Climate Change Fundamentals and Impacts

Carbon Dioxide (CO2) is a major greenhouse gas that traps heat in the Earth's atmosphere, contributing to global warming and climate change.

Climate change refers to the long-term alteration of temperature and typical weather patterns in a place. It is distinct from short-term weather variability.

Burning fossil fuels, such as coal, oil, and natural gas, releases large amounts of greenhouse gases into the atmosphere, contributing to climate change.

Global warming refers specifically to the increase in Earth's average surface temperature due to human-induced greenhouse gas emissions.

Increased snow and ice cover leads to a decrease in Earth's albedo, causing more solar radiation to be absorbed and further warming the planet.

Climate adaptation refers to the actions taken to adjust to and cope with the effects of climate change.

Switching to renewable energy sources, such as solar and wind power, reduces greenhouse gas emissions and helps mitigate climate change.

Climate resilience refers to the capacity of a system to absorb, adapt to, and recover from the effects of climate change.

Climate change can lead to increased heat waves and extreme heat events, which can result in heat-related illnesses and deaths.

Climate mitigation refers to actions taken to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and slow the pace of climate change.

Climate change can affect crop yields by altering temperature, precipitation patterns, and the frequency of extreme weather events.

Climate action refers to the comprehensive efforts taken to address climate change, including mitigation, adaptation, and resilience-building.

Climate change can lead to changes in precipitation patterns, resulting in more intense rainfall events, droughts, and altered water availability.

Climate mainstreaming refers to the process of incorporating climate change considerations into policies, strategies, and practices across various sectors and levels of governance.

Climate change can lead to habitat loss and fragmentation, which can have negative impacts on biodiversity.