What is the agreed time span (Number of years) over which Climate Change (as distinct from Climate Variability) should be assessed, and what are the agreed major contributors in assessing Climate Change?

Climate Change is a topical subject, but there appears no international agreement as to how many years would be valid to assess Climate Change in the Earth’s system. The Earth is not in a constant position relative to those of other planets, and “change” has been a natural aspect of the Earth’s evolution.

Since the Industrial Revolution, human contributions to use and modifications of the Earth’s Ecosystems (Forest, Dryland, Inland Waters, Coastal, Marine, Island, Mountain, Polar [MA])have become increasingly significant, human energy utilisation has increased, as have population numbers, and per-capita consumption of living and non-living resources; gaseous emissions and solid and liquid waste have all increased.

Structures have been built from materials of widely different heat absorptive and light- and heat-reflective properties.

What long-term standardised measurements or indicators(and therefore comparable over significant lengths of time) have been established and maintained?

Many changes to natural ecosystems have been made by humans, without adequate knowledge of the interactions and interdependencies of the living (micro- and macro-) and non-living components of such ecosystems. A holistic approach is necessary.

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