Why does climate change matter

Extreme weather events are already more intense, threatening lives and livelihoods. With further warming, some regions could become uninhabitable, as farmland turns into desert. In other regions, the opposite is happening, with extreme rainfall causing historic flooding - as seen recently in China, Germany, Belgium and the Netherlands.

People in poorer countries will suffer the most as they do not have the money to adapt to climate change. Many farms in developing countries already have to endure climates that are too hot and this will only get worse. Our oceans and its habitats are also under threat. The Great Barrier Reef in Australia, for example, has already lost half of its corals since due to warmer seas driven by climate change.

Wildfires are becoming more frequent as climate change increases the risk of hot, dry weather. And as frozen ground melts in places like Siberia, greenhouse gases trapped for centuries will be released into the atmosphere, worsening climate change.

In a warmer world, animals will find it harder to find the food and water they need to live. For example, polar bears could die out as the ice they rely on melts away, and elephants will struggle to find the litres of water a day they need. Scientists believe at least species could be lost this century if action is not taken.

Climate change has different effects in different areas of the world. Some places will warm more than others, some will receive more rainfall and others will face more droughts.

Countries agree climate change can only be tackled by working together, and in a landmark agreement in Paris in , they pledged to try to keep global warming to 1. The UK is hosting a summit for world leaders, called COP26, in November, where countries will set out their carbon reduction plans for Many countries have pledged to get to net zero by This means reducing greenhouse gas emissions as much as possible and balancing out remaining emissions by absorbing an equivalent amount from the atmosphere.

Experts agree that this is achievable , but it will require governments, businesses and individuals to make big changes. Major changes need to come from governments and businesses, but scientists say some small changes in our lives can limit our impact on the climate :. The COP26 global climate summit in Glasgow in November is seen as crucial if climate change is to be brought under control.

Almost countries are being asked for their plans to cut emissions, and it could lead to major changes to our everyday lives. Top image from Getty Images.

What questions do you have about changes in our climate? As far as the climate is concerned, less is more. To reach that goal, we have to cut emissions by half by and reach net zero by Inaction could mean the Earth warms By the Arctic and Greenland could be mostly ice-free, and oceans could rise feet and displace hundreds of millions. As soon as , , people could die as a result of climate change each year.

The World Bank estimates climate change will force million people into poverty. Businesses have a large part to play in engaging the climate crisis. But the benefits of sustainably will only happen if and when businesses counter the threat of climate change with targeted action. Full Sustainability Platform. Sign in Sign up. Climate change: What it is and why it matters March 12, What is climate change?

On ice-age timescales, these gradual orbital variations have led to changes in the extent of ice sheets and in the abundance of CO 2 and other greenhouse gases, which in turn have amplified the initial temperature change. That change occurred over a period of about 7, years, starting 18, years ago. If the rise in CO 2 continues unchecked, warming of the same magnitude as the increase out of the ice age can be expected by the end of this century or soon after. This speed of warming is more than ten times that at the end of an ice age, the fastest known natural sustained change on a global scale.

Find out about the Royal Society's latest work on energy, environment and climate. Skip to content You currently have JavaScript disabled in your web browser, please enable JavaScript to view our website as intended. Climate is always changing. Why is climate change of concern now? Climate change: evidence and causes. Page last updated: March Find out about the Royal Society's latest work on energy, environment and climate.