What is the term for the gradual increase in Earth's average temperature due to greenhouse gas emissions?

The term for the gradual increase in Earth's average temperature due to greenhouse gas emissions is global warming. This phenomenon primarily arises from human activities that release greenhouse gases such as carbon dioxide, methane, and nitrous oxide into the atmosphere. These gases trap heat from the sun, creating a 'greenhouse effect' that leads to a rise in overall temperature.

Global warming has significant implications for climate patterns, ecosystems, and sea levels, contributing to the broader concept of climate change, which encompasses various changes in weather patterns, extreme events, and shifts in biological processes. The focus on global warming emphasizes the long-term trend of rising temperatures, which is a critical issue in discussions about environmental policy and climate action.

The other terms listed do not accurately describe the specific process of rising average temperatures. Climatic shift refers more broadly to changes in climate patterns rather than a specific trend in temperature. Ozone depletion specifically concerns the thinning of the ozone layer in the Earth's stratosphere, which is unrelated to the phenomenon of global warming. Carbon sinking does not refer to a recognized climate process; it may refer to mechanisms that absorb carbon dioxide, but does not denote the temperature rise itself. Thus, the most precise term for the increase in Earth's average temperature due to greenhouse gas