Final answer:
Climate change refers to long-term alterations in average weather patterns over several decades, which encompasses shifts in temperature and rainfall, and has significant environmental implications.
Step-by-step explanation:
Climate Change Defined:
Climate change describes the changes in the average rainfall and temperature in a given area over an extended period of time, often several decades or longer. It refers specifically to changes in the Earth's average weather conditions that last for at least several decades. These changes in climate are distinguished from short-term variations in weather, which includes day-to-day shifts in atmospheric conditions.
Climate change can manifest as shifts in patterns of temperature and rainfall, affecting both land and sea surface temperatures as well as increasing the frequency and intensity of extreme weather events. While you may have heard of 'global warming', climate change is a broader term that encompasses the long-term changes, including both temperature increases and decreases, despite a general trend of global warming.
The sometimes-quoted phrase, "Climate is what you expect, and weather is what you get," helps distinguish the long-term expectations of climate from the short-term realities of weather, illustrating the significance of climate change on environments such as terrestrial biomes, which are highly sensitive to long-term changes in temperature and moisture levels. Consequently, climate change has profound implications on agriculture, sea levels, and biodiversity.