Frequently Asked Questions and Key Terms Related to the Climate Crisis

What is climate change?

Climate change is the observed extremes in weather patterns. More specifically, it’s the unpredictability from one extreme to the next, and the speed those changes take place. This is observed over periods of 30 years or more.

What is the difference between naturally occurring and human induced climate change?

Naturally occurring form of climate change takes into account the natural ebbs and flows of the planet warming and cooling. We often described this using ice ages and warming periods, but it isn't quite that simplistic. Human-induced climate change is the accelerated change that results from human behaviours and the increase in greenhouse gas emissions.

What are Greenhouse Gases?

Greenhouse gases, or GHGs, refers to the phenomenon of gases trapping heat in the Earth’s atmosphere. We call it the greenhouse effect, as it mimics a greenhouse that we use for agricultural purposes. Each day, the sun radiates heat down to the surface of the Earth. Without the greenhouse effect, some of this heat is released into the air at night. This cools things down. But, because greenhouse gases trap this heat, the Earth isn’t able to cool off at night like it would have in the past. Sadly, humans are directly responsible for this.

What’s the difference between global warming and climate change?

Often these terms climate change and global warming interchangeably. However, the concepts are a little bit different. Global warming refers to the increase in global temperatures because of greenhouse gases. This means, the higher the concentrations of C02 in the atmosphere, the warmer the planet becomes. In contrast, climate change is more than just a warming planet. It includes both natural and human-induced patterns, and the consequences of this. As a result, we are likely to observe more frequent and intense storms, sea level rise, loss of biodiversity, etc. Typically, we track climate change over periods of 30 years or more. This is why we tend to use climate change over global warming.

What’s the difference between a climate crisis and a climate emergency?

Both terms refer to the severity of the challenges we are currently facing and those that are still ahead. 

What’s the difference between climate and weather?

One way to describe these differences is this: climate is what you expect, or what you have in your closet. Weather is what you get, or what outfit you decide to wear on a given day. To put it another way, weather is talking about a temporary point of time, like what’s happening from one day to the next (or even from one hour to the next!). Climate is looking at things over the long term. 

Climate scientists often track weather patterns over periods of 30 years or more. This gives a better picture of how they are changing or not. While the weather varies, and frequently, it doesn’t offer enough data to provide sound evidence of significant change. But if we are looking at data of at least 30 years, it’s easier to spot patterns in contrast to rare occurrences. 

What is the difference between adaptation and mitigation??

Climate change mitigation looks at the size of the problem. Actions within this area of climate response are specific to the reduction of greenhouse gases. 

Climate change adaptation looks beyond the carbon footprint. It focuses on the vulnerability to the problem. In other words, adaptation is about how to prepare for life in a climate changed world. 

To keep it simple: mitigation = GHGs; adaptation = learning to live with climate change. Currently, most climate action falls under mitigation. This is unfortunate, as we should be implementing both adaptation and mitigation efforts. This helps to build greater resilience to the crisis at hand.