climate sensitivity

noun1

1. •
   The sensitivity of the Earth's climate to additions of greenhouse gases to the atmosphere: the degree of effect that such additions have; a numerical value as a metric thereof; any of various educated estimates for the real (unknown) value.

   • Scientists have been modeling and estimating the climate sensitivity for decades, and they try to group their estimates into best-case, worst-case, and likeliest-case categories.
   • To speak of the [one true real] climate sensitivity, we must speak of several plausible climate sensitivities and of which ones we consider likeliest.