Final answer:
Climate change is a long-term change in Earth's climate lasting for an extended period, often due to the release of greenhouse gases by human activities, leading to a warmer Earth, among other changes.
Step-by-step explanation:
A long-term change in Earth's overall temperature with massive and permanent ramifications is called climate change. Climate change refers to any significant change in the measures of climate lasting for an extended period of time, typically several decades or longer. This includes major changes in temperature, precipitation, or wind patterns, and other effects, which are largely attributed to human activities such as the release of greenhouse gases into the atmosphere. The term 'global warming' is often used synonymously with climate change but is specifically about the increase in Earth's average surface temperature due to rising levels of greenhouse gases.
Continued emission of greenhouse gases is projected to cause further warming and long-lasting changes in all components of the climate system. Limiting climate change would require substantial and sustained reductions in these emissions.