Climate Change

Climate change refers to the long-term alteration in the average weather patterns that have come to define Earth’s local, regional, and global climates. These changes have a broad range of observed effects that are synonymous with the term. The primary cause of current climate change is largely human activity, like burning fossil fuels—coal, oil, and natural gas—which releases greenhouse gases into Earth’s atmosphere, thus trapping heat. This process is commonly known as the greenhouse effect. It leads to global warming, which is one aspect of the climate change phenomenon, resulting in extreme weather events, rising sea levels, melting polar ice, and shifts in biodiversity and agriculture patterns, among others. Climate change not only poses a significant environmental threat but also has serious implications for economies, health systems, and national security across the globe.

For more information about climate change, you can visit the following websites:

1. **NASA – Climate Change and Global Warming:** NASA provides up-to-date information on climate change and its effects, scientific evidence, and the steps being taken to combat it.

URL: https://climate.nasa.gov/

2. **Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC):** The IPCC is an international body responsible for assessing the science related to climate change, providing policymakers with regular scientific assessments on climate change, its implications, and potential future risks.

URL: https://www.ipcc.ch/

Please note that these websites are active and reputable sources of information; however, over time, URLs can change or become outdated, so it’s always good to verify that web pages are still accessible at the time of inquiry.