Grassroots or organized efforts (marches, strikes, lobbying, civil disobedience) to pressure institutions for stronger climate policies, fossil fuel divestment, or systemic change. 

Climate change adaptation involves adjusting ecological, social, and economic systems to actual or expected climate impacts (e.g., rising seas, droughts, or extreme weather) to reduce vulnerability and enhance resilience. 

Video: What is Climate Change Adaptation?

The climate challenge refers to the complex obstacles and systemic barriers faced in addressing climate change, including technological, economic, political, and social hurdles that must be overcome to achieve sustainability and resilience goals. 

The climate crisis refers to the severe challenges caused—or expected to arise—by global climate change, including extreme weather events, rising sea levels, ocean acidification, biodiversity loss, food and water shortages, public health threats, economic instability, displacement, and increased risks of conflict. 

Integrates democratic principles—participation, accountability, and equity—into climate governance, ensuring inclusive and community-driven decision-making. It rejects purely top-down solutions, instead empowering citizens to shape policies through engagement, consent, and strengthened institutions. By prioritizing marginalized voices and linking climate action to justice (e.g., initiatives like NetZeroCities), it transforms climate responses into opportunities for societal fairness and resilient democracy.

Video: What is Climate Democracy?

A climate emergency declaration is an official acknowledgment by governments, institutions, or organizations that climate change poses an urgent threat, requiring immediate and prioritized action to mitigate its impacts and accelerate decarbonization efforts. 

The systems, laws, institutions, and policies (international agreements, national regulations) designed to coordinate and enforce climate action, mitigation, and adaptation efforts. 

Climate justice centers on equity and human rights in climate action, emphasizing that those most responsible for emissions—wealthy nations, industries, and privileged groups—must lead in addressing the crisis. It highlights the disproportionate impacts on vulnerable communities and countries least responsible for climate change, as well as structural inequalities within societies. Additionally, it underscores intergenerational equity, as youth face severe future consequences despite minimal contribution to the crisis, warranting their inclusion in climate decisions. 

Video: What is Climate Justice?

The use of legal systems (courts, tribunals) to hold governments or corporations accountable for failing to address climate change, enforce environmental laws, or protect citizens' rights from climate harms. 

Climate mitigation refers to efforts to reduce or prevent greenhouse gas emissions through policies, technologies, and behavioral changes, such as renewable energy adoption, energy efficiency, reforestation, and carbon capture. 

A global collective of individuals, organizations, and campaigns advocating for urgent action on climate change through protests, policy demands, and public awareness efforts (e.g., Fridays for Future, Extinction Rebellion). 

The capacity of communities, ecosystems, or systems to anticipate, adapt to, and recover from climate impacts (e.g., extreme weather, sea-level rise) while minimizing disruption. 

Climate transition describes the systemic shift from a high-carbon economy to a low-carbon or net-zero society, involving changes in energy systems, industry, transportation, and land use while ensuring equity and just outcomes for affected communities.

It is the annual United Nations climate summit convened under the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC). Since 1995, COPs have served as the primary global forum for negotiating climate agreements, such as the landmark 2015 Paris Agreement (COP21). Today, COP meetings bring together nations to set binding commitments, assess progress, and coordinate strategies to limit global warming and adapt to climate impacts.