Global warming refers to the long-term rise in the average temperature of the Earth's climate system, primarily due to the increased greenhouse gas emissions from human activities such as burning fossil fuels and deforestation. Climate change is a broader concept that includes long-term changes in temperature and weather patterns. The main causes of global warming are pollution from burning coal, oil and natural gas, as well as carbon dioxide emissions from vehicles, airplanes and the increase in human population. If left unaddressed, global warming will lead to continued melting of glaciers and polar ice caps, rising sea levels, more severe weather events, and threats to plant and animal species.