🌍 Climate Change — Notes
What is Climate Change?
● Climate change is the long-term change in Earth's temperature and weather
patterns.
● Earth's average temperature is increasing mainly because of human activities.
● This long-term warming is called global warming.
Main Causes
1. Burning fossil fuels
○ Coal, oil, and natural gas release carbon dioxide (CO₂).
○ Cars, factories, airplanes, and power plants contribute to emissions.
2. Deforestation
○ Trees absorb CO₂ from the atmosphere.
○ Cutting down forests means less CO₂ is removed from the air.
3. Agriculture
○ Livestock can produce methane, a powerful greenhouse gas.
○ Some farming practices also release greenhouse gases.
4. Industrial activities
○ Manufacturing and construction can release greenhouse gases.
🌡️ Greenhouse Effect
● The greenhouse effect is a natural process that keeps Earth warm enough for life.
● Greenhouse gases trap some heat in the atmosphere.
● Human activities have increased the amount of these gases, causing more heat to
be trapped.
Important Greenhouse Gases
● Carbon dioxide (CO₂) — mainly from burning fossil fuels and deforestation.
● Methane (CH₄) — produced by livestock, landfills, and fossil-fuel activities.
● Nitrous oxide (N₂O) — often associated with fertilizers and agriculture.
Effects of Climate Change
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🌡️ Rising global temperatures
🧊 Melting glaciers and ice sheets
🌊 Rising sea levels
🔥 More frequent or intense heat waves and some other extreme weather events
🌳 Changes to ecosystems and habitats
🐻 Threats to wildlife and biodiversity
🌾 Effects on agriculture and food production
💧 Changes in water availability
How Can We Reduce Climate Change?
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Use renewable energy such as solar and wind power.
Walk, cycle, carpool, or use public transportation.
Save electricity and use energy-efficient appliances.
Reduce, reuse, and recycle materials.
Protect and restore forests.
Reduce food waste.
Support actions and policies that lower greenhouse-gas emissions.
Key Terms
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Climate: Long-term patterns of temperature and weather.
Weather: Short-term atmospheric conditions.
Global warming: Long-term increase in Earth's average temperature.
Greenhouse gas: A gas that absorbs and re-emits heat in the atmosphere.
Deforestation: The removal of forests.
Renewable energy: Energy from sources that naturally replenish, such as sunlight
and wind.
⭐ Key Point
Climate change is a long-term change in Earth's climate. Human activities have
increased greenhouse gases in the atmosphere, causing the planet to warm and
affecting ecosystems, weather, oceans, and people.
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