G7 - Climate

​When we talk about climate, the first thing that usually comes to mind is the temperature in an area. Africa typically has a high temperature and therefore, we think of it as having a hot climate. Antarctica is usually cold so it has a cold climate.


Climate is an area’s average weather, including temperature, precipitation (rain, snow, etc.), humidity, wind and even seasons.

The problem we face now is human-made climate change. What we are doing is changing our climate much faster than Nature intended and that's what’s causing the problem.

​What is a climate?

​The Greenhouse Effect

​One of the most significant ways we affect our environment is the large amount of greenhouse gases we emit, mainly carbon dioxide (CO2). How does this create global warming and climate change? It all comes down to the greenhouse effect.

The greenhouse effect is when the layer of gases in the atmosphere absorbs heat from the Earth to keep it warm like a blanket or sweater keeps you warm. The gases that do this are called greenhouse gases. They are very important, without them, most places on Earth would be too cold to live in. But when there’s too many of them, it can cause the surface temperature of the Earth to rise.

​What’s causing all this carbon dioxide?

The biggest way we create carbon dioxide is by burning fossil fuels to make energy for our cars, lights in our homes, and to charge our phones.

When we use gasoline, oil, and coal, they release carbon dioxide into the air.

Cutting down trees also makes the problem worse because trees help take in carbon dioxide. Farming and raising animals, like cows, produce gases that add to carbon dioxide levels too.

Factories can also create carbon dioxide when they make things.

All these activities put more carbon dioxide in the air, which can hurt our planet and change the climate.

​What is a Fossil Fuel?

​Fossil fuels are fuels that are found in the Earth's crust and contain carbon and hydrogen, which can be burned for energy. Coal, oil, and natural gas are examples of fossil fuels.


Humans use fossil fuels for energy, for example we can use coal to keep our house warm. These fuels need to be burned for energy and this causes CO2 to be released, this is what is causing an excess amount of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere.

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What is Fossil fuel?

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What is climate?

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What is the main gas responsible for causing global warming?

Multiple Choice

Which of these is not an example of a fossil fuel?

• coal

• oil

• fire

• gasoline