Final answer:
The tilt of Earth's axis affects heat distribution on the planet's surface, while the increase in greenhouse gases like carbon dioxide from fossil fuels has led to global warming. This enhanced greenhouse effect contributes to climate change, causing numerous environmental impacts.
Step-by-step explanation:
To complete the sentence: Earth's tilt on its axis affects the way heat is distributed on Earth's surface.
When it comes to the phenomenon where the burning of fossil fuels has increased Earth's temperatures due to the rise in greenhouse gases like carbon monoxide and carbon dioxide, it is known as global warming. Another term related to this concept is climate change, which refers more broadly to the long-term alteration of temperature and typical weather patterns in a place. The increase in greenhouse gases intensifies the greenhouse effect, which is central to the discussions of global warming and involves the warming of Earth due to these gases trapping heat in the atmosphere. This can lead to significant climate impacts, such as more intense storms, changes in precipitation patterns affecting agriculture, reduction in rainforest biodiversity, and rising sea levels.