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The term climate change has been used to describe and discuss temperature changes and changes in weather patterns. But what is climate change? Climate change occurs as a result of an average increase or decrease in the Earth’s temperature, which can lead to changes in rainfall patterns, changes in sea level, and a wide range of impacts on plants, wildlife, and humans. Climate change is linked with other environmental issues such as air quality, forestry, ozone depletion and biodiversity (Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change/IPCC).
According to the National Academy of Sciences, the Earth's surface temperature has risen by about 1 degree Fahrenheit in the past century, with increased warming during the past two decades. Scientists expect that the average global surface temperature could rise 1 to 4.5°F (0.6 to 2.5°C) in the next fifty years, and 2.2 to 10°F (1.4 to 5.8°C) in the next century, with significant regional variation.
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency suggests that there is new and stronger evidence that most of the warming over the last 50 years is attributable to human activities. Human activities have altered the chemical composition of the atmosphere through the buildup of greenhouse gases - primarily carbon dioxide, methane, and nitrous oxide. Video: Global Warming (WMV)
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