Climate change refers to changes in global or regional climate patterns over long periods of time. The document provides evidence of climate change through rising average global temperatures over the last century and decreasing snow and ice extent. Some impacts of climate change include rising sea levels from melting ice, more frequent droughts causing problems to energy, water resources, food supply and human health, and increased intensity of tropical cyclones. The document attributes the cause of climate change to human activities like greenhouse gas emissions from the increased greenhouse effect. If the greenhouse effect continues to worsen, it could create a runaway greenhouse effect like that of Venus with an atmosphere composed primarily of carbon dioxide and extremely high surface temperatures.