what is climate change simple definition

Climate change refers to a significant variation of average weather conditions, such as temperature and rainfall, in a region over a long period of time. It is a global phenomenon characterized by changes in the usual climate of the planet that are especially caused by human activities, such as burning fossil fuels, which add heat-trapping gases to Earths atmosphere. Climate change is different from natural weather variability because it is a longer-term trend. Climate change has a broad range of observed effects, including warming temperatures, rising sea levels, ice loss at Earths poles and in mountain glaciers, changes in precipitation, and shifts in flower/plant blooming, as well as extreme weather events such as hurricanes, heatwaves, wildfires, droughts, and floods. Climate change is measured over many years, and scientists use observations from the ground, air, and space, along with computer models, to monitor and study past, present, and future climate change.