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Essay on Climate Change: Check Samples in 100, 250 Words

• Updated on  
• Sep 21, 2023

Writing an essay on climate change is crucial to raise awareness and advocate for action. The world is facing environmental challenges, so in a situation like this such essay topics can serve as s platform to discuss the causes, effects, and solutions to this pressing issue. They offer an opportunity to engage readers in understanding the urgency of mitigating climate change for the sake of our planet’s future.

Must Read: Essay On Environment  

Table of Contents

• 1 What Is Climate Change?
• 2 What are the Causes of Climate Change?
• 3 What are the effects of Climate Change?
• 4 How to fight climate change?
• 5 Essay On Climate Change in 100 Words
• 6 Climate Change Sample Essay 250 Words

What Is Climate Change?

Climate change is the significant variation of average weather conditions becoming, for example, warmer, wetter, or drier—over several decades or longer. It may be natural or anthropogenic. However, in recent times, it’s been in the top headlines due to escalations caused by human interference.

What are the Causes of Climate Change?

Obama at the First Session of COP21 rightly quoted “We are the first generation to feel the impact of climate change, and the last generation that can do something about it.”.Identifying the causes of climate change is the first step to take in our fight against climate change. Below stated are some of the causes of climate change:

• Greenhouse Gas Emissions: Mainly from burning fossil fuels (coal, oil, and natural gas) for energy and transportation.
• Deforestation: The cutting down of trees reduces the planet’s capacity to absorb carbon dioxide.
• Industrial Processes: Certain manufacturing activities release potent greenhouse gases.
• Agriculture: Livestock and rice cultivation emit methane, a potent greenhouse gas.

What are the effects of Climate Change?

Climate change poses a huge risk to almost all life forms on Earth. The effects of climate change are listed below:

• Global Warming: Increased temperatures due to trapped heat from greenhouse gases.
• Melting Ice and Rising Sea Levels: Ice caps and glaciers melt, causing oceans to rise.
• Extreme Weather Events: More frequent and severe hurricanes, droughts, and wildfires.
• Ocean Acidification: Oceans absorb excess CO2, leading to more acidic waters harming marine life.
• Disrupted Ecosystems: Shifting climate patterns disrupt habitats and threaten biodiversity.
• Food and Water Scarcity: Altered weather affects crop yields and strains water resources.
• Human Health Risks: Heat-related illnesses and the spread of diseases.
• Economic Impact: Damage to infrastructure and increased disaster-related costs.
• Migration and Conflict: Climate-induced displacement and resource competition.

How to fight climate change?

‘Climate change is a terrible problem, and it absolutely needs to be solved. It deserves to be a huge priority,’ says Bill Gates. The below points highlight key actions to combat climate change effectively.

• Energy Efficiency: Improve energy efficiency in all sectors.
• Protect Forests: Stop deforestation and promote reforestation.
• Sustainable Agriculture: Adopt eco-friendly farming practices.
• Advocacy: Raise awareness and advocate for climate-friendly policies.
• Innovation: Invest in green technologies and research.
• Government Policies: Enforce climate-friendly regulations and targets.
• Corporate Responsibility: Encourage sustainable business practices.
• Individual Action: Reduce personal carbon footprint and inspire others.

Essay On Climate Change in 100 Words

Climate change refers to long-term alterations in Earth’s climate patterns, primarily driven by human activities, such as burning fossil fuels and deforestation, which release greenhouse gases into the atmosphere. These gases trap heat, leading to global warming. The consequences of climate change are widespread and devastating. Rising temperatures cause polar ice caps to melt, contributing to sea level rise and threatening coastal communities. Extreme weather events, like hurricanes and wildfires, become more frequent and severe, endangering lives and livelihoods. Additionally, shifts in weather patterns can disrupt agriculture, leading to food shortages. To combat climate change, global cooperation, renewable energy adoption, and sustainable practices are crucial for a more sustainable future.

Must Read: Essay On Global Warming

Climate Change Sample Essay 250 Words

Climate change represents a pressing global challenge that demands immediate attention and concerted efforts. Human activities, primarily the burning of fossil fuels and deforestation, have significantly increased the concentration of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere. This results in a greenhouse effect, trapping heat and leading to a rise in global temperatures, commonly referred to as global warming.

The consequences of climate change are far-reaching and profound. Rising sea levels threaten coastal communities, displacing millions and endangering vital infrastructure. Extreme weather events, such as hurricanes, droughts, and wildfires, have become more frequent and severe, causing devastating economic and human losses. Disrupted ecosystems affect biodiversity and the availability of vital resources, from clean water to agricultural yields.

Moreover, climate change has serious implications for food and water security. Changing weather patterns disrupt traditional farming practices and strain freshwater resources, potentially leading to conflicts over access to essential commodities.

Addressing climate change necessitates a multifaceted approach. First, countries must reduce their greenhouse gas emissions through the transition to renewable energy sources, increased energy efficiency, and reforestation efforts. International cooperation is crucial to set emission reduction targets and hold nations accountable for meeting them.

In conclusion, climate change is a global crisis with profound and immediate consequences. Urgent action is needed to mitigate its impacts and secure a sustainable future for our planet. By reducing emissions and implementing adaptation strategies, we can protect vulnerable communities, preserve ecosystems, and ensure a livable planet for future generations. The time to act is now.

Climate change refers to long-term shifts in Earth’s climate patterns, primarily driven by human activities like burning fossil fuels and deforestation.

Five key causes of climate change include excessive greenhouse gas emissions from human activities, notably burning fossil fuels and deforestation. 

We hope this blog gave you an idea about how to write and present an essay on climate change that puts forth your opinions. The skill of writing an essay comes in handy when appearing for standardized language tests. Thinking of taking one soon? Leverage Edu provides the best online test prep for the same via Leverage Live . Register today to know more!

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Essay on Prevention of Global Warming for Students and Children

500 words essay on prevention of global warming.

Global warming is a term you must have heard by now as it is very prevalent in today’s world. Moreover, it has become a very dangerous environmental issue which we must resolve as soon as possible. If we do not prevent it now, soon we will find it hard to survive on this planet.

Every person needs to contribute equally to help prevent global warming. Similarly, we must identify the causes that are contributing to this dangerous phenomenon and work hard to find solutions. Furthermore, we must immediately put a halt to all those activities which are causing global warming .

Causes of Global Warming

There are many activities through which global warming is happening. Mostly human activities are contributing to this damaging phenomenon. The carbon dioxide levels are increasing in the air which is causing global warming. Moreover, the increase in greenhouse gases is also contributing to this phenomenon.

Furthermore, the usages of hot water for various purposes like bathing, cleaning and more release gases contribute to it. After that, when we make use of ordinary bulbs instead of LED lights, we contribute majorly to global warming. Similarly, the way people leave their electronic devices unattended when not in use also plays a big role.

Most importantly, deforestation and cutting plants everywhere just make it worse for our planet. The way we burn wood and fossil fuels only makes the condition of global warming worse. Similarly, when we use too much of automobiles that release harmful toxins in the air, the temperature of earth increases and causes global warming. In order to prevent global warming, we must adopt an eco-friendly lifestyle to make the future safe for our future generations.

Get the huge list of more than 500 Essay Topics and Ideas

Ways to Prevent Global Warming

There are many changes we can bring about in our life both big and small to prevent global warming and save our planet. Firstly, we must stop deforestation in all forms. Do not cut down more trees as it will only worsen the level of carbon dioxide in the air. Instead, encourage people to plant even more trees to create a fine balance in nature.

Moreover, it reduces the usage of energy everywhere. It does not matter if you are at your home or at your office, the higher the energy used the more the carbon dioxide produced. Thus, do not waste electricity as it requires the burning of fossil fuels. As a result of the burning of fossil fuels , greenhouse gases in the atmosphere increase rapidly and contribute to global warming. Moreover, reduce the carbon footprint and do not travel through planes that often.

Most importantly, replace all your ordinary bulbs with LED lights. It will help in reducing the use of energy by a massive amount. Similarly, do not waste that energy. Instead of becoming more dependent, we need to reduce our dependence on fossil fuels and electricity right away.

Opt for eco-friendly options like solar energy and win power. Take up the habit of recycling and reusing. Do not throw away things instead learn to reuse them properly. Further, carpool with your neighbors and relatives to not contribute to automobile exhausts and emissions.

FAQs on Prevention of Global Warming

Q.1 What is causing global warming?

A.1 There are many human activities that cause global warming. Some of them are the usage of hot water, old light bulbs, burning fossil fuels, wasting electricity, using excessive automobiles, deforestation and many more.

Q.2 How can we prevent global warming?

A.2 We can prevent global warming by adopting a healthy lifestyle. Try to carpool with your relatives and friends to not produce carbon emissions. Moreover, do not cut down trees unnecessarily and also replace old electronic gadgets.

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November 26, 2007

10 Solutions for Climate Change

Ten possibilities for staving off catastrophic climate change

By David Biello

Mark Garlick Getty Images

The enormity of global warming can be daunting and dispiriting. What can one person, or even one nation, do on their own to slow and reverse climate change ? But just as ecologist Stephen Pacala and physicist Robert Socolow, both at Princeton University, came up with 15 so-called " wedges " for nations to utilize toward this goal—each of which is challenging but feasible and, in some combination, could reduce greenhouse gas emissions to safer levels —there are personal lifestyle changes that you can make too that, in some combination, can help reduce your carbon impact. Not all are right for everybody. Some you may already be doing or absolutely abhor. But implementing just a few of them could make a difference.

Forego Fossil Fuels —The first challenge is eliminating the burning of coal , oil and, eventually, natural gas. This is perhaps the most daunting challenge as denizens of richer nations literally eat, wear, work, play and even sleep on the products made from such fossilized sunshine. And citizens of developing nations want and arguably deserve the same comforts, which are largely thanks to the energy stored in such fuels.

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Oil is the lubricant of the global economy, hidden inside such ubiquitous items as plastic and corn, and fundamental to the transportation of both consumers and goods. Coal is the substrate, supplying roughly half of the electricity used in the U.S. and nearly that much worldwide—a percentage that is likely to grow, according to the International Energy Agency. There are no perfect solutions for reducing dependence on fossil fuels (for example, carbon neutral biofuels can drive up the price of food and lead to forest destruction, and while nuclear power does not emit greenhouse gases, it does produce radioactive waste), but every bit counts.

So try to employ alternatives when possible—plant-derived plastics, biodiesel, wind power—and to invest in the change, be it by divesting from oil stocks or investing in companies practicing carbon capture and storage.

Infrastructure Upgrade —Buildings worldwide contribute around one third of all greenhouse gas emissions (43 percent in the U.S. alone), even though investing in thicker insulation and other cost-effective, temperature-regulating steps can save money in the long run. Electric grids are at capacity or overloaded, but power demands continue to rise. And bad roads can lower the fuel economy of even the most efficient vehicle. Investing in new infrastructure, or radically upgrading existing highways and transmission lines, would help cut greenhouse gas emissions and drive economic growth in developing countries.

Of course, it takes a lot of cement, a major source of greenhouse gas emissions, to construct new buildings and roads. The U.S. alone contributed 50.7 million metric tons of carbon dioxide to the atmosphere in 2005 from cement production, which requires heating limestone and other ingredients to 1,450 degrees Celsius (2,642 degrees Fahrenheit). Mining copper and other elements needed for electrical wiring and transmission also causes globe-warming pollution.

But energy-efficient buildings and improved cement-making processes (such as using alternative fuels to fire up the kiln) could reduce greenhouse gas emissions in the developed world and prevent them in the developing world.

Move Closer to Work —Transportation is the second leading source of greenhouse gas emissions in the U.S. (burning a single gallon of gasoline produces 20 pounds of CO 2 ). But it doesn't have to be that way.

One way to dramatically curtail transportation fuel needs is to move closer to work, use mass transit, or switch to walking, cycling or some other mode of transport that does not require anything other than human energy. There is also the option of working from home and telecommuting several days a week.

Cutting down on long-distance travel would also help, most notably airplane flights, which are one of the fastest growing sources of greenhouse gas emissions and a source that arguably releases such emissions in the worst possible spot (higher in the atmosphere). Flights are also one of the few sources of globe-warming pollution for which there isn't already a viable alternative: jets rely on kerosene, because it packs the most energy per pound, allowing them to travel far and fast, yet it takes roughly 10 gallons of oil to make one gallon of JetA fuel. Restricting flying to only critical, long-distance trips—in many parts of the world, trains can replace planes for short- to medium-distance trips—would help curb airplane emissions.

Consume Less —The easiest way to cut back on greenhouse gas emissions is simply to buy less stuff. Whether by forgoing an automobile or employing a reusable grocery sack, cutting back on consumption results in fewer fossil fuels being burned to extract, produce and ship products around the globe.

Think green when making purchases. For instance, if you are in the market for a new car, buy one that will last the longest and have the least impact on the environment. Thus, a used vehicle with a hybrid engine offers superior fuel efficiency over the long haul while saving the environmental impact of new car manufacture.

Paradoxically, when purchasing essentials, such as groceries, buying in bulk can reduce the amount of packaging—plastic wrapping, cardboard boxes and other unnecessary materials. Sometimes buying more means consuming less.

Be Efficient —A potentially simpler and even bigger impact can be made by doing more with less. Citizens of many developed countries are profligate wasters of energy, whether by speeding in a gas-guzzling sport-utility vehicle or leaving the lights on when not in a room.

Good driving—and good car maintenance, such as making sure tires are properly inflated—can limit the amount of greenhouse gas emissions from a vehicle and, perhaps more importantly, lower the frequency of payment at the pump.

Similarly, employing more efficient refrigerators, air conditioners and other appliances, such as those rated highly under the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's Energy Star program, can cut electric bills while something as simple as weatherproofing the windows of a home can reduce heating and cooling bills. Such efforts can also be usefully employed at work, whether that means installing more efficient turbines at the power plant or turning the lights off when you leave the office .

Eat Smart, Go Vegetarian? —Corn grown in the U.S. requires barrels of oil for the fertilizer to grow it and the diesel fuel to harvest and transport it. Some grocery stores stock organic produce that do not require such fertilizers, but it is often shipped from halfway across the globe. And meat, whether beef, chicken or pork, requires pounds of feed to produce a pound of protein.

Choosing food items that balance nutrition, taste and ecological impact is no easy task. Foodstuffs often bear some nutritional information, but there is little to reveal how far a head of lettuce, for example, has traveled.

University of Chicago researchers estimate that each meat-eating American produces 1.5 tons more greenhouse gases through their food choice than do their vegetarian peers. It would also take far less land to grow the crops necessary to feed humans than livestock, allowing more room for planting trees.

Stop Cutting Down Trees —Every year, 33 million acres of forests are cut down . Timber harvesting in the tropics alone contributes 1.5 billion metric tons of carbon to the atmosphere. That represents 20 percent of human-made greenhouse gas emissions and a source that could be avoided relatively easily.

Improved agricultural practices along with paper recycling and forest management—balancing the amount of wood taken out with the amount of new trees growing—could quickly eliminate this significant chunk of emissions.

And when purchasing wood products, such as furniture or flooring, buy used goods or, failing that, wood certified to have been sustainably harvested. The Amazon and other forests are not just the lungs of the earth, they may also be humanity's best short-term hope for limiting climate change.

Unplug —Believe it or not, U.S. citizens spend more money on electricity to power devices when off than when on. Televisions, stereo equipment, computers, battery chargers and a host of other gadgets and appliances consume more energy when seemingly switched off, so unplug them instead.

Purchasing energy-efficient gadgets can also save both energy and money—and thus prevent more greenhouse gas emissions. To take but one example, efficient battery chargers could save more than one billion kilowatt-hours of electricity—$100 million at today's electricity prices—and thus prevent the release of more than one million metric tons of greenhouse gases.

Swapping old incandescent lightbulbs for more efficient replacements, such as compact fluorescents (warning: these lightbulbs contain mercury and must be properly disposed of at the end of their long life), would save billions of kilowatt-hours. In fact, according to the EPA, replacing just one incandescent lightbulb in every American home would save enough energy to provide electricity to three million American homes.

One Child —There are at least 6.6 billion people living today, a number that is predicted by the United Nations to grow to at least nine billion by mid-century. The U.N. Environmental Program estimates that it requires 54 acres to sustain an average human being today—food, clothing and other resources extracted from the planet. Continuing such population growth seems unsustainable.

Falling birth rates in some developed and developing countries (a significant portion of which are due to government-imposed limits on the number of children a couple can have) have begun to reduce or reverse the population explosion. It remains unclear how many people the planet can comfortably sustain, but it is clear that per capita energy consumption must go down if climate change is to be controlled.

Ultimately, a one child per couple rule is not sustainable either and there is no perfect number for human population. But it is clear that more humans means more greenhouse gas emissions.

Future Fuels —Replacing fossil fuels may prove the great challenge of the 21st century. Many contenders exist, ranging from ethanol derived from crops to hydrogen electrolyzed out of water, but all of them have some drawbacks, too, and none are immediately available at the scale needed.

Biofuels can have a host of negative impacts, from driving up food prices to sucking up more energy than they produce. Hydrogen must be created, requiring either reforming natural gas or electricity to crack water molecules. Biodiesel hybrid electric vehicles (that can plug into the grid overnight) may offer the best transportation solution in the short term, given the energy density of diesel and the carbon neutral ramifications of fuel from plants as well as the emissions of electric engines. A recent study found that the present amount of electricity generation in the U.S. could provide enough energy for the country's entire fleet of automobiles to switch to plug-in hybrids , reducing greenhouse gas emissions in the process.

But plug-in hybrids would still rely on electricity, now predominantly generated by burning dirty coal. Massive investment in low-emission energy generation, whether solar-thermal power or nuclear fission , would be required to radically reduce greenhouse gas emissions. And even more speculative energy sources—hyperefficient photovoltaic cells, solar energy stations in orbit or even fusion—may ultimately be required.

The solutions above offer the outline of a plan to personally avoid contributing to global warming. But should such individual and national efforts fail, there is another, potentially desperate solution:

Experiment Earth —Climate change represents humanity's first planetwide experiment. But, if all else fails, it may not be the last. So-called geoengineering , radical interventions to either block sunlight or reduce greenhouse gases, is a potential last resort for addressing the challenge of climate change.

Among the ideas: releasing sulfate particles in the air to mimic the cooling effects of a massive volcanic eruption; placing millions of small mirrors or lenses in space to deflect sunlight; covering portions of the planet with reflective films to bounce sunlight back into space; fertilizing the oceans with iron or other nutrients to enable plankton to absorb more carbon; and increasing cloud cover or the reflectivity of clouds that already form.

All may have unintended consequences, making the solution worse than the original problem. But it is clear that at least some form of geoengineering will likely be required: capturing carbon dioxide before it is released and storing it in some fashion, either deep beneath the earth, at the bottom of the ocean or in carbonate minerals. Such carbon capture and storage is critical to any serious effort to combat climate change.

Additional reporting by Larry Greenemeier and Nikhil Swaminathan .

New to Climate Change?

What can be done about climate change.

It is not too late to take action on climate change.

The Science

Given what we know about the threats that climate change poses to humans, we must take swift action. As a global community, we need to soon level off—and then decrease—the amount of carbon dioxide (CO 2 ) and other greenhouse gases in the atmosphere. The faster we do this, the less damage we will cause to our world and our way of life.

Stopping the Rise in CO2

The fastest way to address the buildup of CO 2 in the atmosphere is to stop adding more. Many vital parts of our economy emit huge amounts of greenhouse gases: the way we generate electricity and heat for our buildings and industry; the oil we burn to power our cars, trucks and planes; the refrigerants we use to preserve our food and cool our buildings; and the intensive manufacturing processes for making concrete and steel .

And yet there are many ways to reduce the CO 2 from these sectors. We can replace high-emitting fuels like coal, oil and gas with nearly “carbon-free” alternatives, such as solar power , wind power , or nuclear power . We can capture the CO 2 from fossil fuel power and manufacturing plants and store it underground. We can also update our buildings and infrastructure, so that it takes less energy to build and use them.

We can add to these efforts by trying to remove some of the CO 2 that is already in the atmosphere: for instance, by reforesting the Earth, by changing our farming practices to store more carbon in the soil , or through “direct air capture” technology. However, these methods will likely not be able to remove CO 2 quicker than we are now adding it to the atmosphere. We must begin with stopping our runaway greenhouse gas emissions.

Adapting to Change

Because human activity has already added such a large amount of greenhouse gases to the atmosphere, the world is now experiencing the early effects of climate change. We need to prepare for and adapt to these changes, so that we can protect human health, water and food supplies, our cities and towns , and natural habitats. A new field of work has emerged to reinforce coastlines to shield them from rising oceans , grow new crops to match regions’ changing climates, protect our infrastructure from wildfires and hurricanes , and plan for shifting supplies of water and food.

Today, these tasks are still manageable. If we get ahead of the regional changes we know are coming, and if we put the needs of the poorest and most vulnerable first, very few parts of the world will be irreparably damaged by the climate change we have already caused.

But unless we also actively cut our greenhouse gas emissions, unchecked climate change could eventually put safe and just adaptation beyond our reach. This possibility has led some scientists to study more extreme and controversial options, like geoengineering; for example, there are proposals that would try to artificially cool the Earth to counter some of the effects of climate change. Urgent action is needed to avoid the need for these riskier options.

Driving Solutions

Great progress can and must be achieved with the low-carbon technologies we have today. And all of us can help speed the pace at which these technologies take root and spread. Individuals can change their behavior and advocate for ambitious new policies. Corporations can drive change across whole industries. Governments can enact laws to make it easier and cheaper to cut greenhouse gas emissions, and to help communities prepare for new challenges. And intergovernmental agreements such as the Paris Agreement have already created a strong framework for international cooperation and aggressive action, if governments around the world step up their commitments .

At the same time, the world does not have a true alternative to fossil fuels that can meet all our current energy needs, let alone meet an increased demand in the future. We severely lack the suite of solutions to address climate change at an economic and social cost that we can agree to bear.

A tremendous amount of work is taking place at MIT and other scientific and engineering institutions around the world to develop these options, in collaboration with the industries and communities that can deploy and scale them. But to quicken the pace of technological breakthroughs, policymakers need to set the stage now for game-changing advances in multiple fields of science, technology, and policy. To take on the hardest challenges in reducing our emissions, in removing CO 2 from the atmosphere, and in adapting to a changing climate, we urgently need new tools.

Seizing the Opportunity

The MIT community fundamentally agrees that climate change presents grave risks that demand society’s urgent attention. The challenge requires an aggressive and pragmatic plan to achieve a net zero carbon global energy system, the sooner the better, for all of humankind.

If academia, business, government, and citizens act together toward this common goal, we can create a pollution-free energy system; form a prosperous, adaptable and resilient society; keep human, animal, and plant life flourishing; and create a better world for ourselves and generations to come.

You may notice that we, the writers on this site, use the word “we” to collectively refer to those who have benefitted in various ways from burning fossil fuels, those who will face the impacts of climate change, and those whose responsibility it is to act. We did this intentionally to create a sense of community in addressing this challenge. However, we acknowledge that people and groups across the globe have not equally benefitted from the use of fossil fuels, and many – including young people and future generations – will disproportionately endure the consequences. We, those who are affiliated with MIT and those who live in developed countries, are often among those whose activities have historically had a disproportionate impact on climate change. Therefore, we see that we have a greater responsibility – as professionals, citizens, community members, and consumers – to act to reverse its course.

Beef up your knowledge on specific climate change impacts and solutions with our quick explanations about clean energy, climate models, and much more, written by MIT experts.

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How You Can Stop Global Warming

Healing the planet starts in your garage, in your kitchen, and at your dining room table.

Weatherizing doors and windows by sealing drafts can make your home more energy efficient.

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Rising sea levels. Raging storms. Searing heat. Ferocious fires. Severe drought. Punishing floods. The effects of climate change are already threatening our health, our communities, our economy, our security, and our children’s future.

What can you do? A whole lot, as it turns out. Americans, on average, produce 21 tons of carbon a year, about four times the global average. Personal action is, of course, no substitute for meaningful government policies. We still must limit carbon pollution and aggressively move away from dirty fossil fuels toward cleaner power.

But it’s important to remember the equally vital contributions that can be made by private citizens—which is to say, by you. “Change only happens when individuals take action,” says clean energy advocate Aliya Haq. “There’s no other way, if it doesn’t start with people.”

Here are a dozen easy, effective ways each one of us can make a difference.

1. Speak up!

What’s the single biggest way you can make an impact on global climate change? “Talk to your friends and family, and make sure your representatives are making good decisions,” Haq says. By voicing your concerns—via social media or, better yet, directly to your elected officials —you send a message that you care about the warming world. Encourage Congress to enact new laws that limit carbon emissions and require polluters to pay for the emissions they produce. “The main reason elected officials do anything difficult is because their constituents make them,” Haq says. You can help protect public lands, stop offshore drilling, and more here .

2. Power your home with renewable energy.

Choose a utility company that generates at least half its power from wind or solar and has been certified by Green-e Energy , an organization that vets renewable energy options. If that isn’t possible for you, take a look at your electric bill; many utilities now list other ways to support renewable sources on their monthly statements and websites.

3. Weatherize, weatherize, weatherize.

“Building heating and cooling are among the biggest uses of energy,” Haq says. Indeed, heating and air-conditioning account for almost half of home energy use. You can make your space more energy efficient by sealing drafts and ensuring it’s adequately insulated. You can also claim federal tax credits for many energy efficiency home improvements. To help you figure out where to start, you could also get a home energy audit, which some utilities offer free of charge. (Alternatively, you can hire a professional to come to your home and perform one; the Inflation Reduction Act offers a partial tax credit for this.) The EPA’s Home Energy Yardstick gives you a simple assessment of your home’s annual energy use compared with similar homes.

4. Invest in energy-efficient appliances.

Since they were first implemented nationally in 1987, efficiency standards for dozens of appliances and products have kept 2.3 billion tons of carbon dioxide out of the air. That’s about the same amount as the annual carbon pollution coughed up by nearly 440 million cars. “Energy efficiency is the lowest-cost way to reduce emissions,” Haq says. When shopping for refrigerators, washing machines, heat pump water heaters , and other appliances, look for the Energy Star label. It will tell you which are the most efficient. (There may also be rebates to earn from your purchase of Energy Star–certified products.)

And when you’re ready to swap out your old machines, don’t just put them on the curb: Recycling an old refrigerator through the EPA’s Responsible Appliance Disposal Program can prevent an additional 10,000 pounds of carbon pollution because the global-warming pollutants in the refrigerants and foam would be properly captured rather than vented to the air.

5. Reduce water waste.

Saving water reduces carbon pollution, too. That's because it takes a lot of energy to pump, heat, and treat your water. So take shorter showers, turn off the tap while brushing your teeth, and switch to WaterSense -labeled fixtures and appliances. The EPA estimates that if just one out of every 100 American homes were retrofitted with water-efficient fixtures, about 100 million kilowatt-hours of electricity per year would be saved—avoiding 80,000 tons of global warming pollution .

6. Actually eat the food you buy—and compost what you can’t.

Approximately 10 percent of U.S. energy use goes into growing, processing, packaging, and shipping food—about 40 percent of which winds up in the landfill. “If you’re wasting less food, you’re likely cutting down on energy consumption,” Haq says. As for the scraps you can’t eat or the leftovers you don’t get to, collect them in a compost bin instead of sending them to the landfill where they release methane. Recycling food and other organic waste into compost provides a range of environmental benefits, including improving soil health, reducing greenhouse gas emissions, recycling nutrients, and mitigating the impact of droughts.

7. Buy better bulbs.

LED light bulbs use one-sixth the amount of energy to deliver the same amount of light as conventional incandescents and last at least 10 times longer. They’re also cheaper in the long run: A 10-watt LED that replaces your traditional 60-watt bulb will save you $125 over the light bulb’s life. And because the average American home has around 40 to 50 light bulbs, this is a simple swap that will reap huge rewards. If every household in the United States replaced just one incandescent with an Energy Star–labeled LED, we would prevent seven billion pounds of carbon pollution per year. That’s equivalent to the emissions of about 648,000 cars.

8. Pull the plug(s).

Taken together, the outlets in your home are likely powering about 65 devices—an average load for a home in the United States. Audio and video devices, cordless vacuums and power tools, and other electronics use energy even when they're not charging. This "idle load" across all U.S. households adds up to the output of 50 large power plants in the country . So don't leave fully charged devices plugged into your home's outlets, unplug rarely used devices or plug them into power strips and timers, and adjust your computers and monitors to automatically power down to the lowest power mode when not in use.

9. Drive a fuel-efficient vehicle.

Gas-smart cars, such as hybrids and fully electric vehicles, save fuel and money . And once all cars and light trucks meet 2025’s clean car standards, which means averaging 54.5 miles per gallon, they’ll be a mainstay. For good reason: Relative to a national fleet of vehicles that averaged only 28.3 miles per gallon in 2011, Americans will spend $80 billion less at the pump each year and cut their automotive emissions by half. Before you buy a new set of wheels, compare fuel-economy performance here .

10. Maintain your ride.

If all Americans kept their tires properly inflated, we could save 1.2 billion gallons of gas each year. A simple tune-up can boost miles per gallon anywhere from 4 percent to 40 percent, and a new air filter can get you a 10 percent boost. Also, remove unnecessary accessories from your car roof. Roof racks and clamshell storage containers can reduce fuel efficiency by as much as 5 percent.

11. Rethink planes, trains, and automobiles.

Choosing to live in walkable smart-growth cities and towns with quality public transportation leads to less driving, less money spent on fuel, and less pollution in the air . Less frequent flying can make a big difference, too. “Air transport is a major source of climate pollution,” Haq says. “If you can take a train instead, do that.” If you must fly, consider purchasing carbon offsets to counterbalance the hefty carbon pollution associated with flying. But not all carbon offset companies are alike. Do your homework to find the best supplier.

12. Reduce, reuse, and recycle.

In the United States, the average person generates 4.5 pounds of trash every day. Fortunately, not all the items we discard end up in landfills; we recycle or compost more than one-third of our trash. In 2014 this saved carbon emissions equivalent to the yearly output of 38 million passenger cars . But we could be doing so much more. “ Reduce should always be the number-one priority,” says NRDC senior resource specialist Darby Hoover . And to reap the environmental benefits of “recyclable” goods, you must recycle according to the rules of your municipality, since systems vary widely by location . Search your municipality’s sanitation department (or equivalent) webpage to learn exactly what you can place in the recycling bin, as counties and cities often differ in what they accept.

This story was originally published on April 20, 2022 and has been updated with new information and links.

This NRDC.org story is available for online republication by news media outlets or nonprofits under these conditions: The writer(s) must be credited with a byline; you must note prominently that the story was originally published by NRDC.org and link to the original; the story cannot be edited (beyond simple things such as grammar); you can’t resell the story in any form or grant republishing rights to other outlets; you can’t republish our material wholesale or automatically—you need to select stories individually; you can’t republish the photos or graphics on our site without specific permission; you should drop us a note to let us know when you’ve used one of our stories.

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A sunset lights a glacier in New Zealand's Fiordland National Park. Around the world, many glaciers are melting quickly as the planet warms.

• ENVIRONMENT

Are there real ways to fight climate change? Yes.

Humans have the solutions to fight a global environmental crisis. Do we have the will?

The evidence that humans are causing climate change, with drastic consequences for life on the planet, is overwhelming .

Experts began raising the alarm about global warming in 1979 , a change now referred to under the broader term climate change , preferred by scientists to describe the complex shifts now affecting our planet’s weather and climate systems. Climate change encompasses not only rising average temperatures but also extreme weather events, shifting wildlife populations and habitats, rising seas , and a range of other impacts.  

Over 200 countries—193 countries plus the 27 members of the European Union—have signed the Paris Climate Agreement , a treaty created in 2015 to fight climate change on a global scale. The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), which synthesizes the scientific consensus on the issue, has set a goal of keeping warming under 2°C (3.6°F) and pursuing an even lower warming cap of 1.5 °C (2.7° F).

But no country has created policies that will keep the world below 1.5 °C, according to the Climate Action Tracker . Current emissions have the world on track to warm 2.8°C by the end of this century.  

Addressing climate change will require many solutions —there's no magic bullet. Yet nearly all of these solutions exist today. They range from worldwide changes to where we source our electricity to protecting forests from deforestation.  

The promise of new technology

Better technology will help reduce emissions from activities like manufacturing and driving.  

Scientists are working on ways to sustainably produce hydrogen, most of which is currently derived from natural gas, to feed zero-emission fuel cells for transportation and electricity.  

Renewable energy is growing, and in the U.S., a combination of wind, solar, geothermal, and other renewable sources provide 20 percen t of the nation’s electricity.  

New technological developments promise to build better batteries to store that renewable energy, engineer a smarter electric grid, and capture carbon dioxide from power plants and store it underground or turn it into valuable products such as gasoline . Some argue that nuclear power—despite concerns over safety, water use, and toxic waste—should also be part of the solution, because nuclear plants don't contribute any direct air pollution while operating.

Should we turn to geoengineering?

While halting new greenhouse gas emissions is critical, scientists say we need to extract existing carbon dioxide from the atmosphere, effectively sucking it out of the sky.  

Pulling carbon out of the atmosphere is a type of geoengineering , a science that interferes with the Earth’s natural systems, and it’s a controversial approach to fighting climate change.

Other types of geoengineering involve spraying sunlight-reflecting aerosols into the air or blocking the sun with a giant space mirror. Studies suggest we don’t know enough about the potential dangers of geoengineering to deploy it.

Restoring nature to protect the planet  

Planting trees, restoring seagrasses, and boosting the use of agricultural cover crops could help clean up significant amounts of carbon dioxide .  

The Amazon rainforest is an important reservoir of the Earth’s carbon, but a study published in 2021, showed deforestation was transforming this reservoir into a source of pollution.  

Restoring and protecting nature may provide as much as   37 percent of the climate mitigation needed to reach the Paris Agreement’s 203o targets. Protecting these ecosystems can also benefit biodiversity, providing a win-win for nature .

Adapt—or else

Communities around the world are already recognizing that adaptation must also be part of the response to climate change . From flood-prone coastal towns to regions facing increased droughts and fires, a new wave of initiatives focuses on boosting resilience . Those include managing or preventing land erosion, building microgrids and other energy systems built to withstand disruptions, and designing buildings with rising sea levels in mind.

Last year, the Inflation Reduction Act was signed into law and was a historic investment in fighting and adapting to climate change.

( Read more about how the bill will dramatically reduce emissions. )

Recent books such as Drawdown and Designing Climate Solutions have proposed bold yet simple plans for reversing our current course. The ideas vary, but the message is consistent: We already have many of the tools needed to address climate change. Some of the concepts are broad ones that governments and businesses must implement, but many other ideas involve changes that anyone can make— eating less   meat , for example, or rethinking your modes of transport .

"We have the technology today to rapidly move to a clean energy system," write the authors of Designing Climate Solutions . "And the price of that future, without counting environmental benefits, is about the same as that of a carbon-intensive future."

Sarah Gibbens contributed reporting to this article.

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Lesson of the Day

Explore 7 Climate Change Solutions

In this lesson, students will use a jigsaw activity to learn about some of the most effective strategies and technologies that can help head off the worst effects of global warming.

By Natalie Proulx

Lesson Overview

Earlier this summer, a report issued by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change , a body of scientists convened by the United Nations, found that some devastating impacts of global warming were unavoidable. But there is still a short window to stop things from getting even worse.

This report will be central at COP26 , the international climate summit where about 20,000 heads of state, diplomats and activists are meeting in person this week to set new targets for cutting emissions from coal, oil and gas that are heating the planet.

In this lesson, you will learn about seven ways we can slow down climate change and head off some of its most catastrophic consequences while we still have time. Using a jigsaw activity , you’ll become an expert in one of these strategies or technologies and share what you learn with your classmates. Then, you will develop your own climate plan and consider ways you can make a difference based on your new knowledge.

What do you know about the ways the world can slow climate change? Start by making a list of strategies, technologies or policies that could help solve the climate crisis.

Which of your ideas do you think could have the biggest impact on climate change? Circle what you think might be the top three.

Now, test your knowledge by taking this 2017 interactive quiz:

How Much Do You Know About Solving Global Warming?

A new book presents 100 potential solutions. Can you figure out which ones are top ranked?

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How Do Governments Combat Climate Change?

In this free resource, explore seven ways countries are responding to a changing environment, from cap and trade policies to clean energy standards.

Actor Joaquin Phoenix (center) stands with protestors waiting to be arrested on the steps of the U.S. Capitol Building during a climate change protest and rally on Capitol Hill on January 10, 2020 in Washington, D.C.

Source: Paul Morigi/Getty Images

Have you ever brought a reusable tote bag to the grocery store? Or refilled a water bottle rather than buying a disposable one? Do you separate your recycling from your trash? 

If you answered yes to any of those questions, you’re not alone. In the United States, more than half of all adults claim to have taken some action to protect the environment. But will individual actions be enough to address the massive, transnational challenge of climate change? Unfortunately, no.

Almost all experts agree that governments—not just individuals or private businesses—play a critical role in the fight against climate change. However, they disagree on the most effective options to address the problem. This resource outlines seven policies aimed at combating climate change and explores their potential upsides and downsides for society.

U.S. Senators Claire McCaskill, Sherrod Brown, and Robert Menendez, during a news conference announcing legislation aimed at ending subsidies to the five largest oil companies, on May 10, 2011.

Source: Scott J. Ferrell/Congressional Quarterly via Getty Images

Carbon taxes

Greenhouse gas emissions , such as carbon dioxide, pollute the atmosphere and change the climate. Carbon taxes attempt to minimize those emissions by requiring the largest greenhouse gas producers—for instance, coal-fired power plants—to pay for the damage they cause. By attaching fees to emissions, carbon taxes encourage people, businesses, and governments to emit less.

Governments can use the revenue generated from these fees to pay for social programs, invest in clean energy, or lower taxes for the public. However, some experts believe carbon taxes cause economic strain for people in lower income brackets. For example, if electric companies respond to carbon taxes by raising prices, the increase can disproportionately affect low-income households, which on average spend greater percentages of their earnings on utilities than wealthier households do.

Where it worked: Since becoming one of the first countries to implement a national carbon tax in 1991, Sweden has successfully lowered its greenhouse gas emissions by 27 percent. And although critics believed the tax would stunt the economy, Sweden’s gross domestic product has since doubled. Today, more than thirty countries have implemented a national carbon tax, including Argentina, Canada, Japan, Singapore, and Ukraine.

An onshore processing facility at the Prigorodnoye production complex of the Sakhalin Energy Company on the southern shore of Sakhalin Island, Russia, on July 14, 2021.

Source: Yuri Smityuk/TASS via Getty Images

Cap and trade

The term cap and trade refers to a government program designed to limit (or cap) private-sector greenhouse gas emissions . In cap and trade systems, governments allocate or sell a set number of permits, each of which represents the right to emit a specific amount of greenhouse gases . If a company needs more permits to make its product, it has to trade with another company to buy them. So, as with a carbon tax , companies directly pay for their pollution. 

However, unlike carbon taxes, cap and trade programs ensure emissions in a city or country do not exceed a designated limit. Today, thirteen U.S. states, China, Mexico, and every country in the European Union have implemented cap and trade systems. But experts disagree on whether these policies are more effective than carbon taxes at limiting emissions.

Where it worked: In 2013, California launched one of the United States’ first cap and trade programs. As a result, the state’s emissions fell by 10 percent between 2013 and 2018.

Electric cars stand in front of a charging station in a residential area in the Prenzlauer Berg district of Berlin on September 2, 2021.

Source: Carsten Koall/Picture Alliance via Getty Images

Clean energy standards

Electricity generation accounts for 31  percent of U.S. greenhouse gas emissions . To decrease emissions, around two-thirds of U.S. states have implemented clean energy standards—laws that encourage utility companies to generate a certain percentage of their electricity from low-emission energy sources, such as solar or wind power. However, each state’s standard varies in how it defines clean energy, what percentage of low-emission energy it requires or recommends, and whether the standard is mandatory or voluntary.

Where it worked: In 1999, Texas instituted a clean energy standard to source ten thousand megawatts of electricity—enough energy to power a thousand homes for a year—from renewable energy by 2025. This standard helped kick start growth in the state’s renewable energy sector, and by 2010, Texas had surpassed its goal for 2025. Today, Texas generates around 25 percent of its electricity from renewable sources. However, the state’s fossil fuel sector still leads the country in greenhouse gas emissions.

Youth activist Greta Thunberg speaks at the Climate Action Summit at the United Nations on September 23, 2019 in New York City.

Source: Stephanie Keith/Getty Images

International agreements

In 2020, UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres announced the world needed to reach net-zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2050 in order to limit global warming to 1.5°C. His statement made one thing clear: climate change is a global problem that requires a global response. 

Over the past three decades, countries have worked together to coordinate this response through international agreements such as the Kyoto Protocol . However, those agreements have varied in effectiveness, with countries disagreeing on goals for emissions reductions and rules on how to enforce emissions cuts. 

Where it worked: One of the most significant climate agreements in history, the Paris Agreement requires its almost two hundred signatories to set individual goals to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. Nearly every country in the world has signed on, and over sixty countries (including top emitters the United States and China) have pledged to achieve net-zero emissions by 2060. Although participation in the voluntary agreement is near universal, experts believe countries’ pledges are not ambitious enough to meet the agreement’s target of limiting global warming to 1.5°C.

A family takes shelter on the rooftop as river embankments have broken and several villages flooded on May 28, 2021 in South 24 Parganas, West Bengal, India.

Source: Dipayan Bose/NurPhoto via Getty Images

Adaptation policies

Extreme weather events such as heat waves, droughts, and floods are getting worse. To address these consequences of climate change, governments have instituted adaptation policies aimed at making cities, states, and even countries less vulnerable to these disasters. 

Adaptation policies range from creating evacuation plans to building roads and bridges that can withstand rising sea levels and extreme weather conditions. Some governments have also turned to innovative strategies such as building public parks that can absorb and store water in the event of floods.

Where it worked: Many governments are trying to ensure their adaptation programs serve the needs of low-income communities, whom climate change will most greatly affect. For instance, the United States’ Low-Income Home Energy Assistance Program helps vulnerable communities cover heating and cooling costs during heat waves or severe winters. Health departments in cities such as New York and Paris have also created public cooling centers to protect their citizens who lack access to air conditioning. And in Philadelphia, the city even sponsored “Beat the Heat” block parties to distribute air conditioners, fans, and ice water to local residents.

People walk past the New York Stock Exchange on a rainy day in the Financial District on October 11, 2018 in New York City.

Source: Drew Angerer/Getty Images

Minimizing financial risks of climate change

On the world’s current climate trajectory, researchers predict the global economy could lose up to $23 trillion per year by 2100 due to climate factors such as falling crop yields, increasing disease rates, and rising sea levels. For comparison, that’s around double the global economic losses from the 2008 financial crisis. 

To avoid future financial instability, governments have begun implementing policies to prepare for climate-related economic shocks. These policies include mandating that all citizens have access to fire insurance and requiring that banks disclose whether climate change has the potential to affect their investments.

Where it worked: Countries such as the United Kingdom run financial stress tests to determine whether a bank or financial system has enough money to function in the event of a disaster. For example, say the Thames River overflows and destroys houses across London; these simulations would check whether banks have enough money to give out loans for home repairs and survive the loss of revenue from fewer home sales.

Solar panels produce renewable energy at the photovoltaic park in Les Mees, in the department of Alpes-de-Haute-Provence, in southern France on March 31, 2015.

Source: Source: Jean-Paul Pelissier/Reuters

Tech investment

From the internet to self-driving cars, governments have long invested in cutting-edge technology. And for the past few decades, many have supported the research and development of technology designed to greatly reduce greenhouse gas emissions. Let’s take a closer look at a few of those technologies.

Renewable energy :  A majority of the world’s energy comes from fossil fuels such as petroleum, natural gas, and coal. In recent decades, many governments have begun investing in low-emission alternatives to fossil fuels called renewable energy technologies, which harness energy generated by natural resources including wind and the sun. Because the cost of producing renewable energy has fallen by as much as 88 percent in the past decade, some experts predict renewable sources could produce more than half of the world’s electricity as soon as 2035.

Nuclear energy uses fission —a reaction that occurs when splitting an atom—to generate electricity without producing greenhouse gas emissions . In Biden's IRA package, a $6 billion dollar program was launched to support the nuclear energy sector, which accounts for nearly 20 percent of the country's electricity generation. This funding arose just as the number of nuclear reactors has stagnated in recent decades, in part due to high-profile disasters at nuclear plants such as Chernobyl and Fukushima. Although regulatory bodies hold nuclear plants to strict safety standards, polls show that many Americans still fear nuclear power is unsafe, raising challenges for the expansion of nuclear power in the United States.

Carbon capture: As of 2021, emissions from factories and power plants make up nearly half of total greenhouse gas emissions in the United States. But with carbon capture technology, factories and power plants can cut their emissions by up to 90 percent by capturing and storing the carbon they produce underground instead of sending it into the atmosphere. However, existing carbon capture technology is costly and therefore not widely adopted.

Geoengineering projects aim to change natural systems to combat climate change. They typically fall into two categories: those that remove carbon directly from the atmosphere and those that drop global temperatures by reflecting sunlight away from the planet. These projects involve anything from planting billions of trees to sending giant mirrors into Earth’s orbit. However, critics point out that some forms of geoengineering could potentially have dangerous unintended consequences for the environment.

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Where does global warming occur in the atmosphere, why is global warming a social problem, where does global warming affect polar bears.

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Human activity affects global surface temperatures by changing Earth ’s radiative balance—the “give and take” between what comes in during the day and what Earth emits at night. Increases in greenhouse gases —i.e., trace gases such as carbon dioxide and methane that absorb heat energy emitted from Earth’s surface and reradiate it back—generated by industry and transportation cause the atmosphere to retain more heat, which increases temperatures and alters precipitation patterns.

Global warming, the phenomenon of increasing average air temperatures near Earth’s surface over the past one to two centuries, happens mostly in the troposphere , the lowest level of the atmosphere, which extends from Earth’s surface up to a height of 6–11 miles. This layer contains most of Earth’s clouds and is where living things and their habitats and weather primarily occur.

Continued global warming is expected to impact everything from energy use to water availability to crop productivity throughout the world. Poor countries and communities with limited abilities to adapt to these changes are expected to suffer disproportionately. Global warming is already being associated with increases in the incidence of severe and extreme weather, heavy flooding , and wildfires —phenomena that threaten homes, dams, transportation networks, and other facets of human infrastructure. Learn more about how the IPCC’s Sixth Assessment Report, released in 2021, describes the social impacts of global warming.

Polar bears live in the Arctic , where they use the region’s ice floes as they hunt seals and other marine mammals . Temperature increases related to global warming have been the most pronounced at the poles, where they often make the difference between frozen and melted ice. Polar bears rely on small gaps in the ice to hunt their prey. As these gaps widen because of continued melting, prey capture has become more challenging for these animals.

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global warming , the phenomenon of increasing average air temperatures near the surface of Earth over the past one to two centuries. Climate scientists have since the mid-20th century gathered detailed observations of various weather phenomena (such as temperatures, precipitation , and storms) and of related influences on climate (such as ocean currents and the atmosphere’s chemical composition). These data indicate that Earth’s climate has changed over almost every conceivable timescale since the beginning of geologic time and that human activities since at least the beginning of the Industrial Revolution have a growing influence over the pace and extent of present-day climate change .

Giving voice to a growing conviction of most of the scientific community , the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) was formed in 1988 by the World Meteorological Organization (WMO) and the United Nations Environment Program (UNEP). The IPCC’s Sixth Assessment Report (AR6), published in 2021, noted that the best estimate of the increase in global average surface temperature between 1850 and 2019 was 1.07 °C (1.9 °F). An IPCC special report produced in 2018 noted that human beings and their activities have been responsible for a worldwide average temperature increase between 0.8 and 1.2 °C (1.4 and 2.2 °F) since preindustrial times, and most of the warming over the second half of the 20th century could be attributed to human activities.

AR6 produced a series of global climate predictions based on modeling five greenhouse gas emission scenarios that accounted for future emissions, mitigation (severity reduction) measures, and uncertainties in the model projections. Some of the main uncertainties include the precise role of feedback processes and the impacts of industrial pollutants known as aerosols , which may offset some warming. The lowest-emissions scenario, which assumed steep cuts in greenhouse gas emissions beginning in 2015, predicted that the global mean surface temperature would increase between 1.0 and 1.8 °C (1.8 and 3.2 °F) by 2100 relative to the 1850–1900 average. This range stood in stark contrast to the highest-emissions scenario, which predicted that the mean surface temperature would rise between 3.3 and 5.7 °C (5.9 and 10.2 °F) by 2100 based on the assumption that greenhouse gas emissions would continue to increase throughout the 21st century. The intermediate-emissions scenario, which assumed that emissions would stabilize by 2050 before declining gradually, projected an increase of between 2.1 and 3.5 °C (3.8 and 6.3 °F) by 2100.

Many climate scientists agree that significant societal, economic, and ecological damage would result if the global average temperature rose by more than 2 °C (3.6 °F) in such a short time. Such damage would include increased extinction of many plant and animal species, shifts in patterns of agriculture , and rising sea levels. By 2015 all but a few national governments had begun the process of instituting carbon reduction plans as part of the Paris Agreement , a treaty designed to help countries keep global warming to 1.5 °C (2.7 °F) above preindustrial levels in order to avoid the worst of the predicted effects. Whereas authors of the 2018 special report noted that should carbon emissions continue at their present rate, the increase in average near-surface air temperature would reach 1.5 °C sometime between 2030 and 2052, authors of the AR6 report suggested that this threshold would be reached by 2041 at the latest.

The AR6 report also noted that the global average sea level had risen by some 20 cm (7.9 inches) between 1901 and 2018 and that sea level rose faster in the second half of the 20th century than in the first half. It also predicted, again depending on a wide range of scenarios, that the global average sea level would rise by different amounts by 2100 relative to the 1995–2014 average. Under the report’s lowest-emission scenario, sea level would rise by 28–55 cm (11–21.7 inches), whereas, under the intermediate emissions scenario, sea level would rise by 44–76 cm (17.3–29.9 inches). The highest-emissions scenario suggested that sea level would rise by 63–101 cm (24.8–39.8 inches) by 2100.

The scenarios referred to above depend mainly on future concentrations of certain trace gases, called greenhouse gases , that have been injected into the lower atmosphere in increasing amounts through the burning of fossil fuels for industry, transportation , and residential uses. Modern global warming is the result of an increase in magnitude of the so-called greenhouse effect , a warming of Earth’s surface and lower atmosphere caused by the presence of water vapour , carbon dioxide , methane , nitrous oxides , and other greenhouse gases. In 2014 the IPCC first reported that concentrations of carbon dioxide, methane, and nitrous oxides in the atmosphere surpassed those found in ice cores dating back 800,000 years.

Of all these gases, carbon dioxide is the most important, both for its role in the greenhouse effect and for its role in the human economy. It has been estimated that, at the beginning of the industrial age in the mid-18th century, carbon dioxide concentrations in the atmosphere were roughly 280 parts per million (ppm). By the end of 2022 they had risen to 419 ppm, and, if fossil fuels continue to be burned at current rates, they are projected to reach 550 ppm by the mid-21st century—essentially, a doubling of carbon dioxide concentrations in 300 years.

A vigorous debate is in progress over the extent and seriousness of rising surface temperatures, the effects of past and future warming on human life, and the need for action to reduce future warming and deal with its consequences. This article provides an overview of the scientific background related to the subject of global warming. It considers the causes of rising near-surface air temperatures, the influencing factors, the process of climate research and forecasting, and the possible ecological and social impacts of rising temperatures. For an overview of the public policy developments related to global warming occurring since the mid-20th century, see global warming policy . For a detailed description of Earth’s climate, its processes, and the responses of living things to its changing nature, see climate . For additional background on how Earth’s climate has changed throughout geologic time , see climatic variation and change . For a full description of Earth’s gaseous envelope, within which climate change and global warming occur, see atmosphere .

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• Published: 16 November 2022

Climate change and human behaviour

Nature Human Behaviour volume  6 ,  pages 1441–1442 ( 2022 ) Cite this article

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Climate change is an immense challenge. Human behaviour is crucial in climate change mitigation, and in tackling the arising consequences. In this joint Focus issue between Nature Climate Change and Nature Human Behaviour , we take a closer look at the role of human behaviour in the climate crisis.

In the late 19th century, the scientist (and suffragette) Eunice Newton Foote published a paper suggesting that a build-up of carbon dioxide in the Earth’s atmosphere could cause increased surface temperatures 1 . In the mid-20th century, the British engineer Guy Callendar was the first to concretize the link between carbon dioxide levels and global warming 2 . Now, a century and a half after Foote’s work, there is overwhelming scientific evidence that human behaviour is the main driver of climatic changes and global warming.

The negative effects of rising temperatures on the environment, biodiversity and human health are becoming increasingly noticeable. The years 2020 and 2016 were among the hottest since the record keeping of annual surface temperatures began in 1880 (ref. 3 ). Throughout 2022, the globe was plagued by record-breaking heatwaves. Even regions with a naturally warm climate, such as Pakistan or India, experienced some of their hottest days much earlier in the year — very probably a consequence of climate change 4 . According to the National Centers for Environmental Information of the United States, the surface global temperature during the decade leading up to 2020 was +0.82 °C (+1.48 °F) above the 20th-century average 5 . It is clear that we are facing a global crisis that requires urgent action.

During the Climate Change Conference (COP21) of the United Nations in Paris 2015, 196 parties adopted a legally binding treaty with the aim to limit global warming to ideally 1.5 °C and a maximum of 2 °C, compared to pre-industrial levels. A recent report issued by the UN suggests that we are very unlikely to meet the targets of the Paris Agreement. Instead, current policies are likely to cause temperatures to increase up to 2.8 °C this century 6 . The report suggests that to get on track to 2 °C, new pledges would need to be four times higher — and seven times higher to get on track to 1.5 °C. This November, world leaders will meet for the 27th time to coordinate efforts in facing the climate crisis and mitigating the effects during COP27 in Sharm El-Sheikh, Egypt.

This Focus issue

Human behaviour is not only one of the primary drivers of climate change but also is equally crucial for mitigating the impact of the Anthropocene. In 2022, this was also explicitly acknowledged in the report of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC). For the first time, the IPCC directly discussed behavioural, social and cultural dynamics in climate change mitigation 7 . This joint Focus highlights some of the aspects of the human factor that are central in the adaptation to and prevention of a warming climate, and the mitigation of negative consequences. It features original pieces, and also includes a curated collection of already published content from across journals in the Nature Portfolio.

Human behaviour is a neglected factor in climate science

In the light of the empirical evidence for the role of human behaviour in climatic changes, it is curious that the ‘human factor’ has not always received much attention in key research areas, such as climate modelling. For a long time, climate models to predict global warming and emissions did not account for it. This oversight meant that predictions made by these models have differed greatly in their projected rise in temperatures 8 , 9 .

Human behaviour is complex and multidimensional, making it difficult — but crucial — to account for it in climate models. In a Review , Brian Beckage and colleagues thus look at existing social climate models and make recommendations for how these models can better embed human behaviour in their forecasting.

The psychology of climate change

The complexity of humans is also reflected in their psychology. Despite an overwhelming scientific consensus on anthropogenic climate change, research suggests that many people underestimate the effects of it, are sceptical of it or deny its existence altogether. In a Review , Matthew Hornsey and Stephan Lewandowsky look at the psychological origins of such beliefs, as well as the roles of think tanks and political affiliation.

Psychologists are not only concerned with understanding and addressing climate scepticism but are also increasingly worried about mental health consequences. Two narrative Reviews address this topic. Neil Adger et al. discuss the direct and indirect pathways by which climate change affects well-being, and Fiona Charlson et al. adopt a clinical perspective in their piece. They review the literature on the clinical implications of climate change and provide practical suggestions for mental health practitioners.

Individual- and system-level behaviour change

To limit global warming to a minimum, system-level and individual-level behaviour change is necessary. Several pieces in this Focus discuss how such change can be facilitated.

Many interventions for individual behaviour change and for motivating environmental behaviour have been proposed. In a Review , Anne van Valkengoed and colleagues introduce a classification system that links different interventions to the determinants of individual environmental behaviour. Practitioners can use the system to design targeted interventions for behaviour change.

Ideally, interventions are scalable and result in system-level change. Scalability requires an understanding of public perceptions and behaviours, as Mirjam Jenny and Cornelia Betsch explain in a Comment . They draw on the experiences of the COVID-19 pandemic and discuss crucial structures, such as data observatories, for the collection of reliable large-scale data.

Such knowledge is also key for designing robust climate policies. Three Comments in Nature Climate Change look at how insights from behavioural science can inform policy making in areas such as natural-disaster insurance markets , carbon taxing and the assignment of responsibility for supply chain emissions .

Time to act

To buck the trend of rising temperatures, immediate and significant climate action is needed.

Natural disasters have become more frequent and occur at ever-closer intervals. The changing climate is driving biodiversity loss, and affecting human physical and mental health. Unfortunately, the conversations about climate change mitigation are often dominated by Global North and ‘WEIRD’ (Western, educated, industrialized, rich and democratic) perspectives, neglecting the views of countries in the Global South. In a Correspondence , Charles Ogunbode reminds us that climate justice is social justice in the Global South and that, while being a minor contributor to emissions and global warming, this region has to bear many of the consequences.

The fight against climate change is a collective endeavour and requires large-scale solutions. Collective action, however, usually starts with individuals who raise awareness and drive change. In two Q&As, Nature Human Behaviour entered into conversation with people who recognized the power of individual behaviour and took action.

Licypriya Kangujam is a 10-year-old climate activist based in India. She tells us how she hopes to raise the voices of the children of the world in the fight against climate change and connect individuals who want to take action.

Wolfgang Knorr is a former academic who co-founded Faculty for a Future to help academics to transform their careers and address pressing societal issues. In a Q&A , he describes his motivations to leave academia and offers advice on how academics can create impact.

Mitigation of climate change (as well as adaptation to its existing effects) is not possible without human behaviour change, be it on the individual, collective or policy level. The contents of this Focus shed light on the complexities that human behaviour bears, but also point towards future directions. It is the duty of us all to turn this knowledge into action.

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Climate change and human behaviour. Nat Hum Behav 6 , 1441–1442 (2022). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41562-022-01490-9

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What can we do to slow or stop global warming?

There is no one-size-fits-all approach to stopping or slowing global warming, and each individual, business, municipal, state, tribal, and federal entity must weigh their options in light of their own unique set of circumstances.  Experts say  it is likely many strategies working together will be needed. Generally speaking, here are some examples of mitigation strategies we can use to slow or stop the human-caused global warming ( learn more ):

• Where possible, we can switch to renewable sources of energy (such as solar and wind energy) to power our homes and buildings, thus emitting far less heat-trapping gases into the atmosphere.
• Where feasible, we can drive electric vehicles instead of those that burn fossil fuels; or we can use mass transit instead of driving our own cars.
• Where affordable, we can conserve energy by better insulating our homes and buildings, and by replacing old, failing appliances with more energy-efficient models.
• Where practicable, we can counterbalance our annual carbon dioxide emissions by investing in commercial services that draw down an equal amount of carbon out of the atmosphere, such as through planting trees or  carbon capture and storage  techniques.
• Where practical, we can support more local businesses that use and promote sustainable, climate-smart practices such as those listed above.
• We can consider placing an upper limit on the amount of carbon dioxide we will allow ourselves to emit into the atmosphere within a given timeframe.

Note that NOAA doesn’t advocate for or against particular climate policies. Instead, NOAA’s role is to provide data and scientific information about climate, including how it has changed and is likely to change in the future depending on different climate policies or actions society may or may not take. More guidance on courses of action can be found in the National Academy of Sciences' 2010 report, titled  Informing an Effective Response to Climate Change . Also learn more  here,   here,  and  here .

Thanks to low friction between train wheels and tracks, and level train tracks with gradual turns, trains have high energy efficiency. Photo from National Park Service Amtrak Trails and Rails .

Stabilizing global temperature near its current level requires eliminating all emissions of heat-trapping gases or, equivalently, achieving a carbon-neutral society in which people remove as much carbon from the atmosphere as they emit. Achieving this goal will require substantial societal changes in energy technologies and infrastructure that go beyond the collective actions of individuals and households to reduce emissions.

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16 ways to take action on climate

Looking for easy and simple ways to make high-impact, achievable steps to reduce your carbon pollution and persuade others to do the same? Here are 16 actions:

These actions, derived from experts and research by the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) alongside others, are featured as part the Count Us In campaign, a diverse coalition of culture, faith, sport, cities and businesses.

Organizers hope the activities and support of the partners will inspire one billion people to take practical steps to reduce carbon pollution and challenge leaders to act more boldly on climate.

Individual action can make a significant impact. Count Us In organizers estimate that if 1 billion people take practical action in their own lives, they could reduce as much as 20 per cent of global carbon emissions.

“We are in the midst of three planetary crises – the climate crisis, the nature crisis, and the pollution and waste crisis. Fuelled by unsustainable consumption and production, the three crises are destroying the natural systems that allow our economies to thrive. In this decade that will define how we live on the planet, we need to crowd in people and action like never before. Every individual action counts and must be counted,” said UNEP’s Executive Director Inger Andersen.

Keep track of your impact

Whether you sign up on the Count Us In platform or through a partner platform like the United Nations #ActNow campaign , you can count your step alongside millions of others.

Daily tips and a mechanism to track your habits are available through a new online #ActNow application from AWorld. Begin your sustainable journey here:

• Download for iPhone or iPad iOS
• Download for Android devices

Count Us In was launched at TED Countdown , a global initiative powered by TED and Future Stewards to champion and accelerate solutions to the climate crisis. 

Related event: TEDxUNEP: Racing to Zero with Higher Education

• UNEP and the climate emergency

While there are now  high levels of awareness  of climate change, there remains confusion and misinformation about what actions are necessary and wide misapprehension that climate action will have a negative impact on peoples’ lives.

UNEP stands at the core of the action in the fight against climate change. Its work cuts across the fields of science, policy, technology and finance . The organization works with countries to pursue low-emission development and boost their capacity to adapt and be resilient to climate heating through nature-based solutions .

• Clean fuels
• Waste management

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Words at Ease

6 Example Speeches on Climate Change

Climate change is one of the most pressing issues of our time, affecting every corner of the globe and every aspect of our lives.

As a speaker, addressing this topic can be challenging, but it’s also an opportunity to inspire action and create meaningful change.

Example Speeches on Climate Change

In this article, we’ll explore six example speeches on climate change, each tailored to different audiences and occasions.

Whether you’re looking for a short, impactful speech or a longer, more in-depth exploration of the issue, you’ll find inspiration and guidance here.

So, let’s get started and see how we can use the power of words to tackle one of the greatest challenges of our generation.

Speech 1: A Call to Action (Short – 300 words)

Friends, we gather here today because our planet is in crisis. The science is clear: climate change is real, it’s happening now, and it’s caused by human activity. We’ve seen the devastating effects all around us – from rising sea levels and more frequent natural disasters to droughts, famines, and the loss of biodiversity. But we also know that it’s not too late to act. We have the power to change course, to build a more sustainable future for ourselves and for generations to come.

So, what can we do? First, we must recognize that every action counts. From the choices we make as individuals – like reducing our energy consumption and waste – to the policies we support as citizens, we all have a role to play. Second, we must hold our leaders accountable. We need bold, decisive action at every level of government to transition to clean energy, protect vulnerable communities, and build resilience against the impacts of climate change.

But most importantly, we must act together. Climate change is a global problem that requires global solutions. We must stand united, across borders and differences, in our commitment to this fight. Because when we work together, there’s nothing we can’t achieve.

So let us leave here today with a renewed sense of purpose. Let us go out into the world and be the change we wish to see. Let us build a future where our planet thrives, where our communities are resilient, and where every person has the chance to live with dignity and hope. The time for action is now – let’s get to work.

— END OF SPEECH —

Commentary: This short speech is a powerful call to action on climate change. It acknowledges the severity of the problem, highlights the importance of individual and collective action, and ends with an inspiring vision for the future. This speech would be suitable for a rally, a community event, or any occasion where you want to motivate people to get involved in the fight against climate change.

Speech 2: The Business Case for Climate Action (Medium-length – 500 words)

As business leaders, we have a unique opportunity – and a profound responsibility – to drive the transition to a low-carbon economy. For too long, we’ve treated climate change as a distant threat, something to be dealt with in the future. But the reality is that the impacts of climate change are already being felt, and they pose significant risks to our businesses, our communities, and our planet.

The good news is that tackling climate change isn’t just the right thing to do – it’s also good for business. By investing in clean energy, sustainable supply chains, and climate-resilient infrastructure, we can not only reduce our environmental impact but also create new opportunities for growth and innovation.

Consider the facts: renewable energy is now cheaper than fossil fuels in many parts of the world, and the cost continues to fall. Companies that embrace sustainability are seeing increased customer loyalty, employee satisfaction, and investor confidence. And as governments around the world implement policies to drive the transition to a low-carbon economy, businesses that are ahead of the curve will be well-positioned to thrive.

But we can’t do it alone. We need policymakers to create the right incentives and frameworks to support our efforts. We need consumers to demand sustainable products and services. And we need every business, large and small, to join us in this critical mission.

So, let us seize this moment. Let us lead by example, showing the world that sustainability and profitability can go hand in hand. Let us work together to build a future where businesses prosper, communities thrive, and our planet is protected for generations to come. The path ahead won’t be easy, but with courage, collaboration, and a commitment to doing what’s right, we can rise to the challenge and create a better world for all.

Commentary: This speech makes a compelling business case for climate action. It acknowledges the risks that climate change poses to businesses, highlights the opportunities that come with the transition to a low-carbon economy and calls on business leaders to lead by example. This speech would be suitable for a business conference, a sustainability event, or any occasion where you want to encourage businesses to take action on climate change.

Speech 3: The Moral Imperative of Climate Action (Long – 700 words)

My fellow citizens, we stand at a crossroads in human history. The choices we make in the coming years will determine the fate of our planet and the future of generations to come. And there is no greater moral imperative of our time than to act on climate change.

For too long, we have treated our planet as if it were an endless resource, a dumping ground for our waste and pollution. We have prioritized short-term gains over long-term sustainability, and we have turned a blind eye to the consequences of our actions. But now, those consequences are catching up with us.

We see it in the rising seas that threaten our coastal cities, the wildfires that ravage our forests, and the droughts that decimate our crops. We see it in the mass extinction of species, the acidification of our oceans, the spread of disease, and conflict. Climate change is not just an environmental issue – it is a humanitarian crisis of unprecedented proportions.

And yet, even in the face of this overwhelming evidence, there are still those who deny the reality of climate change, who prioritize profit over people, who cling to the status quo rather than embracing the need for change. But we cannot afford to be complacent or complicit any longer.

As a global community, we have a moral obligation to act. We must protect the most vulnerable among us, to safeguard the planet for future generations, to ensure that every person has the right to a livable future. This is not a partisan issue – it is a human issue, and it demands a human response.

So, what can we do? We must start by recognizing that climate change is a systemic problem that requires systemic solutions. We need to transform the way we produce and consume energy, the way we grow and distribute food, and the way we move and build and live. We need to invest in clean technologies, sustainable infrastructure, in resilient communities. And we need to do it now, with the urgency and the scale that this crisis demands.

But we cannot do it alone. We need every nation, every sector, and every individual to be part of the solution. We need to build a global movement for change, one that transcends borders and ideologies, one that unites us in our common humanity and our shared destiny.

So let us rise to this challenge. Let us summon the courage and the compassion to act, not just for ourselves, but for all those who will come after us. Let us be the generation that saves our planet, that secures a livable future for all. The time for action is now – let us meet this moment with the urgency and the moral clarity it demands. Thank you.

Commentary: This speech frames climate action as a moral imperative, highlighting the devastating impacts of climate change and the urgent need for systemic solutions. It calls on individuals, nations, and sectors to unite in a global movement for change and emphasizes the importance of acting with compassion and urgency. This speech would be suitable for a keynote address, a commencement speech, or any occasion where you want to inspire people to take bold, principled action on climate change.

Speech 4: The Role of Youth in Combating Climate Change (Long – 800 words)

Young people of the world, you are the inheritors of a planet in peril. You are the ones who will bear the brunt of the climate crisis, and you are the ones who have the most to lose if we fail to act. But you are also the ones who have the most to gain if we succeed – and you are the ones who have the power to lead us to a better future.

For too long, the voices of youth have been marginalized in the climate debate. You have been told that you are too young to understand, too naive to make a difference, and too powerless to effect change. But I stand here today to tell you that nothing could be further from the truth.

You are not just the future – you are the present. You are the ones who are taking to the streets, organizing strikes and protests, demanding action from those in power. You are the ones who are innovating new solutions, creating new businesses, and driving new technologies. You are the ones who are shaping the culture, influencing the conversation, setting the agenda for change.

And you are not alone. Around the world, young people are rising and speaking out, united in their determination to create a better, more sustainable future. From the school strikers of Europe to the Indigenous activists of the Amazon, from the green entrepreneurs of Africa to the climate justice advocates of Asia, you are part of a global movement that is growing stronger every day.

But the road ahead will not be easy. You will face resistance from those who benefit from the status quo, from those who are invested in the fossil fuel economy, and from those who are afraid of change. You will face setbacks and challenges, moments of doubt and despair.

But you must not lose heart. You must remember that you have the truth on your side, the science on your side, and the moral imperative on your side. You must remember that you are not fighting for yourselves alone, but for all those who will come after you, for the generations yet unborn.

So let us stand together, young and old, rich and poor, from every corner of the globe. Let us build a movement that is inclusive, intersectional, and unstoppable. Let us demand action from our leaders, hold them accountable for their promises, and work to elect those who share our vision for a just and sustainable future.

And let us never forget that the power to change the world lies within each of us. Every action we take, every choice we make, every voice we raise – no matter how small – can make a difference. So let us go forth from this place with courage, with conviction, with hope. Let us be the change we wish to see in the world. Let us create a future that we can be proud of, a future that we can pass on to those who come after us. The time is now – let us seize it together.

Commentary: This speech is a powerful call to action for young people, emphasizing their crucial role in the fight against climate change. It acknowledges the challenges they face but also highlights their unique strengths and the importance of building an inclusive, intersectional movement. The speech ends with an inspiring message of hope and empowerment, urging young people to seize the moment and create a better future for all. This speech would be ideal for a youth climate conference, a university event, or any occasion where you want to mobilize and inspire young people to take action on climate change.

Speech 5: The Intersection of Climate Change and Social Justice (Lengthy – 1,000 words)

Friends, we have gathered here today to discuss one of the most pressing issues of our time – the intersection of climate change and social justice. For too long, these two issues have been treated as separate and distinct, as if the impacts of a warming planet could be neatly compartmentalized from the struggles for equality, dignity, and human rights. But the truth is that climate change is not just an environmental crisis – it is a human rights crisis, and it is a crisis that disproportionately affects the most vulnerable and marginalized among us.

Consider the facts: the communities that are most impacted by climate change – low-income communities, communities of color, and indigenous communities – are also the communities that have contributed the least to the problem. They are the ones who bear the brunt of the rising seas and the extreme weather events, the ones who suffer the most from the health impacts of air and water pollution, and the ones who are most likely to be displaced by drought, famine, and conflict.

And yet, these are also the communities that have been systematically excluded from the decision-making processes that shape our response to the climate crisis. Their voices have been silenced, their needs have been ignored, and their rights have been denied. This is not just an injustice – it is a fundamental failure of our democracy and our humanity.

But we cannot address climate change without addressing these underlying inequities. We cannot build a sustainable future on a foundation of inequality and exploitation. We cannot solve a global problem with solutions that leave entire populations behind.

So, what do we do? We start by recognizing that climate justice and social justice are inextricably linked. We cannot have one without the other. We need to approach the climate crisis with an intersectional lens, understanding how it intersects with issues of race, class, gender, and power.

We need to center the voices and experiences of those who are most impacted by climate change and ensure that they have a seat at the table when decisions are being made. We need to invest in community-led solutions, resilience, and adaptation strategies that are grounded in local knowledge and experience.

We need to hold corporations and governments accountable for their role in perpetuating the climate crisis and the inequities that it exacerbates. We need to demand a just transition to a clean energy economy, one that creates good jobs and opportunities for all, not just a privileged few.

And we need to build a movement that is truly inclusive and intersectional, one that recognizes the interconnectedness of all our struggles and all our hopes. We need to stand in solidarity with those who are fighting for justice on all fronts – from the streets of Ferguson to the forests of the Amazon, from the mines of Appalachia to the island nations of the Pacific.

This is not an easy task. It will require us to confront uncomfortable truths, challenge entrenched systems of power, to build new alliances and coalitions. But it is a task that we must undertake, for the sake of our planet and our people.

Because in the end, we are all in this together. We all share one planet, one home, one future. And we all have a role to play in shaping that future – not just for ourselves, but for generations to come.

So let us leave here today with a renewed commitment to justice, equity, to solidarity. Let us work to build a world where every person has the right to a livable planet, a world where the benefits and burdens of climate action are shared fairly and equitably, and a world where we recognize our common humanity and our common fate.

The road ahead will not be easy, but we have the power to choose the path we take. Let us choose the path of justice, the path of compassion, the path of a sustainable and equitable future for all. Thank you.

Commentary: This speech powerfully articulates the intersection of climate change and social justice, highlighting how the impacts of climate change disproportionately affect marginalized communities. It calls for an intersectional approach to climate action, one that centers the voices and experiences of those most impacted and invests in community-led solutions. The speech emphasizes the need for accountability, a just transition, and an inclusive, intersectional movement. It ends with a stirring call to action, urging the audience to commit to justice, equity, and solidarity in the fight for a sustainable future. This speech would be suitable for a social justice conference, an environmental justice event, or any occasion where you want to highlight the systemic inequities of the climate crisis and inspire people to take intersectional action.

Speech 6: Climate Change and the Future of Humanity (Lengthy – 1,000 words or more)

My fellow humans, we stand at a pivotal moment in the history of our species. The choices we make in the coming years will determine not just the fate of our planet, but the fate of humanity itself. And there is no greater threat to our future than the reality of climate change.

For decades, we have known that our addiction to fossil fuels, our relentless consumption and waste, and our disregard for the natural world – all these things have been pushing our planet to the brink. We have seen the evidence in the melting of the polar ice caps, the bleaching of the coral reefs, and the extinction of countless species. We have felt the impacts of the rising temperatures and the extreme weather events, the droughts and the floods, and the wildfires that have become the new normal.

And yet, even in the face of this overwhelming evidence, we have been slow to act. We have been held back by the forces of inertia and denial, by the vested interests of those who profit from the status quo, and by the short-sightedness of those who prioritize present gains over future sustainability.

But we cannot afford to wait any longer. The science is clear: if we do not take urgent and dramatic action to reduce our greenhouse gas emissions, transition to a clean energy economy, to transform the way we live work, and consume – then we risk crossing irreversible tipping points that will lead to catastrophic and irreversible climate change.

This is not just an environmental issue – it is an existential threat to human civilization as we know it. It is a threat to our food and water security, to our public health and safety, to our economic stability and geopolitical security. It is a threat to the very foundations of our society and our way of life.

But it is also an opportunity – an opportunity to reimagine our relationship with the natural world, to build a more just and equitable society, and to create a future that is not just sustainable, but regenerative and thriving.

We have the tools and the knowledge to make this transition. We have renewable energy technologies, sustainable agriculture practices, the green infrastructure solutions. We have the economic models and policy frameworks, the social movements, and cultural shifts.

What we need now is the political will and the moral courage to act. We need leaders who are willing to stand up to the fossil fuel industry, to the corporate polluters, to the forces of greed and exploitation. We need citizens who are willing to demand change, to hold their governments accountable, and to make the necessary sacrifices and investments.

And we need to do it together – as a global community, as a human family. Because climate change knows no borders, no boundaries, no divisions of race or class or creed. It affects us all, and it will take all of us to solve it.

So let us rise to this challenge, let us seize this moment. Let us look to the examples of those who have gone before us – the Indigenous peoples who have stewarded this land for generations, the environmental activists who have fought tirelessly for change, and the scientists and innovators who have given us the tools to build a better world.

Let us draw strength from their courage and their wisdom, and let us add our voices and actions to the growing chorus for change. Let us build an unstoppable movement, a movement that is rooted in love, justice, and compassion for all living things.

And let us never forget what is at stake – the future of our children and grandchildren, the future of all the species with whom we share this planet, and the future of life itself. We are the guardians of this precious and fragile world, and it is our sacred duty to protect it.

So let us go forth from this place with a renewed sense of purpose and urgency. Let us work to create a world where clean air, water, and soil are not luxuries but fundamental rights, where renewable energy powers our homes and our economies, and where nature is valued, protected, and restored.

Let us create a world where every person has the opportunity to thrive, where poverty and inequality are relics of the past, and where justice and compassion are the guiding principles of our society. Let us create a world that is worthy of the sacrifices and the struggles of those who came before us, and that is a testament to the boundless potential of the human spirit.

This is our moment, our opportunity, our responsibility. Let us rise to meet it with everything we have, with all the love, courage, and determination in our hearts. For the sake of our planet, for the sake of our children, for the sake of our very survival – let us act, and let us act now. Thank you.

Commentary: This speech is a powerful and impassioned call to action on climate change, framing it as an existential threat to human civilization and a moral imperative for urgent and dramatic action. It highlights the devastating impacts of climate change, the forces of inertia and denial that have held us back, and the opportunities for a just and sustainable transition. The speech calls for political will, moral courage, and global solidarity in the face of this crisis and ends with a stirring vision of a world transformed by a movement rooted in love, justice, and compassion. This speech would be ideal for a major international conference, a UN summit, or any high-profile event where you want to galvanize global action on climate change and inspire people with a transformative vision of the future.

Climate change is a complex and intimidating challenge, but it is also an opportunity to build a better world.

By crafting powerful and persuasive speeches, we can inspire others to action, mobilize communities and movements, and create the political will for change.

Whether you’re speaking to a small group or a global audience, remember to frame the issue in terms that resonate with your listeners, highlight both the urgency of the crisis and the opportunities for solutions, and call people to action with a vision of a just and sustainable future.

Together, we can rise to meet this moment and create a world that is worthy of the generations to come.

MSU Extension MI Money Health

Reduce, recycle and reuse to decrease climate change.

Brenda Long, Michigan State University Extension - June 14, 2023

More energy conservation could affect the occurrence of major storms and hurricanes.

In recent years hurricanes and storms caused major damage and affected millions, including Michigan residents. As storms of this intensity become more and more frequent, climate change and variability simply cannot be ignored.

Climate change is any major change in measures of climate, which include temperature, precipitation, rainfall, snow and wind. These changes last for decades or longer. Many factors are causing climate change, including human activities through burning fossil fuels, cutting down trees, planting trees and building developments. Most scientists now agree that climate change is happening. Read more in this publication from the  Michigan Department of Public Health.

What can you do to help? Adopt more green practices like recycling in your home and workplace is one recommendation by the Michigan Department of Community Health  (MDCH). Each of us makes many decisions in our homes and communities about the products we buy and personal habits. Some decisions result in more air pollution and greenhouse gas emissions. When added together, we all contribute to climate change. We all can make a difference by reducing consumption.

We can help protect our natural resources and reduce the amount of waste produced by following the three R's: "Reduce, Reuse, Recycle," according to the  U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (E.P.A.) .  

• Reduce the amount of products you use.
• Reuse products instead of throwing them away.
• Recycle waste products.

Thinking about your current habits and making a few minor changes can make a big difference! Consider some of these changes:

• Buy the amount of a product needed rather than the "economy" size.
• Save energy by using compact fluorescent light bulbs instead of standard light bulbs.
• Look for good, used items online, at garage sales and other local sources.
• Reuse and recycling products like plastic grocery bags.
• Recycle items like batteries, electronics, plastic and paper.

You can find the amount of energy that you’ll save using a  tool from the E.P.A.

Recycling is easy and takes a small amount of time. The  Michigan Department Environment, Great Lakes and Energy (DEGLE) has a lot of information for you about recycling and its benefits. Learn what all of those recycling symbols mean too. Find the list of hazardous household waste and recycling centers in Michigan.

Consider your existing household activities and decide how a few personal efforts to reduce, recycle and reuse could respond to specific challenges of climate change.

This article was published by Michigan State University Extension . For more information, visit https://extension.msu.edu . To have a digest of information delivered straight to your email inbox, visit https://extension.msu.edu/newsletters . To contact an expert in your area, visit https://extension.msu.edu/experts , or call 888-MSUE4MI (888-678-3464).

Did you find this article useful?

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Renewable energy – powering a safer future

Energy is at the heart of the climate challenge – and key to the solution.

A large chunk of the greenhouse gases that blanket the Earth and trap the sun’s heat are generated through energy production, by burning fossil fuels to generate electricity and heat.

Fossil fuels, such as coal, oil and gas, are by far the largest contributor to global climate change , accounting for over 75 percent of global greenhouse gas emissions and nearly 90 percent of all carbon dioxide emissions.

The science is clear: to avoid the worst impacts of climate change, emissions need to be reduced by almost half by 2030 and reach net-zero by 2050.

To achieve this, we need to end our reliance on fossil fuels and invest in alternative sources of energy that are clean, accessible, affordable, sustainable, and reliable.

Renewable energy sources – which are available in abundance all around us, provided by the sun, wind, water, waste, and heat from the Earth – are replenished by nature and emit little to no greenhouse gases or pollutants into the air.

Fossil fuels still account for more than 80 percent of global energy production , but cleaner sources of energy are gaining ground. About 29 percent of electricity currently comes from renewable sources.

Here are five reasons why accelerating the transition to clean energy is the pathway to a healthy, livable planet today and for generations to come.

1. Renewable energy sources are all around us

About 80 percent of the global population lives in countries that are net-importers of fossil fuels -- that’s about 6 billion people who are dependent on fossil fuels from other countries, which makes them vulnerable to geopolitical shocks and crises.

In contrast, renewable energy sources are available in all countries, and their potential is yet to be fully harnessed. The International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA) estimates that 90 percent of the world’s electricity can and should come from renewable energy by 2050.

Renewables offer a way out of import dependency, allowing countries to diversify their economies and protect them from the unpredictable price swings of fossil fuels, while driving inclusive economic growth, new jobs, and poverty alleviation.

2. Renewable energy is cheaper

Renewable energy actually is the cheapest power option in most parts of the world today. Prices for renewable energy technologies are dropping rapidly. The cost of electricity from solar power fell by 85 percent between 2010 and 2020. Costs of onshore and offshore wind energy fell by 56 percent and 48 percent respectively.

Falling prices make renewable energy more attractive all around – including to low- and middle-income countries, where most of the additional demand for new electricity will come from. With falling costs, there is a real opportunity for much of the new power supply over the coming years to be provided by low-carbon sources.

Cheap electricity from renewable sources could provide 65 percent of the world’s total electricity supply by 2030. It could decarbonize 90 percent of the power sector by 2050, massively cutting carbon emissions and helping to mitigate climate change.

Although solar and wind power costs are expected to remain higher in 2022 and 2023 then pre-pandemic levels due to general elevated commodity and freight prices, their competitiveness actually improves due to much sharper increases in gas and coal prices, says the International Energy Agency (IEA).

3. Renewable energy is healthier

According to the World Health Organization (WHO), about 99 percent of people in the world breathe air that exceeds air quality limits and threatens their health, and more than 13 million deaths around the world each year are due to avoidable environmental causes, including air pollution.

The unhealthy levels of fine particulate matter and nitrogen dioxide originate mainly from the burning of fossil fuels. In 2018, air pollution from fossil fuels caused $2.9 trillion in health and economic costs , about $8 billion a day.

Switching to clean sources of energy, such as wind and solar, thus helps address not only climate change but also air pollution and health.

4. Renewable energy creates jobs

Every dollar of investment in renewables creates three times more jobs than in the fossil fuel industry. The IEA estimates that the transition towards net-zero emissions will lead to an overall increase in energy sector jobs : while about 5 million jobs in fossil fuel production could be lost by 2030, an estimated 14 million new jobs would be created in clean energy, resulting in a net gain of 9 million jobs.

In addition, energy-related industries would require a further 16 million workers, for instance to take on new roles in manufacturing of electric vehicles and hyper-efficient appliances or in innovative technologies such as hydrogen. This means that a total of more than 30 million jobs could be created in clean energy, efficiency, and low-emissions technologies by 2030.

Ensuring a just transition , placing the needs and rights of people at the heart of the energy transition, will be paramount to make sure no one is left behind.

5. Renewable energy makes economic sense

About $7 trillion was spent on subsidizing the fossil fuel industry in 2022, including through explicit subsidies, tax breaks, and health and environmental damages that were not priced into the cost of fossil fuels.

In comparison, about $4.5 trillion a year needs to be invested in renewable energy until 2030 – including investments in technology and infrastructure – to allow us to reach net-zero emissions by 2050.

The upfront cost can be daunting for many countries with limited resources, and many will need financial and technical support to make the transition. But investments in renewable energy will pay off. The reduction of pollution and climate impacts alone could save the world up to $4.2 trillion per year by 2030.

Moreover, efficient, reliable renewable technologies can create a system less prone to market shocks and improve resilience and energy security by diversifying power supply options.

Learn more about how many communities and countries are realizing the economic, societal, and environmental benefits of renewable energy.

Will developing countries benefit from the renewables boom? Learn more here .

What is renewable energy?

Derived from natural resources that are abundant and continuously replenished, renewable energy is key to a safer, cleaner, and sustainable world. Explore common sources of renewable energy here.

Why invest in renewable energy?

Learn more about the differences between fossil fuels and renewables, the benefits of renewable energy, and how we can act now.

Five ways to jump-start the renewable energy transition now

UN Secretary-General outlines five critical actions the world needs to prioritize now to speed up the global shift to renewable energy.

What is net zero? Why is it important? Our net-zero page explains why we need steep emissions cuts now and what efforts are underway.

• What is climate change?

Our climate 101 offers a quick take on the how and why of climate change. Read more.

How will the world foot the bill? We explain the issues and the value of financing climate action.

Climate issues

Learn more about how climate change impacts are felt across different sectors and ecosystems.

It’s time to stop burning our planet, and start investing in the abundant renewable energy all around us." ANTÓNIO GUTERRES , United Nations Secretary-General

Facts and figures

• Causes and effects
• Myth busters

Cutting emissions

• Explaining net zero
• High-level expert group on net zero
• Checklists for credibility of net-zero pledges
• Greenwashing
• What you can do

Clean energy

• Renewable energy – key to a safer future
• What is renewable energy
• Five ways to speed up the energy transition
• Why invest in renewable energy
• Clean energy stories
• A just transition

Adapting to climate change

• Climate adaptation
• Early warnings for all
• Youth voices

Financing climate action

• Finance and justice
• Loss and damage
• $100 billion commitment
• Why finance climate action
• Biodiversity
• Human Security

International cooperation

• What are Nationally Determined Contributions
• Acceleration Agenda
• Climate Ambition Summit
• Climate conferences (COPs)
• Youth Advisory Group
• Action initiatives
• Secretary-General’s speeches
• Press material
• Fact sheets
• Communications tips

Climate Change: Evidence and Causes: Update 2020 (2020)

Chapter: conclusion, c onclusion.

This document explains that there are well-understood physical mechanisms by which changes in the amounts of greenhouse gases cause climate changes. It discusses the evidence that the concentrations of these gases in the atmosphere have increased and are still increasing rapidly, that climate change is occurring, and that most of the recent change is almost certainly due to emissions of greenhouse gases caused by human activities. Further climate change is inevitable; if emissions of greenhouse gases continue unabated, future changes will substantially exceed those that have occurred so far. There remains a range of estimates of the magnitude and regional expression of future change, but increases in the extremes of climate that can adversely affect natural ecosystems and human activities and infrastructure are expected.

Citizens and governments can choose among several options (or a mixture of those options) in response to this information: they can change their pattern of energy production and usage in order to limit emissions of greenhouse gases and hence the magnitude of climate changes; they can wait for changes to occur and accept the losses, damage, and suffering that arise; they can adapt to actual and expected changes as much as possible; or they can seek as yet unproven “geoengineering” solutions to counteract some of the climate changes that would otherwise occur. Each of these options has risks, attractions and costs, and what is actually done may be a mixture of these different options. Different nations and communities will vary in their vulnerability and their capacity to adapt. There is an important debate to be had about choices among these options, to decide what is best for each group or nation, and most importantly for the global population as a whole. The options have to be discussed at a global scale because in many cases those communities that are most vulnerable control few of the emissions, either past or future. Our description of the science of climate change, with both its facts and its uncertainties, is offered as a basis to inform that policy debate.

A CKNOWLEDGEMENTS

The following individuals served as the primary writing team for the 2014 and 2020 editions of this document:

• Eric Wolff FRS, (UK lead), University of Cambridge
• Inez Fung (NAS, US lead), University of California, Berkeley
• Brian Hoskins FRS, Grantham Institute for Climate Change
• John F.B. Mitchell FRS, UK Met Office
• Tim Palmer FRS, University of Oxford
• Benjamin Santer (NAS), Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory
• John Shepherd FRS, University of Southampton
• Keith Shine FRS, University of Reading.
• Susan Solomon (NAS), Massachusetts Institute of Technology
• Kevin Trenberth, National Center for Atmospheric Research
• John Walsh, University of Alaska, Fairbanks
• Don Wuebbles, University of Illinois

Staff support for the 2020 revision was provided by Richard Walker, Amanda Purcell, Nancy Huddleston, and Michael Hudson. We offer special thanks to Rebecca Lindsey and NOAA Climate.gov for providing data and figure updates.

The following individuals served as reviewers of the 2014 document in accordance with procedures approved by the Royal Society and the National Academy of Sciences:

• Richard Alley (NAS), Department of Geosciences, Pennsylvania State University
• Alec Broers FRS, Former President of the Royal Academy of Engineering
• Harry Elderfield FRS, Department of Earth Sciences, University of Cambridge
• Joanna Haigh FRS, Professor of Atmospheric Physics, Imperial College London
• Isaac Held (NAS), NOAA Geophysical Fluid Dynamics Laboratory
• John Kutzbach (NAS), Center for Climatic Research, University of Wisconsin
• Jerry Meehl, Senior Scientist, National Center for Atmospheric Research
• John Pendry FRS, Imperial College London
• John Pyle FRS, Department of Chemistry, University of Cambridge
• Gavin Schmidt, NASA Goddard Space Flight Center
• Emily Shuckburgh, British Antarctic Survey
• Gabrielle Walker, Journalist
• Andrew Watson FRS, University of East Anglia

The Support for the 2014 Edition was provided by NAS Endowment Funds. We offer sincere thanks to the Ralph J. and Carol M. Cicerone Endowment for NAS Missions for supporting the production of this 2020 Edition.

F OR FURTHER READING

For more detailed discussion of the topics addressed in this document (including references to the underlying original research), see:

• Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), 2019: Special Report on the Ocean and Cryosphere in a Changing Climate [ https://www.ipcc.ch/srocc ]
• National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine (NASEM), 2019: Negative Emissions Technologies and Reliable Sequestration: A Research Agenda [ https://www.nap.edu/catalog/25259 ]
• Royal Society, 2018: Greenhouse gas removal [ https://raeng.org.uk/greenhousegasremoval ]
• U.S. Global Change Research Program (USGCRP), 2018: Fourth National Climate Assessment Volume II: Impacts, Risks, and Adaptation in the United States [ https://nca2018.globalchange.gov ]
• IPCC, 2018: Global Warming of 1.5°C [ https://www.ipcc.ch/sr15 ]
• USGCRP, 2017: Fourth National Climate Assessment Volume I: Climate Science Special Reports [ https://science2017.globalchange.gov ]
• NASEM, 2016: Attribution of Extreme Weather Events in the Context of Climate Change [ https://www.nap.edu/catalog/21852 ]
• IPCC, 2013: Fifth Assessment Report (AR5) Working Group 1. Climate Change 2013: The Physical Science Basis [ https://www.ipcc.ch/report/ar5/wg1 ]
• NRC, 2013: Abrupt Impacts of Climate Change: Anticipating Surprises [ https://www.nap.edu/catalog/18373 ]
• NRC, 2011: Climate Stabilization Targets: Emissions, Concentrations, and Impacts Over Decades to Millennia [ https://www.nap.edu/catalog/12877 ]
• Royal Society 2010: Climate Change: A Summary of the Science [ https://royalsociety.org/topics-policy/publications/2010/climate-change-summary-science ]
• NRC, 2010: America’s Climate Choices: Advancing the Science of Climate Change [ https://www.nap.edu/catalog/12782 ]

Much of the original data underlying the scientific findings discussed here are available at:

• https://data.ucar.edu/
• https://climatedataguide.ucar.edu
• https://iridl.ldeo.columbia.edu
• https://ess-dive.lbl.gov/
• https://www.ncdc.noaa.gov/
• https://www.esrl.noaa.gov/gmd/ccgg/trends/
• http://scrippsco2.ucsd.edu
• http://hahana.soest.hawaii.edu/hot/

Climate change is one of the defining issues of our time. It is now more certain than ever, based on many lines of evidence, that humans are changing Earth's climate. The Royal Society and the US National Academy of Sciences, with their similar missions to promote the use of science to benefit society and to inform critical policy debates, produced the original Climate Change: Evidence and Causes in 2014. It was written and reviewed by a UK-US team of leading climate scientists. This new edition, prepared by the same author team, has been updated with the most recent climate data and scientific analyses, all of which reinforce our understanding of human-caused climate change.

Scientific information is a vital component for society to make informed decisions about how to reduce the magnitude of climate change and how to adapt to its impacts. This booklet serves as a key reference document for decision makers, policy makers, educators, and others seeking authoritative answers about the current state of climate-change science.

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