The study of climate and how it changes over time is termed Climatology and this helps people better understand the climatic conditions that cause weather patterns and temperature changes over time. On the other hand Climate change is a change in the pattern of weather, and related environment in oceans, land surfaces and ice sheets, occurring over time scales of decades or longer. This field of science (i.e. climatology) grew as scientists became interested in exploring the patterns of climate.  Climate Science Atmospheric Science Ecosystems and climate change Climate and weather statistics Climate change and agriculture Western hemisphere warm pool Paleoclimatology Air Quality