The term climate change refers to long-term changes in the Earth’s climate, especially with regard to temperature, precipitation, and other weather phenomena. Although the climate naturally fluctuates, the current climate change is primarily caused by human activities. These include the burning of fossil fuels (coal, oil, and natural gas), deforestation, and industrial processes that release greenhouse gases such as carbon dioxide (CO₂), methane, and nitrous oxide. These gases enhance the natural greenhouse effect by trapping heat in the atmosphere, thereby raising global temperatures.
The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) has repeatedly stated that the global average temperature has increased by about 1.1°C since the beginning of the industrial revolution and predicts that without drastic measures to reduce emissions, further temperature increases are expected. This has far-reaching consequences for the global ecosystem and human society. The effects of climate change include more frequent and intense extreme weather events such as heatwaves, droughts, floods, and storms. The rise in sea levels due to the melting of glaciers and ice sheets threatens coastal areas worldwide and could force millions of people to relocate in the coming decades.
Climate change also affects biodiversity, as many animal and plant species are unable to adapt to the changing climate and are therefore threatened in their survival. Forests, coral reefs, and Arctic areas are particularly vulnerable.
To combat climate change, international agreements such as the 2015 Paris Agreement aim to limit global warming to well below 2°C, ideally to 1.5°C, compared to pre-industrial levels. This requires drastic reductions in greenhouse gas emissions, the promotion of renewable energy, and adjustments to agriculture and industry.
For further information, visit Wikipedia on Climate Change.
