How to Say "Climate Change" in Japanese

気候変動

kikō hendō

The English phrase "climate change" is translated into Japanese as 気候変動 (kikō hendō).

気候変動 is used to refer to changes in the Earth's climate.

Meaning: changes in the Earth's climate (noun)

What does it mean word for word?

The term is composed of 気候 (kikō), meaning 'climate' and 変動 (hendō), meaning 'fluctuation' or 'variation'.

kikō hendō

The kanji 候 in 気候 originally referred to the signs of the changing seasons, reflecting an ancient East Asian focus on the cyclical nature of time.
Japanese environmental campaigns often use the phrase 脱炭素 (datsutanso), meaning 'decarbonization', as a shorthand for the actions needed to stop 気候変動.
The word 変動 (hendō) in 気候変動 is often used in finance to describe 'market fluctuations', making the term feel more like a mathematical or economic variable than a weather description.

気候変動は事実です。
Climate change is real.
Tatoeba #7290196 by yuwash, translation #2654611 by Hybrid
気候変動の原因は人間だ
Humans are the cause of climate change
Wiktionary
世界が一丸となって気候変動の問題に取り組む必要がある。
The whole world needs to tackle the problem of climate change together.
Tatoeba #74599 by fcbond, translation #329120 by fcbond

Two university students are discussing a news report in a cafe.

陽葵 Himari

最近、気候変動のニュースをよく見るね。
Saikin, kikou hendou no nyuusu o yoku miru ne.
I've been seeing news about climate change a lot lately.
健太 Kenta

そうだね。深刻な問題だと思うよ。
Sou da ne. Shinkoku na mondai da to omou yo.
That's true. I think it's a serious problem.
陽葵 Himari

健太君はどうやって対策していくべきだと思う？
Kenta-kun wa dou yatte taisaku shite iku beki da to omou?
Kenta, how do you think we should deal with it?
健太 Kenta

まずは、一人ひとりが意識を変えることだね。
Mazu wa, hitori hitori ga ishiki o kaeru koto da ne.
First, it's about each and every person changing their awareness.

Sources

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