effects of global warming are the environmental and social changes caused (directly or indirectly)

by human emissions ofgreenhouse gases. There is a scientific consensus that climate change is
occurring, and that human activities are the primary driver.[1] Many impacts of climate change have
already been observed, including glacier retreat,[2] changes in the timing of seasonal events[2] (e.g.,
earlier flowering of plants),[3] and changes in agricultural productivity.[2]

Future effects of climate change will vary depending on climate change policies[4] and social
development.[5] The two main policies to address climate change are reducing human greenhouse
gas emissions (climate change mitigation) and adapting to the impacts of climate
change.[6]Geoengineering is another policy option.[6]

Near-term climate change policies could significantly affect long-term climate change
impacts.[4][7] Stringent mitigation policies might be able to limit global warming (in 2100) to around
2 °C or below, relative to pre-industrial levels.[8] Without mitigation, increased energy demand and
extensive use of fossil fuels[9] might lead to global warming of around 4 °C.[10][11] Higher magnitudes of
global warming would be more difficult to adapt to,[12] and would increase the risk of negative
impacts.[13]

In this article, "climate change" means a change in climate that persists over a sustained period of
time.[14][15] The World Meteorological Organization defines this time period as 30 years.[14] Examples of
climate change include increases in global surface temperature (global warming), changes
in rainfall patterns, and changes in the frequency ofextreme weather events. Changes in climate
may be due to natural causes, e.g., changes in the sun's output, or due to human activities, e.g.,
changing the composition of the atmosphere.[16] Any human-induced changes in climate will occur
against a background of natural climatic variations[16] and of variations in human activity such as
population growth on shores or in arid areas which increase or decrease climate vulnerability.[17]

Also, the term "anthropogenic forcing" refers to the influence exerted on a habitat or chemical
environment by humans, as opposed to a natural process.[18]
Global Warming Is Urgent and Can Be Addressed
CO2 survives in the atmosphere for a long time—up to many centuries—so its heat-trapping effects are compounded
over time. Of the many heat-trapping gases, CO2 puts us at the greatest risk of irreversible changes if it continues to
accumulate unabated in the atmosphere—as it is likely to do if the global economy remains dependent on fossil fuels
for its energy needs. To put this in perspective, the carbon we put in the atmosphere today will literally determine not
only our climate future but that of future generations as well.

Substantial scientific evidence indicates that an increase in the global average temperature of more than 3.6 degrees
Fahrenheit (°F) (or 2 degrees Celsius [°C]) above pre-industrial levels poses severe risks to natural systems and to
human health and well-being. The good news is that, because we as humans caused global warming, we can also do
something about it. To avoid this level of warming, large emitters such as the United States need to greatly reduce
heat-trapping gas emissions by mid century. Delay in taking such action means the prospect of much steeper cuts
later if there is any hope of staying below the 3.6°F (2°C) temperature goal. Delayed action is also likely to make it
more difficult and costly to not only make these reductions, but also address the climate consequences that occur in
the meantime.

The Consequences of a Warming World

Over the last century, global average temperature has increased by more than 1°F (0.7°C). The 2001-2010 decade is
the warmest since 1880—the earliest year for which comprehensive global temperature records were available. In
fact, nine of the warmest years on record have occurred in just the last 10 years. This warming has been
accompanied by a decrease in very cold days and nights and an increase in extremely hot days and warm nights.
The continental United States, for example, has seen record daily highs twice as often as record daily lows from 2000
to 2009. While the record shows that some parts of the world are warming faster than others, the long-term global
upward trend is unambiguous.

Of course, land and ocean temperature is only one way to measure the effects of climate change. A warming world
also has the potential to change rainfall and snow patterns, increase droughts and severe storms, reduce lake ice
cover, melt glaciers, increase sea levels, and change plant and animal behavior.
Solutions to Global Warming
There is no single solution to global warming, which is primarily a problem of too much
heat-trapping carbon dioxide (CO2), methane and nitrous oxide in the
atmosphere. (Learn more about the causes of global warming.) The technologies
and approaches outlined below are all needed to bring down the emissions of these
gases by at least 80 percent by mid-century. To see how they are best deployed in each
region of the world, use the menu at left.

 Boosting energy efficiency: The energy used to power, heat, and cool our homes, businesses, and
industries is the single largest contributor to global warming. Energy efficiency technologies allow us to use
less energy to get the same—or higher—level of production, service, and comfort. This approach has vast
potential to save both energy and money, and can be deployed quickly.

 Greening transportation: The transportation sector's emissions have increased at a faster rate than
any other energy-using sector over the past decade. A variety of solutions are at hand, including improving
efficiency (miles per gallon) in all modes of transport, switching to low-carbon fuels, and reducing vehicle
miles traveled through smart growth and more efficient mass transportation systems.

 Revving up renewables: Renewable energy sources such as solar, wind, geothermal and bioenergy
are available around the world. Multiple studies have shown that renewable energy has the technical
potential to meet the vast majority of our energy needs. Renewable technologies can be deployed quickly,
are increasingly cost-effective, and create jobs while reducing pollution.

 Phasing out fossil fuel electricity: Dramatically reducing our use of fossil fuels—especially carbon-
intensive coal—is essential to tackle climate change. There are many ways to begin this process. Key action
steps include: not building any new coal-burning power plants, initiating a phased shutdown of coal plants
starting with the oldest and dirtiest, and capturing and storing carbon emissions from power plants. While it
may sound like science fiction, the technology exists to store carbon emissions underground. The
technology has not been deployed on a large scale or proven to be safe and permanent, but it has been
demonstrated in other contexts such as oil and natural gas recovery. Demonstration projects to test the
viability and costs of this technology for power plant emissions are worth pursuing.

 Managing forests and agriculture: Taken together, tropical deforestation and emissions from
agriculture represent nearly 30 percent of the world's heat-trapping emissions. We can fight global warming
by reducing emissions from deforestation and forest degradation and by making our food production
practices more sustainable.

 Developing and deploying new low-carbon and zero-carbon technologies: Research into
and development of the next generation of low-carbon technologies will be critical to deep mid-century
reductions in global emissions. Current research on battery technology, new materials for solar cells,
harnessing energy from novel sources like bacteria and algae, and other innovative areas could provide
important breakthroughs.

 Ensuring sustainable development: The countries of the world—from the most to the least
developed—vary dramatically in their contributions to the problem of climate change and in their
responsibilities and capacities to confront it. A successful global compact on climate change must include
financial assistance from richer countries to poorer countries to help make the transition to low-carbon
development pathways and to help adapt to the impacts of climate change.