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What is climate?

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Key points

  • Climate change refers to changes in the Earth's average temperature. These changes occur naturally over time, but most scientists think that human behaviour is increasing the amount of in the atmosphere, which is causing more rapid changes to the climate.
  • Evidence for climate change can come from tree ring analysis, ice core samples, and observations of changes in ice cover.
  • Climate change can be managed by and. Mitigation means reducing greenhouse gas, and adaptation is learning to live with the effects of a warmer planet.

Game - HIC climate change

Play a Planet Planners mission and help a high-income country take steps to manage climate change.

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What is climate change?

Climate change refers to changes in the Earth's average temperature. Climate change occurs naturally through things like volcanic eruptions, changes in the Earth’s and variations in the Sun’s energy.

In recent years, temperatures have been increasing more rapidly than in the past. Global temperatures are around 1 °C higher than they were around 100 years ago. An report of 2023 says that global warming of 1.5 °C above pre-industrial levels is very likely during the 21st century. To avoid this, greenhouse gas emissions must be at least halved.

Greenhouse gases

Most scientists agree that human behaviour is causing this increase in temperature. Humans are increasing the concentration of greenhouse gases, such as and , within the atmosphere.

Greenhouse gases can be released by human activity, such as:

  • burning of , which releases carbon dioxide into the atmosphere.
  • , as trees absorb carbon dioxide and store carbon.
  • food waste, which creates methane when it breaks down.

Carbon dioxide from fossil fuel combustion and industry are now more than three times higher than they were in 1965. Greenhouse gases any heat that is reflected from the Earth. A greater concentration of greenhouse gases means that more heat is absorbed and so the planet warms up.

Graph to show growth of observed monthly global average surface temperature. X axis shows decades 1960 to 2040, y axis rate of warming (degrees centigrade). Projected temperature rise from 2020.
A graph showing the growth of observed monthly global average surface temperature
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What is the greenhouse effect?

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  1. The Sun and direction of heat from the Sun cutting through the atmosphere towards the Earth. Earth emits some heat back to the atmosphere and some heat return back to Earth.

    The greenhouse effect is a natural process that keeps the planet warm. Without it, humans would not be able to live on Earth.

Question

Why is it important that the Earth has some greenhouse gases?

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Evidence for climate change

There is clear evidence that climate change is taking place. This includes tree ring analysis, ice core samples, and measurements of ice cover.

Tree rings

Tree rings
Tree rings

The rings found within a tree trunk can show how old the tree is and what the climate was like during the life of the tree. Some trees can live for thousands of years. Very old trees can give information about past climates.

Tree rings
Tree rings

Ice core samples

An ice core is a cylinder of ice. Here, a scientist is slicing the cylinder in half to study the gases and air bubbles within.
An ice core

Ice cores are drilled out of or . The tiny air bubbles within the ice contain gases found in the atmosphere in the past. Ice cores from Antarctica have provided information about the climate from as far back as 800,000 years ago.

An ice core is a cylinder of ice. Here, a scientist is slicing the cylinder in half to study the gases and air bubbles within.
An ice core

Ice cover

The North Sea covered in fractured ice.
Ice cover in the North Sea

Ice sheets and glaciers change in size in response to global temperatures. More than 80 per cent of the snow on Mount Kilimanjaro has melted since 1912 and according to NASA, Antarctic ice is melting at an average rate of 150 billion tonnes every year.

The North Sea covered in fractured ice.
Ice cover in the North Sea

Question

How can ice core samples tell us about past climates?

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Impacts of climate change

A mosquito
Mosquitos spread malaria, a tropical disease

Climate change is causing global temperatures to increase and average sea levels to rise. Scientists suggest that the impacts of higher temperatures and rising sea levels could include:

  • a change to the location of the Earth’s , which would make it difficult for some countries to grow food.
  • flooding of and .
  • the spread of , like , to places that are further north and south.
A mosquito
Mosquitos spread malaria, a tropical disease

Video: Rising sea levels

Watch this video to find out how climate change is affecting rising sea levels in the Solomon Islands.

Game - LIC climate change

Play a Planet Planners mission and help a low-income country take steps to manage climate change.

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Managing climate change

Climate change can be managed by:

  • Mitigation – limiting or preventing greenhouse gas emissions. Examples of this are , such as , and new technology, such as .
  • Adaptation – learning to live with climate change. Examples of this include building to protect against rising sea levels, and developing new crops that are .

Question

Name one climate change adaptation strategy.

Climate change are people who have doubts about whether climate change is happening or whether attempts to manage climate change will work.

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Test your knowledge

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