Global warming refers to the noticeable rise in global temperatures as a result of human activity.
When we talk about "Greenhouse gases"; we mean water vapour, carbon dioxide, methane, nitrous oxide and ozone. In the right quantities, they are good for our planet as they work together to protect it from becoming too cold to live on. The trouble is, too much of these gases are being added to our atmosphere, and so our planet is warming up.
Less than 1% of the Earth’s surface is covered by cities but 75% of global energy is consumed by cities.
If the Earth continues to heat up, we may have to deal with problems such as extreme weather, melting ice caps and shifting season patterns.
Global conferences have produced agreements to reduce global warming. At the climate change conference in Kyoto in 1997, countries agreed to cut emissions by 5.2 per cent of 1990 levels by 2012.
A report by the IPCC in April 2007 warned that global warming could lead to large-scale food and water shortages and have a catastrophic effect on wildlife.
There are still lots of uncertainties and arguments about the role humans play in causing climate change, but we can still do something about it, as climate change is a global problem requiring a global solution.
A shelf cloud associated with a heavy or severe thunderstorm over Enschede, Netherlands - John Kerstholt
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