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Climate change

Definition

Present-day climate change includes both global warming—the ongoing increase in global average temperature—and its wider effects on Earth's climate system. Climate change in a broader sense also includes previous long-term changes to Earth's climate. The modern-day rise in global temperatures is driven by human activities, especially fossil fuel burning since the Industrial Revolution. Fossil fuel use, deforestation, and some agricultural and industrial practices release greenhouse gases. These gases absorb some of the heat that the Earth radiates after it warms from sunlight, warming the lower atmosphere. Earth's atmosphere now has roughly 50% more carbon dioxide, the main gas driving global warming, than it did at the end of the pre-industrial era, reaching levels not seen for millions of years.

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change in popular cultureClimate change in the AmericasClimate change in the ArcticClimate change in the CaribbeanClimate change in the Middle East and North AfricaClimate change in the United StatesClimate change litigationClimate change mitigationClimate change scenarioClimate change vulnerabilityClimate communicationClimate crisisClimate debtClimate emergency declarationClimate fictionClimate financeClimate forcingClimate governanceClimate justiceClimate migrantClimate migrationClimate modelClimate movementClimate policyClimate reparationsClimate resilienceClimate riskClimate risk insuranceClimate securityClimate sensitivityClimate spiralClimate systemClimate variabilityClimate variability and changeClimatic Change (journal)ClimatologyCloud condensation nucleiCloud feedbackCloud forcingCloud physicsCo-benefits of climate change mitigationCoalCoal phase outCoal seam gasCoastal floodingCommunity resilienceComputer cartographyConserving energyContinentContrarianCooperative mechanisms under Article 6 of the Paris AgreementCopenhagen AccordCopernicus ProgrammeCoral bleachingCoral reefCoral reefsCorporate behaviorCosmos (magazine)Coupled Model Intercomparison ProjectCover cropsCrop yieldCryosphereCultured meatCycling advocacyCyclone SidrDavid Archer (scientist)Dead zone (ecology)Decline in amphibian populationsDecline in insect populationsDefaunationDeforestationDeforestation and climate changeDemand responseDengue feverDependent territoryDesertDesertificationDeutsche WelleDeveloped countryDeveloping countryDirect air captureDisability and climate changeDisaster risk reductionDroughtEPAEUobserverEarly warning systemEarthEarth's Energy ImbalanceEarth's energy budgetEarth's magnetic fieldEarth's orbitEarth DayEarth StrikeEarth in cultureEarth scienceEarth symbolEcho chamber (media)Eco-economic decouplingEcocideEcological collapseEcological crisisEcological engineeringEcological footprintEcological griefEcological impact of explosivesEcological thresholdEcologyEconomic analysis of climate changeEconomic impacts of climate changeEcosystemEcosystem-based adaptationEffects of climate changeEffects of climate change on agricultureEffects of climate change on biomesEffects of climate change on health in the PhilippinesEffects of climate change on health in the United KingdomEffects of climate change on human healthEffects of climate change on livestockEffects of climate change on mental healthEffects of climate change on oceansEffects of climate change on plant biodiversityEffects of climate change on small island countriesEffects of climate change on the water cycleEfficient energy useEl NiñoElectric heatingElectric power transmissionElectric vehicleElectric vehiclesElsevierEmission intensityEnergy & Environmental ScienceEnergy conservationEnergy securityEnergy transitionEnteric fermentationEnvironmental Research LettersEnvironmental crimeEnvironmental degradationEnvironmental effects of aviationEnvironmental effects of bitcoinEnvironmental effects of irrigationEnvironmental effects of miningEnvironmental effects of paintEnvironmental effects of paperEnvironmental effects of railEnvironmental effects of shippingEnvironmental effects of transportEnvironmental engineeringEnvironmental impact assessmentEnvironmental impact of agricultureEnvironmental impact of biodieselEnvironmental impact of cannabis cultivationEnvironmental impact of cleaning productsEnvironmental impact of cocoa productionEnvironmental impact of concreteEnvironmental impact of electricity generationEnvironmental impact of fashionEnvironmental impact of fishingEnvironmental impact of fracking in the United StatesEnvironmental impact of meat productionEnvironmental impact of nuclear powerEnvironmental impact of pesticidesEnvironmental impact of pharmaceuticals and personal care productsEnvironmental impact of reservoirsEnvironmental impact of rice cultivationEnvironmental impact of the energy industryEnvironmental impact of the oil shale industryEnvironmental impact of the petroleum industryEnvironmental impact of transportEnvironmental impact of warEnvironmental impacts of animal agricultureEnvironmental issuesEnvironmental issues in the United StatesEnvironmental issues with coral reefsEnvironmental migrantEnvironmental mitigationEnvironmental securityErik M. ConwayErosionEunice Newton FooteEuropeEuropean CommissionEuropean Green DealEuropean ParliamentEutrophicationEvaporationEvaporative coolingExosphereExternalities of carsExternalityExtinctionExtinction RebellionExtinction risk from climate changeExtreme event attributionExtreme weatherExtremes on EarthFertilizerFire regimeFishing down the food webFit for 55Fixed anvil temperature hypothesisFlag of EarthFloodFlood controlFloweringFluorinated gasesFood and Agriculture OrganizationFood securityFood webForest diebackForest protectionFormation and evolution of the Solar SystemFossil fuelFossil fuel divestmentFossil fuel phase-outFossil fuel subsidiesFossil fuels lobbyFourth National Climate AssessmentFree-rider problemFree contentFreshwater cycleFridays for FutureFugitive gas emissionsFuture of EarthGaia hypothesisGender normsGenetic pollutionGeochemistry, Geophysics, GeosystemsGeodesyGeodetic astronomyGeoengineeringGeologic recordGeologic time scaleGeological history of EarthGeologyGeology of solar terrestrial planetsGeomaticsGeophysical Research LettersGeophysical fluid dynamicsGeophysical imagingGeophysicsGeopoliticsGeopositioningGeothermal energyGilbert PlassGlacial periodGlacierGlasgow Climate PactGlobal Carbon ProjectGlobal Ecology and BiogeographyGlobal dimmingGlobal healthGlobal surface temperatureGlobal warming (disambiguation)Global warming hiatusGlobal warming potentialGlossary of climate changeGold Standard (carbon offset standard)Google BooksGravity of EarthGreat Barrier ReefGreen Climate FundGreen beltGreen buildingGreen industrial policyGreen roofGreenhouse effectGreenhouse gasGreenhouse gas emissionsGreenhouse gas emissions from agricultureGreenhouse gas emissions from wetlandsGreenland ice sheetGreta ThunbergGroup of 77Guy Stewart CallendarHAL (open archive)Haber processHabitat conservationHabitat destructionHall–Héroult processHannah RitchieHans SuessHarmful algal bloomsHealth and environmental impact of the coal industryHeat pumpHeat stressHeat waveHeatingHeavy industryHistory of EarthHistory of climate change policy and politicsHistory of climate change scienceHistory of lifeHoloceneHolocene extinctionHuman historyHuman impact on marine lifeHuman impact on the environmentHuman impact on the nitrogen cycleHuman rights and climate changeHydrofluorocarbonHydropowerIPCCIPCC Fifth Assessment ReportIPCC Fourth Assessment ReportIPCC Sixth Assessment ReportIce ageIce coreIce sheetIce sheetsIce–albedo feedbackIllustrative model of greenhouse effect on climate changeImpact of nanotechnologyImpacts of tourismIndex of climate change articlesIndian OceanIndigenous peopleIndirect land use change impacts of biofuelsIndividual action on climate changeIndustrial RevolutionIndustrial ecologyIndustrial processesIndustrialisationInfectious diseasesInfraredInstrumental temperature recordIntegrated assessment modellingIntegrity Council for the Voluntary Carbon MarketInterdisciplinarityIntergovernmental Panel on Climate ChangeInternal combustion engineInternal structure of EarthInternational Court of JusticeInternational Energy AgencyInternational Organization for MigrationIrradianceJames HansenJoeri RogeljJohn A. Church

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