Climate - long-term average weather pattern in one place
Climate - influenced by slow changes in the ocean, the land, the orbit of the Earth about the sun, and the energy output of the sun
Climate - fundamentally controlled by the balance of energy of the Earth and its atmosphere
Weather - conditions at one particular time and place, including temperature and rainfall
Weather - can change very rapidly from day to day, and from year to year
Weather - changes involve shifts in temperatures, precipitation, winds, and clouds.
Sun - its energy is known as the main driver of the climate system
Without the aid of greenhouses gasses absorbing and re-emitting heat, life would not be possible on earth.
If the climate system remains still, the climate would not be altered around the globe.
Generally, there is more heat in the middle portion of the earth (equator) than the Polar Regions.
Climate Change - a change of climate which is attributed directly or indirectly to human activity that alters the composition of the global atmosphere which is in addition to natural climate variability observed over a comparable period of time (UNFCCC)
UNFCCC - UnitedNationsFrameworkConvention on ClimateChange
Climate System - is created by complex interactions between the Sun, our atmosphere, oceans, land, ice and biosphere which in turn are affected by an area's latitude, elevation, terrain, and distance from coasts, mountains and lakes
Climate Change Mechanisms
First Method - changing the global average temperature of the earth through the alteration of solar energy's output
Climate Change Mechanisms
Second Method - the alteration of the Earth's brightness or albedo effect
Albedo - refers to the percent of reflected sunlight
Alteration of the reflectivity of sunlight or albedo effect can influence the rising of global temperature or cooling
Climate Change Mechanisms
Third Method - the alteration of the global atmospheric composition, as it affects the greenhouse effect