The earth is a complex system, which continues to evolve and change. Climate change and global warming are currently important issues on the political agenda. But what does “climate” really mean? The difference between weather and climate can be expressed in a single sentence: “Climate is what you expect; time is what you get. Based on geological research, we know that climate change has occurred throughout Earth's history, and now growing evidence points to the role humans have played in altering Earth's systems. The Earth and its atmosphere receive thermal energy from the sun; the Earth's atmospheric heat balance depends on the balance between incoming solar radiation and outgoing radiation from the planet; which has remained constant over the last few millennia. However, current evidence seems to suggest that the recent temperature rise has been caused by pollution of the atmosphere, in particular the release of enormous quantities of carbon dioxide, mainly through anthropogenic (human activity) forcing and other various internal and external factors. I...