01 What does forcing mean in the context of climate change?
Answer and explanation
Correct answer: A. A cause that exerts an external influence on the climate system
Explanation: In climate science, forcing is a change in an external factor that alters Earth’s energy balance and tends to produce a climate response. Increasing greenhouse gases create positive radiative forcing by reducing outgoing energy, while some aerosols create negative forcing by reflecting sunlight. Forcing is therefore a driver of climate change, not a measurement of rainfall or wind direction.