1 What is meant by global warming and climate change?
Ever wonder about the distinction between global warming and climate change? Although these terms are often used interchangeably, they do have different meanings. Global warming refers to the more recent rise in the global average surface temperature of the Earth due to human activities, primarily the burning of fossil fuels, that has been observed since industrialization.[1] On the other hand, climate change encompasses long-term changes in average weather patterns that shape local, regional, and global climates. Unlike global warming, climate change involves significant changes to a broad range of atmospheric variables such as temperature, precipitation, humidity, or wind patterns that occur over decades or longer and last for an extended period.[2] [3] Where it can get confusing is that rising global temperatures are causing climate patterns to change, like precipitation patterns. For example, models indicate rising temperatures lead to increased evaporation which makes storm-affected areas experience heavier rain events and contributes to drier areas getting drier. [4] [5] Nonetheless, global warming only represents a change in global average surface temperature, a subset of the broader phenomena known as climate change.
- NASA. "Global Warming Vs. Climate Change." NASA: Global Climate Change Vital Signs of Our Planet, climate.nasa.gov/global-warming-vs-climate-change/. Accessed 28 May 2023. ↵
- NASA. "Global Warming Vs. Climate Change." NASA: Global Climate Change Vital Signs of Our Planet, climate.nasa.gov/global-warming-vs-climate-change/. Accessed 28 May 2023. ↵
- There are variations in the usage of the term climate change. Some definitions of climate change describe it as a result of natural variability or human activities, while others attribute it more directly or indirectly to human activity. See IPCC, 2018: Annex I: Glossary [Matthews, J.B.R. (ed.)]. In: Global Warming of 1.5°C. An IPCC Special Report on the impacts of global warming of 1.5°C above pre-industrial levels and related global greenhouse gas emission pathways, in the context of strengthening the global response to the threat of climate change, sustainable development, and efforts to eradicate poverty [Masson-Delmotte, V., P. Zhai, H.-O. Pörtner, D. Roberts, J. Skea, P.R. Shukla, A. Pirani, W. Moufouma-Okia, C. Péan, R. Pidcock, S. Connors, J.B.R. Matthews, Y. Chen, X. Zhou, M.I. Gomis, E. Lonnoy, T. Maycock, M. Tignor, and T. Waterfield (eds.)]. Cambridge University Press, Cambridge, UK and New York, NY, USA, pp. 541-562, doi:10.1017/9781009157940.008. ↵
- NASA. "How Does Climate Change Affect Precipitation?" NASA Global Precipitation Measurement, gpm.nasa.gov/resources/faq/how-does-climate-change-affect-precipitation. Accessed 29 May 2023. ↵
- Union of Concerned Scientists. "Extreme Dry." Union of Concerned Scientists Climate Hotmap, 2011, www.climatehotmap.org/global-warming-effects/drought.html. Accessed 29 May 2023. ↵
Global warming is the long-term heating of Earth’s surface observed since the pre-industrial period (between 1850 and 1900) due to human activities, primarily fossil fuel burning, which increases heat-trapping greenhouse gas levels in Earth’s atmosphere. (NASA)
The IPCC definition of pre-industrial (period) is "The multi-century period prior to the onset of large-scale industrial activity around 1750. The reference period 1850–1900 is used to approximate pre-industrial global mean surface temperature (GMST). (IPCC ARG Glossary)
Climate change refers to any change in climate over time, whether due to natural variability or as a result of human activity (IPCC 2018). This usage differs from that in the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), which defines “climate change” as: “a change of climate which is attributed directly or indirectly to human activity that alters the composition of the global atmosphere and which is in addition to natural climate variability observed over comparable time periods.” (IPCC 2018)
Evaporation is the process that changes liquid water to gaseous water (water vapor). Water moves from the Earth’s surface to the atmosphere via evaporation. (USGS 2019).