Climate change is the long-term, rapid warming of Earth's temperatures and weather patterns, primarily caused by human activities like burning fossil fuels that release greenhouse gases. This leads to widespread effects, including increased frequency and intensity of extreme weather, rising sea levels, melting glaciers, and significant threats to human health, food security, and ecosystems. Addressing climate change requires urgent, deep, and sustained reductions in greenhouse gas emissions across all sectors to prevent more severe and costly impacts in the future.