Climate is the typical state of the temperature, humidity, atmospheric pressure, wind, and rainfall where we live. It cycles through the seasons but returns to the point where it began. If a friend asks you what climate change is, then a working definition would be a shift in that cycle. However this change would have to last for thirty years before we could say it is permanent.
What Climate Is Compared to Weather?
Change change is a long-term, perhaps permanent shift in average rainfall, wind speeds etc. at particular times of the year. The weather, on the other hand is the state of these when we look. So we can have cloudy days, rainy days, windy days and so on.
When we investigate what climate is in more detail, we discover Earth has several different climate zones. Can you see how the temperature is changing in the diagram above? Examine the diagram below. Look for the polar, temperate, desert, tropical climate, and mediterranean regions. However, climatologists subdivide these into koppen zones named after Wladimir Peter Köppen. You can see his classification system in the diagram.
Why is Earth’s Climate Changing Now?
There has been natural climate change as far back as we can discover through geological research. However, just like the seasons, the climate has historically returned to where it started. Scientists believe variations in Earth’s orbit, the position of the continents, and large volcanoes were behind this.
At about the time humans freed themselves from relying on animal power with giant steam engines, something changed. The temperature on Earth’s surface began to rise. By the mid-twentieth century this was as high as it ever was, and it was increasing at record rates. We are speaking of small increments, but a few degrees mean a great deal in terms of the environment.
We shall have to see what happens next. For better or worse, politicians are in charge. And for better or worse politicians can’t agree on what is causing this.
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