Noun: climate change
- A change in the world's climate
"Scientists are studying the effects of global climate change on polar ice caps and sea levels";
- global climate change
- An increase in the average temperature of the earth's atmosphere (especially a sustained increase that causes climatic changes)
"The melting of polar ice caps is a visible effect of climate change";
- global warming, global heating
Derived forms: climate changes
Type of: heating, temperature change, warming
Encyclopedia: Climate change, food security, and migration