Ma'anar ƙamus na "canjin yanayi" yana nufin canji na dogon lokaci na yanayin yanayi na duniya ko na yanki, yawanci sakamakon ayyukan ɗan adam, kamar kona mai, sare gandun daji, da hanyoyin masana'antu, waɗanda ke sakin iskar gas a cikin sararin samaniya. . Wadannan iskar gas suna kama zafi a cikin yanayin duniya, wanda ke haifar da canje-canje a yanayin zafi, yanayin hazo, matakan teku, da sauran al'amuran muhalli. Canjin yanayi na iya yin tasiri mai mahimmanci akan tsarin halittu, aikin gona, lafiyar ɗan adam, da tattalin arziki, kuma ana ɗaukarsa babban ƙalubale na muhalli da al'umma.