4 ms·

When did "global warming" become "climate change"? Did the boys in marketing decide its time to update.

Brockenstein 8y ago
'global warming' refers to the long-term trend of a rising average global temperature, 'Climate change', refers to the changes in the global climate which result from the increasing average global temperature. For example, changes in precipitation patterns, increased prevalence of droughts, heat waves, and other extreme weather, etc. They're related, but they are different things.
bendavis381 8y ago
Even though your question has been deservedly downvoted, it still deserves an answer. Global warming implies that our effect on the planet is restricted to an upward trend in global temperature. Although that's the principal result of human emissions, the issue manifests itself in many other ways, including but limited to: sea level rise, extreme weather events, substantial changes and extinction of flora and fauna, loss of coral reefs, loss of ice sheets, etc. Climate change includes the broad ecological changes that stem from a warming planet, rather than a narrow focus on the warming itself.
- vixen99 8y ago
  'effect' on the planet.
  - bendavis381 8y ago
    4 hours of sleep doesn't do anyone any good.
rebuilder 8y ago
When it became clear that the climate effects were going to go beyond warming, and that the warming part would be different in different parts of the world.
tzs 8y ago
When it was realized that some politicians thought that global warming would imply that every place on earth is becoming strictly warmer all the time, and so the fact that we still get snow or cold snaps proves that global warming is not happening.
lozenge 8y ago
Yes, they did! Although both terms have been used frequently for over 50 years, Frank Lutz, Republican strategist, noted that " It’s time for us to start talking about “climate change” insteud of global warming and “conservation ” instead of preservation." 1. “Climate change’’ is less frightening than “global warming; ” As one focus group participant noted, climate change “sounds like you’re going fkom Pittsburgh to Fort Lauderdale.” While global warming has catastrophic connotations attached to it, climate change suggests a more controllable and less emotional challenge. " From what we can see, it looks like Republicans adopted his recommendations. http://web.archive.org/web/20121030085144/http://www.ewg.org/files/LuntzResearch_environment.pdf http://web.archive.org/web/20121030085144/http://www.ewg.org...
frockington 8y ago
They also tried "global ice age" in the 70s and 80s to push recycling.
- beat 8y ago
  The neat thing about science is that it admits when it's wrong and changes direction.
  - lj3 8y ago
    Not unless it gets scientists grant money. Cancer research is a great example of science not being able to change direction because the money is too good.

'global warming' refers to the long-term trend of a rising average global temperature, 'Climate change', refers to the changes in the global climate which result from the increasing average global temperature. For example, changes in precipitation patterns, increased prevalence of droughts, heat waves, and other extreme weather, etc. They're related, but they are different things.

bendavis381 8y ago

Even though your question has been deservedly downvoted, it still deserves an answer. Global warming implies that our effect on the planet is restricted to an upward trend in global temperature. Although that's the principal result of human emissions, the issue manifests itself in many other ways, including but limited to: sea level rise, extreme weather events, substantial changes and extinction of flora and fauna, loss of coral reefs, loss of ice sheets, etc. Climate change includes the broad ecological changes that stem from a warming planet, rather than a narrow focus on the warming itself.

vixen99 8y ago
'effect' on the planet.
- bendavis381 8y ago
  4 hours of sleep doesn't do anyone any good.

rebuilder 8y ago

When it became clear that the climate effects were going to go beyond warming, and that the warming part would be different in different parts of the world.

tzs 8y ago

When it was realized that some politicians thought that global warming would imply that every place on earth is becoming strictly warmer all the time, and so the fact that we still get snow or cold snaps proves that global warming is not happening.

lozenge 8y ago

Yes, they did! Although both terms have been used frequently for over 50 years, Frank Lutz, Republican strategist, noted that " It’s time for us to start talking about “climate change” insteud of global warming and “conservation ” instead of preservation." 1. “Climate change’’ is less frightening than “global warming; ” As one focus group participant noted, climate change “sounds like you’re going fkom Pittsburgh to Fort Lauderdale.” While global warming has catastrophic connotations attached to it, climate change suggests a more controllable and less emotional challenge. " From what we can see, it looks like Republicans adopted his recommendations. http://web.archive.org/web/20121030085144/http://www.ewg.org/files/LuntzResearch_environment.pdf http://web.archive.org/web/20121030085144/http://www.ewg.org...

frockington 8y ago

They also tried "global ice age" in the 70s and 80s to push recycling.

beat 8y ago
The neat thing about science is that it admits when it's wrong and changes direction.
- lj3 8y ago
  Not unless it gets scientists grant money. Cancer research is a great example of science not being able to change direction because the money is too good.