Introduction the primary audience of this document is the negotiators of the least developed countries ldc group. Climate tells us what its usually like in the place where you live. The earths atmosphere is a complex dynamical, physical, and chemical system. The earth is currently getting warmer because people are adding heattrapping greenhouse gases to the atmosphere. Climate change hardly registers on the agenda, which centres on issues such as chemical pollution, atomic bomb testing and whaling. Understanding common terms used in discussions about climate change and agriculture leopold center for sustainable agriculture climate change climate change is the change in temperature, weather patterns, and climate of the. Climate is usually measured over a period of 30 years or more. The average weather conditions in a particular location or region at a particular time of the year. Glossary of climate change terminology alpine alpska zona the biogeographic zone made up of slopes above timberline and characterized by the presence of rosetteforming herbaceous plants and low shrubby slowgrowing woody plants. Global warming refers to surface temperature increases, while climate change includes global warming and everything else that increasing greenhouse gas amounts will affect. Carbon trading and international mechanisms terms in bold italics in each paragraph are defined elsewhere in this document.
Most, but not all, methods seek to either 1 reduce the amount of absorbed solar energy in the climate system solar radiation management or 2 increase net carbon sinks from the atmosphere at a scale. Global warming vs climate change is there a difference. That is the reason why, for example, some terms included in consecutive intergovernmental panel on climate change ipcc assessment reports differ in their definitions in the respective glossaries. The definitions included in this glossary are quoted from the sources listed at the end of the document. The term abrupt often refers to time scales faster than the typical time scale of the responsible forcing. Abrupt climate change the nonlinearity of the climate system may lead to abrupt climate change, sometimes called rapid climate change, abrupt events, or even surprises. Climate change is an actual change in climate patterns, both globally and regionally. In the questions box, note any questions you have, or things you would like to know about the causes and effects of climate change. The designation of geographical entities in this book, and the presentation of the material, do not imply the expression of. Climate change is a longterm, sustained trend of change in climate. Biofuel a fuel derived from renewable, biological sources, including crops such as maize and sugar cane, and. Climate change can occur naturally or it can be driven by human actions. Advancing the science of climate change calls for a single federal entity or program to coordinate a national, multidisciplinary research effort aimed at improving both understanding and responses to climate change. Important climate change terms climate this describes the total of all weather occurring over a period of years in a given place.
Science, including climate change science, requires an expanded. Climate change is one of the major global challenges of our time. Climate change glossary of key terms adapted from epa vic this glossary gives an overview of current climate change terminology and is separated into four areas. Climate change refers to any significant change in the measures of climate lasting for an extended period of time. A climate feedback involving changes in the earths albedo. Fossil fuels are believed to be the triggers for this change in climate. Alternative development paths alternativni patita na razvoj refer to a variety of possible scenarios for so. Climate change is a longterm shift in the climate of a specific location, region or planet. Included are the most commonly referred to terms in climate change literature and news media.
This page gathers a set of key references glossaries with the specialized terminology on climate change and adaptation. Understanding common terms used in discussions about. References national research council, 2010a, advancing the science of climate change national research council, 2010b, limiting the magnitude of climate change national research council, 2010c, adapting to the impacts of climate change national research council, 2011d, informing an effective response to climate change national research council, 2010e, ocean acidification. Adaptation action that helps cope with the effects. In terms of economic analysis, greenhouse gas emissions, which cause planetary climate changes, represent both an environmental externality and the overuse of a common property resource.
Weather and climate the structure of the atmosphere surrounding the earth is a gaseous envelope or atmosphere, held in place by the planets gravitational attraction. Weather the specific conditions of the atmosphere at a particular place and time, measured in terms of variables that include temperature. C3 plants use rubisco to make a threecarbon compound as the first stable product of carbon fixation. It can also serve as a starting point for a greater interest in traditional majelbased science. Below is a glossary of terms often used in connection with global warming and climate. As public interest and concern about climate change increase, we are seeing more terms related to climate change in the media, the daily news, websites, technical reports, and on food, fiber and energy products. An english vocabulary list of useful words and phrases to talk about global warming, the greenhouse effect and other issues that relate to climate change, with clear and simple explanations and examples for illustration. Browse our site menus for more online lessons for english learners from beginner to. Thus, iucn nepal has taken an initiative of publishing terminologies. Adjustment in natural or human systems to a new or changing environment. In assessing the state of knowledge about climate change, scientists have developed a careful terminology for expressing uncertainties around both statements of fact about a current situation for example, most observed warming can be attributed to human action and statements about the likelihoods of various future outcomes for example, sea level could rise by several feet by 2100. This may mean moderating potential damages, taking advantage of opportunities or coping with the. Altering the presentation of climate change on the white house website1 4 b. This increase in atmospheric co 2 from about 280 to.
Global warming is an increase in the nearsurface temperature of the earth, making it a form of climate change. Glossary of global warming and climate change terms agmrc. Whats the difference between global warming and climate. Glossary of global warming and climate change terms. Glossary a students guide to global climate change us epa. Included are the most commonly referred to terms in. It will have an impact on human health, livelihood assets, food production and distribution channels, as well as changing. The line drawn on a weather map connecting points of equal barometric pressure. It usually refers to changes in the cryosphere which has an albedo much larger 0. Apr, 2014 climate change legislation in the united states, for example, uses a 2005 baseline. After introducing climate variables and a simple climate. In fact, legal scholarship has traditionally channeled its efforts on the climate. The intergovernmental panel on climate change, established in 1988 by the wmo and the united nations, to report on scientific and technical aspects of climate change.
The larger climate changes, such as the onset and recession of the great ice ages, has been due to changes in the earths orbit and the tilt of its axis, which caused systematic variations. But, it all began with global warming what is global warming and greenhouse gases. Part of free series of lessons about environmental issues for english language students. Both of them have a way of working together to wreak havoc on the atmosphere. Climate change can disrupt the balance of nature and threaten vulnerable species with extinction.
Changes to federal websites pertaining to climate change 1 4 a. In other words, climate change includes major changes in temperature, precipitation, or wind patterns, among others, that occur over several decades or longer. Said another way, global warming is one symptom of the much larger problem of humancaused climate change. Terminologies used in climate change compiled by anu adhikari, racchya shah, sony baral and rajendra khanal. This chapter aims at identifying the epistemological role held by comparative law in relation to climate change. Adaptation benefits pridobivki od prisposobuvaweto the avoided damage costs or the accrued benefits following the adoption andimplementation of adaptation measures. However, not all abrupt climate changes need be externally forced. In the time since the industrial revolution the climate has increasingly been affected by human activities that are causing global warming and climate. The physical science basis ar5 climate change 2014. This glossary of climate change terms is a new step towards effectuating that process in the marshall islands. In some cases, weve paraphrased the definition to make it easier to understand. Glossary of global warming and climate change terms below is a glossary of terms often used in connection with global warming and climate change. Climate change was first known to many of us as global warming, a phrase dating to the 1950s that indicates a longterm rise in earths average atmospheric temperature.
Learn resource guide for advanced learning on the scientific fundamentals of climate change 4 1. Were at a historic moment with the unfccc cop 21, united nations framework convention on climate change, 21st. The practice of identifying options to adapt to climate change and. Agriculture and climate change european commission. Discover an az glossary of concise scientific explanations to help readers better understand climate change from science to solutions. Climate c hang e g lossar y of t e r ms first in a series of four fact files exploring key climate change issues note. This glossary gives an overview of current climate change terminology and is separated into four areas. Information on this website is available in alternative formats upon request. Glossary of terms and definitions on climate change and adaptation. Altering information on international climate change agreements and partnerships 1 6 c. Within scientific journals, this is still how the two terms are used. This is a living document that will be updated as required.
B6 climate change basics of climate change based just on the physics of the amount of energy that co 2 absorbs and emits, a doubling of atmospheric co 2 concentration from preindustrial levels up to about 560 ppm would, by itself, cause a global average temperature increase of about 1 c 1. Global warming refers only to the earths rising surface temperature, while climate change includes warming and the side effects of warminglike melting glaciers, heavier rainstorms, or more frequent drought. The earths climate has exhibited marked natural climate changes, with time scales varying from many millions of years down to a few years. Understanding common terms used in discussions about climate. The european commission has prepared an introductory brief exploring the risk that climate change poses to agriculture and outlining how new farm and soil management techniques can play a vital role in reducing agricultural emissions.
A broad set of methods and technologies that aim to deliberately alter the climate system in order to alleviate the impacts of climate change. Climate change legislation in the united states, for example, uses a 2005 baseline. Climate change definition in the cambridge english. In a warming climate, it is anticipated that the cryosphere would shrink, the earths overall albedo would decrease and more solar. The changing language of climate change everything after. Climate change glossary climate change is a complex topic and there is a need to work from a common set of terms. Climate change terms and definitions science and climate. Another distinction between global warming and climate change is that when scientists or public leaders talk about global warming these days, they almost always mean humancaused warmingwarming due to the rapid increase in carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases from people burning coal, oil, and gas climate change, on the other hand, can mean humancaused changes or natural ones, such. Dynamic processes cover a large range of scales from the microscopicscale. Longterm averages and variability of weather in a region constitute the regions climate. It represents the first of two volumes of the fourth national climate assessment, mandated by the global change research act of 1990. Causes and consequences of climate change concern has grown in recent years over the issue of global climate change1. Climate change refers to significant changes in global temperature, precipitation, wind patterns and other measures of climate that occur over several decades or longer. Such changes can be the result of internal variability, when.
The energy moving through earths climate system finds expression in weather, varying on geographic scales and time. Addressing climate change is one of the nine key objectives upon which the future cap will be based. Climate variability includes all the variations in the climate that last longer than individual weather events, whereas the term climate change only refers to those variations that persist for a longer period of time, typically decades or more. Climate change major, long term changes to global weather patterns. The language surrounding climate change is changing right alongside the climate itself. Under effects, write what you think happens because of climate change. Impacts, adaptation, and vulnerability ar5 climate change 2014. Glossary of climate change terms english kajjin majel. Climate change climate change refers to a statistically significant variation in either the mean state of the climate or in its variability, persisting for an extended period typically decades or longer. The following terms have been gathered from numerous sources including noaa, ipcc, and others. They both affect the earths atmosphere, but they come about in different ways.
Carbon sequestration to mitigate climate change human activities, especially the burning of fossil fuels such as coal, oil, and gas, have caused a substantial increase in the concentration of carbon dioxide co 2 in the atmosphere. Climate science special report fourth national climate assessment nca4, volume i this report is an authoritative assessment of the science of climate change, with a focus on the united states. Thus, iucn nepal has taken an initiative of publishing terminologies used in climate change, which can be the vehicle by which facts, opinions and other higher units of knowledge are represented and conveyed. Seven crosscutting research themes are identified to support this scientific enterprise.
It is the reference gas against which other greenhouse gases are measured and therefore has a global warming potential of 1. Climate change as a dominant control on glacialinterglatial variations in c3 and c4 plant abundance, science, 31 august 2001, vol 293, pp. Whats the difference between global warming and climate change. Global warming vs climate change they are two words you hear used interchangeably often, but they are not exactly the same thing. Other relevant definitions are presented in section 3, but the paper does not analyse them. Section 3 analyses the treatment of forests, including the measurement of forestrelated greenhouse gas emissions and sinks, in the. Climate change causes and effects graphic organizer under causes, write down what you think makes climate change occur. Climate in a wider sense is the state, including a statistical description, of the climate system. Climate change has mainly happened since the midtwentieth century and is caused by increased carbon dioxide in the atmosphere. Key terms you need to know to understand climate change.
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