Part 2/8:
At its core, climate change refers to significant alterations in global temperatures and weather patterns over time. While natural processes contribute to climate variations, the principal driver of recent changes is human activity, particularly the combustion of fossil fuels, deforestation, and industrial processes. These activities increase concentrations of greenhouse gases (GHGs) such as carbon dioxide (CO2) and methane (CH4) in the atmosphere, leading to the greenhouse effect—a phenomenon that traps heat and raises global temperatures.