What Is Climate Change?

Climate change refers to long-term shifts in temperatures and

weather patterns. Such shifts can be natural, due to changes in the
sun’s activity or large volcanic eruptions. But since the 1800s, human
activities have been the main driver of climate change, primarily due
to the burning of fossil fuels like coal, oil and gas.

Burning fossil fuels generates greenhouse gas emissions that act like a
blanket wrapped around the Earth, trapping the sun’s heat and
raising temperatures.

The main greenhouse gases that are causing climate change include
carbon dioxide and methane. These come from using gasoline for
driving a car or coal for heating a building, for example. Clearing land
and cutting down forests can also release carbon dioxide. Agriculture,
oil and gas operations are major sources of methane emissions.
Energy, industry, transport, buildings, agriculture and land use are
among the main sectors causing greenhouse gases.

Humans are responsible for global warming

Climate scientists have showed that humans are responsible for

virtually all global heating over the last 200 years. Human activities
like the ones mentioned above are causing greenhouse gases that are
warming the world faster than at any time in at least the last two
thousand years.

The average temperature of the Earth’s surface is now about 1.1°C

warmer than it was in the late 1800s (before the industrial
revolution) and warmer than at any time in the last 100,000 years.
The last decade (2011-2020) was the warmest on record, and each of
the last four decades has been warmer than any previous decade
since 1850.

Many people think climate change mainly means warmer

temperatures. But temperature rise is only the beginning of the story.
Because the Earth is a system, where everything is connected,
changes in one area can influence changes in all others.

The consequences of climate change now include, among others,

intense droughts, water scarcity, severe fires, rising sea levels,
flooding, melting polar ice, catastrophic storms and declining
biodiversity.

People are experiencing climate change in diverse ways

Climate change can affect our health, ability to grow food, housing,
safety and work. Some of us are already more vulnerable to climate
impacts, such as people living in small island nations and other
developing countries. Conditions like sea-level rise and saltwater
intrusion have advanced to the point where whole communities have
had to relocate, and protracted droughts are putting people at risk of
famine. In the future, the number of “climate refugees” is expected
to rise.

Every increase in global warming matters

In a series of UN reports, thousands of scientists and government

reviewers agreed that limiting global temperature rise to no more
than 1.5°C would help us avoid the worst climate impacts and
maintain a livable climate. Yet policies currently in place point to
a 2.8°C temperature rise by the end of the century.

The emissions that cause climate change come from every part of the
world and affect everyone, but some countries produce much more
than others.The seven biggest emitters alone (China, the United
States of America, India, the European Union, Indonesia, the Russian
Federation, and Brazil) accounted for about half of all global
greenhouse gas emissions in 2020.

Everyone must take climate action, but people and countries creating
more of the problem have a greater responsibility to act first.

We face a huge challenge but already know many solutions

Many climate change solutions can deliver economic benefits while

improving our lives and protecting the environment. We also have
global frameworks and agreements to guide progress, such as
the Sustainable Development Goals, the UN Framework Convention
on Climate Change and the Paris Agreement. Three broad categories
of action are: cutting emissions, adapting to climate impacts and
financing required adjustments.

Switching energy systems from fossil fuels to renewables like solar or

wind will reduce the emissions driving climate change. But we have
to act now. While a growing number of countries is committing to net
zero emissions by 2050, emissions must be cut in half by 2030 to
keep warming below 1.5°C. Achieving this means huge declines in the
use of coal, oil and gas: over two-thirds of today’s proven reserves
of fossil fuels need to be kept in the ground by 2050 in order to
prevent catastrophic levels of climate change.
Adapting to climate consequences protects people, homes,
businesses, livelihoods, infrastructure and natural ecosystems. It
covers current impacts and those likely in the future. Adaptation will
be required everywhere, but must be prioritized now for the most
vulnerable people with the fewest resources to cope with climate
hazards. The rate of return can be high. Early warning systems for
disasters, for instance, save lives and property, and can deliver
benefits up to 10 times the initial cost.

We can pay the bill now, or pay dearly in the future

Climate action requires significant financial investments by

governments and businesses. But climate inaction is vastly more
expensive. One critical step is for industrialized countries to fulfil their
commitment to provide $100 billion a year to developing countries so
they can adapt and move towards greener economies.To get familiar
with some of the more technical terms used in connection with
climate change, consult the Climate Dictionary.

Causes of Climate Change

Generating power

Generating electricity and heat by burning fossil fuels causes a large

chunk of global emissions. Most electricity is still generated by
burning coal, oil, or gas, which produces carbon dioxide and nitrous
oxide – powerful greenhouse gases that blanket the Earth and trap
the sun’s heat. Globally, a bit more than a quarter of electricity comes
from wind, solar and other renewable sources which, as opposed to
fossil fuels, emit little to no greenhouse gases or pollutants into the
air.

Manufacturing goods

Manufacturing and industry produce emissions, mostly from burning

fossil fuels to produce energy for making things like cement, iron,
steel, electronics, plastics, clothes, and other goods. Mining and other
industrial processes also release gases, as does the construction
industry. Machines used in the manufacturing process often run on
coal, oil, or gas; and some materials, like plastics, are made from
chemicals sourced from fossil fuels. The manufacturing industry is
one of the largest contributors to greenhouse gas emissions
worldwide.

Cutting down forests

Cutting down forests to create farms or pastures, or for other

reasons, causes emissions, since trees, when they are cut, release the
carbon they have been storing. Each year approximately 12 million
hectares of forest are destroyed. Since forests absorb carbon dioxide,
destroying them also limits nature’s ability to keep emissions out of
the atmosphere. Deforestation, together with agriculture and other
land use changes, is responsible for roughly a quarter of global
greenhouse gas emissions.

Using transportation

Most cars, trucks, ships, and planes run on fossil fuels. That makes
transportation a major contributor of greenhouse gases, especially
carbon-dioxide emissions. Road vehicles account for the largest part,
due to the combustion of petroleum-based products, like gasoline, in
internal combustion engines. But emissions from ships and planes
continue to grow. Transport accounts for nearly one quarter of global
energy-related carbon-dioxide emissions. And trends point to a
significant increase in energy use for transport over the coming years.

Producing food

Producing food causes emissions of carbon dioxide, methane, and

other greenhouse gases in various ways, including through
deforestation and clearing of land for agriculture and grazing,
digestion by cows and sheep, the production and use of fertilizers and
manure for growing crops, and the use of energy to run farm
equipment or fishing boats, usually with fossil fuels. All this makes
food production a major contributor to climate change. And
greenhouse gas emissions also come from packaging and distributing
food.

Powering buildings

Globally, residential and commercial buildings consume over half of

all electricity. As they continue to draw on coal, oil, and natural gas
for heating and cooling, they emit significant quantities of
greenhouse gas emissions. Growing energy demand for heating and
cooling, with rising air-conditioner ownership, as well as increased
electricity consumption for lighting, appliances, and connected
devices, has contributed to a rise in energy-related carbon-dioxide
emissions from buildings in recent years.

Consuming too much

Your home and use of power, how you move around, what you eat
and how much you throw away all contribute to greenhouse gas
emissions. So does the consumption of goods such as clothing,
electronics, and plastics. A large chunk of global greenhouse gas
emissions are linked to private households. Our lifestyles have a
profound impact on our planet. The wealthiest bear the greatest
responsibility: the richest 1 per cent of the global population
combined account for more greenhouse gas emissions than the
poorest 50 per cent.

Hotter temperatures

As greenhouse gas concentrations rise, so does the global surface

temperature. The last decade, 2011-2020, is the warmest on record.
Since the 1980s, each decade has been warmer than the previous
one. Nearly all land areas are seeing more hot days and heat waves.
Higher temperatures increase heat-related illnesses and make
working outdoors more difficult. Wildfires start more easily and
spread more rapidly when conditions are hotter. Temperatures in the
Arctic have warmed at least twice as fast as the global average.

More severe storms

Destructive storms have become more intense and more frequent in

many regions. As temperatures rise, more moisture evaporates,
which exacerbates extreme rainfall and flooding, causing more
destructive storms. The frequency and extent of tropical storms is
also affected by the warming ocean. Cyclones, hurricanes, and
typhoons feed on warm waters at the ocean surface. Such storms
often destroy homes and communities, causing deaths and huge
economic losses.

Increased drought

Climate change is changing water availability, making it scarcer in

more regions. Global warming exacerbates water shortages in
already water-stressed regions and is leading to an increased risk of
agricultural droughts affecting crops, and ecological droughts
increasing the vulnerability of ecosystems. Droughts can also stir
destructive sand and dust storms that can move billions of tons of
sand across continents. Deserts are expanding, reducing land for
growing food. Many people now face the threat of not having enough
water on a regular basis.

A warming, rising ocean

The ocean soaks up most of the heat from global warming. The rate
at which the ocean is warming strongly increased over the past two
decades, across all depths of the ocean. As the ocean warms, its
volume increases since water expands as it gets warmer. Melting ice
sheets also cause sea levels to rise, threatening coastal and island
communities. In addition, the ocean absorbs carbon dioxide, keeping
it from the atmosphere. But more carbon dioxide makes the ocean
more acidic, which endangers marine life and coral reefs.

Loss of species

Climate change poses risks to the survival of species on land and in

the ocean. These risks increase as temperatures climb. Exacerbated
by climate change, the world is losing species at a rate 1,000 times
greater than at any other time in recorded human history. One
million species are at risk of becoming extinct within the next few
decades. Forest fires, extreme weather, and invasive pests and
diseases are among many threats related to climate change. Some
species will be able to relocate and survive, but others will not.

Not enough food

Changes in the climate and increases in extreme weather events are

among the reasons behind a global rise in hunger and poor nutrition.
Fisheries, crops, and livestock may be destroyed or become less
productive. With the ocean becoming more acidic, marine resources
that feed billions of people are at risk. Changes in snow and ice cover
in many Arctic regions have disrupted food supplies from herding,
hunting, and fishing. Heat stress can diminish water and grasslands
for grazing, causing declining crop yields and affecting livestock.

More health risks

Climate change is the single biggest health threat facing humanity.

Climate impacts are already harming health, through air pollution,
disease, extreme weather events, forced displacement, pressures on
mental health, and increased hunger and poor nutrition in places
where people cannot grow or find sufficient food. Every year,
environmental factors take the lives of around 13 million people.
Changing weather patterns are expanding diseases, and extreme
weather events increase deaths and make it difficult for health care
systems to keep up.

Poverty and displacement

Climate change increases the factors that put and keep people in
poverty. Floods may sweep away urban slums, destroying homes and
livelihoods. Heat can make it difficult to work in outdoor jobs. Water
scarcity may affect crops. Over the past decade (2010–2019),
weather-related events displaced an estimated 23.1 million people
on average each year, leaving many more vulnerable to poverty.
Most refugees come from countries that are most vulnerable and
least ready to adapt to the impacts of climate change.

Based on various UN sources