Final answer:
The term describing changes in climate patterns due to increased atmospheric carbon dioxide from fossil fuel use is 'climate change.' Global warming is a component of climate change and is driven by the enhanced greenhouse effect resulting from increased greenhouse gases.
Step-by-step explanation:
The term used to describe a change in global or regional climate pattaerns, especially from the mid to late 20th century onwards and largely attributed to the increased levels of atmospheric carbon dioxide from fossil fuel use, is climate change.
Climate change encompasses various changes including temperature shifts, altered precipitation patterns, changes in storm activity, modifications to wind patterns, and varying sea levels, all contributing to the alterations of our planet’s environments.
Global warming is one aspect of climate change that specifically relates to the increase in the Earth's average surface temperature due to rising concentrations of greenhouse gases.
This is a result of the enhanced greenhouse effect, which is the warming of Earth due to carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases trapping more heat in the atmosphere.
Over the last two centuries, particularly since the start of the Industrial Revolution, the use of fossil fuels has greatly increased the levels of greenhouse gases including carbon dioxide, methane, and nitrous oxide, which are key contributors to global warming and the broader climate change phenomena.