Understanding Global Warming and Climate Change

Explanatory Essay by Norman John Bandibas

Powerful typhoons, intense floods, increased droughts, and displaced communities are some of the phenomena the world is experiencing right now. People may associate these phenomena with climate change or global warming. Even though the two terms have different implications, people commonly use them interchangeably. What is the difference between the two terms? Furthermore, what is the cause and effect of global warming and climate change?

There is a clear distinction between global warming and climate change. Global warming refers to the rise of global temperature, while Climate change refers to long periods of changes in weather patterns. Several factors cause global warming, such as natural causes and man-made causes. In today's century, the leading causes of global warming are mainly because of greenhouse gases. It is a by-product of human activities. As greenhouse gases cover the planet like a blanket, heat cannot escape and bounces back to Earth. These gases cause global temperatures to rise and, for example, cause stronger typhoons, heat waves, and many more. Another effect of global warming is climate change. In the past, before humans arrived on the planet, climate change occurred naturally. Today, humans cause climate change. As global temperature rises, global climate changes, such as precipitation, temperature, and wind patterns. The outcome is stronger typhoons, species loss, rising oceans, and other natural disasters. Climate change and global warming are connected, which is why an effect of global warming also affects climate change and vice versa.

Therefore, people interchange climate change with global warming because it has similar causes and effects. The reason is that the two terms associate one another in a domino effect, where an event in climate change also affects global warming, and vice versa. Though climate change and global warming refer to different events, they will have the same conclusion. It negatively affects people's lives, such as stronger typhoons, increased temperature, droughts, floods, and many disasters.