Yes, global warming is indeed a real phenomenon. It refers to the long-term increase in Earth's average surface temperature, primarily caused by the buildup of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere. The primary greenhouse gas responsible for this effect is carbon dioxide (CO2), which is released through human activities such as burning fossil fuels (coal, oil, and natural gas), deforestation, and industrial processes.
The scientific consensus among climate scientists is that the Earth's climate is warming, and human activities are the primary driver of this warming trend. Multiple lines of evidence, including temperature records, ice core data, and computer models, support this conclusion. The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), a leading international body for assessing climate change, has consistently highlighted the human influence on global warming in its comprehensive assessment reports.
The consequences of global warming are wide-ranging and include rising global temperatures, melting glaciers and polar ice caps, sea-level rise, more frequent and severe extreme weather events (such as hurricanes, droughts, and heatwaves), shifts in ecosystems and biodiversity, and impacts on human societies, including risks to food and water security.
Addressing global warming requires collective action, such as reducing greenhouse gas emissions, transitioning to cleaner and more sustainable energy sources, promoting energy efficiency, and adapting to the changes already occurring. International agreements like the Paris Agreement aim to limit global warming to well below 2 degrees Celsius above pre-industrial levels and pursue efforts to limit the temperature increase to 1.5 degrees Celsius to mitigate the most severe impacts of climate change.