Present-day climate change includes both global warming —the ongoing increase in global average temperature —and its wider effects on Earth's climate system. Climate change in a broader sense also includes previous long-term changes to Earth's climate. The current rise in global temperatures is driven by human activities, especially fossil fuel (coal, oil and natural gas) burning since the Industrial Revolution. [3][4] Fossil fuel use, deforestation, and some agricultural and industrial ... Fossil fuels – coal, oil and gas – are by far the largest contributor to global climate change, accounting for over 75 per cent of global greenhouse gas emissions and nearly 90 per cent ... Climate change is happening globally, but the effects can differ locally. Certain sectors, regions, and human populations are more vulnerable or have unique risks due to climate change. To learn more about the differing impacts faced by these parts of our environment and society, visit the Climate Change Impacts web area. Global warming is not a future issue. Effects of global warming on the environment are happening as we speak. Increased human emissions of heat-trapping greenhouse gases are altering the Earth’s climate, which is already having a significant impact on the environment.
