Climate Change: Global Warming Vs. Climate Change

Climate change is a change in the statistical distribution of weather patterns where change lasts for an extended period . Climate change may refer to a change in weather conditions, or time variation of weather. Certain human activities have also been identified as causes of recent climate change “global warming”

Scientists use observations and theoretical models to understand past and future climate.

Solar radiation passes through the clear atmosphere and most radiation is absorbed by the earths surface and warms it . Some solar radiation is reflected by the earth and atmosphere

Infrared radiation emitted from the earths surface and some of the infrared radiation passes through the atmosphere, and some is absorbed and reemitted in all directions by greenhouse gases molecules. The affect of this is

But when weather is averaged over space and time, the fact that the globe is warming emerges clearly from the data.

Global Warming vs. Climate Change

Both of the terms in question are used frequently in the scientific literature, because they refer to two different physical phenomena. As the name suggests, 'global warming' refers to the long-term trend of a rising average global temperature, which you can see here:

'Climate change', again as the name suggests, refers to the changes in the global climate which result from the increasing average global temperature. For example, changes in precipitation patterns, increased prevalence of droughts, heat waves, and other extreme weather, etc.

“Climate change” is less frightening than “global warming”. As one focus group participant noted, climate change “sounds like you’re going from Pittsburgh to Fort Lauderdale.” While global warming has catastrophic connotations attached to it, climate change suggests a more controllable and less emotional