Global warming is the long-term heating of Earth's surface observed since the pre-industrial period (between 1850 and 1900) due to human activities, primarily fossil fuel burning, which increases heat-trapping greenhouse gas levels in Earth's atmosphere. This term is not interchangeable with the term "climate change."
What is global warming?
Climate change refers to long-term shifts in temperatures and weather patterns. These shifts may be natural, but since the 1800s, human activities have been the main driver of climate change, primarily due to the burning of fossil fuels (like coal, oil and gas), which produces heat-trapping gases.
Global warming is a phenomenon where the earth's average temperature rises due to increased amounts of greenhouse gases. Greenhouse gases such as carbon dioxide, methane and ozone trap the incoming radiation from the sun.
Overall, glaciers are melting at a faster rate. Sea ice in the Arctic Ocean around the North Pole is melting faster with the warmer temperatures. Permafrost is melting, releasing methane, a powerful greenhouse gas, into the atmosphere. Sea levels are rising, threatening coastal communities and estuarine ecosystems.