?”
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 stems from:
- Human activities that change the atmosphere's composition such as the burning of coal, oil and natural gas; and changes in the land surface such as deforestation and urbanization;
- Natural factors, such as changes in the sun's intensity or subtle changes in the Earth's orbit around the sun; and
- Natural processes within the climate system such as changes in ocean circulation.
Scientists are pointing to evidence of climate change from direct measurements of rising temperatures of the Earth’s surface and the ocean’s subsurface; increases in average sea levels; and shrinking glaciers. Experts believe that the rising temperatures in recent decades can be primarily attributed to human activities which have led to increased atmospheric concentrations of a number of greenhouse gases.