Climate change refers to long-term shifts in temperatures and weather patterns . Such shifts can be natural, due to changes in the sun's activity or large volcanic eruptions. Tropical. Dry. Temperate. Continental. Polar. What are the 5 elements of climate change? From the IPCC AR5 report: Climate System: “The climate system is the highly complex system consisting of five major components: the atmosphere, the hydrosphere, the cryosphere, the lithosphere and the biosphere , and the interactions between them. What are the six factors that affect climate? There are six major controls of the climate of an area. These factors are latitude, elevation, nearby water, ocean currents, topography, vegetation, and prevailing winds .