The Changing Earth - Who changed 'Global Warming' to 'Climate Change'? - No one, it's an urban myth

Some people claim that someone decided that 'global warming' should now be called 'climate change'. 

It never happened.

For example, Gilbert Plass published research in 1956 - 'The Carbon Dioxide Theory of Climatic Change'.

The two terms mean different things, and both have been used for decades.


The words climate change and global warming are often used interchangeably. 
However, they do have slightly different meanings:
Global Warming has a very clear meaning.


Global warming refers to increases in the Earth’s average temperature, because of greenhouse gases building up in the atmosphere. 

Global warming is a cause of climate change.
Climate Change is a broader term.


Climate change refers to changes (increases or decreases) to long-term weather patterns, such as temperature, rainfall or snowfall.
A warmer Earth, from global warming, will lead to changes including -

Rainfall patterns

Rise in sea level

and 

A wide range of impacts on plants, wildlife, and humans.

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