Level 1: Module 1
What is Climate Change?
Climate change describes a change in average conditions—such as temperature and rainfall—in a region over a long period of time. For example, 20,000 years ago, much of the United States was covered in glaciers. In the United States today, we have a warmer climate and fewer glaciers.
Although Earth’s climate has constantly been changing even long before humans came into the picture, scientists have recently observed that Earth’s average temperature has been increasing much faster than expected. Global temperatures have gone up about 2 degrees Fahrenheit in the past 100 years, leading to visible changes such as:
- Rising sea levels
- Shrinking mountain glaciers
- Arctic ice melt
- Changes in flower and plant blooming times
- Changes in animal migration patterns
What Causes Climate Change?
Science has shown there is an indisputable link between human activity and changes in our climate.
Human activities—such as burning fossil fuels like coal, natural gas, and oil to power homes, businesses, and vehicles—release greenhouse gases into the atmosphere, including carbon dioxide. These greenhouse gas emissions trap heat in our atmosphere, leading to disruptions in the Earth’s climate. This is called the Greenhouse Effect.
Watch this video to learn more about what causes climate change, how it affects our planet, and why we need to act right away to mitigate its effects: