Climate change refers to the ongoing shifts in the Earth’s weather patterns, primarily driven by an average rise in surface temperature known as global warming. This increase is largely due to higher concentrations of greenhouse gases (GHGs), emitted by human activities, which intensify the natural greenhouse effect by trapping heat in the atmosphere.

While weather changes daily, climate represents long-term trends. Historically, climate changes occurred gradually, allowing ecosystems to adapt. However, the current rapid pace of climate change is unprecedented, resulting in the melting of ice, rising sea levels, altered rainfall patterns, and more frequent extreme weather events like floods, droughts, and hurricanes. This rapid change does not allow for natural adaptation.

Evidence of this rapid climate change includes:

• Increased average global temperatures, with the last decade being the hottest on record;
• Rising sea levels;
• Changes in rainfall patterns, with some regions experiencing more rain and others facing drought;
• More frequent heavy rainfall and extreme weather events;
• Longer and more intense droughts, especially in tropical regions.

Understanding climate change requires an awareness of the greenhouse effect, where energy from the sun enters the atmosphere, with some heat being trapped by GHGs like water vapor, carbon dioxide, and methane. Human activities, including coal burning, vehicle emissions, and industrial processes, are increasing GHG levels, leading to further warming.

As the atmosphere heats up, global weather systems are affected, resulting in significant temperature increases in some areas and changes in precipitation patterns. These large-scale shifts in weather represent what we call climate change.

Source: National Climate change Response White Paper and Let’s Respond Toolkit