www.ecy.wa.gov/climatechange/whatis.

htm

Department of Ecology State of Washington Retrived on 07/07/2016

What is climate change?

Climate is usually defined as the "average weather" in a place. It includes

patterns of temperature, precipitation (rain or snow), humidity, wind and
seasons. Climate patterns play a fundamental role in shaping natural
ecosystems, and the human economies and cultures that depend on them.
But the climate weve come to expect is not what it used to be, because the
past is no longer a reliable predictor of the future. Our climate is rapidly
changing with disruptive impacts, and that change is progressing faster than
any seen in the last 2,000 years.
According to the report, Preparing for a Changing Climate, rising levels of
carbon dioxide and other heat-trapping gases in the atmosphere have
warmed the Earth and are causing wide-ranging impacts, including rising
sea levels; melting snow and ice; more extreme heat events, fires and
drought; and more extreme storms, rainfall and floods. Scientists project
that these trends will continue and in some cases accelerate, posing
significant risks to human health, our forests, agriculture, freshwater

supplies, coastlines, and other natural resources that are vital to

Washington states economy, environment, and our quality of life.
Because so many systems are tied to climate, a change in climate can affect
many related aspects of where and how people, plants and animals live,
such as food production, availability and use of water, and health risks. For
example, a change in the usual timing of rains or temperatures can affect
when plants bloom and set fruit, when insects hatch or when streams are
their fullest. This can affect historically synchronized pollination of crops,
food for migrating birds, spawning of fish, water supplies for drinking and
irrigation, forest health, and more.
Some short-term climate variation is normal, but longer-term trends now
indicate a changing climate.
Our state and societies around the globe need to reduce human-caused
greenhouse gas emissions to avoid worsening climate impacts and reduce
the risk of creating changes beyond our ability to respond and adapt.
Washington state is addressing this challenge and has adopted policies to
reduce energy use, limit greenhouse gas emissions, and build a clean
energy economy. Some changes in climate and impacts on our state
are unavoidable, even if we reduce greenhouse gas emissions today. But we
can take more actions to reduce progressively worsening impacts.
The effects of climate change in Washington
Frequently asked questions
King Tides in Washington

www.takepart.com/flashcards/what-is-climate-change
Take Part Website
Climate change, also called global warming, refers to the rise in average surface
temperatures on Earth. An overwhelming scientific consensus maintains that climate
change is due primarily to the human use of fossil fuels, which releases carbon
dioxide and other greenhouse gases into the air. The gases trap heat within the
atmosphere, which can have a range of effects on ecosystems, including rising sea
levels, severe weather events, and droughts that render landscapes more
susceptible to wildfires.

Is climate change real?

There is broad-based agreement within the scientific community that climate change
is real. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, the National Aeronautics and
Space Administration, and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
concur that climate change is indeed occurring and is almost certainly due to human
activity.

What are the causes of climate change?

The primary cause of climate change is the burning of fossil fuels, such as oil and
coal, which emits greenhouse gases into the atmosphereprimarily carbon dioxide.
Other human activities, such as agriculture and deforestation, also contribute to the
proliferation of greenhouse gases that cause climate change.
While some quantities of these gases are a naturally occurring and critical part of
Earths temperature control system, the atmospheric concentration of CO 2 did not
rise above 300 parts per million between the advent of human civilization roughly
10,000 years ago and 1900. Today it is at about 400 ppm, a level not reached in
more than 400,000 years.

Increased burning of fossil fuels contributes to climate change.

(Photo: Chris Conway/Getty Images)

What are the effects of climate change?

Even small increases in Earths temperature caused by climate change can have
severe effects. The earths average temperature has gone up 1.4 F over the past
century and is expected to rise as much as 11.5 F over the next. That might not
seem like a lot, but the average temperature during the last Ice Age was about 4 F
lower than it is today.
Rising sea levels due to the melting of the polar ice caps (again, caused by climate
change) contribute to greater storm damage; warming ocean temperatures are
associated with stronger and more frequent storms; additional rainfall, particularly
during severe weather events, leads to flooding and other damage; an increase in
the incidence and severity of wildfires threatens habitats, homes, and lives; and
heat waves contribute to human deaths and other consequences.

Climate change: the debate

While consensus among nearly all scientists, scientific organizations, and
governments is that climate change is happening and is caused by human activity, a
small minority of voices questions the validity of such assertions and prefers to cast
doubt on the preponderance of evidence. Climate change deniers often claim that
recent changes attributed to human activity can be seen as part of the natural
variations in Earths climate and temperature, and that it is difficult or impossible to
establish a direct connection between climate change and any single weather event,
such as a hurricane. While the latter is generally true, decades of data and analysis
support the reality of climate changeand the human factor in this process. In any
case, economists agree that acting to reduce fossil fuel emissions would be far less
expensive than dealing with the consequences of not doing so.
What flashcards would you like to see? Email us or let us know in
the comments below.

What is climate change ? (2016)

Australian Academy of Science
https://www.science.org.au/...climate-change/1-what-cl...

Meteorological variables such as wind, temperature and humidity are measured

by instruments attached to balloons and relayed by radio to ground stations on
land or on ships. by Kyle D. Gahlau

Climate change is a change in the pattern of

weather, and related changes in oceans, land
surfaces and ice sheets, occurring over time
scales of decades or longer
Weather is the state of the atmosphereits temperature, humidity, wind,
rainfall and so onover hours to weeks. It is influenced by the oceans, land
surfaces and ice sheets, which together with the atmosphere form what is
called the climate system. Climate, in its broadest sense, is the statistical
description of the state of the climate system.
Climate change is a change in the statistical properties of the climate system
that persists for several decades or longerusually at least 30 years. These
statistical properties include averages, variability and extremes. Climate
change may be due to natural processes, such as changes in the Suns
radiation, volcanoes or internal variability in the climate system, or due to
human influences such as changes in the composition of the atmosphere or
land use.

Weather can be forecast with considerable skill up to about a week in

advance. Short term fluctuations in climate, such as droughts, can be
predicted with limited skill from season to season. In contrast, changes in the
long-term statistics of the climate system (climate change) can be predicted
if caused by long-term influences that are known or predictable (Box 1.1).

climateactionnetwork.ca Issues

What is Climate Change?

Climate Action Network Canada

Introduction

The science

Impacts

Why its not too late

The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change

Introduction
Climate change is probably the most urgent problem facing our society. We know
that human activity is causing the earth to warm, but we also know that we can solve
this problem. Its a complex issue and there is a lot of information that gets circulated,
not all of it very helpful. Here we will try to boil it down to the most relevant facts.

Our planets atmosphere is part of a global system that keeps the temperature of our
planet within a habitable range. Over the last 200 years or so, humans have been
altering the composition of the atmosphere by burning fossil fuels, including coal, oil
and gas. When these are burned, CO2 is produced and builds up in the atmosphere,

creating what is known as the greenhouse effect. Other greenhouse gases that
contribute to this effect include methane produced from livestock and N 2O from
nitrogen-based fertilizers, although CO 2 is the most prevalent. The greenhouse effect
traps energy from the sun, and raises the temperature of the earth; it is similar to
what happens when a car is left in the sun. This rising temperature is what most
people are referring to when they say global warming or climate change.

The impacts of climate change are wide-ranging and are going to be felt ecologically,
economically, and socially. All of these impacts are interlinked; a worsening of one
problem can also exacerbate another. However, this also means that tackling one
area can create overlapping benefits in other areas as well. To learn more about the
impacts of climate and ways we can adapt to it, click here.

There is still time for us to choose a future without the worst of climate change. The
solution is to move away from fossil fuels in every aspect of our lives, and adopt
renewable energysources. This is critical, because a rising temperature on earth is
going to have profound effects on all life, including humans. Entire ecosystems are
changing, and many species are going extinct because they cannot adapt quickly
enough. Our civilization will have to undergo profound changes both to mitigate the
worst of climate change, and to adapt to the global impacts that have already started
to occur.

www.nasa.gov/audience/forstudents/k-4/.../what-is-climate-change-k4.html
/ NASA
May 15, 2014

What Is Climate Change?

Do you know the difference between weather and climate?

Credits: NASA

Burning coal, oil and gas to create energy releases gases.

Credits: NASA

Many NASA satellites study Earth and its climate.

Credits: NASA

The left side of this picture is Petermann Glacier in Greenland. The picture was taken June 26, 2010. A huge iceberg
broke off the glacier. The picture on the right was taken Aug. 13, 2010. Warmer water below the floating ice and at the
seas surface were probably caused the break.
Credits: NASA

This article is part of the NASA Knows! (Grades K-4) series.

To learn about climate change, you first must know what climate is.

What Is Climate? How Is It Different From Weather?

You might know what weather is. Weather is the changes we see and feel outside
from day to day. It might rain one day and be sunny the next. Sometimes it is cold.
Sometimes it is hot. Weather also changes from place to p
lace. People in one place might be wearing shorts and playing outside. At the same
time, people far away might be shoveling snow.
Climate is the usual weather of a place. Climate can be different for different
seasons. A place might be mostly warm and dry in the summer. The same place may
be cool and wet in the winter. Different places can have different climates. You might
live where it snows all the time. And some people live where it is always warm
enough to swim outside!
There's also Earth's climate. Earth's climate is what you get when you combine all
the climates around the world together.

What Is Climate Change?

Climate change is a change in the usual weather found in a place. This could be a
change in how much rain a place usually gets in a year. Or it could be a change in a
place's usual temperature for a month or season.
Climate change is also a change in Earth's climate. This could be a change in
Earth's usual temperature. Or it could be a change in where rain and snow usually
fall on Earth.
Weather can change in just a few hours. Climate takes hundreds or even millions of
years to change.

Is Earth's Climate Changing?

Earth's climate is always changing. There have been times when Earth's climate has
been warmer than it is now. There have been times when it has been cooler. These
times can last thousands or millions of years.
People who study Earth see that Earth's climate is getting warmer. Earth's
temperature has gone up about one degree Fahrenheit in the last 100 years. This
may not seem like much. But small changes in Earth's temperature can have big
effects.

Some effects are already happening. Warming of Earth's climate has caused some
snow and ice to melt. The warming also has caused oceans to rise. And it has
changed the timing of when certain plants grow.

What Is Causing Earth's Climate to Change?

Many things can cause climate to change all on its own. Earth's distance from the
sun can change. The sun can send out more or less energy. Oceans can change.
When a volcano erupts, it can change our climate.
Most scientists say that humans can change climate too. People drive cars. People
heat and cool their houses. People cook food. All those things take energy. One way
we get energy is by burning coal, oil and gas. Burning these things puts gases into
the air. The gases cause the air to heat up. This can change the climate of a place. It
also can change Earth's climate.

What Might Happen to Earth's Climate

Scientists think that Earth's temperature will keep going up for the next 100 years.
This would cause more snow and ice to melt. Oceans would rise higher. Some
places would get hotter. Other places might have colder winters with more snow.
Some places might get more rain. Other places might get less rain. Some places
might have stronger hurricanes.

How Does NASA Study Climate Change?

Some NASA satellites look at Earth's land, air, water and ice. Other tools look at the
sun and the energy it sends out. Together, these are important for learning about
Earth's climate. Using all these tools can help scientists learn how climate might
change.

What Can You Do to Help?

Scientists think we can do things to stop the climate from changing as much. You can
help by using less energy and water. Turn off lights and TVs when you leave a room.
Turn off the water when brushing your teeth. You also can help by planting trees.
Another way to help is by learning about Earth. The more you know about Earth, the
more you can help solve climate problems.

More About Climate Change:

Climate Kids

Read What Are Climate and Climate Change? (Grades 5-8)

Return to NASA Knows! (Grades K-4)
Return to Students K-4
Dan Stillman/Institute for Global Environmental Strategies
JoCasta Green/NASA Educational Technology Services
Last Updated: Sept. 5, 2015
Editor: Sandra May

Last updated: 2 December 2015

Met Office / What is Climate Change ?

www.metoffice.gov.uk Public Climate

sclimate

change?
Climate change is a large-scale, long-term shift in the planet's weather
patterns or average temperatures. Earth has had tropical climates and ice ages
many times in its 4.5 billion years. So what's happening now?

Since the last ice age, which ended about 11,000 years ago, Earth's climate has been relatively
stable at about 14 C. However, in recent years, the average temperature has been increasing.
The information below details the seven main sources of evidence for climate change. You can
find out more about the difference between weather and climate, what drives our climate and
how our climate is changing in our climate infographic or scroll to the foot of this page for our
video - What is climate change?

Higher temperatures
Scientific research shows that the climate - that is, the average temperature of the planet's
surface - has risen by 0.89 C from 1901 to 2012. Compared with climate change patterns
throughout Earth's history, the rate of temperature rise since the Industrial Revolution is
extremely high.

Changing rainfall
There have been observed changes in precipitation, but not all areas have data over long
periods. Rainfall has increased in the mid-latitudes of the northern hemisphere since the
beginning of the 20th century. There are also changes between seasons in different regions. For
example, the UK's summer rainfall is decreasing on average, while winter rainfall is increasing.
There is also evidence that heavy rainfall events have become more intensive, especially over
North America.

Changes in nature
Changes in the seasons (such as the UK spring starting earlier, autumn starting later) are
bringing changes in the behaviour of species, for example, butterflies appearing earlier in the
year and birds shifting their migration patterns.

Sea level rises

Since 1900, sea levels have risen by about 10 cm around the UK and about 19 cm globally, on
average. The rate of sea-level rise has increased in recent decades.

Retreating glaciers
Glaciers all over the world - in the Alps, Rockies, Andes, Himalayas, Africa and Alaska - are
melting and the rate of shrinkage has increased in recent decades.

Sea ice
Arctic sea-ice has been declining since the late 1970s, reducing by about 4%, or 0.6 million
square kilometres (an area about the size of Madagascar) per decade. At the same time
Antarctic sea-ice has increased, but at a slower rate of about 1.5% per decade.

Ice sheets
The Greenland and Antarctic ice sheets, which between them store the majority of the world's
fresh water, are both shrinking at an accelerating rate.

Why is our climate changing?

There are many factors that could cause a change in our climate.

Impacts

A look at the possible impacts of climate change and how the effects are spread across the
planet.