What is Climate Change?

Climate change is the warming of the planet's climate primarily due to an increase in greenhouse gases(GHGs) in the atmosphere. Greenhouse gases make up only about 1 per cent of the atmosphere, and trap radiant heat from the Earth and help warm the planet to a comfortable, livable temperature range. Without these natural “greenhouse effect,” the Earth would be a frozen iceball with temperature hovering around 0 deg. Fahrenheit.

Greenhouse gases are a good thing, but we've all heard about the problems of too much of a good thing and that is clearly the case with greenhouse gases.

 

Many scientists are alarmed by a significant increase in the concentration of carbon dioxide and other GHGs in the atmosphere. Since the pre-industrial era, atmospheric concentrations have more than doubled. They warm the atmosphere by inhibiting the out-radiation of solar energy that hits the earth's surface, thereby trapping extra heat and warming the earth's atmosphere.

There is a growing international scientific consensus that this increase has been caused, at least in part, by human activities, primarily the burning of fossil fuels (coal, oil, and natural gas) for such activities as generating electricity and driving cars.