Climate Change

What is Climate Change

Climate change means the increase in the Earth’s average temperature since the beginning of the 20th century and its impacts now and in the future. Since about 1900, the average near-surface temperature of the planet has increased by 0.75 degrees Celsius and the UK's sea level has risen by about 10 centimetres. Further global rises are expected, as well as more extreme weather events like flooding and drought.

There is very strong evidence that recent global warming can't be explained by natural causes alone. Humans are changing the climate by their actions, especially through emissions of greenhouse gases, like carbon dioxide, which artificially warm the Earth's atmosphere. The effects of climate change include rising temperatures, higher sea levels and more frequent extreme weather events like storms and heatwaves. These are expected to become more severe in coming decades. Actions by individuals have already helped the UK meet its targets for cutting emissions by 2010. What people do now and in coming decades to reduce greenhouse gas emissions will determine the level of future impacts.

Myths about Climate Change

The climate is always changing anyway.

The Earth's climate has always changed naturally in the past. But what is happening now is potentially a big change in the Earth's climate, this time caused mainly by human activity. Carbon dioxide is a major heat-trapping greenhouse gas. Its concentration in the atmosphere is now higher than at any time in at least the last 800,000 years. Although this is not new in the history of the planet, it is entirely new in human history. It is expected to have a negative impact on many ecosystems and humans across the world.

Based on a vast amount of evidence, nearly all climate science experts are convinced that humans are affecting the climate by the way they live. The Met Office Hadley Centre is one of the world's leading centres for climate change research. It found that recent temperature rises and key changes in the Earth's environment could not be explained by natural climate change alone. Human activity is mainly responsible. Scientific research and careful observation has shown that the concentration of greenhouse gases, which keep the earth warm, is increasing. People are responsible for these increases by, for example, burning fossil fuels and cutting down forests. Over 40 per cent of CO2 emissions in the UK come directly from what people do - for example, using electricity in the home and driving cars. If every home installed the recommended amount of loft insulation, it would save 3.8 tonnes of CO2. This is the same as the emissions of about 650,000 homes in one year.

Climate change isn't caused by human activity