essay about climate change short

Climate Change Essay for Students and Children

500+ words climate change essay.

Climate change refers to the change in the environmental conditions of the earth. This happens due to many internal and external factors. The climatic change has become a global concern over the last few decades. Besides, these climatic changes affect life on the earth in various ways. These climatic changes are having various impacts on the ecosystem and ecology. Due to these changes, a number of species of plants and animals have gone extinct.

When Did it Start?

The climate started changing a long time ago due to human activities but we came to know about it in the last century. During the last century, we started noticing the climatic change and its effect on human life. We started researching on climate change and came to know that the earth temperature is rising due to a phenomenon called the greenhouse effect. The warming up of earth surface causes many ozone depletion, affect our agriculture , water supply, transportation, and several other problems.

Reason Of Climate Change

Although there are hundreds of reason for the climatic change we are only going to discuss the natural and manmade (human) reasons.

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

Natural Reasons

These include volcanic eruption , solar radiation, tectonic plate movement, orbital variations. Due to these activities, the geographical condition of an area become quite harmful for life to survive. Also, these activities raise the temperature of the earth to a great extent causing an imbalance in nature.

Human Reasons

Man due to his need and greed has done many activities that not only harm the environment but himself too. Many plant and animal species go extinct due to human activity. Human activities that harm the climate include deforestation, using fossil fuel , industrial waste , a different type of pollution and many more. All these things damage the climate and ecosystem very badly. And many species of animals and birds got extinct or on a verge of extinction due to hunting.

Effects Of Climatic Change

These climatic changes have a negative impact on the environment. The ocean level is rising, glaciers are melting, CO2 in the air is increasing, forest and wildlife are declining, and water life is also getting disturbed due to climatic changes. Apart from that, it is calculated that if this change keeps on going then many species of plants and animals will get extinct. And there will be a heavy loss to the environment.

What will be Future?

If we do not do anything and things continue to go on like right now then a day in future will come when humans will become extinct from the surface of the earth. But instead of neglecting these problems we start acting on then we can save the earth and our future.

Although humans mistake has caused great damage to the climate and ecosystem. But, it is not late to start again and try to undo what we have done until now to damage the environment. And if every human start contributing to the environment then we can be sure of our existence in the future.

{ “@context”: “https://schema.org”, “@type”: “FAQPage”, “mainEntity”: [ { “@type”: “Question”, “name”: “What is climate change and how it affects humans?”, “acceptedAnswer”: { “@type”: “Answer”, “text”: “Climate change is a phenomenon that happens because of human and natural reasons. And it is one of the most serious problems that not only affect the environment but also human beings. It affects human in several ways but in simple language, we can say that it causes many diseases and disasters that destroy life on earth.” } }, { “@type”: “Question”, “name”: “Can we stop these climatic changes?”, “acceptedAnswer”: { “@type”: “Answer”, “text”: “Yes, we can stop these climatic changes but for that, every one of us has to come forward and has to adapt ways that can reduce and control our bad habits that affect the environment. We have to the initiative and make everyone aware of the climatic changes.” } } ] }

Customize your course in 30 seconds

Which class are you in.

Travelling Essay
Picnic Essay
Our Country Essay
My Parents Essay
Essay on Favourite Personality
Essay on Memorable Day of My Life
Essay on Knowledge is Power
Essay on Gurpurab
Essay on My Favourite Season
Essay on Types of Sports

Download the App

Climate Change Essay

500+ words essay on climate change.

Climate change is a major global challenge today, and the world is becoming more vulnerable to this change. Climate change refers to the changes in Earth’s climate condition. It describes the changes in the atmosphere which have taken place over a period ranging from decades to millions of years. A recent report from the United Nations predicted that the average global temperature could increase by 6˚ Celsius at the end of the century. Climate change has an adverse effect on the environment and ecosystem. With the help of this essay, students will get to know the causes and effects of climate change and possible solutions. Also, they will be able to write essays on similar topics and can boost their writing skills.

What Causes Climate Change?

The Earth’s climate has always changed and evolved. Some of these changes have been due to natural causes such as volcanic eruptions, floods, forest fires etc., but quite a few of them are due to human activities. Human activities such as deforestation, burning fossil fuels, farming livestock etc., generate an enormous amount of greenhouse gases. This results in the greenhouse effect and global warming which are the major causes of climate change.

Effects of Climate Change

If the current situation of climate change continues in a similar manner, then it will impact all forms of life on the earth. The earth’s temperature will rise, the monsoon patterns will change, sea levels will rise, and storms, volcanic eruptions and natural disasters will occur frequently. The biological and ecological balance of the earth will get disturbed. The environment will get polluted and humans will not be able to get fresh air to breathe and fresh water to drink. Life on earth will come to an end.

Steps to be Taken to Reduce Climate Change

The Government of India has taken many measures to improve the dire situation of Climate Change. The Ministry of Environment and Forests is the nodal agency for climate change issues in India. It has initiated several climate-friendly measures, particularly in the area of renewable energy. India took several steps and policy initiatives to create awareness about climate change and help capacity building for adaptation measures. It has initiated a “Green India” programme under which various trees are planted to make the forest land more green and fertile.

We need to follow the path of sustainable development to effectively address the concerns of climate change. We need to minimise the use of fossil fuels, which is the major cause of global warming. We must adopt alternative sources of energy, such as hydropower, solar and wind energy to make a progressive transition to clean energy. Mahatma Gandhi said that “Earth provides enough to satisfy every man’s need, but not any man’s greed”. With this view, we must remodel our outlook and achieve the goal of sustainable development. By adopting clean technologies, equitable distribution of resources and addressing the issues of equity and justice, we can make our developmental process more harmonious with nature.

We hope students liked this essay on Climate Change and gathered useful information on this topic so that they can write essays in their own words. To get more study material related to the CBSE, ICSE, State Board and Competitive exams, keep visiting the BYJU’S website.

Frequently Asked Questions on climate change Essay

What are the reasons for climate change.

1. Deforestation 2. Excessive usage of fossil fuels 3. Water, Soil pollution 4. Plastic and other non-biodegradable waste 5. Wildlife and nature extinction

How can we save this climate change situation?

1. Avoid over usage of natural resources 2. Do not use or buy items made from animals 3. Avoid plastic usage and pollution

Are there any natural causes for climate change?

Yes, some of the natural causes for climate change are: 1. Solar variations 2. Volcanic eruption and tsunamis 3. Earth’s orbital changes

CBSE Related Links

Register with BYJU'S & Download Free PDFs

Argumentative Essay Writing

Argumentative Essay About Climate Change

Make Your Case: A Guide to Writing an Argumentative Essay on Climate Change

Published on: Mar 2, 2023

Last updated on: Jan 31, 2024

What is an Argumentative Essay about Climate Change?

The main focus will be on trying to prove that global warming is caused by human activities. Your goal should be to convince your readers that human activity is causing climate change.

To achieve this, you will need to use a variety of research methods to collect data on the topic. You need to make an argument as to why climate change needs to be taken more seriously.

Argumentative Essay Outline about Climate Change

An argumentative essay about climate change requires a student to take an opinionated stance on the subject.

The outline of your paper should include the following sections:

Argumentative Essay About Climate Change Introduction

The first step is to introduce the topic and provide an overview of the main points you will cover in the essay.

This should include a brief description of what climate change is. Furthermore, it should include current research on how humans are contributing to global warming.

An example is:

Paper Due? Why Suffer? That's our Job!

Thesis Statement For Climate Change Argumentative Essay

The thesis statement should be a clear and concise description of your opinion on the topic. It should be established early in the essay and reiterated throughout.

For example, an argumentative essay about climate change could have a thesis statement such as:

âclimate change is caused by human activity and can be addressed through policy solutions that reduce greenhouse gas emissions and promote cleaner energy sourcesâ.

Climate Change Argumentative Essay Conclusion

The conclusion should restate your thesis statement and summarize the main points of the essay.

It should also provide a call to action, encouraging readers to take steps toward addressing climate change.

For example,

Climate change is an urgent issue that must be addressed now if we are to avoid catastrophic consequences in the future. We must take action to reduce our emissions and transition to cleaner energy sources. It is up to us as citizens to demand policy solutions from our governments that will ensure a safe and sustainable future.

How To Write An Argumentative Essay On Climate Change

Writing an argumentative essay about climate change requires a student to take an opinionated stance on the subject.

Following are the steps to follow for writing an argumentative essay about climate change

Do Your Research

The first step is researching the topic and collecting evidence to back up your argument.

You should look at scientific research, articles, and data on climate change as well as current policy solutions.

Pick A Catchy Title

Once you have gathered your evidence, it is time to pick a title for your essay. It should be specific and concise.

Outline Your Essay

After selecting a title, create an outline of the main points you will include in the essay.

This should include an introduction, body paragraphs that provide evidence for your argument, and a conclusion.

Compose Your Essay

Finally, begin writing your essay. Start with an introduction that provides a brief overview of the main points you will cover and includes your thesis statement.

Then move on to the body paragraphs, providing evidence to back up your argument.

Finally, conclude the essay by restating your thesis statement and summarizing the main points.

Proofread and Revise

Once you have finished writing the essay, it is important to proofread and revise your work.

Check for any spelling or grammatical errors, and make sure the argument is clear and logical.

Finally, consider having someone else read over the essay for a fresh perspective.

By following these steps, you can create an effective argumentative essay on climate change. Good luck!

Examples Of Argumentative Essays About Climate Change

Climate Change is real and happening right now. It is one of the most urgent environmental issues that we face today.

Argumentative essays about this topic can help raise awareness that we need to protect our planet.

Below you will find some examples of argumentative essays on climate change written by CollegeEssay.orgâs expert essay writers.

Argumentative Essay About Climate Change And Global Warming

Persuasive Essay About Climate Change

Argumentative Essay About Climate Change In The Philippines

Argumentative Essay About Climate Change Caused By Humans

Geography Argumentative Essay About Climate Change

Check our extensive blog on argumentative essay examples to ace your next essay!

Good Argumentative Essay Topics About Climate Change

Choosing a great topic is essential to help your readers understand and engage with the issue.

Here are some suggestions:

Should governments fund projects that will reduce the effects of climate change?
Is it too late to stop global warming and climate change?
Are international treaties effective in reducing carbon dioxide emissions?
What are the economic implications of climate change?
Should renewable energy be mandated as a priority over traditional fossil fuels?
How can individuals help reduce their carbon footprint and fight climate change?
Are regulations on industry enough to reduce global warming and climate change?
Could geoengineering be used to mitigate climate change?
What are the social and political effects of global warming and climate change?
Should companies be held accountable for their contribution to climate change?

Check our comprehensive blog on argumentative essay topics to get more topic ideas!

We hope these topics and resources help you write a great argumentative essay about climate change.

Now that you know how to write an argumentative essay about climate change, itâs time to put your skills to the test.

Overwhelmed with assignments and thinking, "I wish someone could write me an essay "?

Our specialized writing service is here to turn that wish into reality. With a focus on quality, originality, and timely delivery, our team of professionals is committed to crafting essays that align perfectly with your academic goals.

And for those seeking an extra edge, our essay writer , an advanced AI tool, is ready to elevate your writing to new heights.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is a good introduction to climate change.

An introduction to a climate change essay can include a short description of why the topic is important and/or relevant.

It can also provide an overview of what will be discussed in the body of the essay.

The introduction should conclude with a clear, focused thesis statement that outlines the main argument in your essay.

What is a good thesis statement for climate change?

A good thesis statement for a climate change essay should state the main point or argument you will make in your essay.

You could argue that “The science behind climate change is irrefutable and must be addressed by governments, businesses, and individuals.”

Cathy A. (Medical school essay, Education)

For more than five years now, Cathy has been one of our most hardworking authors on the platform. With a Masters degree in mass communication, she knows the ins and outs of professional writing. Clients often leave her glowing reviews for being an amazing writer who takes her work very seriously.

Paper Due? Why Suffer? That’s our Job!

Keep reading

Legal & Policies

Privacy Policy
Cookies Policy
Terms of Use
Refunds & Cancellations
Our Writers
Success Stories
Our Guarantees
Affiliate Program
Referral Program
AI Essay Writer

Disclaimer: All client orders are completed by our team of highly qualified human writers. The essays and papers provided by us are not to be used for submission but rather as learning models only.

45,000+ students realised their study abroad dream with us. Take the first step today

Here’s your new year gift, one app for all your, study abroad needs, start your journey, track your progress, grow with the community and so much more.

Verification Code

An OTP has been sent to your registered mobile no. Please verify

Thanks for your comment !

Our team will review it before it's shown to our readers.

Essay on Global Warming

Updated on
Apr 27, 2024

Being able to write an essay is an integral part of mastering any language. Essays form an integral part of many academic and scholastic exams like the SAT, and UPSC amongst many others. It is a crucial evaluative part of English proficiency tests as well like IELTS, TOEFL, etc. Major essays are meant to emphasize public issues of concern that can have significant consequences on the world. To understand the concept of Global Warming and its causes and effects, we must first examine the many factors that influence the planet’s temperature and what this implies for the world’s future. Here’s an unbiased look at the essay on Global Warming and other essential related topics.

Short Essay on Global Warming and Climate Change?

Since the industrial and scientific revolutions, Earth’s resources have been gradually depleted. Furthermore, the start of the world’s population’s exponential expansion is particularly hard on the environment. Simply put, as the population’s need for consumption grows, so does the use of natural resources , as well as the waste generated by that consumption.

Climate change has been one of the most significant long-term consequences of this. Climate change is more than just the rise or fall of global temperatures; it also affects rain cycles, wind patterns, cyclone frequencies, sea levels, and other factors. It has an impact on all major life groupings on the planet.

What is Global Warming?

Global warming is the unusually rapid increase in Earth’s average surface temperature over the past century, primarily due to the greenhouse gases released by people burning fossil fuels . The greenhouse gases consist of methane, nitrous oxide, ozone, carbon dioxide, water vapour, and chlorofluorocarbons. The weather prediction has been becoming more complex with every passing year, with seasons more indistinguishable, and the general temperatures hotter.

The number of hurricanes, cyclones, droughts, floods, etc., has risen steadily since the onset of the 21st century. The supervillain behind all these changes is Global Warming. The name is quite self-explanatory; it means the rise in the temperature of the Earth.

What are the Causes of Global Warming?

According to recent studies, many scientists believe the following are the primary four causes of global warming:

Deforestation
Greenhouse emissions
Carbon emissions per capita

Extreme global warming is causing natural disasters , which can be seen all around us. One of the causes of global warming is the extreme release of greenhouse gases that become trapped on the earth’s surface, causing the temperature to rise. Similarly, volcanoes contribute to global warming by spewing excessive CO2 into the atmosphere.

The increase in population is one of the major causes of Global Warming. This increase in population also leads to increased air pollution . Automobiles emit a lot of CO2, which remains in the atmosphere. This increase in population is also causing deforestation, which contributes to global warming.

The earth’s surface emits energy into the atmosphere in the form of heat, keeping the balance with the incoming energy. Global warming depletes the ozone layer, bringing about the end of the world. There is a clear indication that increased global warming will result in the extinction of all life on Earth’s surface.

Also Read: Land, Soil, Water, Natural Vegetation, and Wildlife Resources

Solutions for Global Warming

Of course, industries and multinational conglomerates emit more carbon than the average citizen. Nonetheless, activism and community effort are the only viable ways to slow the worsening effects of global warming. Furthermore, at the state or government level, world leaders must develop concrete plans and step-by-step programmes to ensure that no further harm is done to the environment in general.

Although we are almost too late to slow the rate of global warming, finding the right solution is critical. Everyone, from individuals to governments, must work together to find a solution to Global Warming. Some of the factors to consider are pollution control, population growth, and the use of natural resources.

One very important contribution you can make is to reduce your use of plastic. Plastic is the primary cause of global warming, and recycling it takes years. Another factor to consider is deforestation, which will aid in the control of global warming. More tree planting should be encouraged to green the environment. Certain rules should also govern industrialization. Building industries in green zones that affect plants and species should be prohibited.

Effects of Global Warming

Global warming is a real problem that many people want to disprove to gain political advantage. However, as global citizens, we must ensure that only the truth is presented in the media.

This decade has seen a significant impact from global warming. The two most common phenomena observed are glacier retreat and arctic shrinkage. Glaciers are rapidly melting. These are clear manifestations of climate change.

Another significant effect of global warming is the rise in sea level. Flooding is occurring in low-lying areas as a result of sea-level rise. Many countries have experienced extreme weather conditions. Every year, we have unusually heavy rain, extreme heat and cold, wildfires, and other natural disasters.

Similarly, as global warming continues, marine life is being severely impacted. This is causing the extinction of marine species as well as other problems. Furthermore, changes are expected in coral reefs, which will face extinction in the coming years. These effects will intensify in the coming years, effectively halting species expansion. Furthermore, humans will eventually feel the negative effects of Global Warming.

Also Read: Concept of Sustainable Development

Sample Essays on Global Warming

Here are some sample essays on Global Warming:

Essay on Global Warming Paragraph in 100 – 150 words

Global Warming is caused by the increase of carbon dioxide levels in the earth’s atmosphere and is a result of human activities that have been causing harm to our environment for the past few centuries now. Global Warming is something that can’t be ignored and steps have to be taken to tackle the situation globally. The average temperature is constantly rising by 1.5 degrees Celsius over the last few years.

The best method to prevent future damage to the earth, cutting down more forests should be banned and Afforestation should be encouraged. Start by planting trees near your homes and offices, participate in events, and teach the importance of planting trees. It is impossible to undo the damage but it is possible to stop further harm.

Essay on Global Warming in 250 Words

Over a long period, it is observed that the temperature of the earth is increasing. This affected wildlife, animals, humans, and every living organism on earth. Glaciers have been melting, and many countries have started water shortages, flooding, and erosion and all this is because of global warming.

No one can be blamed for global warming except for humans. Human activities such as gases released from power plants, transportation, and deforestation have increased gases such as carbon dioxide, CFCs, and other pollutants in the earth’s atmosphere. The main question is how can we control the current situation and build a better world for future generations. It starts with little steps by every individual.

Start using cloth bags made from sustainable materials for all shopping purposes, instead of using high-watt lights use energy-efficient bulbs, switch off the electricity, don’t waste water, abolish deforestation and encourage planting more trees. Shift the use of energy from petroleum or other fossil fuels to wind and solar energy. Instead of throwing out the old clothes donate them to someone so that it is recycled.

Donate old books, don’t waste paper. Above all, spread awareness about global warming. Every little thing a person does towards saving the earth will contribute in big or small amounts. We must learn that 1% effort is better than no effort. Pledge to take care of Mother Nature and speak up about global warming.

Essay on Global Warming in 500 Words

Global warming isn’t a prediction, it is happening! A person denying it or unaware of it is in the most simple terms complicit. Do we have another planet to live on? Unfortunately, we have been bestowed with this one planet only that can sustain life yet over the years we have turned a blind eye to the plight it is in. Global warming is not an abstract concept but a global phenomenon occurring ever so slowly even at this moment. Global Warming is a phenomenon that is occurring every minute resulting in a gradual increase in the Earth’s overall climate. Brought about by greenhouse gases that trap the solar radiation in the atmosphere, global warming can change the entire map of the earth, displacing areas, flooding many countries, and destroying multiple lifeforms. Extreme weather is a direct consequence of global warming but it is not an exhaustive consequence. There are virtually limitless effects of global warming which are all harmful to life on earth. The sea level is increasing by 0.12 inches per year worldwide. This is happening because of the melting of polar ice caps because of global warming. This has increased the frequency of floods in many lowland areas and has caused damage to coral reefs. The Arctic is one of the worst-hit areas affected by global warming. Air quality has been adversely affected and the acidity of the seawater has also increased causing severe damage to marine life forms. Severe natural disasters are brought about by global warming which has had dire effects on life and property. As long as mankind produces greenhouse gases, global warming will continue to accelerate. The consequences are felt at a much smaller scale which will increase to become drastic shortly. The power to save the day lies in the hands of humans, the need is to seize the day. Energy consumption should be reduced on an individual basis. Fuel-efficient cars and other electronics should be encouraged to reduce the wastage of energy sources. This will also improve air quality and reduce the concentration of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere. Global warming is an evil that can only be defeated when fought together. It is better late than never. If we all take steps today, we will have a much brighter future tomorrow. Global warming is the bane of our existence and various policies have come up worldwide to fight it but that is not enough. The actual difference is made when we work at an individual level to fight it. Understanding its import now is crucial before it becomes an irrevocable mistake. Exterminating global warming is of utmost importance and each one of us is as responsible for it as the next.

Also Read: Essay on Library: 100, 200 and 250 Words

Essay on Global Warming UPSC

Always hear about global warming everywhere, but do we know what it is? The evil of the worst form, global warming is a phenomenon that can affect life more fatally. Global warming refers to the increase in the earth’s temperature as a result of various human activities. The planet is gradually getting hotter and threatening the existence of lifeforms on it. Despite being relentlessly studied and researched, global warming for the majority of the population remains an abstract concept of science. It is this concept that over the years has culminated in making global warming a stark reality and not a concept covered in books. Global warming is not caused by one sole reason that can be curbed. Multifarious factors cause global warming most of which are a part of an individual’s daily existence. Burning of fuels for cooking, in vehicles, and for other conventional uses, a large amount of greenhouse gases like carbon dioxide, and methane amongst many others is produced which accelerates global warming. Rampant deforestation also results in global warming as lesser green cover results in an increased presence of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere which is a greenhouse gas. Finding a solution to global warming is of immediate importance. Global warming is a phenomenon that has to be fought unitedly. Planting more trees can be the first step that can be taken toward warding off the severe consequences of global warming. Increasing the green cover will result in regulating the carbon cycle. There should be a shift from using nonrenewable energy to renewable energy such as wind or solar energy which causes less pollution and thereby hinder the acceleration of global warming. Reducing energy needs at an individual level and not wasting energy in any form is the most important step to be taken against global warming. The warning bells are tolling to awaken us from the deep slumber of complacency we have slipped into. Humans can fight against nature and it is high time we acknowledged that. With all our scientific progress and technological inventions, fighting off the negative effects of global warming is implausible. We have to remember that we do not inherit the earth from our ancestors but borrow it from our future generations and the responsibility lies on our shoulders to bequeath them a healthy planet for life to exist.

Climate Change and Global Warming Essay

Global Warming and Climate Change are two sides of the same coin. Both are interrelated with each other and are two issues of major concern worldwide. Greenhouse gases released such as carbon dioxide, CFCs, and other pollutants in the earth’s atmosphere cause Global Warming which leads to climate change. Black holes have started to form in the ozone layer that protects the earth from harmful ultraviolet rays.

Human activities have created climate change and global warming. Industrial waste and fumes are the major contributors to global warming.

Another factor affecting is the burning of fossil fuels, deforestation and also one of the reasons for climate change. Global warming has resulted in shrinking mountain glaciers in Antarctica, Greenland, and the Arctic and causing climate change. Switching from the use of fossil fuels to energy sources like wind and solar.

When buying any electronic appliance buy the best quality with energy savings stars. Don’t waste water and encourage rainwater harvesting in your community.

Tips to Write an Essay

Writing an effective essay needs skills that few people possess and even fewer know how to implement. While writing an essay can be an assiduous task that can be unnerving at times, some key pointers can be inculcated to draft a successful essay. These involve focusing on the structure of the essay, planning it out well, and emphasizing crucial details.

Mentioned below are some pointers that can help you write better structure and more thoughtful essays that will get across to your readers:

Prepare an outline for the essay to ensure continuity and relevance and no break in the structure of the essay
Decide on a thesis statement that will form the basis of your essay. It will be the point of your essay and help readers understand your contention
Follow the structure of an introduction, a detailed body followed by a conclusion so that the readers can comprehend the essay in a particular manner without any dissonance.
Make your beginning catchy and include solutions in your conclusion to make the essay insightful and lucrative to read
Reread before putting it out and add your flair to the essay to make it more personal and thereby unique and intriguing for readers

Also Read: I Love My India Essay: 100 and 500+ Words in English for School Students

Ans. Both natural and man-made factors contribute to global warming. The natural one also contains methane gas, volcanic eruptions, and greenhouse gases. Deforestation, mining, livestock raising, burning fossil fuels, and other man-made causes are next.

Ans. The government and the general public can work together to stop global warming. Trees must be planted more often, and deforestation must be prohibited. Auto usage needs to be curbed, and recycling needs to be promoted.

Ans. Switching to renewable energy sources , adopting sustainable farming, transportation, and energy methods, and conserving water and other natural resources.

Relevant Blogs

For more information on such interesting topics, visit our essay writing page and follow Leverage Edu.

Digvijay Singh

Having 2+ years of experience in educational content writing, withholding a Bachelor's in Physical Education and Sports Science and a strong interest in writing educational content for students enrolled in domestic and foreign study abroad programmes. I believe in offering a distinct viewpoint to the table, to help students deal with the complexities of both domestic and foreign educational systems. Through engaging storytelling and insightful analysis, I aim to inspire my readers to embark on their educational journeys, whether abroad or at home, and to make the most of every learning opportunity that comes their way.

8 Universities with higher ROI than IITs and IIMs

Grab this one-time opportunity to download this ebook

Connect With Us

45,000+ students realised their study abroad dream with us. take the first step today..

Resend OTP in

Need help with?

Study abroad.

UK, Canada, US & More

IELTS, GRE, GMAT & More

Scholarship, Loans & Forex

Country Preference

New Zealand

Which English test are you planning to take?

Which academic test are you planning to take.

Not Sure yet

When are you planning to take the exam?

Already booked my exam slot

Within 2 Months

Want to learn about the test

Which Degree do you wish to pursue?

When do you want to start studying abroad.

September 2024

January 2025

What is your budget to study abroad?

How would you describe this article ?

Please rate this article

We would like to hear more.

ENCYCLOPEDIC ENTRY

Climate change.

Climate change is a long-term shift in global or regional climate patterns. Often climate change refers specifically to the rise in global temperatures from the mid-20th century to present.

Earth Science, Climatology

Fracking tower

Fracking is a controversial form of drilling that uses high-pressure liquid to create cracks in underground shale to extract natural gas and petroleum. Carbon emissions from fossils fuels like these have been linked to global warming and climate change.

Photograph by Mark Thiessen / National Geographic

Learning materials

Upcoming event.

Explorer Classroom: Photographing the Frozen Frontier with Esther Horvath | December 5

Climate is sometimes mistaken for weather. But climate is different from weather because it is measured over a long period of time, whereas weather can change from day to day, or from year to year. The climate of an area includes seasonal temperature and rainfall averages, and wind patterns. Different places have different climates. A desert, for example, is referred to as an arid climate because little water falls, as rain or snow, during the year. Other types of climate include tropical climates, which are hot and humid , and temperate climates, which have warm summers and cooler winters.

Climate change is the long-term alteration of temperature and typical weather patterns in a place. Climate change could refer to a particular location or the planet as a whole. Climate change may cause weather patterns to be less predictable. These unexpected weather patterns can make it difficult to maintain and grow crops in regions that rely on farming because expected temperature and rainfall levels can no longer be relied on. Climate change has also been connected with other damaging weather events such as more frequent and more intense hurricanes, floods, downpours, and winter storms.

In polar regions, the warming global temperatures associated with climate change have meant ice sheets and glaciers are melting at an accelerated rate from season to season. This contributes to sea levels rising in different regions of the planet. Together with expanding ocean waters due to rising temperatures, the resulting rise in sea level has begun to damage coastlines as a result of increased flooding and erosion.

The cause of current climate change is largely human activity, like burning fossil fuels , like natural gas, oil, and coal. Burning these materials releases what are called greenhouse gases into Earth’s atmosphere . There, these gases trap heat from the sun’s rays inside the atmosphere causing Earth’s average temperature to rise. This rise in the planet's temperature is called global warming. The warming of the planet impacts local and regional climates. Throughout Earth's history, climate has continually changed. When occuring naturally, this is a slow process that has taken place over hundreds and thousands of years. The human influenced climate change that is happening now is occuring at a much faster rate.

Media Credits

The audio, illustrations, photos, and videos are credited beneath the media asset, except for promotional images, which generally link to another page that contains the media credit. The Rights Holder for media is the person or group credited.

Production Managers

Program specialists, last updated.

August 29, 2024

User Permissions

For information on user permissions, please read our Terms of Service. If you have questions about how to cite anything on our website in your project or classroom presentation, please contact your teacher. They will best know the preferred format. When you reach out to them, you will need the page title, URL, and the date you accessed the resource.

If a media asset is downloadable, a download button appears in the corner of the media viewer. If no button appears, you cannot download or save the media.

Text on this page is printable and can be used according to our Terms of Service .

Interactives

Any interactives on this page can only be played while you are visiting our website. You cannot download interactives.

Related Resources

What Is Climate Change?

Climate change is a long-term change in the average weather patterns that have come to define Earth’s local, regional and global climates. These changes have a broad range of observed effects that are synonymous with the term.

Changes observed in Earth’s climate since the mid-20th century are driven by human activities, particularly fossil fuel burning, which increases heat-trapping greenhouse gas levels in Earth’s atmosphere, raising Earth’s average surface temperature. Natural processes, which have been overwhelmed by human activities, can also contribute to climate change, including internal variability (e.g., cyclical ocean patterns like El Niño, La Niña and the Pacific Decadal Oscillation) and external forcings (e.g., volcanic activity, changes in the Sun’s energy output , variations in Earth’s orbit ).

Scientists use observations from the ground, air, and space, along with computer models , to monitor and study past, present, and future climate change. Climate data records provide evidence of climate change key indicators, such as global land and ocean temperature increases; rising sea levels; ice loss at Earth’s poles and in mountain glaciers; frequency and severity changes in extreme weather such as hurricanes, heatwaves, wildfires, droughts, floods, and precipitation; and cloud and vegetation cover changes.

“Climate change” and “global warming” are often used interchangeably but have distinct meanings. Similarly, the terms "weather" and "climate" are sometimes confused, though they refer to events with broadly different spatial- and timescales.

What Is Global Warming?

Global warming is the long-term heating of Earth’s surface observed since the pre-industrial period (between 1850 and 1900) due to human activities, primarily fossil fuel burning, which increases heat-trapping greenhouse gas levels in Earth’s atmosphere. This term is not interchangeable with the term "climate change."

Since the pre-industrial period, human activities are estimated to have increased Earth’s global average temperature by about 1 degree Celsius (1.8 degrees Fahrenheit), a number that is currently increasing by more than 0.2 degrees Celsius (0.36 degrees Fahrenheit) per decade. The current warming trend is unequivocally the result of human activity since the 1950s and is proceeding at an unprecedented rate over millennia.

Weather vs. Climate

“if you don’t like the weather in new england, just wait a few minutes.” - mark twain.

Weather refers to atmospheric conditions that occur locally over short periods of time—from minutes to hours or days. Familiar examples include rain, snow, clouds, winds, floods, or thunderstorms.

Climate, on the other hand, refers to the long-term (usually at least 30 years) regional or even global average of temperature, humidity, and rainfall patterns over seasons, years, or decades.

Find Out More: A Guide to NASA’s Global Climate Change Website

This website provides a high-level overview of some of the known causes, effects and indications of global climate change:

Evidence. Brief descriptions of some of the key scientific observations that our planet is undergoing abrupt climate change.

Causes. A concise discussion of the primary climate change causes on our planet.

Effects. A look at some of the likely future effects of climate change, including U.S. regional effects.

Vital Signs. Graphs and animated time series showing real-time climate change data, including atmospheric carbon dioxide, global temperature, sea ice extent, and ice sheet volume.

Earth Minute. This fun video series explains various Earth science topics, including some climate change topics.

Other NASA Resources

Goddard Scientific Visualization Studio. An extensive collection of animated climate change and Earth science visualizations.

Sea Level Change Portal. NASA's portal for an in-depth look at the science behind sea level change.

NASA’s Earth Observatory. Satellite imagery, feature articles and scientific information about our home planet, with a focus on Earth’s climate and environmental change.

Header image is of Apusiaajik Glacier, and was taken near Kulusuk, Greenland, on Aug. 26, 2018, during NASA's Oceans Melting Greenland (OMG) field operations. Learn more here . Credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech

Discover More Topics From NASA

Explore Earth Science

Earth Science in Action

Earth Science Data

The sum of Earth's plants, on land and in the ocean, changes slightly from year to year as weather patterns shift.

Facts About Earth

Explore Greyhound Nation

Loyola Today

Our Future Is Now - A Climate Change Essay by Francesca Minicozzi, '21

Francesca Minicozzi (class of 2021) is a Writing/Biology major who plans to study medicine after graduation. She wrote this essay on climate change for WR 355/Travel Writing, which she took while studying abroad in Newcastle in spring 2020. Although the coronavirus pandemic curtailed Francesca’s time abroad, her months in Newcastle prompted her to learn more about climate change. Terre Ryan Associate Professor, Writing Department

Our Future Is Now

By Francesca Minicozzi, '21 Writing and Biology Major

“If you don’t mind me asking, how is the United States preparing for climate change?” my flat mate, Zac, asked me back in March, when we were both still in Newcastle. He and I were accustomed to asking each other about the differences between our home countries; he came from Cambridge, while I originated in Long Island, New York. This was one of our numerous conversations about issues that impact our generation, which we usually discussed while cooking dinner in our communal kitchen. In the moment of our conversation, I did not have as strong an answer for him as I would have liked. Instead, I informed him of the few changes I had witnessed within my home state of New York.

Zac’s response was consistent with his normal, diplomatic self. “I have been following the BBC news in terms of the climate crisis for the past few years. The U.K. has been working hard to transition to renewable energy sources. Similar to the United States, here in the United Kingdom we have converted over to solar panels too. My home does not have solar panels, but a lot of our neighbors have switched to solar energy in the past few years.”

“Our two countries are similar, yet so different,” I thought. Our conversation continued as we prepared our meals, with topics ranging from climate change to the upcoming presidential election to Britain’s exit from the European Union. However, I could not shake the fact that I knew so little about a topic so crucial to my generation.

After I abruptly returned home from the United Kingdom because of the global pandemic, my conversation with my flat mate lingered in my mind. Before the coronavirus surpassed climate change headlines, I had seen the number of internet postings regarding protests to protect the planet dramatically increase. Yet the idea of our planet becoming barren and unlivable in a not-so-distant future had previously upset me to the point where a part of me refused to deal with it. After I returned from studying abroad, I decided to educate myself on the climate crisis.

My quest for climate change knowledge required a thorough understanding of the difference between “climate change” and “global warming.” Climate change is defined as “a pattern of change affecting global or regional climate,” based on “average temperature and rainfall measurements” as well as the frequency of extreme weather events. 1 These varied temperature and weather events link back to both natural incidents and human activity. 2 Likewise, the term global warming was coined “to describe climate change caused by humans.” 3 Not only that, but global warming is most recently attributed to an increase in “global average temperature,” mainly due to greenhouse gas emissions produced by humans. 4

I next questioned why the term “climate change” seemed to take over the term “global warming” in the United States. According to Frank Luntz, a leading Republican consultant, the term “global warming” functions as a rather intimidating phrase. During George W. Bush’s first presidential term, Luntz argued in favor of using the less daunting phrase “climate change” in an attempt to overcome the environmental battle amongst Democrats and Republicans. 5 Since President Bush’s term, Luntz remains just one political consultant out of many politicians who has recognized the need to address climate change. In an article from 2019, Luntz proclaimed that political parties aside, the climate crisis affects everyone. Luntz argued that politicians should steer clear of trying to communicate “the complicated science of climate change,” and instead engage voters by explaining how climate change personally impacts citizens with natural disasters such as hurricanes, tornadoes, and forest fires. 6 He even suggested that a shift away from words like “sustainability” would gear Americans towards what they really want: a “cleaner, safer, healthier” environment. 7

The idea of a cleaner and heathier environment remains easier said than done. The Paris Climate Agreement, introduced in 2015, began the United Nations’ “effort to combat global climate change.” 8 This agreement marked a global initiative to “limit global temperature increase in this century to 2 degrees Celsius above preindustrial levels,” while simultaneously “pursuing means to limit the increase to 1.5 degrees.” 9 Every country on earth has joined together in this agreement for the common purpose of saving our planet. 10 So, what could go wrong here? As much as this sounds like a compelling step in the right direction for climate change, President Donald Trump thought otherwise. In June 2017, President Trump announced the withdrawal of the United States from the Paris Agreement with his proclamation of climate change as a “’hoax’ perpetrated by China.” 11 President Trump continued to question the scientific facts behind climate change, remaining an advocate for the expansion of domestic fossil fuel production. 12 He reversed environmental policies implemented by former President Barack Obama to reduce fossil fuel use. 13

Trump’s actions against the Paris Agreement, however, fail to represent the beliefs of Americans as a whole. The majority of American citizens feel passionate about the fight against climate change. To demonstrate their support, some have gone as far as creating initiatives including America’s Pledge and We Are Still In. 14 Although the United States officially exited the Paris Agreement on November 4, 2020, this withdrawal may not survive permanently. 15 According to experts, our new president “could rejoin in as short as a month’s time.” 16 This offers a glimmer of hope.

The Paris Agreement declares that the United States will reduce greenhouse gas emission levels by 26 to 28 percent by the year 2025. 17 As a leader in greenhouse gas emissions, the United States needs to accept the climate crisis for the serious challenge that it presents and work together with other nations. The concept of working coherently with all nations remains rather tricky; however, I remain optimistic. I think we can learn from how other countries have adapted to the increased heating of our planet. During my recent study abroad experience in the United Kingdom, I was struck by Great Britain’s commitment to combating climate change.

Since the United Kingdom joined the Paris Agreement, the country targets a “net-zero” greenhouse gas emission for 2050. 18 This substantial alteration would mark an 80% reduction of greenhouse gases from 1990, if “clear, stable, and well-designed policies are implemented without interruption.” 19 In order to stay on top of reducing emissions, the United Kingdom tracks electricity and car emissions, “size of onshore and offshore wind farms,” amount of homes and “walls insulated, and boilers upgraded,” as well as the development of government policies, including grants for electric vehicles. 20 A strong grip on this data allows the United Kingdom to target necessary modifications that keep the country on track for 2050. In my brief semester in Newcastle, I took note of these significant changes. The city of Newcastle is small enough that many students and faculty are able to walk or bike to campus and nearby essential shops. However, when driving is unavoidable, the majority of the vehicles used are electric, and many British citizens place a strong emphasis on carpooling to further reduce emissions. The United Kingdom’s determination to severely reduce greenhouse emissions is ambitious and particularly admirable, especially as the United States struggles to shy away from its dependence on fossil fuels.

So how can we, as Americans, stand together to combat global climate change? Here are five adjustments Americans can make to their homes and daily routines that can dramatically make a difference:

Stay cautious of food waste. Studies demonstrate that “Americans throw away up to 40 percent of the food they buy.” 21 By being more mindful of the foods we purchase, opting for leftovers, composting wastes, and donating surplus food to those in need, we can make an individual difference that impacts the greater good. 22
Insulate your home. Insulation functions as a “cost-effective and accessible” method to combat climate change. 23 Homes with modern insulation reduce energy required to heat them, leading to a reduction of emissions and an overall savings; in comparison, older homes can “lose up to 35 percent of heat through their walls.” 24
Switch to LED Lighting. LED stands for “light-emitting diodes,” which use “90 percent less energy than incandescent bulbs and half as much as compact fluorescents.” 25 LED lights create light without producing heat, and therefore do not waste energy. Additionally, these lights have a longer duration than other bulbs, which means they offer a continuing savings. 26
Choose transportation wisely. Choose to walk or bike whenever the option presents itself. If walking or biking is not an option, use an electric or hybrid vehicle which emits less harmful gases. Furthermore, reduce the number of car trips taken, and carpool with others when applicable.
Finally, make your voice heard. The future of our planet remains in our hands, so we might as well use our voices to our advantage. Social media serves as a great platform for this. Moreover, using social media to share helpful hints to combat climate change within your community or to promote an upcoming protest proves beneficial in the long run. If we collectively put our voices to good use, together we can advocate for change.

As many of us are stuck at home due to the COVID-19 pandemic, these suggestions are slightly easier to put into place. With numerous “stay-at-home” orders in effect, Americans have the opportunity to make significant achievements for climate change. Personally, I have taken more precautions towards the amount of food consumed within my household during this pandemic. I have been more aware of food waste, opting for leftovers when too much food remains. Additionally, I have realized how powerful my voice is as a young college student. Now is the opportunity for Americans to share how they feel about climate change. During this unprecedented time, our voice is needed now more than ever in order to make a difference.

However, on a much larger scale, the coronavirus outbreak has shed light on reducing global energy consumption. Reductions in travel, both on the roads and in the air, have triggered a drop in emission rates. In fact, the International Energy Agency predicts a 6 percent decrease in energy consumption around the globe for this year alone. 27 This drop is “equivalent to losing the entire energy demand of India.” 28 Complete lockdowns have lowered the global demand for electricity and slashed CO2 emissions. However, in New York City, the shutdown has only decreased carbon dioxide emissions by 10 percent. 29 This proves that a shift in personal behavior is simply not enough to “fix the carbon emission problem.” 30 Climate policies aimed to reduce fossil fuel production and promote clean technology will be crucial steppingstones to ameliorating climate change effects. Our current reduction of greenhouse gas emissions serves as “the sort of reduction we need every year until net-zero emissions are reached around 2050.” 31 From the start of the coronavirus pandemic, politicians came together for the common good of protecting humanity; this demonstrates that when necessary, global leaders are capable of putting humankind above the economy. 32

After researching statistics comparing the coronavirus to climate change, I thought back to the moment the virus reached pandemic status. I knew that a greater reason underlay all of this global turmoil. Our globe is in dire need of help, and the coronavirus reminds the world of what it means to work together. This pandemic marks a turning point in global efforts to slow down climate change. The methods we enact towards not only stopping the spread of the virus, but slowing down climate change, will ultimately depict how humanity will arise once this pandemic is suppressed. The future of our home planet lies in how we treat it right now.

“Climate Change: What Do All the Terms Mean?,” BBC News (BBC, May 1, 2019), https://www.bbc.com/news/science-environment-48057733 )
Ibid.
Kate Yoder, “Frank Luntz, the GOP's Message Master, Calls for Climate Action,” Grist (Grist, July 26, 2019), https://grist.org/article/the-gops-most-famous-messaging-strategist-calls-for-climate-action
Melissa Denchak, “Paris Climate Agreement: Everything You Need to Know,” NRDC, April 29, 2020, https://www.nrdc.org/stories/paris-climate-agreement-everything-you-need-know)
“Donald J. Trump's Foreign Policy Positions,” Council on Foreign Relations (Council on Foreign Relations), accessed May 7, 2020, https://www.cfr.org/election2020/candidate-tracker/donald-j.-trump?gclid=CjwKCAjw4871BRAjEiwAbxXi21cneTRft_doA5if60euC6QCL7sr-Jwwv76IkgWaUTuyJNx9EzZzRBoCdjsQAvD_BwE#climate and energy )
David Doniger, “Paris Climate Agreement Explained: Does Congress Need to Sign Off?,” NRDC, December 15, 2016, https://www.nrdc.org/experts/david-doniger/paris-climate-agreement-explained-does-congress-need-sign )
“How the UK Is Progressing,” Committee on Climate Change, March 9, 2020, https://www.theccc.org.uk/what-is-climate-change/reducing-carbon-emissions/how-the-uk-is-progressing/)
Ibid.
“Top 10 Ways You Can Fight Climate Change,” Green America, accessed May 7, 2020, https://www.greenamerica.org/your-green-life/10-ways-you-can-fight-climate-change )
Matt McGrath, “Climate Change and Coronavirus: Five Charts about the Biggest Carbon Crash,” BBC News (BBC, May 5, 2020), https://www.bbc.com/news/amp/science-environment-52485712 )

History & Society
Science & Tech
Biographies
Animals & Nature
Geography & Travel
Arts & Culture
Games & Quizzes
On This Day
One Good Fact
New Articles
Lifestyles & Social Issues
Philosophy & Religion
Politics, Law & Government
World History
Health & Medicine
Browse Biographies
Birds, Reptiles & Other Vertebrates
Bugs, Mollusks & Other Invertebrates
Environment
Fossils & Geologic Time
Entertainment & Pop Culture
Sports & Recreation
Visual Arts
Demystified
Image Galleries
Infographics
Top Questions
Britannica Kids
Saving Earth
Space Next 50
Student Center
Introduction & Top Questions
Climatic variation since the last glaciation
The greenhouse effect
Radiative forcing
Water vapour
Carbon dioxide
Surface-level ozone and other compounds
Nitrous oxides and fluorinated gases
Land-use change
Stratospheric ozone depletion
Volcanic aerosols
Variations in solar output
Variations in Earth’s orbit
Water vapour feedback
Cloud feedbacks
Ice albedo feedback
Carbon cycle feedbacks
Modern observations
Prehistorical climate records
Theoretical climate models
Patterns of warming
Precipitation patterns
Regional predictions
Ice melt and sea level rise
Ocean circulation changes
Tropical cyclones
Environmental consequences of global warming
Socioeconomic consequences of global warming

How does global warming work?

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

In late August 2016, sunlight returned to the Antarctic Peninsula and unveiled a rift across the Larsen C Ice Shelf that had grown longer and deeper over the austral winter

global warming

Our editors will review what you’ve submitted and determine whether to revise the article.

U.S. Department of Transportation - Global Warming: A Science Overview
NOAA Climate.gov - Climate Change: Global Temperature
Natural Resources Defense Council - Global Warming 101
American Institute of Physics - The discovery of global warming
LiveScience - Causes of Global Warming
global warming - Children's Encyclopedia (Ages 8-11)
global warming - Student Encyclopedia (Ages 11 and up)
Table Of Contents

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.

Recent News

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.

Combination shot of Grinnell Glacier taken from the summit of Mount Gould, Glacier National Park, Montana in the years 1938, 1981, 1998 and 2006.

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.

What's the problem with an early spring?

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 .

Dissertation
PowerPoint Presentation
Book Report/Review
Research Proposal
Math Problems
Proofreading
Movie Review
Cover Letter Writing
Personal Statement
Nursing Paper
Argumentative Essay
Research Paper
Discussion Board Post

Steps To Follow While Writing An Essay On Climate Change

Table of Contents

Climate change is the most essential issue of our generation; we are the first to witness its early signs and the last who have a chance of stopping them from happening.

Living in a bubble of denial can only get us this far; the planet which is our home is already a scene for melting glaciers, raising floods, extinction of species… the list goes on and on. Spreading awareness on matters of climate change through any means available, including as seemingly trivial form as writing a school essay, cannot be underestimated.

Follow the guidelines suggested in the paragraphs below to learn how to create a perfect essay that will get you an appraisal of your teacher.

Essay on climate changes: how to write?

If you really want to make your teacher gasp while they are reading your work, there are three vital things to pay attention to .

First of all, read the topic carefully and understand it’s specific, i.e., what is expected from you.

For instance, if it is the role of individuals in helping prevent climate change, you should not focus so much on the global problems, but speak about how small changes all of us can introduce in our routines will eventually have a positive environmental effect.

Secondly, determine your personal take on the problem . Search for materials on your subject using keywords, and pile up the evidence that supports your point of view.

Finally, write a conclusion. Make sure that the conclusion you make reflects the viewpoints you have been expressing all throughout your essay.

Below you will find a more detailed breakdown of tasks you will have to accomplish to complete writing an essay on climate changes that is worthy of a top mark.

Check if it is an argumentative essay on climate change or more of a speculative one? Arrange your writing accordingly.

Craft the outline and don’t go off-topic.
Search for keywords .
Make a plan .
Avoid the most common mistakes from the start.
Write an introduction thinking about what you will write later.
Develop your ideas according to the outline .
Make a conclusion which is consistent with what you’ve written in the main paragraphs.
Proofread the draft , correct mistakes and print out the hard copy. All set!

One of the most focal of your writing will be factual evidence. When writing on climate change, resort to providing data shared by international organizations like IPCC , WWF , or World Bank .

It is undeniable that among the main causes of climate change, unfortunately, there are oil and fossil fuels that are the basis of the whole economy and still invaluable sources of energy.

Although everyone knows that oil resources are polluting and that it would be much more useful and environmentally sustainable to rely on renewable energies such as wind and solar energies and electricity, the power of the world seem not to notice or pretend not to see for don’t go against your own interests.

The time has come to react and raise awareness of the use of renewable energy sources.

In addition to the causes already mentioned, we must consider the increase in the carbon dioxide air that traps heat in our atmosphere, thus increasing the temperatures with the consequent of the Arctic glaciers melting.

WWF reported that in 2016, the recorded data was quite worrying with a constant increase in temperatures and a 40% decrease in Arctic marine glaciers.

Topics for essay on global warming and climate change

If you do not have any specific topic to write on, consider yourself lucky. You can pick one that you are passionate about – and in fact, this is what you should do! If we think back to the very definition of essay, it is nothing more than a few paragraphs of expressing one’s personal attitude and viewpoints on a certain subject. Surely, you need to pick a subject that you are opinionated about to deliver a readable piece of writing!

Another point to consider is quaintness and topicality factors. You don’t want to end up writing on a subject that the rest of your class will, and in all honesty, that has zero novelty to it.

Even if it is something as trivial as the greenhouse effect, add an unexpected perspective to it: the greenhouse effect from the standpoint of the feline population of Montenegro. Sounds lunatic, but you get the drift.

Do not worry, below you will find the list of legitimately coverable topics to choose from:

The last generation able to fight the global crisis.
Climate change: top 10 unexpected causes.
Climate changes. Things anyone can do.
Climate changes concern everyone. Is it true?
The Mauna Loa volcano: climate change is here.
Water pollution and coastal cities: what needs to be done?
Is there global warming if it’s still cold?
The CO2 concentration in the atmosphere.
Celebrity activists and climate changes.
Individual responsibility for the environment.
How the loss of biodiversity is the biggest loss for humanity.
Ways to fight global warming at home.
Sustainable living as a way of fighting climate change.
Climate change fighting countries to look up to.
Industrial responsibility and climate change.
What future will be like if we fail to make an environmental stand?
Discovering water on Mars: a new planet to live on?
Climate change effects on poor countries.
Nuclear power laws and climate change.
Is it true that climate change is caused by man?

Mistakes to avoid when writing an essay on climate change

When composing your essay, you must avoid the following (quite common!) mistakes:

Clichés – no one wants to read universal truths presented as relevant discoveries.
Repeating an idea already expressed – don’t waste your readers’ time .
Making an accumulation of ideas that are not connected and that do not follow one another; structure your ideas logically .
Being contradictive (check consistency).
Using bad or tired collocations .
Using lackluster adjectives like “good”/”bad”. Instead, think of more eye-catching synonyms.

Structure your essay in a logical way : introduce your thesis, develop your ideas in at least 2 parts that contain several paragraphs, and draw a conclusion.

Bottom line

Writing an essay on global warming and climate change is essentially reflecting on the inevitable consequence of the irresponsible behavior of people inhabiting the planet. Outside of big-scale thinking, there is something each of us can do, and by shaping minds the right way, essential change can be done daily.

Each of us can act to protect the environment, reducing the use of plastic, recycling, buying food with as little packaging as possible, or turning off water and light when not in use. Every little help, even a short essay on climate change can help make a difference.

Can’t wait to save the planet? Do it, while we write your essay. Easy order, complete confidentiality, timely delivery. Click the button to learn more!

How To Format A College Essay

Pop Culture Essay – Thoughts on Writing

55 Rare Topics For Persuasive Essays

Search the United Nations

What Is Climate Change
Myth Busters
Renewable Energy
Finance & Justice
Initiatives
Sustainable Development Goals
Paris Agreement
Climate Ambition Summit 2023
Climate Conferences
Press Material
Communications Tips

Causes and Effects of Climate Change

Fossil fuels – coal, oil and gas – are by far the largest contributor to global climate change, accounting for over 75 per cent of global greenhouse gas emissions and nearly 90 per cent of all carbon dioxide emissions. As greenhouse gas emissions blanket the Earth, they trap the sun’s heat. This leads to global warming and climate change. The world is now warming faster than at any point in recorded history. Warmer temperatures over time are changing weather patterns and disrupting the usual balance of nature. This poses many risks to human beings and all other forms of life on Earth.

A farmer and his daughter standing in front of thier honey barn

Heatwaves put bees at risk

Eleven-year-old Markela is a fifth generation beekeeper, but climate change is making it so that she may not be able to carry on the family tradition. Wildfires, heatwaves, and droughts that are increasing in intensity and frequency due to the climate crisis, put bees and the ecosystems at risk.

Healing Chile’s Huapi Island

On Chile’s Huapi Island, native forests have become fragmented, making the soils poorer and drier and leaving the population vulnerable to the effects of climate change. Now, thanks to the restoration efforts of Indigenous Peoples, native trees are making a comeback.

Early warning systems are saving lives in Central Asia

As Central Asia grapples with the increasing frequency and severity of climate-induced hazards, the importance of robust early warning systems cannot be overstated. However, countries need both technical knowledge and resources to effectively implement these systems on a large scale. Japan has been a reliable ally for countries, helping advance early warning systems and increase resilience in the region.

Facts and figures

What is climate change?
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

Environment

How to write the perfect essay on climate change.

Writing an essay on green living or other environmental issues can be difficult. You need to make sure that you get your points right. One of the issues is that environmental research is changing at a breathtaking pace, so it is easy to use outdated data to make your point.

Creating the Perfect Essay on Climate Change or Any Environmental Topic

Essay writing is a task which poses an immense challenge to many students. This is because it not only has many requirements, but also requires one to have professional writing skills to produce a top-notch paper. This is especially complicated for climate change papers.

Additionally, many students find it hard to distinguish the type of paper they are writing. Hence, they end up producing the wrong article. Environmental science professors and instructors often give college and university students writing assignments.

You can always hire a professional paper writer to help you. However, you will learn more if you go through the process on your own. But how can you write a paper easily with limited time as a student?

You need to be familiar with the concepts behind climate change if you are planning on writing a paper on it. You should start by looking at previous papers and research on the topic. Global Change has a large list of all major climate change papers .

However, you are going to need to write your own paper and it needs to meet the school’s quality standards. It is up to you to ensure that you understand the distinction between various types of essay writing tasks. Cody Rhodes has been gracious enough to speak with us to clarify what a descriptive essay is and the goal or objective of writing one. Rhodes has said that there are a lot of great insights for people learning to create better papers on climate change.

What is a descriptive essay on Climate Change?

Before we go deeper into descriptive essay writing tips, you need to know what a descriptive essay is. A descriptive essay is a type of academic writing which involves describing a specific place, event, or person to the readers. You must do this in a way that creates a portrait in their minds by engaging their senses: touch, sound, smell, sight, and taste. Your ability to do this guarantees your success. Before you write your descriptive essay, you need to lay the foundation of the entire work.

Choose a topic related to climate change or green living

What topic is best for climate change? You can’t just focus on climate change in general , Rhodes tells us. He says that you need to get into the nuances of specific elements of the subject. You might want to talk about the fact that the minimum arctic ice levels have fallen over 12% a decade since the 1980s . Covering a very specific climate change topic makes things easier.

So, you need to select a topic which you can write a lot about. Your professor may give you one or they may leave it up to you to choose. So, ensure you pick a topic which allows you to convey your opinion about it through your description of it and how you want things laid out for the audience.

Also, you must ensure you structure your essay in a way that helps your topic to have meaning or make sense. A description of an event has paragraphs arranged chronologically, whereas a description of a person or a place has paragraphs arranged generally so that it allows you to go deeper into the specifics. The introduction paragraph of your essay should set out the key points you will discuss in your article as it sets the tone for the rest of the paper.

But what do you do once you’ve chosen your topic? If you need to learn how to write a descriptive essay about a place, event or person consider the following tips.

Do statement

Now that you have chosen a topic, develop a thesis statement for your climate change topic. An example could be “The hospitality sector’s global initiative has contributed to the climate crisis.”

A thesis statement is a statement which holds or supports the argument in the topic of your paper. Additionally, it lays out the purpose of the essay. It is prominent throughout the entire paper. Hence, when creating it, you need to make it precise, avoid clichés, and include it in the introductory paragraph.

Engage your readers’ senses

The audience will be able to comprehend what your paper is about if you create an image in their minds by engaging their senses. So, how do you get the senses right?

Take a sheet of paper and partition it into five columns. Note down all the senses. This will help you sort your thoughts and ideas as you elucidate your topic. Write any feelings or sensations which relate to the topic you are writing about. Back up your thesis statement by providing full sensory details. Utilize literary tools to perfect your paper such as personification, similes, and metaphors.

Write an outline

Once you get the senses right, you can proceed to the next step, which is creating a descriptive essay outline. A descriptive essay outline is essential in writing a descriptive essay as it not only acts as a road map to your essay but also simplifies the writing process. Additionally, it helps to show how the structure of your paper ought to appear. A descriptive essay outline constitutes three main components: the introduction body, and conclusion.

Develop a strong hook which will capture the attention of your audience. They need to be attracted to your paper by reading the introduction. Also, remember to include the thesis statement.
Writing a descriptive paragraph(s)is not easy if you do not have a thesis statement. This is because it is where you provide support or backup the thesis statement (shows the purpose of your essay). So, ensure you begin each paragraph with a topic sentence. Use transitional phrases to show the readers that your essay is continuous.
Conclude your paper with a summary of your main points. Restate your thesis statement.

Create a conclusion

The conclusion of your descriptive essay is fundamental as it shows the reader(s) that your article has come to an end. It needs to be strong, especially if you are trying to make a case in a subject as controversial as climate change.

So, when creating it, ensure you provide a summary of your key points. Restate your thesis statement. Also, remember not to include any new information which you have not mentioned in your paper.

If you do not know how to structure a descriptive essay, follow the format above or have a look at some of the descriptive essay examples written by other students or professionals.

Polish and finish

You can begin writing your essay now that you have a guiding map (outline) you can use. After writing your paper, ensure you take a break then resume to revise it. Go through it and eliminate all the mistakes you may have made during the writing process. Polish it in a way that ensures you have met all the writing instructions and requirements.

Writing a Great Essay on Climate Change Doesn’t Have to Be Overwhelming

Climate change is a complicated topic . Fortunately, writing an essay on climate change doesn’t have to be overwhelming. Writing a descriptive essay on any environmental topic is not hard as long as you know the purpose it seeks to serve. The tips listed above along with someone from WriteMyPaperHub will help you learn how to write a descriptive essay on global warming.

Like our Facebook Page

How to Make a Building More Sustainable in 6 Steps

FIBCs Help Businesses Lower Carbon Footprint of Logistics

Green Companies Take New Steps to Lower Carbon Footprint of Transportation

Best Practices for Disposing of Compostable Products Correctly

How Solar Panels Work and Their Many Benefits

How to Practice Sustainable Living in 2024

6 Eco-Friendly Improvements for Your Car

Green Businesses Are Turning to Preventive Maintenance Software

Holistic Healing – Green Approach to Catastrophic Injury Recovery

Renewable Energy and EVs: Perfect Partners for a Greener World

eco-friendly entrepreneurs with startups

How to Become an Environmentally Conscious Entrepreneur in 2024

The Circular Economy is Conserving Biodiversity

What Eco-Friendly Investors Should Know About Trading Silver

Growth & Development
Play & Activities
Life Skills
Play & Learning
Learning & Education
Rhymes & Songs
Preschool Locator

Essay On Climate Change – 10 Lines, Short and Long Essay For Kids

Key Points To Remember When Writing An Essay On Climate Change For Lower Primary Classes

10 lines on climate change for kids, paragraph on climate change for children, short essay on climate change in 250 words for kids, long essay on climate change in english for children, interesting facts about climate change for kids, what will your child learn from the essay.

Climate change is described as a shift in weather conditions due to human and environmental factors. We are experiencing temperatures rising at substantial rates on earth, and because of this, icecaps are melting. Global warming is a significant concern which is why learning about various hazards such as air, water, and soil pollution, industrial waste disposal, contamination of resources, etc., is crucial. We are going to talk about how to write an essay on climate change for classes 1, 2, and 3 children. A climate change essay in English isn’t hard to comprehend and can be simple; we’ll show you below.

Climate change can be a big threat to our environment, and it affects every aspect of our lives and may cause global catastrophes if ignored. Here are some key points to remember for kids on how to write an essay on climate change.

Begin with an introductory overview of what climate change is. Describe how it works, impacts the environment, and what steps can be taken to analyse it.
Discuss the consequences of not addressing climate change concerns and how it may affect livelihood.
Go through steps on how to reduce waste, increase natural resources, and improve climate change.
Add a conclusion paragraph at the bottom and summarise your essay.

Intense bouts of famine and rainfall, sudden changes in weather conditions, and forest fires result from climate change. Kids can refer to these lines while writing an essay for classes 1 and 2 on climate change:

Climate change is bad for our planet and should not be underestimated.
The consequences of climate change are catastrophic. It can melt glaciers, cause deforestation, and deplete other non-renewable sources
Animals depend upon natural resources for survival, and climate change causes them to go extinct.
Climate and global warming negatively impact agriculture.
Greenhouse gases play a significant role in climate change.
The earth is heating up at an alarming rate, which is unnatural.
Ozone layer depletion is a major consequence of climate change.
We must start inculcating sustainable living practices and ensure our natural resources don’t get depleted.
Taking better care of our environment and planting many trees makes a big difference.
We should educate others about climate change and reduce non-biodegradable waste and plastic usage.

Frequent changes in weather conditions are not normal and should be prevented. Given below is a paragraph on climate change for more insight on the topic.

Global warming happens when the earth’s average temperature rises at exponential rates, thus contributing to climate change. We cannot fully control climate change as humans. Still, we certainly play a part by preserving natural resources and controlling air pollution by opting for public transport over private vehicles. Scientists are unclear whether global warming is solely responsible for climate change or whether other factors are involved. The main reason behind climate change is attributed to greenhouse gases, mainly consisting of carbon dioxide, CFOs, methane, and Chloro Fluro Carbons. Constant fluctuations in environmental temperatures can be stressful to wildlife, and nature is not used to going through such shifts. Humanity should join hands to tackle this serious environmental issue.

Climate change is not a good indicator and means that the earth is depleting rapidly. Kids can include this point in a short essay for classes 1, 2, and 3 kids and can write an amazing essay.

The change in the weather patterns over a long period of time is called climate change. These changes are sometimes necessary, while they may be unexpected on rare occasions. Climate change is causing a negative impact on all living beings. The overpopulation crisis makes surviving nearly impossible. People are facing difficulties procuring food and water due to untimely climate fluctuations. Climate change has existed for centuries and is not a recent threat. But it was not so severe or rapid as today. Rather than bring worries, it is imperative to take action and rectify it as soon as possible. The affluent countries can help poorer nations combat the crises and develop adequate funding for access to research and technology. Direct participation of local communities or the grassroots movement is one of the best ways to get to the heart of it. Understanding that climate change results from humanity’s unhealthy relationship with nature is crucial. The Paris Agreement is an example of the world doing its share to build a sustainable future and come together to fight the climate change crisis.

Writing a long-form essay on the topic will need your child to be aware of the existence of climate change and its issues at present, although it began generations ago with the Ice Age. Here is a sample essay for class 3 on climate change your child can read before drafting their own write-up.

Climate change is defined as the change that impacts our ecosystems. This can happen due to internal and external factors, sometimes the scale being large enough to affect communities. The earth has experienced several periods of drought, famine, and cyclical rainfall for more than 2 million years, and many species and wild animals have become extinct due to this reason.

Global warming depletes the ozone layer, impacts agriculture, and affects water supply. Various problems can be caused by climate change, such as transportation issues, natural disasters, water logging, and air pollution. There are various reasons for climate change including fossil fuel extraction, dumping of oils in oceans, industrial waste, and releasing other toxic contaminants such as radiation into the atmosphere, etc.

If we do not think about climate change now, a day will come when the planet may go extinct. There will be heavy damage to the environment, and land may become uninhabitable. Animals depend upon the environment to survive, but too many changes in weather conditions rob them of valuable natural resources. Deforestation and forest fires are also becoming a significant problem in this regard. Although humans are responsible for the adverse effects of climate change, it is not too late to start over or curb them. An excellent first step is planting as many trees as possible and caring for our neighbourhoods.

Rapid warming of the planet is not natural, and in history, it never happened at such unprecedented rates. Volcanos also contribute to climate change by releasing ash, molten lava, and debris into the environment, thus causing landslides and other natural disasters. If everyone takes responsibility for their actions and what they do for the environment, the planet would be a better place to live in.

What Is Climate Change?

Climate change refers to the natural shifts in weather patterns and any changes made in solar cycles. Many changes in the climate are unprecedented, and humans have been noticing these changes for thousands of years.

What Are The Causes And Effects Of Climate Change?

Here is a list of the causes and effects of climate change on the planet.

Causes of Climate Change

A few major causes of climate change are:

The buildup of greenhouse gases
Industrial waste disposal
Soil erosion
Increased volcanic activity
Changes in solar cycles

Effects of Climate Change

The major effects of climate change are as follows:

Droughts and sandstorms
Destruction of various lifeforms and animal habitats
High rates of carbon emissions
Melting of glaciers and ice caps
Air, soil, and water pollution
Depletion of natural resources

Ways to Prevent Climate Change

Here are the different ways to prevent climate change:

Encourage biodiversity in ecosystems by planting more trees and reducing the global warming crisis
Promote sustainable living practices and recycle waste
Stop using plastic and do not dump industrial waste in soils and water bodies
Get active, stop using fossil fuels, and ride your bike more
Commute to work on foot and use public transportation
Control your electricity consumption for sustainable living.

Although the samples given above can help your child write a decent essay, some more knowledge on the topic will allow them to add more value to it or make it an interesting read. Read on to learn some interesting facts about climate change.

The earth was very cold around 600-800 million years ago and turned to ice.
As per many scientists, climate change is caused by humans these days.
The earth raised its temperature by 0.69 degrees Celsius between January to December 2014, which was recorded as the highest in history.
We are currently going through a phase known as the Holocene. The Holocene can be defined as the last 11,700 years of the earth’s existence.

Your child will learn a lot about the earth from writing an essay on the topic. They will understand how they can positively contribute to climate change, what can be done to improve it, and how to preserve our natural resources for a better life on this planet.

The amount of energy we get from the sun proves that life on earth can be perfect. But it’s more about how we use our natural resources and not deplete them. Hopefully, this climate change essay has shed some light on the subject.

Essay On Plastic Ban for Kids Global Warming Essay in English for Children How to Write An Essay On Save Earth for Kids

Essays for Class 1
Essays for Class 2
Essays for Class 3

Priyadarshika

How your screen time directly impacts your child, 13 helpful tips to get your child to listen to you, how to build a healthy relationship with food for your child, leave a reply cancel reply.

Most Popular

Why playing alone is recommended for kids, recent comments.

FirstCry Intelli Education is an Early Learning brand, with products and services designed by educators with decades of experience, to equip children with skills that will help them succeed in the world of tomorrow.

The FirstCry Intellikit `Learn With Stories` kits for ages 2-6 brings home classic children`s stories, as well as fun activities, specially created by our Early Learning Educators.

For children 6 years and up, explore a world of STEAM learning, while engaging in project-based play to keep growing minds busy!

Build a love for reading through engaging book sets and get the latest in brain-boosting toys, recommended by the educators at FirstCry Intellitots.

Our Comprehensive 2-year Baby Brain Development Program brings to you doctor-approved toys for your baby`s developing brain.

Our Preschool Chain offers the best in education across India, for children ages 2 and up.

Welcome to the world of Intelli!

We have some FREE Activity E-books waiting for you. Fill in your details below so we can send you tailor- made activities for you and your little one.

Parent/Guardian's Name

Child's DOB

What would you like to receive other than your Free E-book? I would like information, discounts and offers on toys, books and products I want to find a FirstCry Intellitots Preschool near me I want access to resources for my child's development and/or education

Welcome to the world of intelli!

FREE guides and worksheets coming your way on whatsapp. Subscribe Below !!

THANK YOU!!!

Here are your free guides and worksheets.

Share full article

The Science of Climate Change Explained: Facts, Evidence and Proof

Definitive answers to the big questions.

Credit... Photo Illustration by Andrea D'Aquino

Supported by

By Julia Rosen

Ms. Rosen is a journalist with a Ph.D. in geology. Her research involved studying ice cores from Greenland and Antarctica to understand past climate changes.

Published April 19, 2021 Updated Nov. 6, 2021

The science of climate change is more solid and widely agreed upon than you might think. But the scope of the topic, as well as rampant disinformation, can make it hard to separate fact from fiction. Here, we’ve done our best to present you with not only the most accurate scientific information, but also an explanation of how we know it.

How do we know climate change is really happening?

How much agreement is there among scientists about climate change?
Do we really only have 150 years of climate data? How is that enough to tell us about centuries of change?
How do we know climate change is caused by humans?
Since greenhouse gases occur naturally, how do we know they’re causing Earth’s temperature to rise?
Why should we be worried that the planet has warmed 2°F since the 1800s?
Is climate change a part of the planet’s natural warming and cooling cycles?
How do we know global warming is not because of the sun or volcanoes?
How can winters and certain places be getting colder if the planet is warming?
Wildfires and bad weather have always happened. How do we know there’s a connection to climate change?
How bad are the effects of climate change going to be?
What will it cost to do something about climate change, versus doing nothing?

Climate change is often cast as a prediction made by complicated computer models. But the scientific basis for climate change is much broader, and models are actually only one part of it (and, for what it’s worth, they’re surprisingly accurate ).

For more than a century , scientists have understood the basic physics behind why greenhouse gases like carbon dioxide cause warming. These gases make up just a small fraction of the atmosphere but exert outsized control on Earth’s climate by trapping some of the planet’s heat before it escapes into space. This greenhouse effect is important: It’s why a planet so far from the sun has liquid water and life!

However, during the Industrial Revolution, people started burning coal and other fossil fuels to power factories, smelters and steam engines, which added more greenhouse gases to the atmosphere. Ever since, human activities have been heating the planet.

Where it was cooler or warmer in 2020 compared with the middle of the 20th century

Global average temperature compared with the middle of the 20th century

+0.75°C

–0.25°

30 billion metric tons

Carbon dioxide emitted worldwide 1850-2017

Rest of world

Other developed

European Union

Developed economies

Other countries

United States

E.U. and U.K.

We are having trouble retrieving the article content.

Please enable JavaScript in your browser settings.

Thank you for your patience while we verify access. If you are in Reader mode please exit and log into your Times account, or subscribe for all of The Times.

Thank you for your patience while we verify access.

Already a subscriber? Log in .

Want all of The Times? Subscribe .

Essay: To fix climate anxiety (and also climate change), we first have to fix individualism

graphite drawing of a child's palm touching an adult's, layered against tree branches, shadows, and water ripples

Copy Link URL Copied!

How do you cope? I feel the sorrow, the quiet plea for guidance every time someone asks me this question. As an environmental reporter dedicated to helping people make sense of climate change, I know I should have answers. But the truth is, it took me until now to face my own grief.

My heart keeps breaking whenever I meet yet another child struggling with asthma amid orange, smoke-filled skies. I, too, am reeling from the whiplash of extreme drought and extreme rain , and I’m still haunted by the thought of a mother having to call each of her daughters to say goodbye as the homes around her cave to fire.

Each year, as I reflect on my own reporting on the floods that keep getting worse and the toxic pollution building up in all forms of life , I find myself questioning whether I could ever justify bringing my own children into this world. I agonize over the amount of plastic we can’t avoid using and mourn the monarch butterflies that have vanished. With each new heat record shattered, and each new report declaring a code red for humanity , I can’t help but feel like we’re just counting down the days to our own extinction.

In the face of sea level rise, can we reimagine California’s vanishing coastline?

“Climate anxiety” is the term we now use to describe these feelings, but I must confess, I was perplexed when I first heard these words a few years ago. Anger, frustration, helplessness, exhaustion — these are the emotions I come across more often when getting to know the communities bracing for, or recovering from, the devastation of what they’ve long considered home.

Then a college student asked me about climate anxiety. It came up again on social media, and again in personal essays and polls. This paralyzing dread was suddenly the talk of the town — but it has also, very noticeably, remained absent in some circles.

All this has led me to wonder: What, exactly, is climate anxiety? And how should we cope? At first blush, this anxiety seems rooted in a fear that we’ll never go back to normal, that the future we were once promised is now gone. But who this “normal” is even for (and what we’re actually afraid of losing) speaks to a much more complicated question:

Is this anxiety pointing to a deeper responsibility that we all must face — and ultimately, is this anxiety something we can transcend?

For Jade Sasser, whose research on climate emotions has been grounded by her own experiences as a Black woman, these questions sharpened into focus during a research-methods seminar that she was teaching early last year at UC Riverside.

The class — all female, many from low-income immigrant communities — had been a fairly quiet group all quarter, so Sasser was surprised when the room completely erupted after she broached what she thought would be an academic, somewhat dispassionate discussion about climate change and the future.

Every student was suddenly talking, even yelling, over one another. Thought after thought tumbled out as they shared that not only does the future feel bleak when it comes to the job market, the housing crisis and whether their generation will ever be able to “settle down with kids” — but all this is many times worse when you’re not white, not documented and not born into a college-educated family.

How can they feel hopeful about the future, they asked, when, on top of everything already stacked against them, they also have to worry about wildfires, extreme heat and air pollution getting out of control?

‘It’s almost shameful to want to have children’

‘Climate Anxiety and the Kid Question’ asks: With American society feeling more socially and politically polarized than ever, is it right to bring another person into the world?

“It was literally a collective meltdown unlike anything I had ever experienced,” said Sasser, whose podcast and book, “ Climate Anxiety and the Kid Question, ” were largely inspired by her students that day. “I understood in that moment that you cannot assume someone does not also experience anxiety simply because their way of talking about it may not be the same as yours.”

It doesn’t help, she added, that many people don’t realize what they’re feeling is climate anxiety because the way we talk about it tends to center the experiences of white and more privileged people — people who have been insulated from oppression and have rarely (until now) had to worry about the safety of their own future.

“For a lot of people, climate anxiety looks a certain way: It looks very scared, it looks very sad, and it looks like a person who is ready, willing and able to talk about it,” Sasser said. “But for those who are experiencing many compounding forms of vulnerability at the same time, you can’t just pick out one part of it and say, ‘Oh, this is what’s causing me to feel this way.’”

A brave first step is to acknowledge privilege — and to support, and perhaps even learn, from those who have had to be resilient long before climate change became so overwhelming.

“For me, this work is a matter of survival,” said Kevin J. Patel, who grew up in South L.A. and has been fighting for climate justice since he was 11. He was contemplative, nodding, when I shared what I learned from Sasser, and he gently added that one privilege many communities don’t have is the ability to turn it off. Not everyone can go on a vacation or take a day to recharge, he said. Even having the time to talk about your sadness can be a luxury.

Feeling climate anxiety? These books offer glimmers of hope — and much-needed wisdom

Patel learned at a young age that not all communities get the same level of care. Growing up with hazy air, in a neighborhood hemmed in by the 10 and 110 freeways, Patel almost collapsed one day in front of his sixth-grade class when his heart suddenly started pounding at more than 300 beats per minute.

His parents, farmers from Gujarat, India, rushed Patel to the emergency room and held his hand while everyone around him thought he was dying. After months of hospital visits and procedures, doctors determined that he had developed a severe heart condition in large part due to the smog.

‘For me, this work is a matter of survival.’

— Kevin J. Patel

As he learned to live with an irregular heartbeat, he found joy in his family’s tiny garden and marveled at all the ladybugs that gathered on the tulsi, a special type of basil. He taught his classmates that food came from the ground, not the grocery store, and together, they went on to form an environmental club.

Today, Patel speaks with the hardened wisdom of someone who has experienced much more than the typical 23-year-old. He’s constantly doing something — whether it’s supporting a neighbor, getting water bottle refill stations installed at his school, or turning the idea of a Los Angeles County Youth Climate Commission into reality. For years, he has guided other marginalized youth through OneUpAction , a grassroots environmental group that he built from the ground up.

Even if he doesn’t call it anxiety, he admits he sometimes has trouble focusing, and there’s a tenseness in his body that can be hard to shake off. But he’s usually able to turn it around by talking to his friends or elders, or by reciting his favorite proverb:

They tried to bury us, but they didn’t know we were seeds.

“It’s not about what I need, it’s about what my community needs,” he said. “There is joy in caring for one another. There is joy in coming together to fight for a future that we believe in.”

When talking about climate anxiety, it’s important to differentiate whether you’re assessing these emotions as a mental health condition, or as a cultural phenomenon.

Let’s start with mental health: Polls show climate anxiety is on the rise and that people all around the world are losing sleep over climate change. Organizations like the Climate-Aware Therapist Directory and the American Psychiatric Assn. have put together an increasing number of guides and resources to help more people understand how climate change has affected our emotional well-being.

Poll shows Californians’ climate anxiety is on the rise

Just knowing that climate change is getting worse can trigger serious psychological responses. And the shock and trauma are all the more great if you’ve already had to live through the kinds of disasters that keep the rest of us up at night.

It’s also important to note that social media has magnified our sense of doom. What you see on social media tends to be a particularly intense and cherry-picked version of reality, but studies show that’s exactly how the vast majority of young people are getting their information about climate change: online rather than in school.

But you can’t treat climate anxiety like other forms of anxiety, and here’s where the cultural politics come in: The only way to make climate anxiety go away is to make climate change go away, and given the fraught and deeply systemic underpinnings of climate change, we must also consider this context when it comes to our climate emotions. How we feel is just as much a product of the narratives that have shaped the way we perceive and respond to the world.

“Climate anxiety can’t be limited to just a clinical setting — we have to take it out of the therapy room and look at it through a lens of privilege, and power, and the economic, historical and social structures that are at the root of the problem,” said Sarah Jaquette Ray, whose book “ A Field Guide to Climate Anxiety ” is a call to arms to think more expansively about our despair. “Treating a person’s climate anxiety without challenging these systems only addresses the symptoms, not the causes... and if white or more privileged emotions get the most airtime, and if we don’t see how climate is intersecting with all these other problems, that can result in a greater silencing of the people most impacted.”

Graphite drawing of an open palm holding a leaf. The veins of the leaf are layered with the veins of the hand.

Ray, an environmental humanist who chairs the environmental studies program at Cal Poly Humboldt, also emphasized that our distress can actually be a catalyst for much-needed change. These emotions are meant to shake us out of complacency, to sound the alarm to the very real crisis before us. But if we don’t openly talk about climate anxiety as something that is not only normal but also expected, we run the risk of further individualizing the problem. We already have a tendency to shut down and feel alone in our sorrows, which traps us into thinking only about ourselves.

“One huge reason why climate anxiety feels so awful is this feeling of not being able to do anything about it,” Ray said. “But if you actually saw yourself as part of a collective, as interconnected with all these other movements doing meaningful things, you wouldn’t be feeling this despair and loneliness.”

The trick to fixing climate anxiety is to fix individualism, she said. Start small, tap into what you’re already good at, join something bigger than yourself.

And by fixing individualism, as many young activists like Patel have already figured out, we just might have a better shot at fixing climate change.

Let us consider, for a moment, how the words that we use can also limit the way we think about our vulnerability and despair.

Something as simple as the “climate” in “climate anxiety” and how we define “environment” can unintentionally reinforce who we center in the conversation.

“In Nigeria, what we call our environment — it’s not just trees and mountains — it’s also about our food, our jobs, the biodiversity that gives us the life support that we need to thrive every day. That’s what we call our environment; it’s about our people,” said Jennifer Uchendu, who founded SustyVibes , a youth-led sustainability group based in her home country, as well as the Eco-Anxiety in Africa Project , which seeks to validate the emotions and experiences of communities often overlooked in climate conversations. “So if people are being oppressed by the system, it is still linked to our idea of the environment.”

Many of Uchendu’s elders have expressed a lifetime of feeling frustrated and powerless, for example, but she said they didn’t immediately connect these feelings to climate change because “climate anxiety” sounded to them like a new and elite phenomenon.

Editorial: California can make climate polluters pay for the mess they have made of Earth

We hear so often today that climate change is the existential crisis of our time, but that dismisses the trauma and violence to all the people who have been fighting to survive for centuries. Colonization, greed and exploitation are inseparable from climate change, Uchendu said, but we miss these connections when we consider our emotions only through a Western lens.

For Jessa Calderon, a Chumash and Tongva songwriter, these disconnects are ever-present in the concrete-hardened rivers snaking through Los Angeles, and the sour taste of industrialization often singeing the air. In her darkest moments, her heart hurts wondering if her son, Honor, will grow up to know clean water.

Her voice cracked as she recalled a brown bear that had been struck dead on the freeway near the Cajon Pass. As she watched strangers gawk at the limp body and share videos online, she wished she had been able to put the bear to rest and sing him into the spirit world.

“If we don’t see them as our people, then we have no hope for ourselves as a people, because we’re showing that we care about nothing more than ourselves,” she said. “And if we care about nothing more than ourselves, then we’re going to continue to devastate each other and the land.”

It is not too late to turn your climate anxiety into climate empathy. Acknowledging the emotional toll on people beyond yourself can be an opportunity to listen and support one another. Embracing our feelings — and then finding others who also want to turn their fear into action — can be the missing spark to much-needed social and environmental healing.

There is also wisdom to be learned in the songs and traditions of past movements, when people banded together — for civil rights, for women’s suffrage — and found ways to keep hope alive against all odds. And the more we look to the young people still caring for their elders in Nigeria, and to our Indigenous neighbors who continue to sing and love and tend to every living being, the better we might also comprehend the resilience required of all of us in the warming years ahead.

Opinion: Here are the places that could become too hot for humans due to climate change

So how should we cope? For Patel, living with his irregular but unwavering heartbeat, he finds strength in the words of adrienne maree brown, who famously wrote in “ Emergent Strategy ” that in the same way our lives are shaped today by our ancestors, we ourselves are future ancestors. Calderon, who similarly taught her son to leave this Earth better with every passing generation, confided to me that on the days when the sorrow feels too great, she sneaks off to plant native manzanita seeds in neighborhoods stripped of plants and trees.

As I’m reminded of all the love we can still sow for the future, I think of Phoenix Armenta, a longtime climate justice organizer in Oakland who has inspired numerous people, including myself, to take heart in all the times we actually got it right. (Remember acid rain? It was a huge problem, but collective action inspired multiple countries to join forces in the 1980s, and we did what needed to be done.)

“Imagine what kind of world you actually want to live in and start working to make that happen,” said Armenta, who recently made the switch to government planning to help more communities find their voice and determine their own visions for the future.

To grieve the world as we know it is to miss out on opportunities to transform our world for the better. To believe we have nothing left to hope for is a self-fulfilling void. We must find the courage to care, to change, to reimagine the systems that got us into such a devastating crisis in the first place — and we must allow ourselves to dream.

“But it can’t just be my dream, or your dream. It has to be our collective dream,” Armenta said. “I’ve known for a very long time that I can’t save the world, but we can save the world together.”

Climate disasters can elicit despair when they go viral. These activists found inspiration

Sept. 12, 2024

graphite drawing of a palm tree silhouette at sunset

Comic: Emerging from environmental dissociation

Sept. 11, 2024

Collage of books surrounding the topic of climate change anxiety.

Rosanna Xia is an environment reporter for the Los Angeles Times, where she specializes in stories about the coast and ocean. She was a Pulitzer Prize finalist in 2020 for explanatory reporting, and her award-winning book, “ California Against the Sea ,” has been praised as a poetic and mind-expanding exploration of what we stand to lose in the face of rising water.

More From the Los Angeles Times

LOS ANGELES-CA-APRIL 19: Senior activist David Rosenstein, with Their Act, seated in a rocking chair attends a climate rally and march with Ann Bartz (2ndL) Jeff Olmstead (C) and Monica Sena at Los Angeles City Hall on Friday April 19, 2024, in Los Angeles, California. (Kevork Djansezian/For The Times)

Climate & Environment

A key ally in the battle against climate change? People over 60

Sept. 13, 2024

collage of plastic packaging from a shipping box, strawberry containers and crushed plastic bottles

Gen Z: Will they finally solve the plastic crisis?

Photo shows fossils, juvenile megalodon shark teeth on right (2), great white ancestor and mako sharks in middle, and smaller sharks on left, that were recovered from San Pedro High School.

A huge deposit of marine fossils found under San Pedro High School

Orange County, California September 10, 2024-The Airport Fire burns along Ortega Highway in the Santa Ana Mountains Tuesday. (Wally Skalij/Los Angeles Times)

Containment, hotshots, evacuation orders: Understanding key wildfire terms

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/

was established to advise the United States on scientific and technical issues when President Lincoln signed a Congressional charter in 1863. The National Research Council, the operating arm of the National Academy of Sciences and the National Academy of Engineering, has issued numerous reports on the causes of and potential responses to climate change. Climate change resources from the National Research Council are available at .

is a self-governing Fellowship of many of the world’s most distinguished scientists. Its members are drawn from all areas of science, engineering, and medicine. It is the national academy of science in the UK. The Society’s fundamental purpose, reflected in its founding Charters of the 1660s, is to recognise, promote, and support excellence in science, and to encourage the development and use of science for the benefit of humanity. More information on the Society’s climate change work is available at

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.

READ FREE ONLINE

Welcome to OpenBook!

You're looking at OpenBook, NAP.edu's online reading room since 1999. Based on feedback from you, our users, we've made some improvements that make it easier than ever to read thousands of publications on our website.

Do you want to take a quick tour of the OpenBook's features?

Show this book's table of contents , where you can jump to any chapter by name.

...or use these buttons to go back to the previous chapter or skip to the next one.

Jump up to the previous page or down to the next one. Also, you can type in a page number and press Enter to go directly to that page in the book.

Switch between the Original Pages , where you can read the report as it appeared in print, and Text Pages for the web version, where you can highlight and search the text.

To search the entire text of this book, type in your search term here and press Enter .

Share a link to this book page on your preferred social network or via email.

View our suggested citation for this chapter.

Ready to take your reading offline? Click here to buy this book in print or download it as a free PDF, if available.

Get Email Updates

Do you enjoy reading reports from the Academies online for free ? Sign up for email notifications and we'll let you know about new publications in your areas of interest when they're released.

Skip to main content
Keyboard shortcuts for audio player

LISTEN & FOLLOW
Apple Podcasts
Amazon Music
Amazon Alexa

Your support helps make our show possible and unlocks access to our sponsor-free feed.

Climate change is coming for your wine

Lauren Sommer

Regina Barber, photographed for NPR, 6 June 2022, in Washington DC. Photo by Farrah Skeiky for NPR.

Regina G. Barber

Hannah Chinn

Rebecca Ramirez

In hotter temperatures, cabernet grapes lose their rich red color and produce sweeter, more alcoholic wines. Ryan Kellman/NPR hide caption

In hotter temperatures, cabernet grapes lose their rich red color and produce sweeter, more alcoholic wines.

Climate change is affecting our food, and our food is affecting the climate. NPR is dedicating a week to stories and conversations about the search for solutions.

In Napa Valley, the nation's unofficial wine capital, one varietal reigns supreme: cabernet sauvignon.

It's one of the most popular red wines in the world. Its fruity complexity and full-bodied flavor make it well known among wine nerds and newbies alike. But climate change is threatening the small blue-black grapes for which cabernet sauvignon is named. Increasingly severe heat waves are taking a toll on the grape variety, especially in late summer during ripening.

Unlike its French counterparts that blend a variety of cabernet and non-cabernet grapes to create wines with the Bordeaux label, American cabernets are mostly monovarietal.

They're legally required to be .

When the wine industry first began in the United States, American wines didn't have the prestige of European "Old World" ones. So, winemakers opted to label wines using the grape it was made of — rather than the region it came from.

In a lab at the University of California, Davis, a member of Elisabeth Forrestel's research team crushes grapes. Forrestel is studying how the compounds in cabernet grapes react to heat. Ryan Kellman/NPR hide caption

In a lab at the University of California, Davis, a member of Elisabeth Forrestel's research team crushes grapes. Forrestel is studying how the compounds in cabernet grapes react to heat.

More frequent, more extreme heat waves are causing American farmers to rethink that strategy. In order to maintain the taste, quality and color of cabernet, some are considering blending more heat-resistant grape varieties into their wines. Others are installing new technologies like water misters to cool the grapes in the field.

Either way, it's clear that climate change is forcing farmers to adapt. What's less clear is how the industry as a whole can move forward.

Interested in hearing more climate solutions? Email us at [email protected] – we'd love to hear your ideas!

Listen to every episode of Short Wave sponsor-free and support our work at NPR by signing up for Short Wave+ at plus.npr.org/shortwave .

Listen to Short Wave on Spotify and Apple Podcasts .

This episode was produced by Hannah Chinn and edited by Rebecca Ramirez. Tyler Jones checked the facts. James Willetts was the audio engineer.

climate change and food
wine country
climate solutions

Green industrial policy for climate action in the basic materials industry

Open access
Published: 11 September 2024
Volume 177 , article number 147 , ( 2024 )

Cite this article

You have full access to this open access article

Åsa Löfgren ORCID: orcid.org/0000-0002-4528-1753 1 ,
Lassi Ahlvik 2 ,
Inge van den Bijgaart 3 ,
Jessica Coria 4 ,
Jūratė Jaraitė 5 ,
Filip Johnsson 6 &
Johan Rootzén 7

66 Accesses

11 Altmetric

Explore all metrics

Historically, the basic materials industry has had relatively low R&D expenditure levels, raising concerns about meeting 2050 climate targets given the crucial need for innovation and technology advancement in this industry. Decisive government intervention and active support for key technological pathways are required to address significant market failures and catalyse industrial decarbonisation. This Essay lays out the economic justification for an active green industrial policy and proposes key policy design principles, with the aim of striking a balance between facilitating the green industrial transition and maintaining cost efficiency in meeting climate targets.

Avoid common mistakes on your manuscript.

1 Introduction

Despite ongoing climate mitigation efforts, the realisation of net-zero greenhouse gas (GHG) emission targets represents a daunting task. Emissions associated with industrial processes, which amount to approximately one-third of the total global CO 2 emissions, pose a particularly significant challenge. In recent decades, these emissions have grown, both in sheer volume and as a proportion of total emissions (Lamb et al. 2021 ; Bashmakov et al. 2022 ). The basic materials industry, here encompassing iron and steel, cement, and chemicals, is responsible for roughly 60 percent of these industrial emissions (Bashmakov et al. 2022 ). These industries are characterised by high resource and emissions intensities, large production units, long turnover times in capital stock, high investment costs and non-standardised process designs (Rissman et al. 2020 ; Bataille 2020 ). Production is primarily directed towards upstream markets and combined with other inputs before it reaches end consumers (Rootzén and Johnsson 2017 ). In addition, traditionally, the basic materials industry has invested relatively little in research and development (R&D) (Galindo-Rueda and Verger 2016 ). Figure 1 illustrates that this trend of relatively low R&D spending, compared with other industrial sectors, has continued in recent years and is present even in several of the most innovative countries. This pattern raises serious concerns, given the pivotal role of innovation and the advancement of technologies currently at the demonstration level in achieving the 2050 climate targets (IEA 2021 ). While there are a few near-zero carbon emissions industrial projects close to final investment decision or under construction, there exist, to date, no full-scale, fully built and operating near-zero emissions iron and steel, cement, or chemicals plants anywhere in the world (Bataille et al. 2024 ). Transforming the basic materials industry to net zero GHG emissions will require concurrent efforts towards improving resource efficiency, promoting circular flows and practices across value chains for basic materials, phasing out existing emission-intensive capital, and phasing-in new net-zero emission production capacity (Vogl et al. 2021 ; Bataille et al. 2018, Bataille et al. 2023 ). The objective of this Essay is to present the economic rationale for implementing green industrial policies in the basic materials industry, and to suggest strategies for designing policies that balance promoting the industrial transition with the achievement of climate goals in a cost-effective manner.

Enterprise expenditure on R&D as a share of gross value added. Focus of this essay is on the basic materials industry here encompassing iron and steel, cement, and chemicals (included in the basic metals (iron and steel), other non-metallic minerals (cement) and chemicals and chemical product (chemicals) categories). Note: The ratio of R&D enterprise expenditure and value added is calculated by dividing R&D enterprise expenditure in millions of national currency by value added in millions of national currency. Data on R&D enterprise expenditure by manufacturing sector are obtained from Eurostat’s ‘Science, technology, digital society’ database. Data on value added were obtained from the OECD’s ‘Value added and its components by activity, ISIC rev4’ dataset. Observations are for the year 2018 for all countries except France and Sweden, whose data are for 2017

The need to accelerate the green transition in industry has been recognised by policy makers across the globe. This is exemplified by initiatives like the EU Innovation Fund, the EU Net-Zero Industry Act, the US Inflation Reduction Act, Japan’s Green Innovation Fund, and China’s 14th Five-Year Plan, which will together make billions of dollars available to stimulate innovation, demonstration, and investments in enabling technologies such as direct or indirect (via hydrogen) electrification processes, carbon capture and storage (CCS), and zero-emissions electricity supply (IEA 2023 ). On the surface, these types of policy interventions appear to run counter to conventional policy recommendations, which generally caution against favoring specific technological solutions for achieving decarbonisation goals (Jaffe et al. 2005 ; Juhász et al. 2023 ). However, such recommendations are based on models that disregard the specific market failures relevant to sectors such as the basic materials industry, which become particularly prevalent as more radical emission reductions are required. Acknowledging these market failures, this Essay commences with laying out the economic rationale for green industrial policy targeting the basic materials industry. Similar to the broader concept of industrial policy, there is no commonly accepted definition of what green industrial policy entails (Altenburg and Rodrik 2017 ). Here, we define green industrial policy as a policy that actively steers the transformation of the structure of domestic economic activity, and hence the technological pathways, of selected sectors or industries with the goal of achieving net-zero GHG emissions. Footnote 1 The targeted nature of green industrial policy distinguishes it from broad-based decarbonisation policies, such as carbon pricing, while the goal of net-zero GHG emissions differentiates it from traditional growth-oriented industrial policy.

The question whether or not governments should engage in active green industrial policy, has been the subject of extensive debate in the academic literature. For instance, Nilsson et al. ( 2021 ) argue for the pursuit of multiple policy strategies to support industry decarbonisation, Mazzucato et al. ( 2020 ) advocate for a mission-oriented approach in favor of desired societal goals, with a proactive role for the government in shaping markets, while Karlson et al. ( 2021 ) argue against such an ‘entrepreneurial state’, pointing at the limited empirical support for effective industrial and innovation policies. While the necessity of green industrial policy is increasingly recognised, many scholars remain hesitant due to the risks of rent-seeking, corruption, and misallocation of resources that can arise when governments attempt to steer economic development through targeted policies (see, e.g., Nahm and Urpelainen 2021 and Wen et al. 2021 ). In response, we seek to contribute by elaborating on the rationale for green industrial policy from an economics perspective, akin to Hallegatte et al. ( 2013 ) and Rodrik ( 2014 ). Next, acknowledging the reservations of many scholars, our analysis turns to the crucial question of how to effectively shape a green industrial policy in the coming decades, a key aspect highlighted in Aiginger and Rodrik ( 2020 ). We provide important considerations for policy design, articulated through three principles detailed in Section 3, which aim at balancing the enabling of a green industrial transition with cost efficiency. These principles could be relevant beyond the basic materials industries, and more broadly provide important insights into the debate on the appropriate equilibrium between government intervention and market forces.

2 Effective green industrial policy implies abandoning technology domain neutrality

The superiority of a policy approach that relies on multiple instruments to simultaneously address environmental and innovation market failures is well-established (e.g., Aldy et al. 2010 ; Acemoglu et al. 2012 ; Aghion et al. 2016 ). A critical decision policymakers subsequently face is whether to adopt technology-neutral or technology-specific strategies to accelerate the development and deployment of green technologies (Fabra and Montero 2023 ). Technology-neutral policies include broad-based policies, such as pricing environmental externalities through emissions taxes or emissions trading schemes, as well as general subsidies for R&D or technology deployment (Lehmann and Soderholm 2018 ).

Beyond creating the right incentives, technology-neutral policies allow markets to select technological pathways to achieve climate targets, promoting the development and deployment of the least costly technologies first. In contrast, technology-specific policies promote particular technological fields, sectors, or even individual projects through tailored support mechanisms, such as feed-in tariffs or targeted R&D subsidies.

Technology-neutral policies avoid several pitfalls of technology-specific policies. These include concerns that public support might crowd out private investments, that information asymmetries and lack of relevant expertise may lead policymakers to endorse mitigation strategies that either underperform or prove costlier than expected, and concerns about the risk of regulatory capture and increased lobbying by industry leaders. Yet, the promotion of technology-neutral policies rests on the assumption that market failures associated with the development and diffusion of technologies are absent or are properly addressed by other policies. However, such market failures are particularly prevalent in the basic materials industry, posing considerable barriers to the innovation and deployment of green technologies (Löfgren and Rootzén 2021 ).

First, innovation in the basic materials industry is highly path-dependent and can be expected to generate spillover effects (Aghion et al. 2016 ; Popp et al. 2019 ; Noll et al. 2023 ).For example, advancements in low-carbon steel production techniques, such as hydrogen-based direct reduction, build upon decades of research in metallurgical processes (Pei et al. 2020 ). Policy interventions to encourage investments in hydrogen-based direct reduction within one country can create first-mover advantages for national industry, while also contributing to reducing future costs and risks across the globe.

Second, investments in innovative low-carbon technologies within the basic materials industry depend on coordination among actors within the industries as well as along supply chains. Network effects — where the value of a technology increases as more market participants adopt it (Greaker and Midttømme 2016 ; Heijmans 2023 ) — can lead to technology lock-in, thereby hindering the adoption of new technologies. This is illustrated by the case of CCS, where a cement factory investing in carbon capture relies on other actors to invest in energy, transport, and storage infrastructure (Golombek et al. 2023 ). According to the International Energy Agency, attaining the necessary adoption of hydrogen and CCS mandates a significant increase in investments in supporting infrastructures (IEA 2021 ). The importance of supply chain coordination is further emphasised by Dugoua and Dumas ( 2021 ), who demonstrate that green innovation in industrial networks requires producers to coordinate with suppliers. Without such coordination, shared suppliers can become bottlenecks to green innovation. Importantly, Dugoua and Dumas ( 2021 ) show that when innovation is complementary across firms, price-based policies, such as carbon taxes, may not be sufficient to achieve deep industrial decarbonisation at the lowest cost.

Third, substantial financial barriers exist for investments in both existing and novel green technological pathways, as markets may be overly myopic and lack complete information about which technology will ultimately prevail (Nemet 2009 ; Armitage et al. 2024 ). For the basic materials industry, where capital intensity is high, project lead times are long, and where commodity and policy risks are significant, this means that private investors and lenders, in the absence of policy interventions, tend to be particularly hesitant. Cordonnier and Saygin ( 2023 ) describe how there is a general lack of tailored financing instruments to de-risk and improve the economic viability of industrial decarbonisation projects. They also describe how annual investments in new production plants compatible with net-zero pathways for chemicals, steel, cement and aluminium production is much too low to be consistent with net-zero pathways. They estimate that investments in such near zero production plants need to increase from USD 15 billion globally today to USD 70 billion by 2030 and USD 125 billion by 2050.

Overcoming these market failures requires targeted policies that involve selecting specific technologies. This implies that, contrary to the principles of technology-neutral policy, which advocates for policy that does not favor certain technologies, full technology neutrality will not be attainable, or even preferred. In this approach, carbon pricing would address the emissions externality, while targeted policies—such as targeted investment support and targeted R&D subsidies—would tackle the specific market failures that hinder innovation and the deployment of green technologies in the basic materials industry. These targeted interventions are crucial because market failures related to technology path-dependence, coordination, and financial barriers arise not only from insufficient market incentives, but also from uncertainties surrounding technological pathways. This underscores the need for government involvement in technology selection, making a strong case for a proactive and targeted green industrial policy.

But how should an active targeted green industrial policy be designed? We argue that such policy should identify and commit to what we term as ‘technology domains’. A technology domain, as we define it, is a broad technological pathway that enables a collection of specific technologies or, as we call them, ‘technology families’. To decarbonise the basic materials industry, there are a limited number of technology domains available to choose from. These domains include direct electrification, indirect electrifica tion (via hydrogen), biogenic carbon as a fuel and feedstock, carbon capture and storage, among others. These technology domains are not mutually exclusive, and may be combined. The successful implementation of these technologies requires parallel development of various interconnected technological systems and business models, along with corresponding modifications to regulatory frameworks and support systems. Figure 2 depicts several principal domains and corresponding examples of technology families pertinent to the decarbonisation of the basic materials industry. While green industrial policy can be designed to target specific technology domains, the development of certain markets and infrastructure, such as those that expand the supply of clean electricity, may benefit multiple domains. This interconnection is represented by the dotted arrows between the technology domains in Figure 2 .

Taxonomy. Key technology domains and examples of technology families with relevance for the decarbonisation of the basic materials industry

3 Technology family neutrality and market incentives remain key

As described above, green industrial policy must move away from technological neutrality as a guiding principle at the level of technology domains and instead actively support key technological pathways to achieve climate targets. Yet, the main pitfalls of industrial policy – failure to pick winners, influence of interest groups and potential crowding out of private investments – remain. While abstaining from active government intervention could circumvent these pitfalls, it could also risk a second type of error — underinvestment in technologies with the potential to substantially contribute to industrial decarbonisation.

We formulate three key principles that can guide policymakers in the design of effective green industrial policy for the basic materials industry, aimed at mitigating the pitfalls mentioned above:

Principle 1. Use experts to systematically and transparently identify pertinent market failures and select technology domains.

Requiring governments to provide documentation regarding the rationale for intervention enhances the likelihood of accurately selecting the right technology domains to support. Key market failures in the decarbonisation of the basic materials industry that justify targeted subsidies or regulatory interventions include technological spillovers, path-dependence in technology development, network effects, as well as financial and informational barriers. Targeted policies that focus on promoting specific technology domains are necessary to address these market failures. However, since selective support can be vulnerable to regulatory capture, ensuring transparency is essential to minimise the influence of special interest groups.

Principle 2. Maintain neutrality across technology families within supported technology domains.

Market actors hold more information than policy makers concerning effective solutions for emission reductions and their costs. To harness this information and keep the door open for possible future innovations, the government should maintain a level playing field within technology domains, avoiding support for specific technology families or tailored to individual firms. For instance, the government could steer its green industrial policy to specific technology domains (e.g. electrification) but make sure that selection processes treats competing firms and technology families within that domain equally.

Principle 3. Maintain and strengthen market-based climate policy instruments, such as carbon taxes and emissions trading, as the cornerstone of climate policy.

Market-based climate policy instruments are critical tools to leverage the private information held by firms and industries. They sustain incentives for cost-effective emission reductions (Lewis 1996 ; Ahlvik and Liski 2022 ), promote innovation in the most promising technological solutions and accelerate the uptake of such new technologies within technology domains (Ahlvik and Bijgaart 2024 ). Therefore, green industrial policy should supplement broad market-based climate policies, not replace them.

4 Reflections on U.S. and EU green industrial policy in light of the three principles

In recent years, green industrial policies have been increasingly debated and adopted in the world’s major economies (Juhász et al. 2022 ; Criscuolo et al. 2023 ). Below we offer some brief reflections on two of the most prominent green industrial policy packages implemented in recent years — the Inflation Reduction Act in the United States and the European Green Deal Industrial Plan — through the lens of our three principles. To provide context, we start with a concise description of the main elements of these green industrial policies.

Both the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) and the Green Deal Industrial Plan are complex policy packages consisting of a broad range of climate provisions. The climate provisions of the IRA are primarily a combination of tax credits, grants, and loan programs with the aim of incentivising deployment of clean energy, innovation, and domestic manufacturing. The main focus of IRA is on promoting the energy transition through clean energy tax credits (either production-based credits or investment tax credits). Notably, by 2025 the credits will be technology neutral, creating a level playing field for technologies such as solar, wind, storage, hydrogen, carbon capture, and direct air capture (Bistline et al. 2023b ). Compared to the subsidies to the power and transportation sector, the direct subsidies for innovation and the adoption of technologies specific to the industrial sector are still relatively scarce. The IRA earmarks only USD 5 billion out of a total of USD 392 billion for industrial decarbonisation (Bistline et al. 2023a ). However, given the anticipated importance of both hydrogen and carbon capture technologies for the industrial sector, the overall subsidies to industry are likely larger, as these technologies are eligible for tax credits. In addition, there exist other programs that provide investment support and incentives that are complementary to the IRA tax credits. One example is the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA), which supports hydrogen initiatives through USD 8 billion of support for hydrogen hubs (Krupnick and Bergman 2022 ). Finally, to encourage the domestic development of green industries, the IRA includes significant benefits for domestic production. This feature is internationally contentious, and has raised concerns about increased protectionism, which could negatively impact international trade and trigger global subsidy races (Kleimann et al. 2023 ). In March 2024, a first round of support targeting a range of industry decarbonisation projects was announced. The Industrial Demonstrations Program received USD 6.3 billion, combining funding from IIJA and the IRA, to support the advancement of transformational technologies across several basic material industries (e.g. steel, cement and petrochemicals) and across various technological families (U.S., Department of Energy 2024 ).

The Net-Zero Industry Act (NZIA) - a central pillar of the European Green Deal Industrial Plan - was adopted by the EU Council on 27 May, 2024. Often seen as the EU’s response to the IRA, the NZIA marks a shift from the EU’s previous focus on extensively subsidising early-stage innovation to supporting green technologies closer to commercialisation and accelerating the market penetration of strategic net-zero technologies. This shift makes EU industrial policy more similar to the IRA that has a strong emphasis on technology deployment. Kleimann et al. ( 2023 ) compare the extent of subsidies and find that, aside from renewable energy production where EU subsidies are higher, EU subsidies were generally comparable to those under the IRA.

The NZIA aims to accelerate the green transition and deplyoment of green technologies by simplifying approval processes, improving market access for strategic technologies, enhancing workforce skills, and coordinating member states’ efforts through the Net-Zero Europe Platform. The NZIA does not provide direct funding for strategic technologies at the EU level; rather, such support is anticipated to come from national policies implemented by member states and from sources like the EU Innovation Fund. The EU Innovation Fund is funded through sales of the EU Emission Trading Systems’ (EU ETS) emission allowances and the total funding thus depends on the development of the carbon price. At the current carbon price of EUR 75/tCO 2 , the 530 million allowances earmarked for the fund would make EUR 40 billion available from 2020 to 2030. The funding covers five areas: (i) energy intensive industries, (ii) renewable-energy technologies, (iii) CCS, (iv) energy storage, and (v) net-zero mobility and buildings (EC 2023 ). To date 124 projects have been rewarded EUR 6.7 billion. Almost half of the funding (EUR 3.2 billion) has so far been allocated to support investments in commercial demonstration of innovative zero-carbon and low-carbon technologies in the steel, cement and petrochemicals industries (EC 2024 ).

In relation to our Principles, it appears that, while not always explicitly framed in terms of market failures, several elements of both the IRA, along with complementary acts like the IIJA, and the NZIA are consistent with our first and second principles. While the direct support dedicated specifically for decarbonisation of basic materials industries is a smaller component of the IRA, industry actors can benefit also from tax credits for domain technologies such as CCS and hydrogen. In addition, there is an acknowledgement of coordination failures as important impediments to industrial decarbonisation, and provisions to overcome these coordination failures, such as in the case of hydrogen hubs in the IIJA. In the EU, the NZIA targets market failures beyond emission and knowledge externalities, such as the need for coordinated zero-emissions electricity supply, expanded grids, and a skilled labor force. Furthermore, NZIA defines strategic net-zero technologies and the EU Innovation Fund supports investments in strategic net-zero technology ecosystems. Interestingly, these technologies translate to technology domains in the case of the basic materials industry, and hence is generally aligned with our Principles 1 and 2. The NZIA also permits the granting of state aid to strategic net-zero technologies, thereby relaxing state-aid rules. This aims to make it easier for individual member states to subsidise these technologies, accelerate the green transition, and reduce investment uncertainty through clear objectives and monitoring mechanisms.

Regarding Principle 3, it can be noted that while the EU has implemented carbon pricing to incentivise industrial decarbonisation through the EU EU ETS since 2005, carbon pricing plays a more limited role in U.S. climate policy. Footnote 2 In the U.S., carbon pricing is primarily evident through cap-and-trade programs in a limited number of states, including California’s cap-and-trade program (since 2012), Washington’s cap-and-invest program (since 2023), and the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative (RGGI) covering 11 states and only the power sector (since 2009). An additional cap-and-invest initiative is expected to launch in New York State in 2025. However, it is important to note that the carbon prices in these programs are much lower than the social cost of carbon, which recent studies estimate to average well over 100 USD per tonne of CO 2 (Hänsel et al. 2020 ; Rennert et al. 2022 ; Moore et al. 2024 ). As pointed out in Principle 3, policy makers should work to strengthen these broad market-based policy instruments.

5 Conclusions

This Essay lays out the economic rationale for an active green industrial policy targeting the basic materials industry. It puts forth three key policy design principles, with the aim of striking a balance between facilitating timely green industrial transition and maintaining cost efficiency. We advocate for the adoption of a green industrial policy that addresses pertinent market failures and actively supports crucial technological pathways (domains). This policy should ensure a level playing field within selected technology domains, while also employing market-based climate policy instruments to incentivise cost-effective GHG emissions reductions. As laid out above, active governmental involvement in the transition of the basic materials industry definitively comes with its potential pitfalls. However, inaction risk a second type of error — underinvestment in technologies with the potential to substantially contribute to industrial decarbonisation. Such policy error may be less visible, but not less costly. Decarbonising the global basic materials industry will be a complex task, therefore experimentation and continuous evaluation should be key components of policy implementation. Insights from economics, in conjunction with a broadened recognition of relevant barriers and market failures in the industrial sector, offer a strong foundation for successful and timely green industrial policy aimed at achieving carbon neutrality.

Data availability

Data underlying Fig. 1 are from publicly available databases as described in the figure caption.

This definition, which stresses targeted, structural transformation and a decarbonisation goal, is similar to the definition of green industrial policy outlined in Hallegatte et al. ( 2013 ) and Juhász et al. ( 2023 ).

However, it is important to note that the IRA include the first price on greenhouse gases at the federal level in the US: a charge on methane emissions that exceed specific thresholds at selected facilities in the oil and gas industry. The charge starts at USD 900 per metric ton of methane, increasing to USD 1,500 after two years (corresponding to USD 36 and USD 60 per metric ton of carbon dioxide equivalent, respectively).

Acemoglu D, Aghion P, Bursztyn L, Hemous D (2012) The environment and directed technical change. Am Econ Rev 102(1):131–166

Article Google Scholar

Aghion P, Dechezleprêtre A, Hemous D, Martin R, Van Reenen J (2016) Carbon taxes, path dependency, and directed technical change: evidence from the auto industry. J Polit Econ 124(1):1–51

Ahlvik L, Liski M (2022) Global externalities, local policies, and firm selection. J Eur Econ Assoc 20(3):1231–1275

Ahlvik L, van den Bijgaart I (2024) Screening green innovation through carbon pricing. J Environ Econ Manag 124:102932

Aiginger K, Rodrik D (2020) Rebirth of industrial policy and an agenda for the twenty-first century. J Ind Compet Trade 20:189–207

Aldy JE, Krupnick AJ, Newell RG, Parry IWH, Pizer WA (2010) Designing climate mitigation policy. J Econ Lit 48(4):903–934

Altenburg T, Rodrik D (2017) Green industrial policy: Accelerating structural change towards wealthy green economies. In: Altenburg T, Assmann C (eds) Green Industrial Policy: Concept, Policies, Country Experiences, pp 1–20

Armitage S, Bakhtian N, Jaffe A (2024) Innovation market failures and the design of new climate policy instruments. Environ Energy Policy Econ 5(1):4–48

Google Scholar

Bashmakov I, Nilsson L, Acquaye A, Bataille C, de la Cullen JS, du Can Rue, Fischedick M, Geng Y, Tanaka K (2022) Industry. Cambridge University Press Cambridge, UK and New York, NY, USA

Bataille C (2020) Physical and policy pathways to net-zero emissions industry. Wiley Interdiscip Rev Clim Change 11(2):e633

Bataille C, Stiebert S, Algers J, Li F, Alfare M (2024) Triggering investment in first-of-a-kind and early near-zero emissions industrial facilities. Report, Center on Global Energy Policy at Columbia University

Bataille C, Stiebert S, Hebeda O, Trollip H, McCall B, Vishwanathan SS (2023) Towards net-zero emissions concrete and steel in India, Brazil and South Africa. Climate Policy, pp 1–16

Bistline J, Mehrotra N, Wolfram C (2023a) Economic implications of the climate provisions of the Inflation Reduction Act. Working Paper 31267, National Bureau of Economic Research

Bistline JE, Brown M, Domeshek M, Marcy C, Roy N, Blanford G, Burtraw D, Farbes J, Fawcett A, Hamilton A et al (2023b) Power sector impacts of the inflation reduction act of 2022. Environ Res Lett 19(1):014013

Cordonnier J, Saygin D (2023) Financing solutions to foster industrial decarbonisation in emerging and developing economies. OECD Environment Working Papers, vol 226. pp 97

Criscuolo C, Díaz L, Lalanne G, Guillouet L, van de Put C-É, Weder C, Deutsch HZ (2023) Quantifying industrial strategies across nine oecd countries

Dugoua E, Dumas M (2021) Green product innovation in industrial networks: A theoretical model. J Environ Econ Manag 107:102420

EC (2023) Innovation Fund Progress Report 2022

EC (2024) Innovation Fund - Portfolio of signed projects

Fabra N, Montero J-P (2023) Technology-neutral versus technology-specific procurement. Econ J 133(650):669–705

Galindo-Rueda F, Verger F (2016) OECD taxonomy of economic activities based on R&D intensity. OECD Science, Technology and Industry Working Papers 4:24

Golombek R, Greaker M, Kverndokk S, Ma L (2023) Policies to promote carbon capture and storage technologies. Environ Resource Econ 85(1):267–302

Greaker M, Midttømme K (2016) Network effects and environmental externalities: Do clean technologies suffer from excess inertia? J Public Econ 143:27–38

Hallegatte S, Fay M, Vogt-Schilb A (2013) Green Industrial Policies: When and How. Policy Research Working Paper 6677

Hänsel MC, Drupp MA, Johansson DJ, Nesje F, Azar C, Freeman MC, Groom B, Sterner T (2020) Climate economics support for the un climate targets. Nat Clim Chang 10(8):781–789

Heijmans RJ (2023) Unraveling coordination problems. arXiv preprint arXiv:2307.08557

IEA (2021) Net Zero by 2050 - A Roadmap for the Global Energy Sector. https://www.iea.org/reports/net-zero-by-2050

IEA (2023) Energy Technology Perspectives 2023. License: CC BY 4.0

Jaffe AB, Newell RG, Stavins RN (2005) A tale of two market failures: Technology and environmental policy. Ecol Econ 54(2–3):164–174

Juhász R, Lane N, Oehlsen E, Pérez VC (2022) The who, what, when, and how of industrial policy: a text-based approach. https://doi.org/10.31235/osf.io/uyxh9

Juhász R, Lane NJ, Rodrik D (2023) The new economics of industrial policy. Working Paper 31538, National Bureau of Economic Research

Karlson N, Sandström C, Wennberg K (2021) Bureaucrats or markets in innovation policy?–a critique of the entrepreneurial state. Rev Austrian Economics 34:81–95

Kleimann D, Poitiers N, Sapir A, Tagliapietra S, Véron N, Veugelers R, Zettelmeyer J (2023) Green tech race? the us inflation reduction act and the eu net zero industry act. The World Economy 46(12):3420–3434

Krupnick A, Bergman A (2022) Incentives for clean hydrogen production in the inflation reduction act. Resources for the Future

Lamb WF, Wiedmann T, Pongratz J, Andrew R, Crippa M, Olivier JG, Wiedenhofer D, Mattioli G, Al Khourdajie A, House J et al (2021) A review of trends and drivers of greenhouse gas emissions by sector from 1990 to 2018. Environ-Mental Research Letters 16(7):073005

Article CAS Google Scholar

Lehmann P, Soderholm P (2018) Can technology-specific deployment policies be cost-effective? the case of renewable energy support schemes. Environ Resource Econ 71:475–505

Lewis TR (1996) Protecting the environment when costs and benefits are privately known. The RAND J Economics, pp 819–847

Löfgren A, Rootzén J (2021) Brick by brick: governing industry decarbonization in the face of uncertainty and risk. Environ Innov Soc Trans 40:189–202

Mazzucato M, Kattel R, Ryan-Collins J (2020) Challenge-driven innovation policy: towards a new policy toolkit. J Ind Compet Trade 20:421–437

Moore FC, Drupp MA, Rising J, Dietz S, Rudik I, Wagner G (2024) Synthesis of evidence yields high social cost of carbon due to structural model variation and uncertainties. Working Paper 32544, National Bureau of Economic Research

Nahm J, Urpelainen J (2021) The enemy within? green industrial policy and stranded assets in china’s power sector. Glob Environ Politics 21(4):88–109

Nemet GF (2009) Demand-pull, technology-push, and government-led incentives for non-incremental technical change. Res Policy 38(5):700–709

Nilsson LJ, Bauer F, Åhman M, Andersson FN, Bataille C, de la Rue du Can S, Ericsson K, Hansen T, Johansson B, Lechtenböhmer S et al (2021) An industrial policy framework for transforming energy and emissions intensive industries towards zero emissions. Climate Policy 21(8):1053–1065

Noll B, Steffen B, Schmidt TS (2023) The effects of local interventions on global technological change through spillovers: A modeling framework and application to the road-freight sector. Proc Natl Acad Sci USA 120:e2215684120

Pei M, Petäjäniemi M, Regnell A, Wijk O (2020) Toward a fossil free future with hybrit: Development of iron and steelmaking technology in sweden and finland. Metals 10:972

Popp D et al (2019) Environmental policy and innovation: A decade of research. Int Rev Environ Resour Econ 13(3–4):265–337

Rennert K, Errickson F, Prest BC, Rennels L, Newell RG, Pizer W, Kingdon C, Wingenroth J, Cooke R, Parthum B et al (2022) Comprehensive evidence implies a higher social cost of CO2. Nature 610(7933):687–692

Rissman J, Bataille C, Masanet E, Aden N, Morrow WR, Zhou N, Elliott N, Dell R, Heeren N, Huckestein B, Cresko J, Miller SA, Roy J, Fennell P, Cremmins B, Koch Blank T, Hone D, Williams ED, de la Rue du Can S, Sisson B, Williams M, Katzenberger J, Burtraw D, Sethi G, Ping H, Danielson D, Lu H, Lorber T, Dinkel J, Helseth J (2020) Technologies and policies to decarbonize global industry: Review and assessment of mitigation drivers through 2070. Appl Energy 266:114848

Rodrik D (2014) Green industrial policy. Oxf Rev Econ Policy 30(3):469–491

Rootzén J, Johnsson F (2017) Managing the costs of CO2 abatement in the cement industry. Climate Policy 17(6):781–800

U.S. Department of Energy (2024). Industrial demonstrations program

Vogl V, Olsson O, Nykvist B (2021) Phasing out the blast furnace to meet global climate targets. Joule 5(10):2646–2662

Wen H, Lee C-C, Zhou F (2021) Green credit policy, credit allocation efficiency and upgrade of energy-intensive enterprises. Energy Econ 94:105099

Download references

Acknowledgements

The authors gratefully acknowledge financial support from Formas, a Swedish Research Council for Sustainable Development [Dnr: 2020-00174] and the Mistra Carbon Exit Research Program.

Open access funding provided by University of Gothenburg. The authors acknowledge financial support from Formas, a Swedish Research Council for Sustainable Development [Dnr: 2020–00174] and the Mistra Carbon Exit Research Program.

Author information

Authors and affiliations.

Department of Economics, University of Gothenburg and Luleå University of Technology, Gothenburg, Sweden

Åsa Löfgren

Department of Economics and Management, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland

Lassi Ahlvik

Utrecht University School of Economics, Utrecht University, Utrecht, the Netherlands

Inge van den Bijgaart

Department of Economics, University of Gothenburg, Gothenburg, Sweden

Jessica Coria

Umeå University, Umeå, Sweden and Vilnius University, Vilnius, Lithuania

Jūratė Jaraitė

Department of Space, Earth and Environment, Chalmers University of Technology, Gothenburg, Sweden

Filip Johnsson

IVL Swedish Environmental Research Institute, Stockholm, Sweden

Johan Rootzén

You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Contributions

Åsa Löfgren: contributed to the conceptualization of the Essay, the drafting and writing of the manuscript, and the creation and analysis of the content, Lassi Ahlvik: contributed to the conceptualization of the Essay, the drafting and writing of the manuscript, and the creation and analysis of the content, Inge van den Bijgaart: contributed to the conceptualization of the Essay, the drafting and writing of the manuscript, and the creation and analysis of the content, Jessica Coria: contributed to the conceptualization of the Essay, the drafting and writing of the manuscript, and the creation and analysis of the content, Jūratė Jaraitė: contributed to the conceptualization of the Essay, the drafting and writing of the manuscript, and the creation and analysis of the content, Filip Johnsson: contributed to the conceptualization of the Essay, the drafting of the manuscript, and the creation and analysis of the content and Johan Rootzén: contributed to the conceptualization of the Essay, the drafting and writing of the manuscript, and the creation and analysis of the content.

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Åsa Löfgren .

Ethics declarations

Ethics approval and consent to participate.

Not applicable

Consent for publication

All authors have reviewed the final version of the manuscript and consent to its publication.

Competing interests

The authors declare that they have no known competing interests or personal relationships that could appear to have influenced the work reported in this Essay.

Additional information

Publisher's note.

Springer Nature remains neutral with regard to jurisdictional claims in published maps and institutional affiliations.

Rights and permissions

Open Access This article is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License, which permits use, sharing, adaptation, distribution and reproduction in any medium or format, as long as you give appropriate credit to the original author(s) and the source, provide a link to the Creative Commons licence, and indicate if changes were made. The images or other third party material in this article are included in the article's Creative Commons licence, unless indicated otherwise in a credit line to the material. If material is not included in the article's Creative Commons licence and your intended use is not permitted by statutory regulation or exceeds the permitted use, you will need to obtain permission directly from the copyright holder. To view a copy of this licence, visit http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/ .

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Löfgren, Å., Ahlvik, L., van den Bijgaart, I. et al. Green industrial policy for climate action in the basic materials industry. Climatic Change 177 , 147 (2024). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10584-024-03801-7

Download citation

Received : 25 January 2024

Accepted : 28 August 2024

Published : 11 September 2024

DOI : https://doi.org/10.1007/s10584-024-03801-7

Share this article

Anyone you share the following link with will be able to read this content:

Sorry, a shareable link is not currently available for this article.

Provided by the Springer Nature SharedIt content-sharing initiative

Green industrial policy
Basic materials industry
Industrial decarbonisation

Find a journal
Publish with us
Track your research

IMAGES

≫ Climate Change and Global Warming Issue Free Essay Sample on Samploon.com
Write A Short Essay On Global Warming
≫ Effects and Causes of Global Warming and Climate Change Free Essay
≫ Human Activities as the Reason of Climate Change Free Essay Sample on
≫ Global Climate Change Free Essay Sample on Samploon.com
Climate Change

VIDEO

Essay on Climate Change || Climate Change Essay || Essay Writing
Essay of Climate Change
Essay on Global Warming
CSS Essay Outline On Global Warming
Write 10 lines on Climate change
essay of climate changes in 250 words#shorts#viral😱😱😂😂

COMMENTS

Climate Change Essay for Students and Children
Climate change refers to the change in the environmental conditions of the earth. This happens due to many internal and external factors. The climatic change has become a global concern over the last few decades. In this climate change essay, we have discussed its causes. so click the link and read the whole essay.
Essay on Climate Change: Check Samples in 100, 250 Words
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 ...
Climate Change Essay
200 Words Essay on Climate Change. The climate of the Earth has changed significantly over time. While some of these changes were brought on by natural events like volcanic eruptions, floods, forest fires, etc., many of the changes were brought on by human activity. The burning of fossil fuels, domesticating livestock, and other human ...
Climate Change Essay for Students in English
Climate Change Essay: Go through the 500+ Words Essay on Climate Change and get ideas on how to write an effective essay on issues related to the environment. Boost your essay writing skills to score high marks in the English exam and also participate in various essay writing competitions.
Argumentative Essay About Climate Change
An introduction to a climate change essay can include a short description of why the topic is important and/or relevant. It can also provide an overview of what will be discussed in the body of the essay. The introduction should conclude with a clear, focused thesis statement that outlines the main argument in your essay. ...
Essay on Global Warming with Samples (150, 250, 500 Words
Short Essay on Global Warming and Climate Change? Since the industrial and scientific revolutions, Earth's resources have been gradually depleted. Furthermore, the start of the world's population's exponential expansion is particularly hard on the environment. ... Climate Change and Global Warming Essay.
Climate Change
Climate change is the long-term alteration of temperature and typical weather patterns in a place. Climate change could refer to a particular location or the planet as a whole. Climate change may cause weather patterns to be less predictable. These unexpected weather patterns can make it difficult to maintain and grow crops in regions that rely ...
What Is Climate Change?
Climate change is a long-term change in the average weather patterns that have come to define Earth's local, regional and global climates. These changes have a broad range of observed effects that are synonymous with the term. Changes observed in Earth's climate since the mid-20th century are driven by human activities, particularly fossil fuel burning, […]
Climate Change Assay: A Spark Of Change
Bahçeşehir College is committed to increasing students' awareness of the changing world we live in. This climate change essay competition saw many students submitting well thought out pieces of writing. These essays were marked on their format, creativity, organisation, clarity, unity/development of thought, and grammar/mechanics.
Our Future Is Now
Climate change is defined as "a pattern of change affecting global or regional climate," based on "average temperature and rainfall measurements" as well as the frequency of extreme weather events. 1 These varied temperature and weather events link back to both natural incidents and human activity. 2 Likewise, the term global warming ...
Global warming
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).
Climate Explained: Introductory Essays About Climate Change Topics
Climate Explained, a part of Yale Climate Connections, is an essay collection that addresses an array of climate change questions and topics, including why it's cold outside if global warming is real, how we know that humans are responsible for global warming, and the relationship between climate change and national security.
Steps To Follow While Writing An Essay On Climate Change
Craft the outline and don't go off-topic. Search for keywords. Make a plan. Avoid the most common mistakes from the start. Write an introduction thinking about what you will write later. Develop your ideas according to the outline. Make a conclusion which is consistent with what you've written in the main paragraphs.
Causes and Effects of Climate Change
As greenhouse gas emissions blanket the Earth, they trap the sun's heat. This leads to global warming and climate change. The world is now warming faster than at any point in recorded history ...
Climate Change Essay For Students And Children in 900+ Words
Climate Change Essay for School Students in 900+ Words. This climate change essay is a general overview of the world climate scenario. It highlights the main causes of the climate issue. Also, this essay on climate change talks about the short-term and long-term effects of the situation. It tells how future generations would be affected and how ...
How To Write The Perfect Essay On Climate Change
Create a conclusion. The conclusion of your descriptive essay is fundamental as it shows the reader (s) that your article has come to an end. It needs to be strong, especially if you are trying to make a case in a subject as controversial as climate change.
Causes and Effects of Climate Change Essay
There are two main causes of climate changes - natural causes and human activities. Natural causes have influenced the earth's climates such as volcanic eruptions, ocean current, the earth's orbital changes and solar variations. The eruptions of volcanoes cause a cooling effect on the earth.
Essay On Climate Change
Short Essay On Climate Change In 250 Words For Kids. Climate change is not a good indicator and means that the earth is depleting rapidly. Kids can include this point in a short essay for classes 1, 2, and 3 kids and can write an amazing essay. The change in the weather patterns over a long period of time is called climate change.
The Science of Climate Change Explained: Facts, Evidence and Proof
Average global temperatures have increased by 2.2 degrees Fahrenheit, or 1.2 degrees Celsius, since 1880, with the greatest changes happening in the late 20th century. Land areas have warmed more ...
PDF Climate Explained: Introductory Essays About Climate Change Topics
Climate Explained is a collection of short primers that answer diverse climate change questions, including why it's cold outside if global warming is real, how we know that humans are responsible for global warming, and the relationship between climate change and national security. Image 1. Example Climate Explained essays on the Yale Climate ...
Lessons from The Economist's essay contest on climate change
The Economist 's Open Future essay competition asked people between 16 and 25 years old to answer the question: "What fundamental economic and political change, if any, is needed for an effective response to climate change?". Entrants had 1,000 words. (The shortest essay took just two: "Abolish capitalism".)
Essay: To fix climate anxiety (and also climate change), we first have
Then a college student asked me about climate anxiety. It came up again on social media, and again in personal essays and polls. This paralyzing dread was suddenly the talk of the town — but it ...
Climate change: The world just marked a year above a critical limit of
Global warming surpassed 1.5 degrees Celsius over the past 12 months for the first time on record, new data shows, breaching a critical threshold that, if it continues, will push the limits of ...
Climate Change: Evidence and Causes: Update 2020
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 ...
Standing To Enforce The Future: Citizen Suits And Climate Change
The injuries caused by climate change result from the collective activity of an incalculably vast number of GHG emitters across the world. Any effort to fully remediate climate-related injuries will necessarily require a similarly vast and collective global intervention - including, potentially, citizen suits that individually target just a ...
A growing number of restaurants are reducing food waste : Short Wave
We close out Climate Solutions Week with a look at the final step in the food system: waste. Roughly 30-40% of all food produced globally gets thrown out — a huge problem when it comes to ...
Climate change is coming for your wine
Heat and climate change threaten the American wine industry : Short Wave In California's Napa Valley, the nation's unofficial wine capital, one varietal reigns supreme: cabernet sauvignon. But ...
Green industrial policy for climate action in the basic materials
Despite ongoing climate mitigation efforts, the realisation of net-zero greenhouse gas (GHG) emission targets represents a daunting task. Emissions associated with industrial processes, which amount to approximately one-third of the total global CO 2 emissions, pose a particularly significant challenge. In recent decades, these emissions have grown, both in sheer volume and as a proportion of ...

Climate Change Essay for Students and Children

When Did it Start?

Reason Of Climate Change

Natural Reasons

Human Reasons

Effects Of Climatic Change

What will be Future?

Customize your course in 30 seconds

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Download the App

Climate Change Essay

What Causes Climate Change?

Effects of Climate Change

Steps to be Taken to Reduce Climate Change

Frequently Asked Questions on climate change Essay

How can we save this climate change situation?

Are there any natural causes for climate change?

Leave a Comment Cancel reply

Register with BYJU'S & Download Free PDFs

Make Your Case: A Guide to Writing an Argumentative Essay on Climate Change

What is an Argumentative Essay about Climate Change?

Argumentative Essay Outline about Climate Change

Argumentative Essay About Climate Change Introduction

Thesis Statement For Climate Change Argumentative Essay

Climate Change Argumentative Essay Conclusion

How To Write An Argumentative Essay On Climate Change

Do Your Research

Pick A Catchy Title

Outline Your Essay

Compose Your Essay

Proofread and Revise

Examples Of Argumentative Essays About Climate Change

Good Argumentative Essay Topics About Climate Change

Frequently Asked Questions

What is a good thesis statement for climate change?

Keep reading

45,000+ students realised their study abroad dream with us. Take the first step today

Essay on Global Warming

Short Essay on Global Warming and Climate Change?

What is Global Warming?

What are the Causes of Global Warming?

Solutions for Global Warming

Effects of Global Warming

Sample Essays on Global Warming

Essay on Global Warming Paragraph in 100 – 150 words

Essay on Global Warming in 250 Words

Essay on Global Warming in 500 Words

Essay on Global Warming UPSC

Climate Change and Global Warming Essay

Tips to Write an Essay

Digvijay Singh

8 Universities with higher ROI than IITs and IIMs

Connect With Us

Need help with?

Country Preference

Which English test are you planning to take?

When are you planning to take the exam?

Which Degree do you wish to pursue?

What is your budget to study abroad?

ENCYCLOPEDIC ENTRY

Fracking tower

Learning materials

Media Credits

Production Managers

User Permissions

Interactives

Related Resources

What Is Climate Change?

What Is Global Warming?

Weather vs. Climate

Find Out More: A Guide to NASA’s Global Climate Change Website

Other NASA Resources

Discover More Topics From NASA

Explore Greyhound Nation

Our Future Is Now - A Climate Change Essay by Francesca Minicozzi, '21

Our Future Is Now

How does global warming work?

global warming

Recent News

Steps To Follow While Writing An Essay On Climate Change