Klima

Klima is the German word for climate. In scientific and everyday use, it refers to the long-term average patterns and variability of meteorological conditions in a given region, typically assessed over decades or longer. Climate encompasses temperature, precipitation, humidity, wind, and related factors, as well as the frequency and intensity of extreme weather events. It is distinguished from weather, which describes short-term atmospheric conditions.

Climate is determined by global and regional forcings, including solar radiation, the distribution of continents and oceans, and atmospheric composition. Key components include the atmosphere, hydrosphere, cryosphere, biosphere, and lithosphere, whose interactions define climate systems such as the monsoon, El Niño–Southern Oscillation, and the Gulf Stream. Climate is studied through observations, paleoclimate data, and climate models that simulate past, present, and future conditions.

Anthropogenic factors, particularly greenhouse gas and aerosol emissions, have altered the climate since the Industrial Revolution, leading to a warming trend with regional variation. Associated effects include more frequent and intense heatwaves, changes in precipitation patterns, melting ice, sea-level rise, and disruptions to ecosystems. Adaptation and mitigation are central policy concerns, with international agreements such as the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change and the Paris Agreement guiding efforts to limit warming and manage risks.

In everyday German-language contexts, Klima also appears in education, media, and policy discussions as a reference to climate-related topics and issues. The term is used similarly in many other languages to denote the concept of climate.