FAQs

Climate change is the overall long-term shift in global temperature and weather patterns. [14]

Climate change is caused by greenhouse gas emissions. This gas can’t escape the atmosphere and traps the sun’s heat. This slowly but surely raises the earth’s temperature, “the world is now warming faster than at any point in recorded history”. [14]

Climate change results in rising temperatures, extreme weather, rising ocean levels, increased health risks and loss of crops, livestock and other species. [14]

Yes, some effects of climate change are reversible. The effects of global warming are felt at a delay so if we start to control our emissions now, we wouldn’t feel a change until a couple years later. The reversible effect would be global warming, however, it would only revert back to a stable temperature if “all human emission of heat-trapping gasses were to stop today”. [7] As soon as this happens, we can wait for the “excess heat to radiate out to space. With no further human influence, natural processes would begin to slowly remove the excess carbon dioxide from the atmosphere, and global temperatures would gradually begin to decline.” [7] However, it is unlikely that we would be able to stop 100% of all human emitted heat-trapping gasses.

Educate yourself on the causes and effects of climate change and see how your awareness can make a difference. For example, choosing to walk or ride your bike instead of driving, bringing reusable bags to the grocery store, and recycling. [5]

Climate change is not a new issue and has been on our radar since 2000. This is when global warming became apparent. [15]

Not all U.S. schools are required to educate on climate change; however, approximately 75% of public science teachers in the U.S will give a lesson on climate change and recent global warming to their students. However, not all the information the students are given is completely accurate. Unfortunately, it has been found that the opinions of teachers may affect the quality of information given to students. This can be because of teachers not understanding the scientific causes of climate change as well as 34% of them who do not believe that human activity is the primary cause of recent global warming. [1]

Yes, roughly 97% of actively publishing climate scientists (and other reputable scientists) agree that humans are the cause of global warming and climate change. [12]

Climate change education can be improved by teaching purely based on factual evidence gathered and removing biases from teachers. In addition to this, educating teachers on Climate Change itself would be very valuable. It’s difficult to convince/educate someone on something you don’t understand or believe in. [8]

Goals have been set in place to aid in stopping the drastic impacts of global warming stated in the Paris Agreement. If those goals are unable to be met, many places on Earth will change adversely (severe weather and rising temperatures will make them uninhabitable by 2500. [4] [11]