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Some climate change effects: wildfire caused by heat and dryness, bleached coral caused by ocean acidification and heating, environmental migration caused by desertification, and coastal flooding caused by storms and sea level rise. Effects of climate change are well documented and growing for Earth's natural environment and human societies. Changes to the climate system include an overall ...
In the 1980s, the terms global warming and climate change became more common, often being used interchangeably. [29] [30] [31] Scientifically, global warming refers only to increased surface warming, while climate change describes both global warming and its effects on Earth's climate system, such as precipitation changes. [28]
The effects of climate change on human health are profound because they increase heat-related illnesses and deaths, respiratory diseases, and the spread of infectious diseases. There is widespread agreement among researchers, health professionals and organizations that climate change is the biggest global health threat of the 21st century. [1] [2]
This creates air pollution, including nitrous oxides and particulates, and is a significant contributor to global warming through emission of carbon dioxide, [276] for which transport is the fastest-growing emission sector. [277] By subsector, road transport is the largest contributor to global warming. [276]
A 2020 study reports that by 2050 global warming could be spreading in the deep ocean seven times faster than it is now, even if emissions of greenhouse gases are cut. Warming in mesopelagic and deeper layers could have major consequences for the deep ocean food web, since ocean species will need to move to stay at survival temperatures. [69] [70]
This has led to increases in mean global temperature, or global warming. The likely range of human-induced surface-level air warming by 2010–2019 compared to levels in 1850–1900 is 0.8 °C to 1.3 °C, with a best estimate of 1.07 °C. This is close to the observed overall warming during that time of 0.9 °C to 1.2 °C.
These numbers show that awareness of global warming was increasing in the United States. [300] A Gallup poll showed that 62% of Americans believe that the effects of global warming were happening in 2017. [301] In 2019, Gallup poll found that one-third of Americans blame unusual winter temperatures on climate change. [302]
Global warming has varied substantially by latitude, with the northernmost latitude zones experiencing the largest temperature increases. In addition to global climate variability and global climate change over time, numerous climatic variations occur contemporaneously across different physical regions.