There has been debate recently about whether climate change
should actually be called a “climate crisis” or “climate emergency.”
Whatever the description, scientists have been observing changes in our
environment for years. Here’s a look at some of the key concepts.
Climate change and global warming — are they the same thing?
Not
exactly. Global warming refers to rising temperatures, which is only
one aspect of climate change. Climate change is a broader umbrella term
that captures the effects of greenhouse gases, but these gases affect
more than just warming temperatures, said Laura Coristine, a
conservation biologist at the University of British Columbia Okanagan.
Climate
change encompasses a wide range of atmospheric variants, including
rising temperatures, forecast unpredictability, extreme weather events
and natural disasters such as wildfires, floods and droughts.
Are increases in global temperatures just part of Earth’s natural changing systems?