Many people think climate change is too big to solve. But in reality, we have all the solutions we need — from clean energy to conservation — to slow down and reverse global warming. The key is to get those solutions in place. That means working together, from individuals to nations and corporations. It also means pressuring elected leaders and businesses to make changes. And it means taking action ourselves, starting with reducing our own carbon footprints.
The Earth is warmer now than it was in the late 1800s and at least as warm or warmer than any time in the past 100,000 years. The temperature rise is tied directly to human activities that produce greenhouse gases, such as burning fossil fuels (oil, coal and gas) and clearing forests.
The warming atmosphere and oceans are causing serious problems for wildlife, agriculture and human health. Sea levels are rising, and droughts are getting longer and more severe. Wildfires are destroying homes and lives in the Southwest. And the increased heat and drought have triggered an increase in insect outbreaks, including the spread of disease-causing mosquitoes and ticks.
The IPCC’s recent report found that limiting warming to 2 degrees Celsius will greatly reduce the risks and avoid the worst impacts. But warming beyond that will put us at greater risk of crossing so-called “tipping points.” These are critical thresholds, once crossed, that could trigger irreversible, catastrophic changes for the planet. For example, it would be very difficult to re-establish Arctic permafrost after the current melting starts to accelerate.