Climate change has occurred for millions of years, since the very beginning of planet Earth, and it is defined as the shift in temperature and weather patterns over a period of time. Shifts can include temperature increases or decreases, less or more frequent storms, and so on.

The climate change the planet is experiencing today, however, is like no other period in history. Since the Industrial Revolution, greenhouse gasses have reached over 400 parts per million (ppm), the highest concentration ever recorded.

The effects of climate change continue to be observed and studied. However, some direct consequences include an increase in severe storms, drought, and sea level rise.