noun

climate change

KLY-muht chaynj

Climate change (noun) means the long-term shift in global temperatures and weather patterns driven mainly by human emissions of greenhouse gases from burning fossil fuels, deforestation and agriculture, producing warming, sea-level rise and more frequent extreme weather. Example: “Climate change is already raising the odds of severe heatwaves.”

noun

The long-term shift in global temperatures and weather patterns driven mainly by human emissions of greenhouse gases from burning fossil fuels, deforestation and agriculture, producing warming, sea-level rise and more frequent extreme weather.

"Climate change is already raising the odds of severe heatwaves."

"The report sets out how the city will adapt to climate change over the next thirty years."

scientific Any significant, lasting change in a region's or the planet's climate over time, including the natural shifts recorded across geological history.

"Ice cores record episodes of natural climate change stretching back 800,000 years."

How to use climate change

Learner’s notes

In plain EnglishThe world's weather is changing long-term, mostly because of pollution from burning fuels.

When to use it

Neutral and standard in science, policy and journalism. Climate crisis and climate emergency are advocacy framings of the same subject.

Memory tip

Climate change is uncountable and takes no article in general use: we must tackle climate change, not tackle the climate change.

Trace the full origin ↓

Easily confused with

global warming weather → climate crisis greenhouse effect

Common pairings

tackle climate change climate change adaptation the effects of climate change human-caused climate change

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Fill the gap

Can you complete this real example?

_____ is already raising the odds of severe heatwaves.

Etymology

Climate is from Greek klima, a slope or region of the earth, via Latin; change is from Old French changier, from Latin cambiare 'to exchange'.

Origin: Greek

Synonyms

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global warming the climate crisis global heating

Rhymes for climate change

Ange mange range Lange orange change flange grange strange arrange Assange rearrange

See all rhymes for climate change →

Frequently asked questions

What is the difference between climate change and global warming?

Global warming names one effect: the rise in average global temperature. Climate change is the broader term, covering that warming plus the shifts it drives — altered rainfall, stronger storms, rising seas, ocean acidification. Warming is the cause; climate change is the whole picture.

What is the difference between weather and climate?

Weather is what happens over hours or days in one place; climate is the pattern averaged over decades across a region. A cold week does not contradict a warming climate, in the same way one tall child does not change a school's average height.

Is climate change caused by humans?

The overwhelming scientific consensus is that the warming observed since the mid-twentieth century is predominantly caused by human greenhouse gas emissions. Natural climate change has occurred throughout Earth's history, but it does not account for the current rate or pattern of warming.

What is the meaning of climate change?

"climate change" (noun) means the long-term shift in global temperatures and weather patterns driven mainly by human emissions of greenhouse gases from burning fossil fuels, deforestation and agriculture, producing warming, sea-level rise and more frequent extreme weather.