Climate Change
Long-term shifts in global temperatures and weather patterns, largely driven by human activity.
7 min readUpdated July 20, 2026
The greenhouse effect
Certain gases in the atmosphere — carbon dioxide, methane, water vapor — trap heat from the Sun. Without them Earth would be far colder, but too much causes warming.
Human causes
Burning fossil fuels, deforestation, and industrial agriculture have raised atmospheric CO₂ to levels not seen for millions of years.
Impacts
Rising sea levels, more extreme weather, shifting ecosystems, and threats to food and water security. Mitigation focuses on cutting emissions; adaptation on preparing communities.