Final answer:
Climate change is largely driven by human activities such as fossil fuel burning, leading to severe weather and changing ecosystems. Population growth intensifies this impact, while international efforts to reduce greenhouse gas emissions face challenges.
Step-by-step explanation:
Human activities have significantly influenced the current state of climate change, with the burning of fossil fuels leading to increased greenhouse gas emissions. This anthropogenic climate change is a major cause of the unprecedented warming trend that the world is currently experiencing, contributing to severe weather events like wildfires and cyclones. Population growth exacerbates the impact on the environment through unsustainable resource use and habitat destruction, intensifying the effects of climate change.
As we observe changes like rising sea levels and extreme hurricanes, it's evident that human-induced processes play a role in altering global climate and ecosystems. Both short-term and long-term effects of these processes include more frequent and intense natural disasters, shifts in climate zones forcing species migration, and potential to significantly impact extinction rates. Efforts to address these challenges include international treaties aimed at greenhouse gas emission reductions, albeit with varying degrees of success and global consensus.