global heating
Earth's rising temperature
Global heating is the sustained rise in Earth's average temperature due to greenhouse gas emissions from human activity.
The term emphasizes that the planet is actively heating rather than merely "warming," which some find too gentle.
Climate scientists and journalists increasingly prefer it to global warming: Global heating is accelerating faster than models predicted.
Increasing ocean surface height
- ice meltSubstance dissolving frozen surfaces
- extinctionComplete vanishing of a species
- habitat lossElimination of living spaces
- coral bleachingStress-induced reef discoloration
glaciers · permafrost thaw · drought · floods · storms · wildfires · ocean acidification · crop failure
Released greenhouse gases
- fossil fuelsCombustible prehistoric organic deposits
- greenhouse gasesEmissions that trap heat
- deforestationLarge-scale woodland elimination
- industrializationTransition to factory-based economy
CO2 · methane · nitrous oxide · combustion · energy consumption · pollution · urbanization · transportation
Serious sudden danger
- catastropheDevastating, large-scale misfortune
- urgencyPressing need for action
- existential threatPeril to survival itself
- tipping pointsIrreversible change triggers
code red · irreversible · unprecedented · accelerating · point of no return · sixth extinction · collapse · climate justice
Self-replenishing natural power
- solar powerEnergy derived from sunlight
- wind powerTurbine-generated renewable electricity
- decarbonizationEliminating fossil fuel emissions
- carbon captureCollecting and storing emissions
reforestation · sustainability · electric vehicles · energy efficiency · Paris Agreement · net zero · carbon tax · divestment
Increasing heat levels
- heatwavesExtended periods of excessive warmth
- thermal expansionVolume increase from warming
- warming trendSustained temperature increase
- degrees CelsiusMetric temperature measurement
sea level rise
Increasing ocean surface height
- ice meltSubstance dissolving frozen surfaces
- extinctionComplete vanishing of a species
- habitat lossElimination of living spaces
coral bleaching · glaciers · permafrost thaw · drought · floods · storms · wildfires · ocean acidification · crop failure · climate refugees
carbon emissions
Released greenhouse gases
- fossil fuelsCombustible prehistoric organic deposits
- greenhouse gasesEmissions that trap heat
- deforestationLarge-scale woodland elimination
industrialization · CO2 · methane · nitrous oxide · combustion · energy consumption · pollution · urbanization · transportation · agriculture
emergency
Serious sudden danger
- catastropheDevastating, large-scale misfortune
- urgencyPressing need for action
- existential threatPeril to survival itself
tipping points · code red · irreversible · unprecedented · accelerating · point of no return · sixth extinction · collapse · climate justice · last chance
renewable energy
Self-replenishing natural power
- solar powerEnergy derived from sunlight
- wind powerTurbine-generated renewable electricity
- decarbonizationEliminating fossil fuel emissions
carbon capture · reforestation · sustainability · electric vehicles · energy efficiency · Paris Agreement · net zero · carbon tax · divestment · green technology
rising temperatures
Increasing heat levels
- heatwavesExtended periods of excessive warmth
- thermal expansionVolume increase from warming
- warming trendSustained temperature increase
degrees Celsius · anomaly · temperature spike · ocean warming · thermometer
global heatingglobal cooling
Theorized planetary temperature decrease
ice age · glaciation · glacial period · Little Ice Age · nuclear winter
global heatingdecarbonization
Eliminating fossil fuel emissions
climate mitigation · carbon neutrality · net zero · ecological balance · geoengineering
global, globe, globes, globular, globalize, globalization, globalized, globalizing, globally