What you'll learn
How and why climate changes over time.
Causes
- Natural: solar output, orbital cycles and volcanic activity.
- Human: greenhouse gases (mainly CO₂) from burning fossil fuels.
Evidence
- Ice cores and tree rings record past change.
Effects and management
- Rising sea levels and changing weather.
- Mitigation reduces causes; adaptation copes with effects.
Exam tips
- Separate natural from human causes.
- Distinguish mitigation from adaptation.
Common mistakes
- Confusing the greenhouse effect with the ozone hole.
- Treating mitigation and adaptation as the same.