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climatic change The long-term fluctuations in temperature, precipitation, wind, and all other aspects of the Earth's climate. External processes, such as solar-irradiance variations, variations of the Earth's orbital parameters (eccentricity, precession, and inclination), lithosphere motions, and volcanic activity, are factors in climatic variation. Internal variations of the climate system, e.g., changes in the abundance of greenhouse gases, also may produce fluctuations of sufficient magnitude and variability to explain observed climate change through the feedback processes interrelating the components of the climate system; man-made climate change Man-made climate changes may be due to the greenhouse effect and other human activities. A change in albedo of the land brought about by desertification and deforestation affects the amount of solar energy absorbed at the earth's surface. Man-made aerosols produced from the sulphur released from power stations can modify clouds. Changes in ozone levels in the stratosphere due to CFCs may influence climate (anthropogen) |
