Climate change

Introduction
Earth’s climate system
What are climate change and global warming?
Natural causes of climate change
The human impact: Fossil fuels and greenhouse gas emissions
Feedback mechanisms
Effects of climate change
Climate change is accelerating
Climate change mitigation and adaptation
Pros & Cons: Climate change solutions
- 1. Electric vehicles (EVs)
  - Are electric vehicles an effective way of addressing climate change?
  - Discussion questions
- 2. Geothermal power
  - Is geothermal power an effective way of addressing climate change?
  - Discussion questions
- 3. GMOs (Genetically Modified Organisms)
  - Are GMOs an effective way of addressing climate change?
  - Discussion questions
- 4. Nuclear power
  - Is nuclear power an effective way of addressing climate change?
  - Discussion questions
- 5. Single-use plastics bans
  - Are single-use plastics bans an effective way of addressing climate change?
  - Discussion questions
- 6. Space colonization
  - Is space colonization an effective way of addressing climate change?
  - Discussion questions
- 7. Vegetarianism and veganism
  - Are plant-based diets an effective way of addressing climate change?
  - Discussion questions
- 8. Wind power
  - Is wind power an effective way of addressing climate change?
  - Discussion questions
Sources

References & Edit History Related Topics

Images, Videos & Interactives

A polar bear stands on a small piece of ice floating in the water.

Diagram illustrating Earth's environmental spheres, with labeled sections showing the geosphere (land and crust), biosphere (living things), atmosphere (air), and hydrosphere (water), each extending vertically from the Earth's surface.

The greenhouse effect: When Earth's surface and lower atmosphere are warmed by the presence of greenhouse gases.

From 1880 to 2023 the global average sea level rose by roughly 23 cm (9 inches).

The eruption of the Fuego volcano during nighttime in Guatemala.

Three coal power plant smokestacks emit thick white plumes of pollution into the air, illustrating carbon dioxide emissions from fossil fuel use.

Global greenhouse gas emissions by sector

What Is a Glacier?

As Climate Change Is Left Unchecked, Weather Becomes More Extreme

Infographic showing July temperature anomalies globally from early 1900's to today, with a shift from cooler (blue) to warmer (red) years, and a graph correlating El Nino ONI spikes with rising global temperatures.

Climate change: Media

How can we best address climate change?

Videos

The eruption of the Fuego volcano during nighttime in Guatemala.

The eruption of the Fuego volcano during nighttime in Guatemala.

Volcanic eruptions are a natural cause of climate change.

Video: © blackboxguild/stock.adobe.com

What Is a Glacier?

What Is a Glacier?

A discussion of glaciers and climate change with Bethan Davies, who researches and...

Video: Encyclopædia Britannica, Inc.

As Climate Change Is Left Unchecked, Weather Becomes More Extreme

As Climate Change Is Left Unchecked, Weather Becomes More Extreme

Learn about natural disasters and their impact.

Video: Encyclopædia Britannica, Inc.

How a forest regenerates after a fire

How a forest regenerates after a fire

The redevelopment of land after a forest fire.

Video: Encyclopædia Britannica, Inc.

Questions and answers on genetically modified organisms (GMOs)

Questions and answers on genetically modified organisms (GMOs)

Are GMOs an effective way of addressing climate change?

Video: Encyclopædia Britannica, Inc.

How does nuclear power work?

How does nuclear power work?

Is nuclear power an effective way of addressing climate change?

Video: Encyclopædia Britannica, Inc.

Discussing plastic pollution in the ocean, the Great Pacific Garbage patch, river and ocean cleanup, protecting ocean life, including plants and animals, and human effects on Earth with Matthias Egger of The Ocean Cleanup

Discussing plastic pollution in the ocean, the Great Pacific Garbage patch, river and ocean cleanup, protecting ocean life, including plants and animals, and human effects on Earth with Matthias Egger of The Ocean Cleanup

Are single-use plastics bans an effective way of addressing climate change?

Video: Encyclopædia Britannica, Inc.

Images

A polar bear stands on a small piece of ice floating in the water.

Earth's changing climate: This polar bear lives in an environment that is changing rapidly because of warming temperatures.

How can we best address climate change?

© Michal Bednarek/Dreamstime.com

Diagram illustrating Earth's environmental spheres, with labeled sections showing the geosphere (land and crust), biosphere (living things), atmosphere (air), and hydrosphere (water), each extending vertically from the Earth's surface.

Earth's climate system

Encyclopædia Britannica, Inc.

The greenhouse effect: When Earth's surface and lower atmosphere are warmed by the presence of greenhouse gases.

The greenhouse effect: When Earth's surface and lower atmosphere are warmed by the presence of greenhouse gases.

The effect is natural but has been magnified into a threatening presence by human...

© VectorMine/stock.adobe.com

Three coal power plant smokestacks emit thick white plumes of pollution into the air, illustrating carbon dioxide emissions from fossil fuel use.

A coal power plant emitting carbon dioxide pollution from smokestacks

Human use of fossil fuels, such as coal, have accelerated climate change.

© jzehnder/stock.adobe.com

Illustration of various geoengineering techniques to address climate change, including carbon capture and storage methods like artificial trees, industrial scrubbers, and deep ocean CO2 storage, as well as solar reflectance strategies such as sulfur aerosols, reflective crops, cloud whitening, and orbital mirrors. The scene shows these interventions applied to land, sea, and atmosphere, with labeled features explaining each process.

Various geoengineering proposals designed to increase solar reflectance or capture and store carbon

Carbon capture is just one climate change solution.

Encyclopædia Britannica, Inc.

Close-up of a silver electric car plugged into a charging station on a city street in Celebration, Florida, with charging cables connected to the vehicle's port.

Electric vehicles may be responsible for a drop in road transport emissions in Nordic countries

Are electric vehicles an effective way of addressing climate change?

© Kasto80/Dreamstime.com

How do geothermal power plants work?

How do geothermal power plants work?

Is geothermal power an effective way of addressing climate change?

© Dimitrios/stock.adobe.com

University of Arizona Biosphere 2 is an American Earth system science research facility to explore “Earth's future to understand today's environment and prepare for life beyond our planet”

University of Arizona Biosphere 2 is an American Earth system science research facility to explore “Earth's future to understand today's environment and prepare for life beyond our planet”

Is space colonization an effective way of addressing climate change?

Carol M. Highsmith's America/Library of Congress, Washington, D.C. (LC-DIG-highsm-04715)

Hands holding a bowl of lentil curry with tofu and vegetables, surrounded by fresh ingredients including pita bread, tomatoes, carrots, green onions, avocados, lemon wedges, and pesto.

Many choose a vegetarian or vegan diet

Are plant-based diets an effective way of addressing climate change?

© vaaseenaa/stock.adobe.com

Wind turbines transform mechanical energy into electrical energy.

Wind turbines transform mechanical energy into electrical energy.

Is wind power an effective way of addressing climate change?

© thebroker—iStock/Getty Images

Interactives

From 1880 to 2023 the global average sea level rose by roughly 23 cm (9 inches).

From 1880 to 2023 the global average sea level rose by roughly 23 cm (9 inches).

Climate change causes rising sea levels.

Encyclopædia Britannica, Inc./Kenny Chmielewski

Global greenhouse gas emissions by sector

Global greenhouse gas emissions by sector

Encyclopædia Britannica, Inc.

Infographic showing July temperature anomalies globally from early 1900's to today, with a shift from cooler (blue) to warmer (red) years, and a graph correlating El Nino ONI spikes with rising global temperatures.

Yearly average July temperatures continue to diverge from long-term mean July temperatures at both global and regional scales

July temperature anomalies are because of climate change.

Encyclopædia Britannica, Inc.

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