Climate change is the increase in global temperatures and the resulting changes to Earth’s weather. It is caused by the burning of fossil fuels (coal, oil and gas) that produce greenhouse gases. These gases block heat from escaping into space, similar to the way glass keeps plants warm in a greenhouse.
These gases stay in the atmosphere for a long time, and the warmer the planet gets, the longer they stay there. Other factors also influence the climate, like the position of continents and ocean currents, atmospheric chemistry, and vegetation growing on land. These factors change over a wide range of timescales.
Some of these changes have already happened and are causing real problems for people. They include coral reef bleaching, rising sea levels, and increasing wildfires and floods. Other changes, like the retreat of ice sheets and the loss of biodiversity, may take hundreds or thousands of years to play out, making them much harder to stop.
Humanity needs to reduce its CO2 emissions as quickly as possible. This means moving away from fossil fuels like coal and oil, and switching to greener transport options such as electric vehicles and trains. It is also important for individuals to help by changing the way they consume energy, where they travel, and what food they eat. If everyone takes these actions, we can make a big difference to stopping climate change.
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