Climate Change Basics: What’s Happening & How We Can Respond

ByLG Hill Updated on

Climate change is one of the biggest challenges of our time. Rising temperatures, extreme weather, biodiversity loss, and shifting food systems are already affecting our lives. But what exactly is climate change, what causes it, and most importantly – what can we do about it?

This guide covers the essentials.

What is Climate Change?

Climate refers to long-term patterns of temperature, rainfall, and weather conditions over decades or centuries. Climate change means these patterns are shifting in ways that impact the whole planet.

Weather is what happens day to day, climate is the bigger picture.

How Do We Know It’s Happening?

Image of a town in silhouette, with a reddened background and sun overhead, representing the effect of a heatwave on homes.

Scientists use multiple lines of evidence to track climate change:

  • Temperature records show global average temperatures have risen by around 1.2°C since pre-industrial times (1850–1900).
  • Ice cores and glaciers reveal greenhouse gas levels are higher than at any point in hundreds of thousands of years.
  • Satellite and ocean data confirm rising sea levels, retreating ice, and warming oceans.
  • Wildlife and ecosystems are shifting – plants flower earlier, animals migrate differently, and habitats are shrinking.

Together, this paints a clear and consistent picture: the planet is warming, fast.

What’s Causing Climate Change?

The main driver of climate change is the build-up of greenhouse gases (GHGs) in the atmosphere. These gases trap heat, creating a “greenhouse effect” that makes Earth warmer.

Key greenhouse gases include:

  • Carbon dioxide (CO₂) – from burning coal, oil, and gas
  • Methane (CH₄) – from farming, landfills, and fossil fuels
  • Nitrous oxide (N₂O) – from fertilisers and industry
  • CFCs – from past use in aerosols and refrigeration (now mostly banned)
  • Water vapour – a natural greenhouse gas, but increased as a feedback effect

Since the Industrial Revolution, human activity has increased CO₂ levels by over 50%, mainly through fossil fuel use and deforestation.

Where Are We Heading?

The UN’s Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) warns that to avoid the worst impacts, warming must be limited to 1.5°C. That means halving global emissions by 2030 and reaching net zero by 2050.

Currently, we’re on track for around 2.7°C of warming, which could trigger devastating effects – more extreme heatwaves, rising seas, food insecurity, and loss of ecosystems.

What’s at Stake?

Unchecked climate change would affect almost every aspect of life:

  • Health: heat stress, spread of disease, and poor air quality
  • Food: reduced harvests, higher prices, and disrupted supply chains
  • Nature: mass species loss and collapsing ecosystems
  • Economy: damage to homes, businesses, and infrastructure
  • Security: migration pressures and increased conflict over resources

The impacts are global, but the solutions can be too.

What Can Be Done About Climate Change?

Graphic representing key sustainability trends, such as renewable energy, EV and offsetting.

Global Action

Climate change is a shared problem requiring international cooperation. Through agreements like the Paris Agreement and annual COP summits, countries commit to reducing emissions through Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs).

The aim: net zero – where any remaining emissions are balanced by carbon removal, through natural systems like forests or new technologies.

Solutions

  • Clean energy: shifting from fossil fuels to renewables like solar, wind, and hydro, supported by energy storage and nuclear power.
  • Smarter systems: improving energy efficiency, designing sustainable cities, and reducing waste.
  • Protecting nature: restoring forests, wetlands, and oceans that absorb carbon and support biodiversity.
  • Food and farming: adopting more sustainable diets, reducing food waste, and improving agricultural practices.

What Can You Do?

Sketch style image displaying a home adapted with sustainable improvements, including green rook, solar PV and native planting

While governments and industries must act at scale, we all have power to make a difference. Everyday choices add up, especially when shared across communities and businesses.

Here are 5 impactful steps you can take:

1. Switch to renewable energy at home or in your business.

2. Cut car use – walk, cycle, use public transport, or choose electric.

3. Eat more plant-based meals and reduce food waste.

4. Buy less, buy better – avoid fast fashion and disposable goods.

5. Support nature – plant trees, protect green spaces, or back rewilding projects.

These changes often save money, improve health, and build resilience.

A Hopeful Future

The science is clear: climate change is happening, and human activities are driving it. But the solutions are also clear, and we have the tools to act.

By working together, globally, nationally, and locally, we can create a healthier, fairer, and more sustainable future.

Put simply: if nature thrives, so do we.

To support you further, check out the following extra resources here at Greener Insights:

Urban Climate Impact: How to Adapt & Build Resilience

30 Essential Climate Change Facts to Know

Climate Tipping Points: 10 You Should Know

Taking Politics Out of Net Zero

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