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Human-induced climate change and international efforts

Short answer

Climate is average weather over 30 years; climate variability is natural short-term fluctuation around that average. Human-induced climate change is long-term warming from greenhouse gas emissions, with about 1.1 °C warming since pre-industrial times. Collective international efforts are vital because GHGs mix globally, responsibilities are unequal, and agreements provide binding commitments, finance, technology transfer and shared targets.

Define human induced climate change, climate and climate variability. Justify the importance of collective international efforts to fight with climate change.

Climate

Climate is the average weather of a place over a long period, usually 30 years or more – its typical temperature, rainfall, humidity and wind. E.g. the Terai has a hot, humid sub-tropical climate.

Climate variability

Climate variability is the natural short-term fluctuation of climate around its long-term average – from season to season or year to year – such as a drier monsoon one year or a cold winter in another, caused by El Niño/La Niña, ocean–atmosphere cycles or volcanoes. It does not imply a long-term trend.

Human-induced climate change

Human-induced (anthropogenic) climate change is the long-term change in the global climate caused by human activities that increase greenhouse gases – mainly burning fossil fuels, deforestation, agriculture and industry – which enhance the greenhouse effect and warm the Earth. The IPCC states that human influence has unequivocally warmed the planet by about 1.1 °C since pre-industrial times.

BasisClimate variabilityHuman-induced climate change
Time scaleMonths to yearsDecades to centuries
CauseNatural cyclesGreenhouse gases from humans
TrendUps and downs about the meanShift of the mean itself

Importance of collective international efforts

  1. Global problem – GHGs mix in the whole atmosphere; emissions from any country affect all. No country can solve it alone.
  2. Unequal responsibility – developed countries and large emitters caused most emissions, while poor countries like Nepal (well under 0.1% of global emissions) suffer most. The principle of common but differentiated responsibilities needs international agreement.
  3. Avoid free-riding – a binding framework (UNFCCC, Kyoto Protocol, Paris Agreement) makes each country commit through NDCs and report progress.
  4. Finance – adaptation and clean energy need money; the Green Climate Fund and Loss and Damage Fund move funds from rich to vulnerable countries.
  5. Technology transfer – renewable energy, efficient technologies and early warning systems spread faster through cooperation.
  6. Science and data – the IPCC pools scientists from all countries to assess risk.
  7. Trans-boundary impacts – Himalayan glacier melt affects rivers flowing through Nepal, India, Bangladesh and China; regional cooperation (e.g. ICIMOD) is needed.
  8. Shared target – keeping warming well below 2 °C and aiming for 1.5 °C is possible only if all major emitters act together.

✓ Answer checked by Claude Opus 5.5 (high effort)

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