What is Climate Change?

The video begins by defining climate as the Earth's normal weather over a very long period, typically centuries or millennia. It highlights that recently, this climate is changing at an accelerated rate, making life difficult for plants, animals, and people globally.

The primary cause of this rapid climate change is identified as human activities, including the use of fossil fuels like oil and gasoline, and deforestation for urban development or agriculture. These activities release greenhouse gases into the atmosphere.

Greenhouse gases cause the climate to warm by trapping heat. Normally, some of the sun's heat reflects back into space, but greenhouse gases act like a blanket, holding this extra heat in, leading to a warmer planet.

The extra heat results in various problems, such as faster melting of ice and snow, warming and rising oceans, and more extreme weather events, including heat waves, heavy rainfall, and powerful hurricanes.

Many countries are collaborating to combat climate change, and individuals can also contribute. Simple actions include reusing items, cycling or taking public transport instead of driving, reducing electricity consumption, and eating locally grown food. These efforts can collectively make a difference in fighting climate change.