Research Glossary: Climate Change Terminology
Climate change is a global challenge that affects weather patterns, ecosystems, and human life in profound ways. It is driven largely by human activities such as burning fossil fuels, cutting down trees, and carrying out industrial processes, which release greenhouse gases into Earth's atmosphere. Scientists study climate change to understand its causes, predict its future impacts, and develop strategies to mitigate its effects and adapt to the changes. Understanding the science behind climate change and the efforts being made to address it can help you to better appreciate the threat we're facing and how you can do your part to stop it.
Adaptation: Adjusting to climate change impacts, such as building flood defenses or growing drought-resistant crops
Afforestation: Planting trees in areas where there were none before to absorb carbon dioxide
Albedo: The measure of how much sunlight a surface reflects. Ice has high albedo, while water absorbs more heat.
Anthropogenic: Caused by human activities, such as deforestation or industrial emissions
Baseline Data: Initial data used as a reference point for studying changes in climate or ecosystems
Biochar: A type of charcoal used in soil to improve fertility and capture carbon from the atmosphere
Biodiversity: The variety of life in an area, which is often threatened by climate change
Carbon Budget: A limit on carbon dioxide emissions to keep global warming below a specific temperature target
Carbon Capture: The process of trapping carbon dioxide emissions and storing them to reduce atmospheric levels. The excess carbon may be used to create carbon-based materials.
Carbon Dioxide Equivalent (CO2e): A unit to measure the impact of different greenhouse gases as if they were carbon dioxide
Carbon Intensity: The amount of carbon dioxide emitted per unit of energy produced, used to measure energy efficiency
Carbon Neutral: Balancing emitted carbon dioxide with actions that remove or offset it, like planting trees
Citizen Science: When non-scientists contribute to research, like monitoring local weather or wildlife changes
Climate: The long-term average weather patterns of a region, observed over decades
Climate Change: A long-term alteration in temperature and weather patterns, often caused by human activity
Climate Modeling: Using computer programs to predict the future climate based on different scenarios
Cryosphere: The frozen parts of Earth, like glaciers and ice caps, which are melting due to global warming
Deforestation: The large-scale removal of trees, which reduces the planet's ability to absorb carbon dioxide
Desertification: The process of fertile land turning into desert due to climate change and poor land management
Ecosystem: A community of plants, animals, and their environment, all of which are affected by climate change
Emission: The release of gases, like carbon dioxide, into the atmosphere from activities such as burning fossil fuels
Eutrophication: The excessive growth of algae in water bodies caused by nutrient runoff, worsened by warming temperatures
Feedback Loop: A process where climate change accelerates itself, like melting ice causing faster warming
Fossil Fuels: Natural energy sources like coal, oil, and gas that release carbon dioxide when burned
Geoengineering: Large-scale interventions to counteract climate change, like reflecting sunlight or capturing CO2
Global Warming: The increase in Earth's average temperature due to rising greenhouse gas levels
Greenhouse Effect: The natural process of trapping heat in Earth's atmosphere, intensified by human activity
Greenhouse Gases (GHGs): Gases like carbon dioxide and methane that trap heat and contribute to global warming
Mitigation: Efforts to reduce the causes of climate change, such as using renewable energy
Net Zero: Balancing the greenhouse gases emitted and removed from the atmosphere to achieve no net emissions
Ocean Acidification: The lowering of ocean pH levels caused by absorbing excess carbon dioxide from the atmosphere
Paleoclimatology: The study of Earth's ancient climates using natural records like ice cores and tree rings
Permafrost: Frozen soil that releases greenhouse gases as it thaws due to warming
Renewable Energy: Energy from sources like wind and solar that are naturally replenished and eco-friendly
Resilience: The ability of ecosystems or communities to recover from climate-related shocks, like hurricanes or droughts
Sea Level Rise: The increase in ocean levels caused by melting ice and thermal expansion of warming water
Solar Radiation Management: A type of geoengineering focused on reflecting sunlight to cool the planet
Sustainability: Practices that meet current needs without harming the environment for future generations
Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs): Global goals set by the United Nations including actions to address climate change and promote sustainability
Tipping Point: A critical threshold where small changes can lead to significant, irreversible climate impacts
Urban Heat Island: When cities are warmer than surrounding rural areas due to buildings and pavement absorbing heat
Weather: The day-to-day conditions of the atmosphere, like rain or sunshine, in a specific place
Zero Emissions: A goal of producing no greenhouse gas emissions, often achieved through clean energy and efficiency
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