Climate change is the long-term change in Earth’s climate system, including temperature, rainfall, storms, sea level, and ocean heat. The current rapid warming is mainly driven by greenhouse gases from burning fossil fuels and other human activity.
That does not mean every hot day is climate change by itself. It means the baseline is shifting, so heat waves, heavy rain, drought, wildfire conditions, and coastal flooding become more likely or more severe over time.
The short answer is that the planet is warming because the atmosphere is holding more heat than it used to. The practical answer is that the changes show up in weather people actually live through.
Want the full picture?
Climate Change in One Chart — What's Warming and How Fast
Earth has warmed about 1.5°C since the late 1800s. Here's what's driving it and what different levels of warming actually mean.
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