Definition

Noun: A long-term rise in the average temperature of the Earth's climate system, primarily attributed to human activities that increase concentrations of heat-trapping greenhouse gases in the atmosphere, leading to widespread climatic and environmental changes.

Usage

The term "global warming" is used to describe the overarching phenomenon of planetary temperature increase. It is a scientific and environmental term central to discussions on climate change, policy, and ecology. - It functions as a singular, uncountable noun (e.g., Global warming is a serious threat). - It is often discussed in terms of its causes (e.g., burning fossil fuels), effects (e.g., sea-level rise), and solutions (e.g., renewable energy).

Examples

• Noun:
  • Scientists have provided overwhelming evidence for human-induced global warming.
  • The international treaty aims to mitigate the effects of global warming.
  • Rising sea levels are one of the most visible consequences of global warming.

Advanced Usage

• "Anthropogenic global warming": Specifies that the warming is human-caused.
  • The research focuses on the impacts of anthropogenic global warming on Arctic ecosystems.
• Conceptual use in discourse:
  • The debate has shifted from whether global warming is real to how best to address it.

Variants and Related Words

• Climate change (n): A broader term encompassing long-term changes in temperature, precipitation, wind patterns, and other aspects of the Earth's climate system, for which global warming is a primary driver.
  • Climate change includes not just warming, but also more frequent extreme weather events.
• Greenhouse effect (n): The natural process by which the atmosphere traps heat, which is intensified by human activity, causing enhanced global warming.
• Global heating (n): A term sometimes used to emphasize the severity and active nature of the temperature increase.

Synonyms

• Planetary warming
• Climate warming (Note: "Climate change" is a related but broader term, not a perfect synonym.)

Related Phrases and Collocations

• Combat/fight/tackle global warming: To take action to reduce its causes or impacts.
  • The new policy is designed to combat global warming.
• Global warming potential (GWP): A measure of how much heat a greenhouse gas traps in the atmosphere over a specific time period compared to carbon dioxide.
• Global warming skeptic/denier: A person who doubts or rejects the scientific consensus on anthropogenic global warming.

Noun

1. an increase in the average temperature of the earth's atmosphere (especially a sustained increase that causes climatic changes)