Climate Change

• Definition: A significant and lasting change in the statistical distribution of weather patterns over periods ranging from decades to millions of years.
• Indicators: Rising sea levels, shrinking glaciers, shifting plant/animal ranges, and early flowering of trees.

Global Warming

The observed century-scale rise in the average temperature of the Earth's climate system.

The Greenhouse Effect: It is a natural process that warms the Earth’s surface. When the Sun’s energy reaches the Earth’s atmosphere, some of it is reflected back to space and the rest is absorbed and re-radiated by Greenhouse Gases (GHGs).

• Without this effect, Earth would be frozen (-18°C).
• The problem: Human activities have intensified this effect, causing Global Warming.

Major Greenhouse Gases:

Impacts:

• Melting of Polar Ice Caps = Sea Level Rise = Submergence of coastal cities (e.g., Mumbai, Maldives).
• Extreme Weather Events (More frequent Cyclones, Heatwaves).
• Loss of Biodiversity (Coral Bleaching).