Global Warming and Climate Change
Greenhouse gases from human activity are warming Earth.
About this topic
Earth's average temperature has risen about 1.1 °C since the late 1800s, mostly due to human emissions of greenhouse gases, CO₂ (from burning fossil fuels), methane and nitrous oxide, intensifying the greenhouse effect. Evidence: temperature records, melting ice, sea level rise, ocean warming and shifting seasons.
Impacts include more extreme heat, floods, droughts, coral bleaching and displaced communities. Mitigation means cutting emissions through renewables, efficiency and protecting forests; adaptation prepares for impacts. International efforts include the Paris Agreement.
The greenhouse effect itself is natural: gases such as CO2, methane and water vapour absorb heat radiated by Earth and send some back down. The problem is the extra. CO2 has risen from about 280 parts per million before industry to over 420 today, the highest in at least 800,000 years according to ice cores. Each tonne of CO2 stays in the air for centuries, so warming continues after emissions fall unless they reach net zero.
Observed effects include glaciers and Arctic sea ice shrinking, global sea level rising about 20 cm since 1900 (partly from thermal expansion of warming water) and the ocean becoming more acidic as it absorbs CO2. Solutions include solar and wind power, electric transport, better insulation, protecting forests and carbon capture. The Paris Agreement aims to keep warming well below 2 degrees C. A common misconception is that climate change is just natural cycles; natural factors cannot explain the speed and pattern of recent warming. Another is that the ozone hole causes global warming; they are separate problems.
Key ideas
- Rising CO₂
- Melting ice and rising seas
- Mitigation and adaptation
Quick check
Use cases: where Global Warming and Climate Change helps
- Homework: review the key idea behind Global Warming and Climate Change before you start a problem set.
- Exam revision: use the quick check to test whether you can recall Global Warming and Climate Change without notes.
- Visual learning: play with the interactive lab to see how Global Warming and Climate Change changes when you adjust its inputs.
- Teaching a friend: explain Global Warming and Climate Change in your own words, then compare your version with the key ideas.
Earth science helps with weather forecasts, natural hazards, energy and climate planning.
Frequently asked questions
What is Global Warming and Climate Change?
Greenhouse gases from human activity are warming Earth.
What will I learn in Global Warming and Climate Change?
Rising CO₂. Melting ice and rising seas. Mitigation and adaptation.
Is Global Warming and Climate Change part of Earth & Space?
Yes. It is one of 60 Earth & Space topics on LearnViz HighSchoolEdu, with 3 key ideas, a live animation and a quick check.
Does the Global Warming and Climate Change lab work on a phone or tablet?
Yes. The animation resizes to fit your screen and supports touch, so you can drag, tap and slide with your finger.
How should I study Global Warming and Climate Change?
Read the summary and key ideas first, play with the interactive lab to see the idea in motion, then answer the quick check. If you get a question wrong, go back to the key idea it tests.
Do I need an account, and is my progress saved?
No account is needed. Marking a topic as learned is saved in your own browser, so it stays on that device and is not sent to a server.