What is climate change?

Climate change refers to a significant and lasting alteration in the Earth's climate systems, with a strong emphasis on the impact of human activities. This includes factors such as the burning of fossil fuels, deforestation, and industrial processes that release greenhouse gases into the atmosphere. These human-induced changes have been profound, leading to an increase in global temperatures, shifts in weather patterns, rising sea levels, and various environmental consequences that affect ecosystems and human societies.

While natural phenomena can contribute to climate variability, the current episode of climate change is predominantly linked to anthropogenic factors, which differentiates it from historical climate shifts that were primarily the result of natural cycles. This distinction highlights the urgency of addressing human impact on the climate to mitigate adverse effects on the planet.

The other options describe aspects of climate change with inaccuracies related to its causes or the nature of the changes. For example, suggesting that climate change is solely due to natural phenomena overlooks the primary role of human activities in the current crisis. Similarly, describing climate change as a temporary fluctuation or a change occurring over millions of years fails to capture the immediate and significant impacts occurring due to human actions.