Climate change refers to any significant change in measures of climate (such as temperature, precipitation, or wind) lasting for an extended period (decades or longer). Climate change may result from:
natural factors, such as changes in the sun’s intensity or slow changes in the Earth’s orbit around the sun
natural processes within the climate system (e.g. changes in ocean circulation)
human activities that change the atmosphere’s composition (e.g. through burning fossil fuels) and the land surface (e.g. deforestation, reforestation, urbanization, desertification, etc.)
