What Are Weather, Climate, and Climate Change?

The spoken lesson

"Weather describes atmospheric conditions at a particular time and place. Climate describes long-term weather patterns and ranges, often studied over thirty years or more. The natural greenhouse effect keeps Earth warm enough for present life. Human activities have increased greenhouse gases, especially through fossil-fuel use, land change, agriculture, and industry. These gases slow heat loss to space and warm the Earth system. Long-term measurements of temperature, oceans, ice, sea level, ecosystems, and the atmosphere show rapid climate change. Mitigation reduces the cause, while adaptation prepares for effects. Weather changes quickly; climate describes long patterns; human greenhouse-gas emissions are changing those patterns." DESIGN REQUIREMENTS: Use long-term patterns and measured evidence. Avoid using one weather event as proof, political slogans, individual guilt, graphic catastrophe, or false balance about the principal cause of current warming.