Climate change is now the recognized term for what used to be called "global warming," and it is the rise of average temperatures of the earth's surfaces, including the air and ocean. The increase is attributed to the experience known as the "greenhouse effect," caused by the build-up of carbon dioxide, methane, and other greenhouse gases (GHGs) and prevents infrared energy from escaping and traps heat at the earth surfaces.
In 1997 the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) formed the Kyoto Protocol , which was signed in Kyoto, Japan. The protocol had 186 countries sign in commitment to reduce greenhouse gasses. Then in December 2015, the Paris Agreement was adopted in order to improve or replace the Kyoto Protocol. It was signed by 197 countries and ratified by 187 countries as of November 2019.
An article on climate change from CQResearcher.
From Global Social Issues: An Encyclopedia via Credo
A pro/con article from Issues & Controversies
Image via Gale in Context: Science
When using databases, it is useful to know related terms that might be used interchangeably but do not always mean the same thing, below are useful search terms:
Be aware that just because an article is found within a library database does not mean it's a scholarly article!
Some databases contain a variety of resource types (like Academic Search Complete or Opposing Viewpoints) while a few others are exclusively scholarly (like JSTOR). Be aware of options to filter your results to scholarly articles as well as the criteria for recognizing a scholarly source.
Check out this sample search to get a feel for how to construct a limited search.
Use these sample searches to begin your inquiry:
Use other databases to get news on climate change (and get around paywalls).
This page was originally developed by Blaire Hiebsch.
First published: Summer 2020
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