good hooks for an essay about climate change

10 Example-Hooks for the Introduction to Climate Change College Essay

An essay is only as strong as its hook. If you can’t grab your reader’s attention right within the first few sentences, you won’t have it throughout the rest of the essay, either. Don’t bore your reader! Instead, use a captivating hook to ensnare them from the first few words.

A hook can be something that is intriguing, hilarious, or even shocking. The goal of a hook is to create a powerful emotional connection with the reader. As the writer, you have a few options. You might consider beginning with a series of questions, a challenging statement, a little-known fact, a quotation, or some fascinating background information. For an essay containing an introduction to climate change, consider a few of the following hooks.

Start with a Quote

Find out a famous person who has touched the discussed issue. Make your audience mull over his/her words as well as provide their own thoughts.

• Start with a quote : “Climate change is happening, humans are causing it, and I think this is perhaps the most serious environmental issue facing us.”-Bill Nye
• Start with a quote : “Humanity faces many threats, but none is greater than climate change. In damaging our climate, we are becoming the architects of our own destruction. We have the knowledge, the tools, and the money (to solve the crisis).”-Prince Charles, U.K.
• Start with a quote : “Global warming isn’t a prediction. It is happening.”- James Hansen

Start with a Fact

Provide some interesting information about the particular issue you disclose. This will make your listeners and readers involved in the problem. Make sure the fact is on point and fresh that no one knows about.

• Start with a fact : “The planet’s average surface temperature has risen by two degrees Fahrenheit since the 1900s. This change is unrivaled by any others in recorded–or estimated–history.”
• Start with a fact : “2016 was the warmest year on record, with eight months setting record temperature highs around the globe.”

Start with a Question

Make your audience discuss the issue. This will help you not only make them interested in the problem but also present their own thoughts that might be also quite catchy to discuss.

• Start with a question : “What have you done lately to help prevent global warming?”
• Start with a question : “Think about how the weather has changed since you were a child. Has the weather gradually turned warmer? Colder? Perhaps you notice more snowfall or hotter summer temperatures. These are all caused directly by climate change and global warming.”
• Start with a question : “How does climate change affect you personally?”

Shock Your Audience

Tell something that will shock your audience. It will make them interested. But again, this has to be a real shock, not something that everyone is talking about for the last three years.

• Start with a shock : “Global sea levels have risen eight inches over the last century. In the last two decades alone, the rate of rise has nearly doubled. This is a direct cause of melting ice caps and increased global temperatures. If this rise continues, entire countries, such as Bangladesh, could be underwater.”
• Start with a shock : “If everyone in the world lives as Americans do, it would take five Earths to produce enough resources. Just five countries, including the United States, contribute to more than 50 percent of the world’s harmful CO2 emissions.”

What do all of these hooks have in common? They tell you just enough information to get you interested but want to learn more at the same time. It is often difficult to write a stellar hook until you have already–or nearly–finished writing your essay. After all, you often don’t know the direction your paper is going to take until it is completed. Many strong writers wait to write the hook last, as this helps guide the direction of the introduction. Consider drafting a few sample hooks and then choose the best. The best essay will be the one that involves revision and updating–keep trying new hooks until you find the perfect, most intriguing, hook of them all.

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Argumentative Essay Writing

Argumentative Essay About Climate Change

Make Your Case: A Guide to Writing an Argumentative Essay on Climate Change

Published on: Mar 2, 2023

Last updated on: Jan 31, 2024

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With the issue of climate change making headlines, it’s no surprise that this has become one of the most debated topics in recent years. 

But what does it really take to craft an effective argumentative essay about climate change? 

Writing an argumentative essay requires a student to thoroughly research and articulate their own opinion on a specific topic. 

To write such an essay, you will need to be well-informed regarding global warming. By doing so, your arguments may stand firm backed by both evidence and logic. 

In this blog, we will discuss some tips for crafting a factually reliable argumentative essay about climate change!

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What is an Argumentative Essay about Climate Change?

The main focus will be on trying to prove that global warming is caused by human activities. Your goal should be to convince your readers that human activity is causing climate change.

To achieve this, you will need to use a variety of research methods to collect data on the topic. You need to make an argument as to why climate change needs to be taken more seriously. 

Argumentative Essay Outline about Climate Change

An argumentative essay about climate change requires a student to take an opinionated stance on the subject. 

The outline of your paper should include the following sections: 

Argumentative Essay About Climate Change Introduction

The first step is to introduce the topic and provide an overview of the main points you will cover in the essay. 

This should include a brief description of what climate change is. Furthermore, it should include current research on how humans are contributing to global warming.

An example is:

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Thesis Statement For Climate Change Argumentative Essay

The thesis statement should be a clear and concise description of your opinion on the topic. It should be established early in the essay and reiterated throughout.

For example, an argumentative essay about climate change could have a thesis statement such as:

Climate Change Argumentative Essay Conclusion

The conclusion should restate your thesis statement and summarize the main points of the essay. 

It should also provide a call to action, encouraging readers to take steps toward addressing climate change. 

For example, 

How To Write An Argumentative Essay On Climate Change 

Writing an argumentative essay about climate change requires a student to take an opinionated stance on the subject. 

Following are the steps to follow for writing an argumentative essay about climate change

Do Your  Research

The first step is researching the topic and collecting evidence to back up your argument. 

You should look at scientific research, articles, and data on climate change as well as current policy solutions. 

Pick A Catchy Title

Once you have gathered your evidence, it is time to pick a title for your essay. It should be specific and concise. 

Outline Your Essay

After selecting a title, create an outline of the main points you will include in the essay. 

This should include an introduction, body paragraphs that provide evidence for your argument, and a conclusion. 

Compose Your Essay

Finally, begin writing your essay. Start with an introduction that provides a brief overview of the main points you will cover and includes your thesis statement. 

Then move on to the body paragraphs, providing evidence to back up your argument. 

Finally, conclude the essay by restating your thesis statement and summarizing the main points. 

Proofread and Revise

Once you have finished writing the essay, it is important to proofread and revise your work. 

Check for any spelling or grammatical errors, and make sure the argument is clear and logical. 

Finally, consider having someone else read over the essay for a fresh perspective. 

By following these steps, you can create an effective argumentative essay on climate change. Good luck! 

Examples Of Argumentative Essays About Climate Change 

Climate Change is real and happening right now. It is one of the most urgent environmental issues that we face today. 

Argumentative essays about this topic can help raise awareness that we need to protect our planet. 

Below you will find some examples of argumentative essays on climate change written by CollegeEssay.org’s expert essay writers.

Argumentative Essay About Climate Change And Global Warming

Persuasive Essay About Climate Change

Argumentative Essay About Climate Change In The Philippines

Argumentative Essay About Climate Change Caused By Humans

Geography Argumentative Essay About Climate Change

Check our extensive blog on argumentative essay examples to ace your next essay!

Good Argumentative Essay Topics About Climate Change 

Choosing a great topic is essential to help your readers understand and engage with the issue.

Here are some suggestions: 

• Should governments fund projects that will reduce the effects of climate change? 
• Is it too late to stop global warming and climate change? 
• Are international treaties effective in reducing carbon dioxide emissions? 
• What are the economic implications of climate change? 
• Should renewable energy be mandated as a priority over traditional fossil fuels? 
• How can individuals help reduce their carbon footprint and fight climate change? 
• Are regulations on industry enough to reduce global warming and climate change? 
• Could geoengineering be used to mitigate climate change? 
• What are the social and political effects of global warming and climate change? 
• Should companies be held accountable for their contribution to climate change? 

Check our comprehensive blog on argumentative essay topics to get more topic ideas!

We hope these topics and resources help you write a great argumentative essay about climate change. 

Now that you know how to write an argumentative essay about climate change, it’s time to put your skills to the test.

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Frequently Asked Questions

What is a good introduction to climate change.

An introduction to a climate change essay can include a short description of why the topic is important and/or relevant. 

It can also provide an overview of what will be discussed in the body of the essay. 

The introduction should conclude with a clear, focused thesis statement that outlines the main argument in your essay. 

What is a good thesis statement for climate change?

A good thesis statement for a climate change essay should state the main point or argument you will make in your essay. 

You could argue that “The science behind climate change is irrefutable and must be addressed by governments, businesses, and individuals.”

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Essay on Climate Change: Check Samples in 100, 250 Words

• Updated on  
• Sep 21, 2023

Writing an essay on climate change is crucial to raise awareness and advocate for action. The world is facing environmental challenges, so in a situation like this such essay topics can serve as s platform to discuss the causes, effects, and solutions to this pressing issue. They offer an opportunity to engage readers in understanding the urgency of mitigating climate change for the sake of our planet’s future.

Must Read: Essay On Environment  

Table of Contents

• 1 What Is Climate Change?
• 2 What are the Causes of Climate Change?
• 3 What are the effects of Climate Change?
• 4 How to fight climate change?
• 5 Essay On Climate Change in 100 Words
• 6 Climate Change Sample Essay 250 Words

What Is Climate Change?

Climate change is the significant variation of average weather conditions becoming, for example, warmer, wetter, or drier—over several decades or longer. It may be natural or anthropogenic. However, in recent times, it’s been in the top headlines due to escalations caused by human interference.

What are the Causes of Climate Change?

Obama at the First Session of COP21 rightly quoted “We are the first generation to feel the impact of climate change, and the last generation that can do something about it.”.Identifying the causes of climate change is the first step to take in our fight against climate change. Below stated are some of the causes of climate change:

• Greenhouse Gas Emissions: Mainly from burning fossil fuels (coal, oil, and natural gas) for energy and transportation.
• Deforestation: The cutting down of trees reduces the planet’s capacity to absorb carbon dioxide.
• Industrial Processes: Certain manufacturing activities release potent greenhouse gases.
• Agriculture: Livestock and rice cultivation emit methane, a potent greenhouse gas.

What are the effects of Climate Change?

Climate change poses a huge risk to almost all life forms on Earth. The effects of climate change are listed below:

• Global Warming: Increased temperatures due to trapped heat from greenhouse gases.
• Melting Ice and Rising Sea Levels: Ice caps and glaciers melt, causing oceans to rise.
• Extreme Weather Events: More frequent and severe hurricanes, droughts, and wildfires.
• Ocean Acidification: Oceans absorb excess CO2, leading to more acidic waters harming marine life.
• Disrupted Ecosystems: Shifting climate patterns disrupt habitats and threaten biodiversity.
• Food and Water Scarcity: Altered weather affects crop yields and strains water resources.
• Human Health Risks: Heat-related illnesses and the spread of diseases.
• Economic Impact: Damage to infrastructure and increased disaster-related costs.
• Migration and Conflict: Climate-induced displacement and resource competition.

How to fight climate change?

‘Climate change is a terrible problem, and it absolutely needs to be solved. It deserves to be a huge priority,’ says Bill Gates. The below points highlight key actions to combat climate change effectively.

• Energy Efficiency: Improve energy efficiency in all sectors.
• Protect Forests: Stop deforestation and promote reforestation.
• Sustainable Agriculture: Adopt eco-friendly farming practices.
• Advocacy: Raise awareness and advocate for climate-friendly policies.
• Innovation: Invest in green technologies and research.
• Government Policies: Enforce climate-friendly regulations and targets.
• Corporate Responsibility: Encourage sustainable business practices.
• Individual Action: Reduce personal carbon footprint and inspire others.

Essay On Climate Change in 100 Words

Climate change refers to long-term alterations in Earth’s climate patterns, primarily driven by human activities, such as burning fossil fuels and deforestation, which release greenhouse gases into the atmosphere. These gases trap heat, leading to global warming. The consequences of climate change are widespread and devastating. Rising temperatures cause polar ice caps to melt, contributing to sea level rise and threatening coastal communities. Extreme weather events, like hurricanes and wildfires, become more frequent and severe, endangering lives and livelihoods. Additionally, shifts in weather patterns can disrupt agriculture, leading to food shortages. To combat climate change, global cooperation, renewable energy adoption, and sustainable practices are crucial for a more sustainable future.

Must Read: Essay On Global Warming

Climate Change Sample Essay 250 Words

Climate change represents a pressing global challenge that demands immediate attention and concerted efforts. Human activities, primarily the burning of fossil fuels and deforestation, have significantly increased the concentration of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere. This results in a greenhouse effect, trapping heat and leading to a rise in global temperatures, commonly referred to as global warming.

The consequences of climate change are far-reaching and profound. Rising sea levels threaten coastal communities, displacing millions and endangering vital infrastructure. Extreme weather events, such as hurricanes, droughts, and wildfires, have become more frequent and severe, causing devastating economic and human losses. Disrupted ecosystems affect biodiversity and the availability of vital resources, from clean water to agricultural yields.

Moreover, climate change has serious implications for food and water security. Changing weather patterns disrupt traditional farming practices and strain freshwater resources, potentially leading to conflicts over access to essential commodities.

Addressing climate change necessitates a multifaceted approach. First, countries must reduce their greenhouse gas emissions through the transition to renewable energy sources, increased energy efficiency, and reforestation efforts. International cooperation is crucial to set emission reduction targets and hold nations accountable for meeting them.

In conclusion, climate change is a global crisis with profound and immediate consequences. Urgent action is needed to mitigate its impacts and secure a sustainable future for our planet. By reducing emissions and implementing adaptation strategies, we can protect vulnerable communities, preserve ecosystems, and ensure a livable planet for future generations. The time to act is now.

Climate change refers to long-term shifts in Earth’s climate patterns, primarily driven by human activities like burning fossil fuels and deforestation.

Five key causes of climate change include excessive greenhouse gas emissions from human activities, notably burning fossil fuels and deforestation. 

We hope this blog gave you an idea about how to write and present an essay on climate change that puts forth your opinions. The skill of writing an essay comes in handy when appearing for standardized language tests. Thinking of taking one soon? Leverage Edu provides the best online test prep for the same via Leverage Live . Register today to know more!

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4 guidelines for writing about climate change

The climate story has moved beyond science and is increasingly local . It touches communities and coverage in new ways every day. As you cover the topic in your area, here are some guidelines for your reporting.

Do not conflate science and policy. They are separate things. Science informs policymaking but it does not dictate what policies should be chosen. Different people may reach different conclusions, depending on what they value.

Be specific about which climate change “debate” you are covering. There is no single debate; there are separate debates within science, within policy and within economics, and debates about how scientific findings should guide policy.

Be clear about the science. The overarching issue is as settled as things get in science: The planet is warming and humans are largely responsible. As a result, glaciers and ice sheets are melting. New, contradictory evidence could come along–science is always subject to revision. But the idea that humans are causing climate change is not scientifically controversial.

Avoid “global warming: yes or no?” coverage. Although there are still many scientific questions to be answered, the climate change story has shifted to policy. What should we do, if anything, about climate change? Just as governments routinely make decisions about fiscal policy under great uncertainty, environmental policy can proceed even though scientific uncertainties remain.

Taken from Covering Climate Change , a self-directed course by Tom Yulsman at Poynter NewsU .

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Environment

How to write the perfect essay on climate change.

Writing an essay on green living or other environmental issues can be difficult. You need to make sure that you get your points right. One of the issues is that environmental research is changing at a breathtaking pace, so it is easy to use outdated data to make your point.

Creating the Perfect Essay on Climate Change or Any Environmental Topic

Essay writing is a task which poses an immense challenge to many students. This is because it not only has many requirements, but also requires one to have professional writing skills to produce a top-notch paper. This is especially complicated for climate change papers.

Additionally, many students find it hard to distinguish the type of paper they are writing. Hence, they end up producing the wrong article. Environmental science professors and instructors often give college and university students writing assignments.

You can always hire a professional paper writer to help you. However, you will learn more if you go through the process on your own. But how can you write a paper easily with limited time as a student?

You need to be familiar with the concepts behind climate change if you are planning on writing a paper on it. You should start by looking at previous papers and research on the topic. Global Change has a large list of all major climate change papers .

However, you are going to need to write your own paper and it needs to meet the school’s quality standards. It is up to you to ensure that you understand the distinction between various types of essay writing tasks. Cody Rhodes has been gracious enough to speak with us to clarify what a descriptive essay is and the goal or objective of writing one. Rhodes has said that there are a lot of great insights for people learning to create better papers on climate change.

What is a descriptive essay on Climate Change?

Before we go deeper into descriptive essay writing tips, you need to know what a descriptive essay is. A descriptive essay is a type of academic writing which involves describing a specific place, event, or person to the readers. You must do this in a way that creates a portrait in their minds by engaging their senses: touch, sound, smell, sight, and taste. Your ability to do this guarantees your success. Before you write your descriptive essay, you need to lay the foundation of the entire work.

Choose a topic related to climate change or green living

What topic is best for climate change? You can’t just focus on climate change in general , Rhodes tells us. He says that you need to get into the nuances of specific elements of the subject. You might want to talk about the fact that the minimum arctic ice levels have fallen over 12% a decade since the 1980s . Covering a very specific climate change topic makes things easier.

So, you need to select a topic which you can write a lot about. Your professor may give you one or they may leave it up to you to choose. So, ensure you pick a topic which allows you to convey your opinion about it through your description of it and how you want things laid out for the audience.

Also, you must ensure you structure your essay in a way that helps your topic to have meaning or make sense. A description of an event has paragraphs arranged chronologically, whereas a description of a person or a place has paragraphs arranged generally so that it allows you to go deeper into the specifics. The introduction paragraph of your essay should set out the key points you will discuss in your article as it sets the tone for the rest of the paper.

But what do you do once you’ve chosen your topic? If you need to learn how to write a descriptive essay about a place, event or person consider the following tips.

Do statement

Now that you have chosen a topic, develop a thesis statement for your climate change topic. An example could be “The hospitality sector’s global initiative has contributed to the climate crisis.”

A thesis statement is a statement which holds or supports the argument in the topic of your paper. Additionally, it lays out the purpose of the essay. It is prominent throughout the entire paper. Hence, when creating it, you need to make it precise, avoid clichés, and include it in the introductory paragraph.

Engage your readers’ senses

The audience will be able to comprehend what your paper is about if you create an image in their minds by engaging their senses. So, how do you get the senses right?

Take a sheet of paper and partition it into five columns. Note down all the senses. This will help you sort your thoughts and ideas as you elucidate your topic. Write any feelings or sensations which relate to the topic you are writing about. Back up your thesis statement by providing full sensory details. Utilize literary tools to perfect your paper such as personification, similes, and metaphors.

Write an outline

Once you get the senses right, you can proceed to the next step, which is creating a descriptive essay outline. A descriptive essay outline is essential in writing a descriptive essay as it not only acts as a road map to your essay but also simplifies the writing process. Additionally, it helps to show how the structure of your paper ought to appear.  A descriptive essay outline constitutes three main components: the introduction body, and conclusion.

• Develop a strong hook which will capture the attention of your audience. They need to be attracted to your paper by reading the introduction. Also, remember to include the thesis statement.
• Writing a descriptive paragraph(s)is not easy if you do not have a thesis statement. This is because it is where you provide support or backup the thesis statement (shows the purpose of your essay). So, ensure you begin each paragraph with a topic sentence. Use transitional phrases to show the readers that your essay is continuous.
• Conclude your paper with a summary of your main points. Restate your thesis statement.

Create a conclusion

The conclusion of your descriptive essay is fundamental as it shows the reader(s) that your article has come to an end.  It needs to be strong, especially if you are trying to make a case in a subject as controversial as climate change.

So, when creating it, ensure you provide a summary of your key points. Restate your thesis statement. Also, remember not to include any new information which you have not mentioned in your paper.

If you do not know how to structure a descriptive essay, follow the format above or have a look at some of the descriptive essay examples written by other students or professionals.

Polish and finish

You can begin writing your essay now that you have a guiding map (outline) you can use. After writing your paper, ensure you take a break then resume to revise it. Go through it and eliminate all the mistakes you may have made during the writing process. Polish it in a way that ensures you have met all the writing instructions and requirements.

Writing a Great Essay on Climate Change Doesn’t Have to Be Overwhelming

Climate change is a complicated topic . Fortunately, writing an essay on climate change doesn’t have to be overwhelming. Writing a descriptive essay on any environmental topic is not hard as long as you know the purpose it seeks to serve. The tips listed above along with someone from WriteMyPaperHub will help you learn how to write a descriptive essay on global warming.

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List: 15 essential reads for the climate crisis

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We — Ayana Elizabeth Johnson and Katharine Wilkinson — are climate experts who focus on solutions, leadership and building community.

We are a natural and a social scientist, a Northerner and a Southerner. We’re also both lifelong interdisciplinarians in love with words and the cofounders of The All We Can Save Project , in support of women climate leaders.

Our collaboration has led us to read widely and deeply about the climate crisis that’s facing humanity. Here are 15 of our favorite writings on climate — this eclectic list contains books, essays, a newsletter, a scientific paper, even legislation and they’re all ones we wholeheartedly recommend.

All We Can Save: Truth, Courage, and Solutions for the Climate Crisis coedited by Ayana Elizabeth Johnson and Katharine Wilkinson

We had the honor of editing this collection of 41 essays, 17 poems, quotes and original illustrations — so naturally we love it! But you don’t have to take our word for it. As Rolling Stone said : “Taken together, the breadth of their voices forms a mosaic that honors the complexity of the climate crisis like few, if any, books on the topic have done yet. … The book is a feast of ideas and perspectives, setting a big table for the climate movement, declaring all are welcome.” All We Can Save nourished, educated and transformed us as we shaped its pages, and we can’t wait for it to do the same for you.

Ghost Fishing: An Eco-justice Poetry Anthology edited by Melissa Tuckey

We count ourselves among those who can’t make sense of the climate crisis without the aid of poets, who help us to see more clearly, feel our feelings, catch our breath, and know we’re not alone. This anthology is a magnificent quilt of poems that are made for this moment and all its intersections.

“We Don’t Have to Halt Climate Action to Fight Racism” by Mary Annaïse Heglar

“Climate People,” as she likes to call us, should be grateful that Mary Annaïse Heglar decided a few years back to pick up her pen once more as a writer. All of her essays are necessary reading, but this one is especially so, crafted from Mary’s perspective as a “Black Climate Person.” It’s a powerful articulation of the inextricability of a society that values Black lives and a livable planet for all.

Sacred Instructions: Indigenous Wisdom for Living Spirit-Based Change by Sherri Mitchell — Weh’na Ha’mu Kwasset

Weh’na Ha’mu Kwasset means “she who brings the light,” and Sherri Mitchell does exactly that in this incredible tapestry of a book, which begins with Penawahpskek Nation creation stories and concludes with guidance on what it means to live in a time of prophecy. It is rare that a book so generously shares wisdom, much less wisdom about how we got to where we are, what needs mending, and what a path forward that’s grounded in ancestral ways of knowing and being might look like.

Emergent Strategy: Shaping Change, Changing Worlds by adrienne maree brown

How lucky are we to be contemporaries of adrienne maree brown? Very. This is a book that we come back to time and time again to ground and enliven our work. We love this line from her about oak trees: “Under the earth, always, they reach for each other, they grow such that their roots are intertwined and create a system of strength that is as resilient on a sunny day as it is in a hurricane.” That’s the kind of community we’re trying to nurture.

“Circumstances Affecting the Heat of the Sun’s Rays” by Eunice Newton Foote

Eunice Newton Foote rarely gets the credit she’s due — and she deserves a lot of credit. In fact, we like to think of her as the first climate feminist. In 1856, she connected the dots between carbon dioxide and planetary warming, but science and history forgot (dismissed?) her until recently. This is her original paper, which was published in The American Journal of Science and Arts . Foote was also a signatory to the women’s rights manifesto created at Seneca Falls in 1848, alongside visionaries like Frederick Douglass.

The Drawdown Review by Project Drawdown

Full disclosure: Katharine is The Drawdown Review’ s editor-in-chief and principal writer. But Ayana fully endorses this recommendation — it’s a valuable resource as we charge ahead toward climate solutions. We all need to know what tools are in the toolbox, and The Drawdown Review is the latest compendium of climate solutions that already exist. This publication is beautifully designed, grounded in research, and you can access it for free.

The Green New Deal Resolution by the 116th US Congress

It seems that almost everyone has an opinion about the Green New Deal, but few people have read the actual piece of legislation: House Resolution 109: Recognizing the Duty of the Federal Government to Create a Green New Deal, which was introduced by Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez and Sen. Ed Markey. The big secret is that it’s only 14 pages! It makes a clear, compelling and concise case for what comprehensive climate policy should look like in the US. We’d love for everyone to read it so we can all have a more grounded discussion about what we might agree and disagree with and chart a course forward.

“Think This Pandemic Is Bad? We Have Another Crisis Coming” by Rhiana Gunn-Wright

Speaking of policy … this op-ed , penned by Rhiana Gunn-Wright, who is one of the policy leads for the Green New Deal, makes the connections between climate, justice, COVID-19 and our recession as clear as day. She lays out an ironclad case for the the need to address these issues together, and why. As she writes, “We need to design the stimulus not only to help the US economy recover but to also become more resilient to the climate crisis, the next multitrillion-dollar crisis headed our way.”

“How Can We Plan for a Future in California?” by Leah Stokes

In the midst of raging fires and continuing pandemic, UC Santa Barbara Professor Leah Stokes, who’s based in Santa Barbara, lays it plain in her piece : “I don’t want to live in a world where we have to decide which mask to wear for which disaster, but this is the world we are making. And we’ve only started to alter the climate. Imagine what it will be like when we’ve doubled or tripled the warming, as we are on track to do.” As she and others have been pointing out, journalists have been failing to make the critical connection: “What’s happening in California has a name: climate change.”

HEATED by Emily Atkin

This is the reading rec that keeps on giving, literally — it’s a daily newsletter that brings climate accountability journalism right to your inbox. It’s chock full of smarts, spunk, truth-telling and super timely writing that isn’t hemmed in by media overlords. If you’re pissed off about the climate crisis, Emily Atkin made HEATED just for you.

The July 20 2020 Issue of TIME Magazine

This entire issue, titled “One Last Chance”, is dedicated to coverage of climate, and it includes wise words from so many luminaries from politician Stacey Abrams to soil scientist Asmeret Asefaw Berhe , with a lead piece by Time ’s climate journalist Justin Worland. Ayana also has a piece in this issue called “ We Can’t Solve the Climate Crisis Unless Black Lives Matter .” To see all of this collected in one place — insights on topics from oceans to agriculture to politics to activism — was heartening. We hope there’s much more of this to come, from many magazines.

“Wakanda Doesn’t Have Suburbs” by Kendra Pierre Louis

A pop-culture connoisseur and expert storyteller, Kendra Pierre Louis takes up the topic of climate stories in her essay — the good, the bad, and the ugly. The good, she explains, are all too rare, and that’s a big problem because stories are powerful. Black Panther may be our best story of living thoughtfully and well on this planet, not least thanks to an absence of carbon-spewing suburbs. It’s going to take much better narratives, and many more of them, if humans are to, as she puts it, “repair our relationship with the Earth and re-envision our societies in ways that are not just in keeping with our ecosystems but also make our lives better.” !

“We Need Courage, Not Hope, to Face Climate Change” by Kate Marvel PhD

This piece by NASA climate scientist Kate Marvel is, as the kids say, a whole mood. Hope is not enough, hope is often passive, and that won’t get us where we need to go. Pretty much everyone who works on climate is constantly being asked what gives us hope — how presumptuous to assume we have it! But what we do have is courage. In spades. As Marvel writes in this poetic piece: “We need courage, not hope. Grief, after all, is the cost of being alive. We are all fated to live lives shot through with sadness, and are not worth less for it. Courage is the resolve to do well without the assurance of a happy ending.”

Truth, Courage, and Solutions for the Climate Crisis

Admittedly, this last recommendation isn’t something to read, but to watch and listen to. This playlist of TED Talks by women climate leaders (who were all contributors to our anthology All We Can Save — read about it above) will inspire you, deepen your understanding, connect the dots and help you find where you might fit into the heaps of climate work that needs doing. It includes poignant talks by Colette Pichon Battle and Christine Nieves Rodriguez , which are respectively about communities in Louisiana and Puerto Rico recovering from hurricanes and rebuilding resilience and which broke our hearts open. We were so moved we invited them to adapt their talks into essays for All We Can Save . Christine’s piece — “Community is Our Best Chance” — is the final essay in the book and the note we want to end on here. It’s not about what each of us can do as individuals to address the climate crisis; it’s about what we can do together . Building community around solutions is the most important thing.

Watch Ayana Elizabeth Johnson’s TED Talk here: 

Watch Katharine Wilkinson’s TED Talk here: 

About the authors

Ayana Elizabeth Johnson PhD is a marine biologist, policy expert and Brooklyn native. She is founder of the nonprofit think tank Urban Ocean Lab, founder and CEO of the consultancy Ocean Collectiv and cocreator and cohost of the Spotify/Gimlet podcast How to Save a Planet. She coedited the anthology All We Can Save and cofounded The All We Can Save Project in support of women climate leaders. Her mission is to build community around climate solutions. Find her @ayanaeliza.

Katharine Wilkinson PhD is an author, strategist, teacher and one of 15 “women who will save the world,” according to Time magazine. Her writings on climate include The Drawdown Review, the New York Times bestseller Drawdown and Between God & Green. She is coeditor of All We Can Save and co founder of The All We Can Save Project, in support of women climate leaders. Wilkinson is a former Rhodes Scholar. Find her @DrKWilkinson.

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Our Future Is Now - A Climate Change Essay by Francesca Minicozzi, '21

Francesca Minicozzi (class of 2021) is a Writing/Biology major who plans to study medicine after graduation. She wrote this essay on climate change for WR 355/Travel Writing, which she took while studying abroad in Newcastle in spring 2020. Although the coronavirus pandemic curtailed Francesca’s time abroad, her months in Newcastle prompted her to learn more about climate change. Terre Ryan Associate Professor, Writing Department

Our Future Is Now

By Francesca Minicozzi, '21 Writing and Biology Major

 “If you don’t mind me asking, how is the United States preparing for climate change?” my flat mate, Zac, asked me back in March, when we were both still in Newcastle. He and I were accustomed to asking each other about the differences between our home countries; he came from Cambridge, while I originated in Long Island, New York. This was one of our numerous conversations about issues that impact our generation, which we usually discussed while cooking dinner in our communal kitchen. In the moment of our conversation, I did not have as strong an answer for him as I would have liked. Instead, I informed him of the few changes I had witnessed within my home state of New York.

Zac’s response was consistent with his normal, diplomatic self. “I have been following the BBC news in terms of the climate crisis for the past few years. The U.K. has been working hard to transition to renewable energy sources. Similar to the United States, here in the United Kingdom we have converted over to solar panels too. My home does not have solar panels, but a lot of our neighbors have switched to solar energy in the past few years.”

“Our two countries are similar, yet so different,” I thought. Our conversation continued as we prepared our meals, with topics ranging from climate change to the upcoming presidential election to Britain’s exit from the European Union. However, I could not shake the fact that I knew so little about a topic so crucial to my generation.

After I abruptly returned home from the United Kingdom because of the global pandemic, my conversation with my flat mate lingered in my mind. Before the coronavirus surpassed climate change headlines, I had seen the number of internet postings regarding protests to protect the planet dramatically increase. Yet the idea of our planet becoming barren and unlivable in a not-so-distant future had previously upset me to the point where a part of me refused to deal with it. After I returned from studying abroad, I decided to educate myself on the climate crisis.

My quest for climate change knowledge required a thorough understanding of the difference between “climate change” and “global warming.” Climate change is defined as “a pattern of change affecting global or regional climate,” based on “average temperature and rainfall measurements” as well as the frequency of extreme weather events. 1   These varied temperature and weather events link back to both natural incidents and human activity. 2   Likewise, the term global warming was coined “to describe climate change caused by humans.” 3   Not only that, but global warming is most recently attributed to an increase in “global average temperature,” mainly due to greenhouse gas emissions produced by humans. 4

I next questioned why the term “climate change” seemed to take over the term “global warming” in the United States. According to Frank Luntz, a leading Republican consultant, the term “global warming” functions as a rather intimidating phrase. During George W. Bush’s first presidential term, Luntz argued in favor of using the less daunting phrase “climate change” in an attempt to overcome the environmental battle amongst Democrats and Republicans. 5   Since President Bush’s term, Luntz remains just one political consultant out of many politicians who has recognized the need to address climate change. In an article from 2019, Luntz proclaimed that political parties aside, the climate crisis affects everyone. Luntz argued that politicians should steer clear of trying to communicate “the complicated science of climate change,” and instead engage voters by explaining how climate change personally impacts citizens with natural disasters such as hurricanes, tornadoes, and forest fires. 6   He even suggested that a shift away from words like “sustainability” would gear Americans towards what they really want: a “cleaner, safer, healthier” environment. 7

The idea of a cleaner and heathier environment remains easier said than done. The Paris Climate Agreement, introduced in 2015, began the United Nations’ “effort to combat global climate change.” 8   This agreement marked a global initiative to “limit global temperature increase in this century to 2 degrees Celsius above preindustrial levels,” while simultaneously “pursuing means to limit the increase to 1.5 degrees.” 9    Every country on earth has joined together in this agreement for the common purpose of saving our planet. 10   So, what could go wrong here? As much as this sounds like a compelling step in the right direction for climate change, President Donald Trump thought otherwise. In June 2017, President Trump announced the withdrawal of the United States from the Paris Agreement with his proclamation of climate change as a “’hoax’ perpetrated by China.” 11   President Trump continued to question the scientific facts behind climate change, remaining an advocate for the expansion of domestic fossil fuel production. 12   He reversed environmental policies implemented by former President Barack Obama to reduce fossil fuel use. 13

Trump’s actions against the Paris Agreement, however, fail to represent the beliefs of Americans as a whole. The majority of American citizens feel passionate about the fight against climate change. To demonstrate their support, some have gone as far as creating initiatives including America’s Pledge and We Are Still In. 14   Although the United States officially exited the Paris Agreement on November 4, 2020, this withdrawal may not survive permanently. 15   According to experts, our new president “could rejoin in as short as a month’s time.” 16   This offers a glimmer of hope.

The Paris Agreement declares that the United States will reduce greenhouse gas emission levels by 26 to 28 percent by the year 2025. 17   As a leader in greenhouse gas emissions, the United States needs to accept the climate crisis for the serious challenge that it presents and work together with other nations. The concept of working coherently with all nations remains rather tricky; however, I remain optimistic. I think we can learn from how other countries have adapted to the increased heating of our planet. During my recent study abroad experience in the United Kingdom, I was struck by Great Britain’s commitment to combating climate change.

Since the United Kingdom joined the Paris Agreement, the country targets a “net-zero” greenhouse gas emission for 2050. 18   This substantial alteration would mark an 80% reduction of greenhouse gases from 1990, if “clear, stable, and well-designed policies are implemented without interruption.” 19   In order to stay on top of reducing emissions, the United Kingdom tracks electricity and car emissions, “size of onshore and offshore wind farms,” amount of homes and “walls insulated, and boilers upgraded,” as well as the development of government policies, including grants for electric vehicles. 20   A strong grip on this data allows the United Kingdom to target necessary modifications that keep the country on track for 2050. In my brief semester in Newcastle, I took note of these significant changes. The city of Newcastle is small enough that many students and faculty are able to walk or bike to campus and nearby essential shops. However, when driving is unavoidable, the majority of the vehicles used are electric, and many British citizens place a strong emphasis on carpooling to further reduce emissions. The United Kingdom’s determination to severely reduce greenhouse emissions is ambitious and particularly admirable, especially as the United States struggles to shy away from its dependence on fossil fuels.

So how can we, as Americans, stand together to combat global climate change? Here are five adjustments Americans can make to their homes and daily routines that can dramatically make a difference:

• Stay cautious of food waste. Studies demonstrate that “Americans throw away up to 40 percent of the food they buy.” 21   By being more mindful of the foods we purchase, opting for leftovers, composting wastes, and donating surplus food to those in need, we can make an individual difference that impacts the greater good. 22   
• Insulate your home. Insulation functions as a “cost-effective and accessible” method to combat climate change. 23   Homes with modern insulation reduce energy required to heat them, leading to a reduction of emissions and an overall savings; in comparison, older homes can “lose up to 35 percent of heat through their walls.” 24   
• Switch to LED Lighting. LED stands for “light-emitting diodes,” which use “90 percent less energy than incandescent bulbs and half as much as compact fluorescents.” 25   LED lights create light without producing heat, and therefore do not waste energy. Additionally, these lights have a longer duration than other bulbs, which means they offer a continuing savings. 26  
• Choose transportation wisely. Choose to walk or bike whenever the option presents itself. If walking or biking is not an option, use an electric or hybrid vehicle which emits less harmful gases. Furthermore, reduce the number of car trips taken, and carpool with others when applicable. 
• Finally, make your voice heard. The future of our planet remains in our hands, so we might as well use our voices to our advantage. Social media serves as a great platform for this. Moreover, using social media to share helpful hints to combat climate change within your community or to promote an upcoming protest proves beneficial in the long run. If we collectively put our voices to good use, together we can advocate for change.

As many of us are stuck at home due to the COVID-19 pandemic, these suggestions are slightly easier to put into place. With numerous “stay-at-home” orders in effect, Americans have the opportunity to make significant achievements for climate change. Personally, I have taken more precautions towards the amount of food consumed within my household during this pandemic. I have been more aware of food waste, opting for leftovers when too much food remains. Additionally, I have realized how powerful my voice is as a young college student. Now is the opportunity for Americans to share how they feel about climate change. During this unprecedented time, our voice is needed now more than ever in order to make a difference.

However, on a much larger scale, the coronavirus outbreak has shed light on reducing global energy consumption. Reductions in travel, both on the roads and in the air, have triggered a drop in emission rates. In fact, the International Energy Agency predicts a 6 percent decrease in energy consumption around the globe for this year alone. 27   This drop is “equivalent to losing the entire energy demand of India.” 28   Complete lockdowns have lowered the global demand for electricity and slashed CO2 emissions. However, in New York City, the shutdown has only decreased carbon dioxide emissions by 10 percent. 29   This proves that a shift in personal behavior is simply not enough to “fix the carbon emission problem.” 30   Climate policies aimed to reduce fossil fuel production and promote clean technology will be crucial steppingstones to ameliorating climate change effects. Our current reduction of greenhouse gas emissions serves as “the sort of reduction we need every year until net-zero emissions are reached around 2050.” 31   From the start of the coronavirus pandemic, politicians came together for the common good of protecting humanity; this demonstrates that when necessary, global leaders are capable of putting humankind above the economy. 32

After researching statistics comparing the coronavirus to climate change, I thought back to the moment the virus reached pandemic status. I knew that a greater reason underlay all of this global turmoil. Our globe is in dire need of help, and the coronavirus reminds the world of what it means to work together. This pandemic marks a turning point in global efforts to slow down climate change. The methods we enact towards not only stopping the spread of the virus, but slowing down climate change, will ultimately depict how humanity will arise once this pandemic is suppressed. The future of our home planet lies in how we treat it right now. 

• “Climate Change: What Do All the Terms Mean?,” BBC News (BBC, May 1, 2019), https://www.bbc.com/news/science-environment-48057733 )
• Ibid. 
• Kate Yoder, “Frank Luntz, the GOP's Message Master, Calls for Climate Action,” Grist (Grist, July 26, 2019), https://grist.org/article/the-gops-most-famous-messaging-strategist-calls-for-climate-action
• Melissa Denchak, “Paris Climate Agreement: Everything You Need to Know,” NRDC, April 29, 2020, https://www.nrdc.org/stories/paris-climate-agreement-everything-you-need-know)
• “Donald J. Trump's Foreign Policy Positions,” Council on Foreign Relations (Council on Foreign Relations), accessed May 7, 2020, https://www.cfr.org/election2020/candidate-tracker/donald-j.-trump?gclid=CjwKCAjw4871BRAjEiwAbxXi21cneTRft_doA5if60euC6QCL7sr-Jwwv76IkgWaUTuyJNx9EzZzRBoCdjsQAvD_BwE#climate and energy )
• David Doniger, “Paris Climate Agreement Explained: Does Congress Need to Sign Off?,” NRDC, December 15, 2016, https://www.nrdc.org/experts/david-doniger/paris-climate-agreement-explained-does-congress-need-sign )
• “How the UK Is Progressing,” Committee on Climate Change, March 9, 2020, https://www.theccc.org.uk/what-is-climate-change/reducing-carbon-emissions/how-the-uk-is-progressing/)
• Ibid.  
• “Top 10 Ways You Can Fight Climate Change,” Green America, accessed May 7, 2020, https://www.greenamerica.org/your-green-life/10-ways-you-can-fight-climate-change )
• Matt McGrath, “Climate Change and Coronavirus: Five Charts about the Biggest Carbon Crash,” BBC News (BBC, May 5, 2020), https://www.bbc.com/news/amp/science-environment-52485712 )
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News from the Columbia Climate School

Climate and the Personal Essay — A Reading List

Hayley Martinez

The Earth Institute recently announced Mary Annaïse Heglar as its first writer-in-residence, a newly launched joint initiative of the Earth Institute and the Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC). Heglar, a noted climate justice essayist, will spend the next six months at Columbia exploring the intersection of climate science, art and literature.

Starting this Friday , Heglar will be leading a reading group for Columbia students that explores climate change topics through personal essays. Each week, students will read a few chosen pieces around a specific theme, with a particular emphasis on emotional depth and marginalized communities.

The climate crisis may be scientific and political, but it is also deeply emotional and personal, and Heglar seeks to create a safe space for students to explore that emotionality. Students will meet weekly to discuss the chosen essays, and will be encouraged to journal and invited to share their own writing. According to Heglar, “I’m hoping that participants, including myself, will be able to see ourselves in these stories and use that reflection to hone our own voices.”

While this seminar is only open to Columbia students, others can follow along. The nine-week reading list is below.

Week 1: Climate Grief

• Under the Weather, by Ash Sanders
• Endlings , by Harriet Riley

Week 2: The Problem with Hope

• We Need Courage, Not Hope, to Face Climate Change, Kate Marvel
• Is it Wrong to be Hopeful about Climate Change? Diego Arguedas Ortiz

Week 3: If Not Hope, What?

• The Case for Climate Rage , Amy Westervelt
• But the Greatest of These is Love , Mary Annaïse Heglar
• Time to Panic , David Wallace Wells

Week 4: We’re Not Recreating the Wheel

• Letter from a Birmingham Jail, Martin Luther King
• The Fire Next Time, James Baldwin
• Climate Change Ain’t the First Existential Threat , Mary Annaïse Heglar

Week 5: Who’s Missing?

• What Listening Means in the Time of the Climate Crisis , Tara Houska
• Perhaps the World Ends Here , Julian Brave NoiseCat
• Climate Darwinism Makes Disabled People Expendable , Imani Barbarin

Week 6: There Are No Heroes

• When the Hero is the Problem , Rebecca Solnit

Week 7: Out with the Guilt

• Who is the We in We Are Causing Climate Change , Genevieve Geunther
• In Defense of Eco-hypocrisy , Sami Grover
• On Being a Climate Person , Eric Holthaus

Week 8: The Great Impotence

• The End Times Are Here and I’m at Target , Hayes Brown
• What if We Stopped Pretending the Climate Apocalypse Can Be Stropped , Jonathan Franzen

Week 9: What Now?

• Home is Always Worth It , Mary Annaïse Heglar
• In 2030, We Solved the Climate Emergency. Here’s How , Eric Holthaus
• Loving a Vanishing World , Emily Johnston

Students interested in attending the reading group can reach out to Cynthia Thomson at [email protected] .

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6.4 Annotated Student Sample: “Slowing Climate Change” by Shawn Krukowski

Learning outcomes.

By the end of this section, you will be able to:

• Identify the features common to proposals.
• Analyze the organizational structure of a proposal and how writers develop ideas.
• Articulate how writers use and cite evidence to build credibility.
• Identify sources of evidence within a text and in source citations.

Introduction

The proposal that follows was written by student Shawn Krukowski for a first-year composition course. Shawn’s assignment was to research a contemporary problem and propose one or more solutions. Deeply concerned about climate change, Shawn chose to research ways to slow the process. In his proposal, he recommends two solutions he thinks are most promising.

Living by Their Own Words

A call to action.

student sample text The earth’s climate is changing. Although the climate has been changing slowly for the past 22,000 years, the rate of change has increased dramatically. Previously, natural climate changes occurred gradually, sometimes extending over thousands of years. Since the mid-20th century, however, climate change has accelerated exponentially, a result primarily of human activities, and is reaching a crisis level. end student sample text

student sample text Critical as it is, however, climate change can be controlled. Thanks to current knowledge of science and existing technologies, it is possible to respond effectively. Although many concerned citizens, companies, and organizations in the private sector are taking action in their own spheres, other individuals, corporations, and organizations are ignoring, or even denying, the problem. What is needed to slow climate change is unified action in two key areas—mitigation and adaptation—spurred by government leadership in the United States and a global commitment to addressing the problem immediately. end student sample text

annotated text Introduction. The proposal opens with an overview of the problem and pivots to the solution in the second paragraph. end annotated text

annotated text Thesis Statement. The thesis statement in last sentence of the introduction previews the organization of the proposal and the recommended solutions. end annotated text

Problem: Negative Effects of Climate Change

annotated text Heading. Centered, boldface headings mark major sections of the proposal. end annotated text

annotated text Body. The three paragraphs under this heading discuss the problem. end annotated text

annotated text Topic Sentence. The paragraph opens with a sentence stating the topics developed in the following paragraphs. end annotated text

student sample text For the 4,000 years leading up to the Industrial Revolution, global temperatures remained relatively constant, with a few dips of less than 1°C. Previous climate change occurred so gradually that life forms were able to adapt to it. Some species became extinct, but others survived and thrived. In just the past 100 years, however, temperatures have risen by approximately the same amount that they rose over the previous 4,000 years. end student sample text

annotated text Audience. Without knowing for sure the extent of readers’ knowledge of climate change, the writer provides background for them to understand the problem. end annotated text

student sample text The rapid increase in temperature has a negative global impact. First, as temperatures rise, glaciers and polar ice are melting at a faster rate; in fact, by the middle of this century, the Arctic Ocean is projected to be ice-free in summer. As a result, global sea levels are projected to rise from two to four feet by 2100 (U.S. Global Change Research Program [USGCRP], 2014a). If this rise actually does happen, many coastal ecosystems and human communities will disappear. end student sample text

annotated text Discussion of the Problem. The first main point of the problem is discussed in this paragraph. end annotated text

annotated text Statistics as Evidence. The writer provides specific numbers and cites the source in APA style. end annotated text

annotated text Transitions . The writer uses transitions here (first, as a result , and second in the next paragraph) and elsewhere to make connections between ideas and to enable readers to follow them more easily. At the same time, the transitions give the proposal coherence. end annotated text

student sample text Second, weather of all types is becoming more extreme: heat waves are hotter, cold snaps are colder, and precipitation patterns are changing, causing longer droughts and increased flooding. Oceans are becoming more acidic as they increase their absorption of carbon dioxide. This change affects coral reefs and other marine life. Since the 1980s, hurricanes have increased in frequency, intensity, and duration. As shown in Figure 6.5, the 2020 hurricane season was the most active on record, with 30 named storms, a recording-breaking 11 storms hitting the U.S. coastline (compared to 9 in 1916), and 10 named storms in September—the highest monthly number on record. Together, these storms caused more than $40 billion in damage. Not only was this the fifth consecutive above-normal hurricane season, it was preceded by four consecutive above-normal years in 1998 to 2001 (National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, 2020). end student sample text

annotated text Discussion of the Problem. The second main point of the problem is discussed in this paragraph. end annotated text

annotated text Visual as Evidence. The writer refers to “Figure 6.4” in the text and places the figure below the paragraph. end annotated text

annotated text Source Citation in APA Style: Visual. The writer gives the figure a number, a title, an explanatory note, and a source citation. The source is also cited in the list of references. end annotated text

Solutions: Mitigation and Adaptation

annotated text Heading. The centered, boldface heading marks the start of the solutions section of the proposal. end annotated text

annotated text Body. The eight paragraphs under this heading discuss the solutions given in the thesis statement. end annotated text

student sample text To control the effects of climate change, immediate action in two key ways is needed: mitigation and adaptation. Mitigating climate change by reducing and stabilizing the carbon emissions that produce greenhouse gases is the only long-term way to avoid a disastrous future. In addition, adaptation is imperative to allow ecosystems, food systems, and development to become more sustainable. end student sample text

student sample text Mitigation and adaptation will not happen on their own; action on such a vast scale will require governments around the globe to take initiatives. The United States needs to cooperate with other nations and assume a leadership role in fighting climate change. end student sample text

annotated text Objective Stance. The writer presents evidence (facts, statistics, and examples) in neutral, unemotional language, which builds credibility, or ethos, with readers. end annotated text

annotated text Heading. The flush-left, boldface heading marks the first subsection of the solutions. end annotated text

annotated text Topic Sentence. The paragraph opens with a sentence stating the solution developed in the following paragraphs. end annotated text

student sample text The first challenge is to reduce the flow of greenhouse gases into the atmosphere. The Union of Concerned Scientists (2020) warns that “net zero” carbon emissions—meaning that no more carbon enters the atmosphere than is removed—needs to be reached by 2050 or sooner. As shown in Figure 6.6, reducing carbon emissions will require a massive effort, given the skyrocketing rate of increase of greenhouse gases since 1900 (USGCRP, 2014b). end student sample text

annotated text Synthesis. In this paragraph, the writer synthesizes factual evidence from two sources and cites them in APA style. end annotated text

annotated text Visual as Evidence. The writer refers to “Figure 6.5” in the text and places the figure below the paragraph. end annotated text

student sample text Significant national policy changes must be made and must include multiple approaches; here are two areas of concern: end student sample text

annotated text Presentation of Solutions. For clarity, the writer numbers the two items to be discussed. end annotated text

student sample text 1. Transportation systems. In the United States in 2018, more than one-quarter—28.2 percent—of emissions resulted from the consumption of fossil fuels for transportation. More than half of these emissions came from passenger cars, light-duty trucks, sport utility vehicles, and minivans (U.S. Environmental Protection Agency [EPA], 2020). Priorities for mitigation should include using fuels that emit less carbon; improving fuel efficiency; and reducing the need for travel through urban planning, telecommuting and videoconferencing, and biking and pedestrian initiatives. end student sample text

annotated text Source Citation in APA Style: Group Author. The parenthetical citation gives the group’s name, an abbreviation to be used in subsequent citations, and the year of publication. end annotated text

student sample text Curtailing travel has a demonstrable effect. Scientists have recorded a dramatic drop in emissions during government-imposed travel and business restrictions in 2020. Intended to slow the spread of COVID-19, these restrictions also decreased air pollution significantly. For example, during the first six weeks of restrictions in the San Francisco Bay area, traffic was reduced by about 45 percent, and emissions were roughly a quarter lower than the previous six weeks. Similar findings were observed around the globe, with reductions of up to 80 percent (Bourzac, 2020). end student sample text

annotated text Source Citation in APA Style: One Author. The parenthetical citation gives the author’s name and the year of publication. end annotated text

student sample text 2. Energy production. The second-largest source of emissions is the use of fossil fuels to produce energy, primarily electricity, which accounted for 26.9 percent of U.S. emissions (EPA, 2020). Fossil fuels can be replaced by solar, wind, hydro, and geothermal sources. Solar voltaic systems have the potential to become the least expensive energy in the world (Green America, 2020). Solar sources should be complemented by wind power, which tends to increase at night when the sun is absent. According to the Copenhagen Consensus, the most effective way to combat climate change is to increase investment in green research and development (Lomborg, 2020). Notable are successes in the countries of Morocco and The Gambia, both of which have committed to investing in national programs to limit emissions primarily by generating electricity from renewable sources (Mulvaney, 2019). end student sample text

annotated text Synthesis. The writer develops the paragraph by synthesizing evidence from four sources and cites them in APA style. end annotated text

student sample text A second way to move toward net zero is to actively remove carbon dioxide from the atmosphere. Forests and oceans are so-called “sinks” that collect and store carbon (EPA, 2020). Tropical forests that once made up 12 percent of global land masses now cover only 5 percent, and the loss of these tropical forest sinks has caused 16 to 19 percent of greenhouse gas emissions (Green America, 2020). Worldwide reforestation is vital and demands both commitment and funding on a global scale. New technologies also allow “direct air capture,” which filers carbon from the air, and “carbon capture,” which prevents it from leaving smokestacks. end student sample text

student sample text All of these technologies should be governmentally supported and even mandated, where appropriate. end student sample text

annotated text Synthesis. The writer develops the paragraph by synthesizing evidence from two sources and cites them in APA style. end annotated text

annotated text Heading. The flush-left, boldface heading marks the second subsection of the solutions. end annotated text

student sample text Historically, civilizations have adapted to climate changes, sometimes successfully, sometimes not. Our modern civilization is largely the result of climate stability over the past 12,000 years. However, as the climate changes, humans must learn to adapt on a national, community, and individual level in many areas. While each country sets its own laws and regulations, certain principles apply worldwide. end student sample text

student sample text 1. Infrastructure. Buildings—residential, commercial, and industrial—produce about 33 percent of greenhouse gas emissions worldwide (Biello, 2007). Stricter standards for new construction, plus incentives for investing in insulation and other improvements to existing structures, are needed. Development in high-risk areas needs to be discouraged. Improved roads and transportation systems would help reduce fuel use. Incentives for decreasing energy consumption are needed to reduce rising demands for power. end student sample text

student sample text 2. Food waste. More than 30 percent of the food produced in the United States is never consumed, and food waste causes 44 gigatons of carbon emissions a year (Green America, 2020). In a landfill, the nutrients in wasted food never return to the soil; instead, methane, a greenhouse gas, is produced. High-income countries such as the United States need to address wasteful processing and distribution systems. Low-income countries, on the other hand, need an infrastructure that supports proper food storage and handling. Educating consumers also must be a priority. end student sample text

annotated text Source Citation in APA Style: Group Author. The parenthetical citation gives the group’s name and the year of publication. end annotated text

student sample text 3. Consumerism. People living in consumer nations have become accustomed to abundance. Many purchases are nonessential yet consume fossil fuels to manufacture, package, market, and ship products. During World War II, the U.S. government promoted the slogan “Use It Up, Wear It Out, Make It Do, or Do Without.” This attitude was widely accepted because people recognized a common purpose in the war effort. A similar shift in mindset is needed today. end student sample text

student sample text Adaptation is not only possible but also economically advantageous. One case study is Walmart, which is the world’s largest company by revenue. According to Dearn (2020), the company announced a plan to reduce its global emissions to zero by 2040. Among the goals is powering its facilities with 100 percent renewable energy and using electric vehicles with zero emissions. As of 2020, about 29 percent of its energy is from renewable sources. Although the 2040 goal applies to Walmart facilities only, plans are underway to reduce indirect emissions, such as those from its supply chain. According to CEO Doug McMillon, the company’s commitment is to “becoming a regenerative company—one that works to restore, renew and replenish in addition to preserving our planet, and encourages others to do the same” (Dearn, 2020). In addition to encouraging other corporations, these goals present a challenge to the government to take action on climate change. end student sample text

annotated text Extended Example as Evidence. The writer indicates where borrowed information from the source begins and ends, and cites the source in APA style. end annotated text

annotated text Source Citation in APA Style: One Author. The parenthetical citation gives only the year of publication because the author’s name is cited in the sentence. end annotated text

Objections to Taking Action

annotated text Heading. The centered, boldface heading marks the start of the writer’s discussion of potential objections to the proposed solutions. end annotated text

annotated text Body. The writer devotes two paragraphs to objections. end annotated text

student sample text Despite scientific evidence, some people and groups deny that climate change is real or, if they admit it exists, insist it is not a valid concern. Those who think climate change is not a problem point to Earth’s millennia-long history of changing climate as evidence that life has always persisted. However, their claims do not consider the difference between “then” and “now.” Most of the change predates human civilization, which has benefited from thousands of years of stable climate. The rapid change since the Industrial Revolution is unprecedented in human history. end student sample text

student sample text Those who deny climate change or its dangers seek primarily to relax or remove pollution standards and regulations in order to protect, or maximize profit from, their industries. To date, their lobbying has been successful. For example, the world’s fossil-fuel industry received $5.3 trillion in 2015 alone, while the U.S. wind-energy industry received $12.3 billion in subsidies between 2000 and 2020 (Green America, 2020). end student sample text

Conclusion and Recommendation

annotated text Heading. The centered, boldface heading marks the start of the conclusion and recommendation. end annotated text

annotated text Conclusion and Recommendation. The proposal concludes with a restatement of the proposed solutions and a call to action. end annotated text

student sample text Greenhouse gases can be reduced to acceptable levels; the technology already exists. But that technology cannot function without strong governmental policies prioritizing the environment, coupled with serious investment in research and development of climate-friendly technologies. end student sample text

student sample text The United States government must place its full support behind efforts to reduce greenhouse gasses and mitigate climate change. Rejoining the Paris Agreement is a good first step, but it is not enough. Citizens must demand that their elected officials at the local, state, and national levels accept responsibility to take action on both mitigation and adaptation. Without full governmental support, good intentions fall short of reaching net-zero emissions and cannot achieve the adaptation in attitude and lifestyle necessary for public compliance. There is no alternative to accepting this reality. Addressing climate change is too important to remain optional. end student sample text

Biello, D. (2007, May 25). Combatting climate change: Farming out global warming solutions. Scientific American. https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/combating-climate-change-farming-forestry/

Bourzac, K. (2020, September 25). COVID-19 lockdowns had strange effects on air pollution across the globe. Chemical & Engineering News. https://cen.acs.org/environment/atmospheric-chemistry/COVID-19-lockdowns-had-strange-effects-on-air-pollution-across-the-globe/98/i37

Dearn, G. (2020, September 21). Walmart said it will eliminate its carbon footprint by 2040 — but not for its supply chain, which makes up the bulk of its emissions. Business Insider. https://www.businessinsider.com/walmart-targets-zero-carbon-emissions-2040-not-suppliers-2020-9

Green America (2020). Top 10 solutions to reverse climate change. https://www.greenamerica.org/climate-change-100-reasons-hope/top-10-solutions-reverse-climate-change.

Lomborg, B. (2020, July 17). The alarm about climate change is blinding us to sensible solutions. The Globe and Mail. https://www.theglobeandmail.com/opinion/article-the-alarm-about-climate-change-is-blinding-us-to-sensible-solutions/

Mulvaney, K. (2019, September 19). Climate change report card: These countries are reaching targets. National Geographic . https://www.nationalgeographic.com/environment/2019/09/climate-change-report-card-co2-emissions/

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (2020, November 24). Record-breaking Atlantic hurricane season draws to an end. https://www.noaa.gov/media-release/record-breaking-atlantic-hurricane-season-draws-to-end

Union of Concerned Scientists (2020). Climate solutions. https://www.ucsusa.org/climate/solutions

U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (2020). Sources of greenhouse gas emissions. Greenhouse Gas Emissions. https://www.epa.gov/ghgemissions/sources-greenhouse-gas-emissions

U.S. Global Change Research Program (2014a). Melting ice. National Climate Assessment. https://nca2014.globalchange.gov/report/our-changing-climate/melting-ice

U.S. Global Change Research Program (2014b). Our changing climate. National Climate Assessment. https://nca2014.globalchange.gov/highlights/report-findings/our-changing-climate#tab1-images

annotated text References Page in APA Style. All sources cited in the text of the report—and only those sources—are listed in alphabetical order with full publication information. See the Handbook for more on APA documentation style. end annotated text

The following link takes you to another model of an annotated sample paper on solutions to animal testing posted by the University of Arizona’s Global Campus Writing Center.

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310 Climate Change Essay Topics

Looking for fresh and original climate change titles for your assignment? Look no further! Check out this list of excellent climate change topics for essays, research papers, and presentations. Need some additional inspiration? Click on the links to access helpful climate change essay samples!

🏆 Best Essay Topics on Climate Change

📚 catchy climate change essay topics, 👍 good climate change research topics & essay examples, 🎓 most interesting climate change research titles, 🌶️ hot climate change topics for research, 💡 simple climate change essay ideas, ✍️ climate change essay topics for college, ❓ climate change research paper questions, ✅ climate change topics for presentation, 🔎 current climate change topics for research, ⭐ climate change research topics: our list’s benefits.

• The Problem of Global Warming and Ways of Its Solution
• Climate Change in Terms of Project Management
• Climate Change Impacts
• Food Security: The Impact of Climate Change
• Extreme Weather and Global Warming
• Tree Planting and Climate Change
• Environmental Health Theory and Climate Change
• Climate Change: The Impact of Technology The most evident effect of technology on climate change is the possibility of finding new solutions to climate change problems.
• Al Gore’s Speech on Global Warming Using two essential constituents of a subtle rhetoric analysis for speech or text, the paper scrutinizes Al Gore’s speech on global warming.
• Electric Vehicles and Their Impact on Climate Change Internal combustion engine vehicles (ICEV) that have dominated the market over the recent decades are now giving way to electric vehicles (EV) experiencing rapid growth.
• Climate Change and Corporate Responsibility The problem of climate change is not new, but it becomes more and more crucial nowadays. The first changes in climate were observed during the industrial period, from the 1750s.
• Climate Change Impacts on Oceans The consequences of climate change on seawater have had harmful impacts, including irreversible damage to the water’s natural environment and ecological system.
• Global Warming and Ozone Depletion The phenomena of ozone depletion and global warming are entirely different processes, they are often confused for each other due to the obvious connection between them.
• The Catholic Response to the Climate Change Catholic Church joined other global climate change movements such as Action for climate change by the United Nations to champion a safer and sustainable ecosystem by 2050.
• Climate Change and Global Warming Global warming is a subject that has elicited a heated debate for a long time. This debate is commonplace among scholars and policy makers.
• Climate Change and Future Generations The consequences of global warming can be extremely dire for future generations. Temperature, if increased by one and a half degrees, will push natural systems to a turning point.
• Climate Change in Africa and How to Address It According to environmental scientists, Africa is exposed to the effects of climatic alterations subject to its elevated levels of poverty, and dependence on rain-fed farming.
• Global Warming is Not a Myth All facts points out that the ranging debate on whether global warming is a myth or reality has been squarely won by the global warming proponents.
• Climate Change: Concept and Theories Climate change has become a concern of scientists rather recently. There are numerous theories as to the reasons for this process, but there are still no particular answers.
• Global Warming: Myth or Reality? Global warming can be described as a progressive increase in the earth’s temperature as a result of a trap to greenhouse gases within its atmosphere.
• The Problem of Climate Change in the 21st Century Climate change is among the top threats facing the world in the 21st century, and it deserves prioritization when planning how to move the country and the globe forward.
• Climate Change: A Global Concern The phenomenon of climate change has attracted a notable amount of attention, the early 1990s being the point at which the phenomenon in question became a worldwide concern.
• Water Scarcity as Effect of Climate Change Climate change is the cause of variability in the water cycle, which also reduces the predictability of water availability, demand, and quality, aggravating water scarcity.
• Solving the Climate Change Crisis by Using Renewable Energy Sources Climate change has caused extreme changes in temperature and weather patterns on planet Earth, thus threatening the lives of living organisms.
• Security and Climate Change Climate change has been happening at an unprecedented rate over the last decade to become a major global concern.
• Investing in Climate Change vs. Space Exploration Efforts aimed at investing in climate change versus outer space exploration will be compared in this essay, and their consequences will be analyzed.
• Human Impact on the Environment Leading to Climate Change An elevated amount of greenhouse gases results in the retention of solar energy in the low levels of the atmosphere, which in turn brings to the melting of glaciers.
• Climate Change Policies and Regulation The current changes in climate patterns have attracted attention from researchers and institutions as they endeavor to formulate and implement policies.
• Global Warming Effects on the Environment and Animals Global warming is a threat to the survival and well-being of human and animal life. This discussion aims to provide the effects of the current global warming threats.
• How Global Warming Affects Wildlife Global warming is a matter of great concern since it affects humans and wildlife directly, and this issue should be addressed appropriately.
• Social Issue: Climate Change The topic of climate change was chosen to learn more in the modern sense about the phenomenon that most people have heard about for decades.
• Modern Environmental Issues: Climate Change Climate change had taken place before humans evolved, but the issue lies in the one, which is caused by direct human intervention.
• Effects of Global Warming: Essay Example According to environmentalists and other nature conservatives, Africa would be the worst hit continent by the effects of global warming despite emitting less greenhouse gases.
• Climate Change as a Challenge to Australia Climate change is characterised by changes in the weather conditions brought about by emissions from industries as well as emissions from agriculture.
• Global Warming and Business Ethics Business ethics is significant in promoting effective industrial activities that promote environmental conservation and reduce global warming.
• Fast Fashion and Its Impacts on Global Warming Fast fashion contributes to this change in weather conditions due to its improper disposal, leading to the release of emissions into the atmosphere, thus causing global warming.
• The Controversies of Climate Change This paper discusses the issue of climate change by considering the arguments presented by both the proponents and opponents based on ethical principles and sources of moral value.
• Causes of Climate Change and Ways to Reduce It Despite the effects, investing in green energy, increasing vegetation cover, and conducting public education are some measures that can be taken to reduce climate change.
• Energy Crisis and Climate Change The global community needs to adopt an energy efficient behavior and invest in the exploration of sustainable energy resources.
• Devastating Effects of Global Warming The incapacitating consequences of a changing climate have resulted in significant distress among vulnerable populations as they face various challenges.
• Climate Change Affecting Global Public Health Climate change leads to the destruction of a range of habitats, the drop in the amount of drinkable water, the rise in air pollution, the reduction in the amount of food, etc.
• Global Warming With an Emphasis on the Arctic This paper presents the impact of global warming with a focus on the Arctic region. It also provides key solutions that can be implemented to reduce its effects.
• Impact of Climate Change on Property Development and Management This essay will focus on the BBC article, COP26 promises could limit global warming to 1.8C, with a specific focus on the impact of climate change on property development.
• The Global Impact of Climate Change Into Our Homes and Families A home is a significant part of someone’s life. That’s why it is always considered as part of basic needs. They give people a sense of belonging and security.
• The Importance of Addressing Climate Change Climate change is a topical issue, and the way humanity will choose to address it will determine whether major negative consequences can be avoided.
• Climate Change and Its Evidence The review of common claims about global warming made it possible to say that in spite of some skeptical opinions, it might be really happening.
• Climate Change, Human Activities and Remedies Human beings are the worst enemies of the environment. The Kyoto Protocol and the concept of green buildings are the two major interventions to climatic change and global warming.
• Solubility of Carbon Dioxide Related to Climate Change The solubility of carbon dioxide is directly related to climate change because oceans absorb excess carbon dioxide from the atmosphere.
• How Human Activities Cause Climate Change Scientists and various leaders globally have seriously debated the causes of climate change. This essay involves a discussion of how human activities cause climate change.
• Climate Change in “The Parable of the Sower” by Butler Butler’s “The Parable of The Sower” is a post-apocalyptic knowledge literature novel that addresses climate modification and socioeconomic inequalities.
• Climate Change and the Media Biases This essay’s purpose is to address the media bias concerning the rising global warming and climate change, referring to news articles made by scientists and various scholars.
• The Impact of Climate Change on the United States Climate change is a serious issue faced by the United States, and it has various effects, including in the spheres of economy, animal habitat, and health of the population.
• How Climate Changes Affect Coastal Areas Natural disasters and hazards caused by climate change are especially the cases during modern times, as the number of toxic substances and polluting elements is increasing every year.
• Global Warming and Other Ecology Issues The results of global warming will always remain a topic of controversy. Most scientists will always agree and disagree on the real effects of global warming on human life.
• Climate Change and Impact on Human Health In this paper, two academic articles that discuss the problem of climate change and its impact on human health will be reviewed.
• Napa Valley Wine Industry and Climate Change The current competitive landscape of the Napa Valley is formed from a multitude of stakeholders of varying sizes. The work studies climate change and the Napa Valley wine industry.
• Climate Change and International Trade The relationship between climate change and international trade has been on a great verge of developing a new critical issue. This was so evident at the Conference of Parties Climate Conference.
• Philosophers’ Theories on Climate Change The paper demonstrates two philosophers’ theories on climate change, namely Laura Westra and Graham Long. The thoughts and ideas are evaluated by using a hypothetical situation.
• Climate Change: Canada’s Environment Policy The essay argues that Canada is a major contributor to climate change and its environmental policies are inadequate in resolving the environmental problems.
• The Truth Behind Climate Change The real solution of the problem of climate change could be to decarbonize the global energy system that is 80% fossil fuel, but it is significant in scale.
• Global Warming From a Social Studies Perspective The inability to find a balance between human needs and the consequences of their realization for the environment leads to conflict resulting in global warming.
• The Effect of Global Warming and the Future Global warming effects are the social and environmental changes brought-about by the increase in global temperatures.
• How Climate Change Impacts Aviation The issue of climate change and its impact on the aviation industry has been a developing story lately due to the two-way relationship between them.
• Climate Change as an Ethical Issue Although global warming is a hotly debated topic, some groups claim that the issue is not as acute as it is presented.
• Climate Change and Its Impact on the Weather Climate change is a serious issue nowadays, considering that it is bound to affect my generation and the next ones.
• Discussion of Impact of Climate Change in Society Modern scholars and environmentalists acknowledge that climate change is a major challenge affecting the global society today.
• Climate Change and Carbon Dioxide Emissions Climate change is in large part caused by human action, and the continued industrial development of the world can be accredited to exacerbating the problem further than ever.
• Climate Change and Environmental Anxiety Individuals must develop a strategy to be able to resist climate change. In addition, there is a need for a global plan to restrain the influence of global warming.
• The Health Impacts of Climate Change in China Although climate change could not directly affect the Chinese population’s health, climate change interference could increase the number of respiratory system diseases, etc.
• Disasters Caused by Climate Change This paper focuses on several recent natural disasters caused by climate change – simultaneous fires in Russia and floods in Pakistan.
• How Human Behavior Promotes Climate Change Uncontrolled reproduction is one of several behaviors promoting climate change. It increases the size of the population and changes its distribution.
• Capitalism, Climate Change, and Globalization Globalization allowed significant corporations to put a substantial strain on the environment in developing countries.
• “The Basics of Climate Change” Blog The author of “The Basics of Climate Change” reveals the main concepts about the balance between the input and output of energy on Earth that directly relate to the climate.
• Car Emissions and Global Warming The emissions problem that is caused by the excessive use of cars is an issue that affects most of the modern world and needs to be addressed as soon as possible to prevent further adverse impact.
• The Effect of Global Warming Global warming effects are the social and environmental changes brought about by the increase in global temperatures.
• Multinational Corporations and Climate Change The current essay revolves around the topic of climate change and economic activities. In the essay, the author focuses on MNCs and their role in environmental conservation.
• Climate Change as a Healthcare Priority Human-caused climate change significantly impacts the ecological situation and many areas of human life, such as health care.
• Climate Change and Global Warming Awareness If people continue to have misconceptions about global warming, climate change will negatively impact weather, food security, and biodiversity.
• The Earth Day and Climate Change Climate change remains a relevant topic despite over fifty years of efforts since the establishment of Earth Day in 1970.
• Climate Change and Creation of Earth Day Climate change enables communities to create environmental initiatives, industries to update their manufacturing, and politicians to influence the problem through their campaigns.
• Carbon Markets and Climate Change Many climatological concepts predict a rise in worldwide average temperature over the succeeding few decades centered on tripling atmospheric carbon oxide levels.
• Water Scarcity Due to Climate Change This paper focuses on the adverse impact that water scarcity has brought today with the view that water is the most valuable element in running critical processes.
• Climate Change and Food Production Cycle In order to address the problem of climate change in relation to the overproduction of food, a more responsible attitude toward its consumption.
• International Climate Change Law and National Acts The growing number of countries involved in the fight against environmental problems is seen as a positive step. As a justification, the scope of emission coverage is considered.
• The Effect of Climate Change on the Environment The purpose of this paper is to discuss how the influence of humans’ activity on the environment has caused drastic climate change, and how climate change affects the environment.
• Climate Change: The Leading Cause of Global Warming The chosen issue is climate change because it is a social dilemma triggered by human activity and will need joint efforts to reduce or alleviate its adverse effects.
• The Impact of Climate Change on Inflectional Diseases This paper will examine the increasing spread of infectious diseases as one of the effects of climate change, as well as current and possible measures to overcome it.
• Journal and Newspaper Collection on Global Warming This paper comments on Journal/ newspaper article on global warming from major newspapers and journals around the world
• The Issue of Unstoppable Global Warming and Its Effects Drought levels shall increase if the temperatures remain high, evaporation shall increase too, mostly at summer and fall, could worsen famine, and the danger of wildfires.
• Global Warming Causes and Impacts This paper endeavors to delineate the history of global warming, the causality and every potential revelation towards diminution of the impacts of global warming.
• Climate Change Threats in Public Perception Diverse social, economic, ecological, and geopolitical variables that operate on multiple scales contribute to different levels of human vulnerability to climate change threats.
• The Key to Addressing Climate Change in Modern Business Globalisation, industrialisation, and rise of global corporations promoted the increased topicality of the climate change topic and its transformation into a shared problem.
• Overpopulation, Climate Change, and Security Issues This research paper examines such social and environmental issues as overpopulation, urbanization, climate change, food security, and air pollution.
• Climate Change: Nature Communications Climate change is one of the main concerns in contemporary global society. This subject is an issue of great contention, with different sides disagreeing.
• Global Warming: Understanding Causes of Event Global warming is a phenomenon characterized by the gradual increase of the temperature of the earth’s atmosphere.
• Climate Change: Impact on Lemurs Climate change and other environmental issues severely impact the lifestyle and behaviors of lemurs. High temperatures make lemurs spend more time on the ground.
• The Effect of Climate Change on Weather Climate change is resulting in weather extremes that are affecting millions of people around the world in recent times.
• Climate Change: Impact on Extreme Weather Events The article summarizes the scientific paper on the impact of climate change on extreme weather events worldwide.
• Climate Change: Causes, Dynamics, and Effects It is crucial to provide a description of the problem of the climate crisis, its causes and effects, and possible prevention measures.
• Ethical, Moral, and Christian Views on Climate Change Strategies Climate change strategies pose ethical, moral, and religious concerns that influence people to bring change and conserve the environment.
• The History of Climate Change and Global Warming Issue The paper states that the history of climate change and the solutions communities opted for are critical to tackling the current global warming issue.
• Greenpeace’s Climate Change Article Review The article What Are the Solutions to Climate Change by Greenpeace explains the ways climate change can be resolved while using comprehensive terms and being concise.
• Worldwide Effects of Global Warming The article conveys Trenberth’s message about the far-reaching implications of global warming on climate and the urgent need for collective action to address its consequences.
• Climate Change and Health: Public Health Human activity influences the environment in various ways, from climate change acceleration to the increasing deforestation that can cause another global pandemic.
• Global Warming and Climate Change and Their Impact on Humans Climate change and global warming are significant issues with negative impacts on all aspects of human life; for example, they disrupt the food web, hurting humans and wildlife.
• Earth Day and the Climate Change Agenda This research paper examines the social significance and ecological value of Earth Day in the face of the climate change agenda.
• The Climate Change Impact on Sea Levels and Coastal Zones This paper summarizes the effects of climate change on seawater levels and subsequent effects on the coastal zones.
• Desertification and Climate Change Desertification can be prevented by holistic and planned grazing. This transformation can lead to better outcomes in the fight against climate change.
• Importance of Climate Change Issue Decision The situation of climate change is the central issue of the 21st century, and its solution is a turning point in history.
• Climate Changes Effects on the North and South Pole Global climate change has led to major problems in the North and South Pole ecosystems, with many animals losing their homes and even becoming endangered.
• Climate Change Mitigation Strategies and Animals The thesis of the article is clear and identifies two main points, which are the problem that the global discussion does not propose sufficient methods to solve the issue.
• The Climate Change: Project Topic Exploration Climate change is an environmental problem that relates to an increase in the Earth’s average surface temperature.
• Air Pollution Crisis and Climate Change in China Air pollution is a serious problem in many countries, including China. The main source of air pollutants is fumes from burning fuels in industries or vehicles.
• Analysis of Climate Change Ethical Issues Climate change is a major problem in contemporary society, evidenced by issues such as global warming that have affected and continue to wreck societal norms around the world.
• “The Impact of Climate Change Mitigation Strategies on Animal Welfare” by Shields and Orme-Evans The paper states that for animal welfare to improve, climate change mitigation strategies should encompass systematic changes in the industry.
• Climate Change from Different Perspectives The climate change situation has two types of responses, with one camp making deliberate efforts to minimize the impact of climate change and others ignoring the issue altogether.
• Climate Change: The Impact on North America As the analysis of climate change patterns reveals, the North American continent is on the verge of profound environmental changes resulting from global warming.
• The Impacts of Climate Change Mitigation Strategies on Animal Welfare The article by Shields and Orme-Evans focuses on the problem of climate change from the aspect of greenhouse emissions from farm animals and their contribution to global warming.
• How Climate Change Influenced Global Migration Migration and conflict have become the most important reasons causing researchers’ interest in climate change.
• Climate Change and Crop Production This paper aims to discuss how climate change affects crop production in Latin American, Central American, and Eastern African regions.
• Global Warming and Crop Production in Africa Many people are aware of the current and future negative effects of global warming. Global warming will cause severe reductions in the crop in Africa, particularly in Ethiopia.
• Solar Activity as a Cause of Climate Change Climate change is not solely the result of human activity because solar activity also impacts the Earth’s climate in a significant manner.
• Climate Change: Risks and Consequences Climate change has long been one of the global environmental challenges humanity has faced. A slow but steady rise in surface temperatures is a sustainable trend.
• Carbon Dioxide Factor in Climate Change Increasing atmospheric concentrations of carbon dioxide have a profound effect on global warming, and in turn, it affects the total temperature of the Earth.
• Climate Change: The Role of Scientific and Technological Progress This paper serves as a starting point when looking at climate change and the effects of scientific and technological progress.
• Consequences of Global Warming Although the opinions about the causes of climate change are diverse, the effects of human activities and natural elements are similar and lead to global warming.
• Climate Change and Modern Indigenous Treaties in Northern Canada The purpose of this paper is to answer the following question: how does climate change affect aboriginal culture, food gathering, and Canadian government policy?
• Ascertaining Scientific Truth on Climate Change Human activities impact the environment. The consequences of anthropological actions reverberate across all aspects of the Earth’s habitat.
• Climate Change and Fall of the Western Roman Empire The authors researched the relevant literature about why the Empire failed and how climate change was connected to the decline.
• Climate Change and Accessibility to Safe Water The paper discusses climate change’s effect on water accessibility, providing graphs on water scarcity and freshwater use and resources.
• Climate Change Prevention Improvements This paper aims to examine the principal indicators in achieving improvements in climate change prevention and the current results of programs.
• The UN Climate Change Conference: Indigenous Concerns During the UN Climate Change Conference, it was clear that indigenous environmental defenders have a particular stake in the outcomes of climate change global negotiations.
• Climate Change Prediction for the Caribbean Climate change can be defined as the global spectacle of climate alteration described by the earth’s natural climate variations due to human activities.
• Researching the Interactions between Climate Change and Plankton Communities This paper is aimed at examining the interactions between climate change and plankton communities, focusing on the abundance, distribution, and structure of the species.
• Social Challenges of Climate Change Climate change is among the most pressing global issues, and it is not easy to find a solution that will work for everyone.
• Global Warming: “Hopeful Lessons From the Battle to Save Rainforests” The “Hopeful lessons from the battle to save rainforests” video proposes several solutions to deforestation and global warming.
• Climate Change: Factors and Future Climate change and global warming have been stressed since the early 20th century, and different environmental corps and governments have communicated several mitigation techniques.
• Climate Change and Global Health Climate change is among the most discussed topics in various fields, as it has overarching effects on many aspects of human life.
• Devastating Effects of Global Warming Global warming presents a considerable threat by having an enormous influence on humanity’s social, economic, and physical state.
• The Affect of Climate Change on the Social and Environmental Determinants of Health There is a lack of sufficient awareness in society about how climate change affects health although it significantly influences its environmental determinants.
• Climate Change in Environmentally Vulnerable Countries The repercussions of climate change are global in character and unprecedented in size, ranging from changing weather patterns to sea level rise.
• The Future of Coal Plants Regarding Climate Change The use of coal plants to provide energy has been at the center of the growth of many economies of the world. However, coal is associated with the emission of greenhouse gasses.
• Global Warming and Economics Discussion The article discusses that at the international level, the carbon tax is not always conducive to climate change regulation.
• Climate Change: Improving Global Health The climate of the planet is changing, and today it is impossible to deny. The temperature of air and water is increasing every decade.
• Global Warming: The Importance of Addressing the Climate Crisis The paper states that global warming has many consequences. Multiple scientific discoveries emphasize the importance of addressing the climate crisis urgently.
• Examining the Potential of Digital Earth Services in Connection to Global Warming In this work, the primary characteristics of global warming will be discussed with the implementation of digital Earth tools, examining the data from these sources.
• Climate Change Reflection in Law System The paper states that climate change in the coming decade will be crucial to achieving global goals set on the governmental and international levels.
• The Science Behind Climate Change Regardless of how strong the natural change to the climate system was, it could not have led to the temperature increase seen over the past semicentenary.
• Oil Spills and How They Are Related to Climate Change The paper states that oil spills are destructive to ecosystems. Oil spills and climate change are two deeply interrelated environmental phenomena.
• Greenhouse Effect as a Cause of Global Warming The report serves an informative function and is designed to explore the nature of global warming through the greenhouse effect.
• Climate Change From the Anthropological Perspective The adaptive nature of the anthropological development of humanity explains the contemporary global problems, and climate change may be assessed from the human adaptation perspective.
• A Climate Change Emergency in the US To handle the problem of climate change effects, the US must restrict carbon emissions by enforcing policies that favor the initiatives and financing the green economy.
• Solar Energy in China and Its Influence on Climate Change The influence of solar energy on climate change has impacted production, the advancement of solar energy has impacted climate change in the geography of China.
• Natural Climate Solutions for Climate Change in China The crisis in China gives rise to several significant environmental problems, including air pollution, land degradation, deforestation, and poor water quality.
• Harmful Impact of Climate Change Climate change is one of the most notable environmental problems that humanity is facing today and defines it as ‘long-term shifts in temperatures and weather patterns’.
• Global Warming in Relation to Human Population Size The density of the world population in the future is a crucial component of climate policy to safeguard the vulnerable future generation.
• Anthropogenic Influence on Climate Change Throughout History The objective of this paper is to discuss the anthropogenic influence on climate change through history and adaptations during the glaciation period.
• Climate Change, Its Causes and Implications The purpose of this paper is to present the causes and implications of climate change and to elaborate on the current climate change policies.
• Mitigating Climate Change in Massachusetts: Policy Recommendations The purpose of this report is to discuss and recommend long-term and short-term responses for the state of Massachusetts to undertake to mitigate climate change.
• Climate Change: Dealing with the Problem It is becoming more and more evident that the current climatic changes and related events are taking place all over the world, which come in a wide range of forms and locations.
• Climate Change and Mitigation Approaches The issue of climate change may appear to be extremely controversial. The reason behind that is the fact that environmental changes have both dependence and influence on humanity.
• Impacts of Climate Change on Electricity Demand in China Fan et al.’s “Impacts of climate change on electricity demand in China” article forecasts the potential effects on the electricity demand under three climate change scenarios.
• Tree Planting Ameliorating Climate Change Environmentalists and policymakers have been designing strategies to ameliorate climate change in a sustainable manner.
• Climate Change and Mitigation Measures in China This paper is an annotated bibliography that studies the articles which are related to the topic of researching climate change in China.
• Environmental Treaties in Addressing Climate Change In response to the growing concerns, established international organizations and new coalitions have attempted to create several agreements.
• Impacts of Climate Change on Agriculture and Food This paper will examine four aspects of climate change: variation in the rainfall pattern, water levels, drought, temperature, and heatwaves.
• “Climate Change Facts and Effect on Economy” by Amadeo Kimberly Amadeo attempts to address one of the ecological issues, namely global warming, and introduces the article Climate Change Facts and Effect on Economy.
• Web-Based Organizational Discourses: Climate Change
• Discussing Climate Change: Randy Johnson
• The Impact of Global Climate Change on Health
• Environmental Issues: Problems of Climate Change
• Iron Fertilization: Solving Global Warming
• How Car Emissions Affect Global Warming
• Aspects of Global Climate Change
• Carbon Emission Effects and Global Warming Laws
• Climate Change: Dangers and Prevention
• Correlation of “Climate Change” and Public Health
• The Problem of Climate Change in South Florida
• Climate Change as a Public Health Issue
• Economic Model for Global Warming
• Effect of Climate Change in the Future
• Religion and Politics: Pope Francis and Climate Change
• How Climate Change Increases the Risk of Hurricanes
• Climate Change: El Niño Oscillation Phenomenon (ENSO)
• Climate and Social Change in Global Warming Crisis
• Impact of Climate Change on Early Societies
• Global Warming and Climate Change
• Global Warming, Climate Change and Ozone Depletion
• Climate Change: Forecast of Possible Events
• Climate Change: Causes and Consequences, and the Issue of Social Collapse
• Canada: The First Victim of Global Climate Change
• Sustainable Development: The Climate Change Issues
• It’s Not My Fault: Global Warming and Moral Responsibility
• Climate Change Skepticism in Relation to Global Warming
• The Issue of Global Warming in the Community
• Global Warming: Do Human Activities Threaten to Change Climate?
• Global Warming and Mitigation Strategies
• Global Warming: Is It Caused by Nature or Mankind?
• Controversy About Global Warming: Skepticism and Reality
• Global Warming: Harmful Impact on the Polar Bears
• Global Warming: Issue Analysis
• Oil and Gas Industry Response to Global Warming
• Global Warming: Causes and Solutions
• The Kyoto Protocol: First Framework for Fighting Global Warming
• Global Warming: Causes, Factors and Effects
• Global Warming as Not a New-Fangled Issue
• The Global Warming Crisis and Ways of its Solution
• Climate Change and Its Potential Impact on Agriculture and Food Supply
• Global Warming: Causes and Consequences
• Issue of the Global Warming
• Global Warming: Solving a Social Problem
• Women’s Activism Sources Around Climate Change
• Weather and Climate Change: Physical Equations
• Ecofeminism: Women Against Climate Change
• Health Issues Caused by Climate Change
• Respiratory Diseases Caused by Climate Change
• Global Warming and Its Various Consequences
• Climate Change Factors and Impacts on Blue Crab Populations
• Global Warming Leads Climate Change
• Climate Change Impacts Florida’s Biodiversity
• The Paris Accord: Macroeconomics and Global Warming
• Climate Change and Related Issues in Canada
• Climate Change as Political Leaders’ Primary Concern
• Virtue Ethics: Altering Testimony on Global Warming
• Climate Change Initiative in Canada
• Climate Change and Social Responsibility in the UAE
• Impact of Climate Change on Intermodal Transportation
• Global Warming and Its Health Implications
• Global Warming and Its Threats: Debates
• Climate Changes Impact on Agriculture and Livestock
• Global Warming Challenges Solving in General Electric
• Remote Sensing Applications to Climate Change
• Climate Change and Human Heath
• The Issue of Global Warming
• Global Warming Problems due to Economic Growth
• Global Warming and the Free Rider Problem
• Trump Presidency: Immigration and Climate Change
• Iron Seeding Oceans: Global Warming Solution
• Biodiversity, Global Warming, Environmental Conservation
• Climate Change as a Threat to Pension Fund
• Climate Change: Changing Patterns of Malaria
• The Problem of Global Warming and Its Effects
• Global Climate Change and Health Concerns
• British Petroleum’s Risks due to Climate Changes
• Paris Agreement: Climate Change Deal
• Global Warming as a Humanity’s Fault
• Climate Change: Changing Patterns of Malaria Disease
• The Climate Change Problem
• The Concept of Global Warming and Its Impacts
• Climate Change: When Nature Is in Agony
• Humans Contribution to Global Climate Change
• The Seriousness of Global Warming
• Global Warming: Car Emissions Effects
• Car Emission Effects on Global Warming
• Environmental Studies of Global Warming: Cause and Mitigation
• The United States Policy on Climate Change
• Environmental Studies: The Global Warming Holocaust
• The Issue of Global Climate Change and the Use of Global Ethic
• Concept of Global Warming
• Causes and Effects of Global Warming on the Environment
• What Natural Forces Have Caused Climate Change?
• What Problems Are Involved with Establishing an International Climate Change Regime?
• What Role Has Human Activity Played in Causing Climate Change?
• What Does the World Say About Climate Change?
• What Are the Five Main Effects of Climate Change?
• What Is Climate Change and How Is It Changing?
• What Is Climate Change in Simple Words?
• How Does Climate Change Affect Human Life?
• Why Is Climate Change Important?
• How Does Climate Change Affect Society?
• What Are Some of the Signs of Climate Change?
• What Are the Impacts of Climate Change?
• What Is the Main Ways of Solving Climate Change Issue?
• What Are Some Examples of Climate Change?
• How Does Climate Change Affect Our Human Rights?
• What Can Students Do to Help Climate Change?
• How Can We Reduce the Impact of Climate Change?
• When Did Climate Change Become an Issue?
• Can Climate Change Be Stopped?
• Where Is Climate Change the Worst?
• Why Is Climate Change a Global Challenge?
• How Many Years Do We Have to Save the Planet From Climate Change?
• How Many Years Until Climate Change Is Irreversible?
• What American State Is Safest From Climate Change?
• Where Should People Live to Avoid Climate Change?
• What Countries Will Be the Least Affected by Climate Change?
• Who Will Benefit From Climate Change?
• What Is China Doing About Climate Change?
• Which Country Is the Biggest Contributor to Climate Change?
• What Is the Most Effective Solution to Climate Change?
• Climate Change-Related Health Risks
• Climate Change Threats to Ecosystems and Species
• How Deforestation Leads to Climate Change
• Costs and Benefits of Climate Change Mitigation Strategies
• The Feasibility and Challenges of Renewable Energy Transition
• The Politics of Climate Change: Cooperation and Disagreements
• How Climate Change Affects Agriculture and Food Production
• Climate Change, Migration, and Environmental Refugees
• The Connection Between Climate Change and Extreme Weather Events
• The Effectiveness of Climate Messaging and Public Perception
• How Climate Models Help Predicting Future Climate Scenarios
• What Are the Social Justice Dimensions of Climate Change?
• Best Personal Carbon Footprint Reduction Strategies
• The Impact of Climate Change on Freshwater Availability
• Strategies to Cope with Changing Climate Conditions
• The Role of Urban Planning in Climate Change Mitigation and Adaptation
• How Indigenous Knowledge Can Help Understand Climate Change
• The Adverse Effect of Climate Change on Polar Regions and Indigenous Peoples
• The Consequences of Climate Change and Ocean Acidification for Marine Ecosystems
• The Relationship between Environmental Changes and International Security

Here’s what makes our list of topics stand out:

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StudyCorgi. (2021, September 9). 310 Climate Change Essay Topics. https://studycorgi.com/ideas/climate-change-essay-topics/

"310 Climate Change Essay Topics." StudyCorgi , 9 Sept. 2021, studycorgi.com/ideas/climate-change-essay-topics/.

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Bibliography

StudyCorgi . "310 Climate Change Essay Topics." September 9, 2021. https://studycorgi.com/ideas/climate-change-essay-topics/.

StudyCorgi . 2021. "310 Climate Change Essay Topics." September 9, 2021. https://studycorgi.com/ideas/climate-change-essay-topics/.

These essay examples and topics on Climate Change were carefully selected by the StudyCorgi editorial team. They meet our highest standards in terms of grammar, punctuation, style, and fact accuracy. Please ensure you properly reference the materials if you’re using them to write your assignment.

This essay topic collection was updated on January 5, 2024 .

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Yale Climate Connections

Three thought-provoking analogies for climate change

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Though by definition no analogy is perfect, a good one can create a flash of insight or provoke thought. A strong analogy can clarify a point or an argument. It can bring dry facts to life, attaching them to images and emotions and showing us why they matter. And it can help us work through something complex and difficult.

Given a wicked problem like climate change, those who want to write, speak, or think clearly are well advised to keep an eye out for strong analogies used well.

By using a relatively obvious analogy as an expandable thinking tool, each of these three inviting essays works its way to some unexpected and useful insights.

• Bill Moyers, The Guardian, “ What if We Covered the Climate Crisis like We Did the Start of the Second World War? “
• John Schwartz, New York Times, “ We Went to the Moon. Why Can’t We Solve Climate Change? “
• Dawn Stover, Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists, “ What We Can Learn about Climate Change from the Titanic “

(And for a different way of using this analogy – as a quick source of dark humor – see Peter Gleick’s “ Climate Change and the Titanic ” in the same journal.)

This series is curated and written by retired Colorado State University English professor and close climate change watcher SueEllen Campbell of Colorado. To flag works you think warrant attention, send an e-mail to her any time. Let us hear from you.

SueEllen Campbell

SueEllen Campbell created and for over a decade curated the website "100 Views of Climate Change," a multidisciplinary collection of pieces accessible to interested non-specialists. She is especially interested... More by SueEllen Campbell

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Essay on Climate Change

Climate Change Essay - The globe is growing increasingly sensitive to climate change. It is currently a serious worldwide concern. The term "Climate Change" describes changes to the earth's climate. It explains the atmospheric changes that have occurred across time, spanning from decades to millions of years. Here are some sample essays on climate change.

100 Words Essay on Climate Change

200 words essay on climate change, 500 words essay on climate change.

The climatic conditions on Earth are changing due to climate change. Several internal and external variables, such as solar radiation, variations in the Earth's orbit, volcanic eruptions, plate tectonics, etc., are to blame for this.

There are strategies for climate change reduction. If not implemented, the weather might get worse, there might be water scarcity, there could be lower agricultural output, and it might affect people's ability to make a living. In order to breathe clean air and drink pure water, you must concentrate on limiting human activity. These are the simple measures that may be taken to safeguard the environment and its resources.

The climate of the Earth has changed significantly over time. While some of these changes were brought on by natural events like volcanic eruptions, floods, forest fires, etc., many of the changes were brought on by human activity. The burning of fossil fuels, domesticating livestock, and other human activities produce a significant quantity of greenhouse gases. This results in an increase of greenhouse effect and global warming which are the major causes for climate change.

Reasons of Climate Change

Some of the reasons of climate change are:

Deforestation

Excessive use of fossil fuels

Water and soil pollution

Plastic and other non biodegradable waste

Wildlife and nature extinction

Consequences of Climate Change

All kinds of life on earth will be affected by climate change if it continues to change at the same pace. The earth's temperature will increase, the monsoon patterns will shift, the sea level will rise, and there will be more frequent storms, volcano eruptions, and other natural calamities. The earth's biological and ecological equilibrium will be disturbed. Humans won't be able to access clean water or air to breathe when the environment becomes contaminated. The end of life on this earth is imminent. To reduce the issue of climate change, we need to bring social awareness along with strict measures to protect and preserve the natural environment.

A shift in the world's climatic pattern is referred to as climate change. Over the centuries, the climate pattern of our planet has undergone modifications. The amount of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere has significantly grown.

When Did Climate Change Begin

It is possible to see signs of climate change as early as the beginning of the industrial revolution. The pace at which the manufacturers produced things on a large scale required a significant amount of raw materials. Since the raw materials being transformed into finished products now have such huge potential for profit, these business models have spread quickly over the world. Hazardous substances and chemicals build up in the environment as a result of company emissions and waste disposal.

Although climate change is a natural occurrence, it is evident that human activity is turning into the primary cause of the current climate change situation. The major cause is the growing population. Natural resources are utilised more and more as a result of the population's fast growth placing a heavy burden on the available resources. Over time, as more and more products and services are created, pollution will eventually increase.

Causes of Climate Change

There are a number of factors that have contributed towards weather change in the past and continue to do so. Let us look at a few:

Solar Radiation |The climate of earth is determined by how quickly the sun's energy is absorbed and distributed throughout space. This energy is transmitted throughout the world by the winds, ocean currents etc which affects the climatic conditions of the world. Changes in solar intensity have an effect on the world's climate.

Deforestation | The atmosphere's carbon dioxide is stored by trees. As a result of their destruction, carbon dioxide builds up more quickly since there are no trees to absorb it. Additionally, trees release the carbon they stored when we burn them.

Agriculture | Many kinds of greenhouse gases are released into the atmosphere by growing crops and raising livestock. Animals, for instance, create methane, a greenhouse gas that is 30 times more potent than carbon dioxide. The nitrous oxide used in fertilisers is roughly 300 times more strong than carbon dioxide.

How to Prevent Climate Change

We need to look out for drastic steps to stop climate change since it is affecting the resources and life on our planet. We can stop climate change if the right solutions are put in place. Here are some strategies for reducing climate change:

Raising public awareness of climate change

Prohibiting tree-cutting and deforestation.

Ensure the surroundings are clean.

Refrain from using chemical fertilisers.

Water and other natural resource waste should be reduced.

Protect the animals and plants.

Purchase energy-efficient goods and equipment.

Increase the number of trees in the neighbourhood and its surroundings.

Follow the law and safeguard the environment's resources.

Reduce the amount of energy you use.

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Data Administrator

Database professionals use software to store and organise data such as financial information, and customer shipping records. Individuals who opt for a career as data administrators ensure that data is available for users and secured from unauthorised sales. DB administrators may work in various types of industries. It may involve computer systems design, service firms, insurance companies, banks and hospitals.

Bio Medical Engineer

The field of biomedical engineering opens up a universe of expert chances. An Individual in the biomedical engineering career path work in the field of engineering as well as medicine, in order to find out solutions to common problems of the two fields. The biomedical engineering job opportunities are to collaborate with doctors and researchers to develop medical systems, equipment, or devices that can solve clinical problems. Here we will be discussing jobs after biomedical engineering, how to get a job in biomedical engineering, biomedical engineering scope, and salary. 

Ethical Hacker

A career as ethical hacker involves various challenges and provides lucrative opportunities in the digital era where every giant business and startup owns its cyberspace on the world wide web. Individuals in the ethical hacker career path try to find the vulnerabilities in the cyber system to get its authority. If he or she succeeds in it then he or she gets its illegal authority. Individuals in the ethical hacker career path then steal information or delete the file that could affect the business, functioning, or services of the organization.

GIS officer work on various GIS software to conduct a study and gather spatial and non-spatial information. GIS experts update the GIS data and maintain it. The databases include aerial or satellite imagery, latitudinal and longitudinal coordinates, and manually digitized images of maps. In a career as GIS expert, one is responsible for creating online and mobile maps.

Data Analyst

The invention of the database has given fresh breath to the people involved in the data analytics career path. Analysis refers to splitting up a whole into its individual components for individual analysis. Data analysis is a method through which raw data are processed and transformed into information that would be beneficial for user strategic thinking.

Data are collected and examined to respond to questions, evaluate hypotheses or contradict theories. It is a tool for analyzing, transforming, modeling, and arranging data with useful knowledge, to assist in decision-making and methods, encompassing various strategies, and is used in different fields of business, research, and social science.

Geothermal Engineer

Individuals who opt for a career as geothermal engineers are the professionals involved in the processing of geothermal energy. The responsibilities of geothermal engineers may vary depending on the workplace location. Those who work in fields design facilities to process and distribute geothermal energy. They oversee the functioning of machinery used in the field.

Database Architect

If you are intrigued by the programming world and are interested in developing communications networks then a career as database architect may be a good option for you. Data architect roles and responsibilities include building design models for data communication networks. Wide Area Networks (WANs), local area networks (LANs), and intranets are included in the database networks. It is expected that database architects will have in-depth knowledge of a company's business to develop a network to fulfil the requirements of the organisation. Stay tuned as we look at the larger picture and give you more information on what is db architecture, why you should pursue database architecture, what to expect from such a degree and what your job opportunities will be after graduation. Here, we will be discussing how to become a data architect. Students can visit NIT Trichy , IIT Kharagpur , JMI New Delhi . 

Remote Sensing Technician

Individuals who opt for a career as a remote sensing technician possess unique personalities. Remote sensing analysts seem to be rational human beings, they are strong, independent, persistent, sincere, realistic and resourceful. Some of them are analytical as well, which means they are intelligent, introspective and inquisitive. 

Remote sensing scientists use remote sensing technology to support scientists in fields such as community planning, flight planning or the management of natural resources. Analysing data collected from aircraft, satellites or ground-based platforms using statistical analysis software, image analysis software or Geographic Information Systems (GIS) is a significant part of their work. Do you want to learn how to become remote sensing technician? There's no need to be concerned; we've devised a simple remote sensing technician career path for you. Scroll through the pages and read.

Budget Analyst

Budget analysis, in a nutshell, entails thoroughly analyzing the details of a financial budget. The budget analysis aims to better understand and manage revenue. Budget analysts assist in the achievement of financial targets, the preservation of profitability, and the pursuit of long-term growth for a business. Budget analysts generally have a bachelor's degree in accounting, finance, economics, or a closely related field. Knowledge of Financial Management is of prime importance in this career.

Underwriter

An underwriter is a person who assesses and evaluates the risk of insurance in his or her field like mortgage, loan, health policy, investment, and so on and so forth. The underwriter career path does involve risks as analysing the risks means finding out if there is a way for the insurance underwriter jobs to recover the money from its clients. If the risk turns out to be too much for the company then in the future it is an underwriter who will be held accountable for it. Therefore, one must carry out his or her job with a lot of attention and diligence.

Finance Executive

Product manager.

A Product Manager is a professional responsible for product planning and marketing. He or she manages the product throughout the Product Life Cycle, gathering and prioritising the product. A product manager job description includes defining the product vision and working closely with team members of other departments to deliver winning products.  

Operations Manager

Individuals in the operations manager jobs are responsible for ensuring the efficiency of each department to acquire its optimal goal. They plan the use of resources and distribution of materials. The operations manager's job description includes managing budgets, negotiating contracts, and performing administrative tasks.

Stock Analyst

Individuals who opt for a career as a stock analyst examine the company's investments makes decisions and keep track of financial securities. The nature of such investments will differ from one business to the next. Individuals in the stock analyst career use data mining to forecast a company's profits and revenues, advise clients on whether to buy or sell, participate in seminars, and discussing financial matters with executives and evaluate annual reports.

A Researcher is a professional who is responsible for collecting data and information by reviewing the literature and conducting experiments and surveys. He or she uses various methodological processes to provide accurate data and information that is utilised by academicians and other industry professionals. Here, we will discuss what is a researcher, the researcher's salary, types of researchers.

Welding Engineer

Welding Engineer Job Description: A Welding Engineer work involves managing welding projects and supervising welding teams. He or she is responsible for reviewing welding procedures, processes and documentation. A career as Welding Engineer involves conducting failure analyses and causes on welding issues. 

Transportation Planner

A career as Transportation Planner requires technical application of science and technology in engineering, particularly the concepts, equipment and technologies involved in the production of products and services. In fields like land use, infrastructure review, ecological standards and street design, he or she considers issues of health, environment and performance. A Transportation Planner assigns resources for implementing and designing programmes. He or she is responsible for assessing needs, preparing plans and forecasts and compliance with regulations.

Environmental Engineer

Individuals who opt for a career as an environmental engineer are construction professionals who utilise the skills and knowledge of biology, soil science, chemistry and the concept of engineering to design and develop projects that serve as solutions to various environmental problems. 

Safety Manager

A Safety Manager is a professional responsible for employee’s safety at work. He or she plans, implements and oversees the company’s employee safety. A Safety Manager ensures compliance and adherence to Occupational Health and Safety (OHS) guidelines.

Conservation Architect

A Conservation Architect is a professional responsible for conserving and restoring buildings or monuments having a historic value. He or she applies techniques to document and stabilise the object’s state without any further damage. A Conservation Architect restores the monuments and heritage buildings to bring them back to their original state.

Structural Engineer

A Structural Engineer designs buildings, bridges, and other related structures. He or she analyzes the structures and makes sure the structures are strong enough to be used by the people. A career as a Structural Engineer requires working in the construction process. It comes under the civil engineering discipline. A Structure Engineer creates structural models with the help of computer-aided design software. 

Highway Engineer

Highway Engineer Job Description:  A Highway Engineer is a civil engineer who specialises in planning and building thousands of miles of roads that support connectivity and allow transportation across the country. He or she ensures that traffic management schemes are effectively planned concerning economic sustainability and successful implementation.

Field Surveyor

Are you searching for a Field Surveyor Job Description? A Field Surveyor is a professional responsible for conducting field surveys for various places or geographical conditions. He or she collects the required data and information as per the instructions given by senior officials. 

Orthotist and Prosthetist

Orthotists and Prosthetists are professionals who provide aid to patients with disabilities. They fix them to artificial limbs (prosthetics) and help them to regain stability. There are times when people lose their limbs in an accident. In some other occasions, they are born without a limb or orthopaedic impairment. Orthotists and prosthetists play a crucial role in their lives with fixing them to assistive devices and provide mobility.

Pathologist

A career in pathology in India is filled with several responsibilities as it is a medical branch and affects human lives. The demand for pathologists has been increasing over the past few years as people are getting more aware of different diseases. Not only that, but an increase in population and lifestyle changes have also contributed to the increase in a pathologist’s demand. The pathology careers provide an extremely huge number of opportunities and if you want to be a part of the medical field you can consider being a pathologist. If you want to know more about a career in pathology in India then continue reading this article.

Veterinary Doctor

Speech therapist, gynaecologist.

Gynaecology can be defined as the study of the female body. The job outlook for gynaecology is excellent since there is evergreen demand for one because of their responsibility of dealing with not only women’s health but also fertility and pregnancy issues. Although most women prefer to have a women obstetrician gynaecologist as their doctor, men also explore a career as a gynaecologist and there are ample amounts of male doctors in the field who are gynaecologists and aid women during delivery and childbirth. 

Audiologist

The audiologist career involves audiology professionals who are responsible to treat hearing loss and proactively preventing the relevant damage. Individuals who opt for a career as an audiologist use various testing strategies with the aim to determine if someone has a normal sensitivity to sounds or not. After the identification of hearing loss, a hearing doctor is required to determine which sections of the hearing are affected, to what extent they are affected, and where the wound causing the hearing loss is found. As soon as the hearing loss is identified, the patients are provided with recommendations for interventions and rehabilitation such as hearing aids, cochlear implants, and appropriate medical referrals. While audiology is a branch of science that studies and researches hearing, balance, and related disorders.

An oncologist is a specialised doctor responsible for providing medical care to patients diagnosed with cancer. He or she uses several therapies to control the cancer and its effect on the human body such as chemotherapy, immunotherapy, radiation therapy and biopsy. An oncologist designs a treatment plan based on a pathology report after diagnosing the type of cancer and where it is spreading inside the body.

Are you searching for an ‘Anatomist job description’? An Anatomist is a research professional who applies the laws of biological science to determine the ability of bodies of various living organisms including animals and humans to regenerate the damaged or destroyed organs. If you want to know what does an anatomist do, then read the entire article, where we will answer all your questions.

For an individual who opts for a career as an actor, the primary responsibility is to completely speak to the character he or she is playing and to persuade the crowd that the character is genuine by connecting with them and bringing them into the story. This applies to significant roles and littler parts, as all roles join to make an effective creation. Here in this article, we will discuss how to become an actor in India, actor exams, actor salary in India, and actor jobs. 

Individuals who opt for a career as acrobats create and direct original routines for themselves, in addition to developing interpretations of existing routines. The work of circus acrobats can be seen in a variety of performance settings, including circus, reality shows, sports events like the Olympics, movies and commercials. Individuals who opt for a career as acrobats must be prepared to face rejections and intermittent periods of work. The creativity of acrobats may extend to other aspects of the performance. For example, acrobats in the circus may work with gym trainers, celebrities or collaborate with other professionals to enhance such performance elements as costume and or maybe at the teaching end of the career.

Video Game Designer

Career as a video game designer is filled with excitement as well as responsibilities. A video game designer is someone who is involved in the process of creating a game from day one. He or she is responsible for fulfilling duties like designing the character of the game, the several levels involved, plot, art and similar other elements. Individuals who opt for a career as a video game designer may also write the codes for the game using different programming languages.

Depending on the video game designer job description and experience they may also have to lead a team and do the early testing of the game in order to suggest changes and find loopholes.

Radio Jockey

Radio Jockey is an exciting, promising career and a great challenge for music lovers. If you are really interested in a career as radio jockey, then it is very important for an RJ to have an automatic, fun, and friendly personality. If you want to get a job done in this field, a strong command of the language and a good voice are always good things. Apart from this, in order to be a good radio jockey, you will also listen to good radio jockeys so that you can understand their style and later make your own by practicing.

A career as radio jockey has a lot to offer to deserving candidates. If you want to know more about a career as radio jockey, and how to become a radio jockey then continue reading the article.

Choreographer

The word “choreography" actually comes from Greek words that mean “dance writing." Individuals who opt for a career as a choreographer create and direct original dances, in addition to developing interpretations of existing dances. A Choreographer dances and utilises his or her creativity in other aspects of dance performance. For example, he or she may work with the music director to select music or collaborate with other famous choreographers to enhance such performance elements as lighting, costume and set design.

Social Media Manager

A career as social media manager involves implementing the company’s or brand’s marketing plan across all social media channels. Social media managers help in building or improving a brand’s or a company’s website traffic, build brand awareness, create and implement marketing and brand strategy. Social media managers are key to important social communication as well.

Photographer

Photography is considered both a science and an art, an artistic means of expression in which the camera replaces the pen. In a career as a photographer, an individual is hired to capture the moments of public and private events, such as press conferences or weddings, or may also work inside a studio, where people go to get their picture clicked. Photography is divided into many streams each generating numerous career opportunities in photography. With the boom in advertising, media, and the fashion industry, photography has emerged as a lucrative and thrilling career option for many Indian youths.

An individual who is pursuing a career as a producer is responsible for managing the business aspects of production. They are involved in each aspect of production from its inception to deception. Famous movie producers review the script, recommend changes and visualise the story. 

They are responsible for overseeing the finance involved in the project and distributing the film for broadcasting on various platforms. A career as a producer is quite fulfilling as well as exhaustive in terms of playing different roles in order for a production to be successful. Famous movie producers are responsible for hiring creative and technical personnel on contract basis.

Copy Writer

In a career as a copywriter, one has to consult with the client and understand the brief well. A career as a copywriter has a lot to offer to deserving candidates. Several new mediums of advertising are opening therefore making it a lucrative career choice. Students can pursue various copywriter courses such as Journalism , Advertising , Marketing Management . Here, we have discussed how to become a freelance copywriter, copywriter career path, how to become a copywriter in India, and copywriting career outlook. 

In a career as a vlogger, one generally works for himself or herself. However, once an individual has gained viewership there are several brands and companies that approach them for paid collaboration. It is one of those fields where an individual can earn well while following his or her passion. 

Ever since internet costs got reduced the viewership for these types of content has increased on a large scale. Therefore, a career as a vlogger has a lot to offer. If you want to know more about the Vlogger eligibility, roles and responsibilities then continue reading the article. 

For publishing books, newspapers, magazines and digital material, editorial and commercial strategies are set by publishers. Individuals in publishing career paths make choices about the markets their businesses will reach and the type of content that their audience will be served. Individuals in book publisher careers collaborate with editorial staff, designers, authors, and freelance contributors who develop and manage the creation of content.

Careers in journalism are filled with excitement as well as responsibilities. One cannot afford to miss out on the details. As it is the small details that provide insights into a story. Depending on those insights a journalist goes about writing a news article. A journalism career can be stressful at times but if you are someone who is passionate about it then it is the right choice for you. If you want to know more about the media field and journalist career then continue reading this article.

Individuals in the editor career path is an unsung hero of the news industry who polishes the language of the news stories provided by stringers, reporters, copywriters and content writers and also news agencies. Individuals who opt for a career as an editor make it more persuasive, concise and clear for readers. In this article, we will discuss the details of the editor's career path such as how to become an editor in India, editor salary in India and editor skills and qualities.

Individuals who opt for a career as a reporter may often be at work on national holidays and festivities. He or she pitches various story ideas and covers news stories in risky situations. Students can pursue a BMC (Bachelor of Mass Communication) , B.M.M. (Bachelor of Mass Media) , or  MAJMC (MA in Journalism and Mass Communication) to become a reporter. While we sit at home reporters travel to locations to collect information that carries a news value.  

Corporate Executive

Are you searching for a Corporate Executive job description? A Corporate Executive role comes with administrative duties. He or she provides support to the leadership of the organisation. A Corporate Executive fulfils the business purpose and ensures its financial stability. In this article, we are going to discuss how to become corporate executive.

Multimedia Specialist

A multimedia specialist is a media professional who creates, audio, videos, graphic image files, computer animations for multimedia applications. He or she is responsible for planning, producing, and maintaining websites and applications. 

Quality Controller

A quality controller plays a crucial role in an organisation. He or she is responsible for performing quality checks on manufactured products. He or she identifies the defects in a product and rejects the product. 

A quality controller records detailed information about products with defects and sends it to the supervisor or plant manager to take necessary actions to improve the production process.

Production Manager

A QA Lead is in charge of the QA Team. The role of QA Lead comes with the responsibility of assessing services and products in order to determine that he or she meets the quality standards. He or she develops, implements and manages test plans. 

Process Development Engineer

The Process Development Engineers design, implement, manufacture, mine, and other production systems using technical knowledge and expertise in the industry. They use computer modeling software to test technologies and machinery. An individual who is opting career as Process Development Engineer is responsible for developing cost-effective and efficient processes. They also monitor the production process and ensure it functions smoothly and efficiently.

AWS Solution Architect

An AWS Solution Architect is someone who specializes in developing and implementing cloud computing systems. He or she has a good understanding of the various aspects of cloud computing and can confidently deploy and manage their systems. He or she troubleshoots the issues and evaluates the risk from the third party. 

Azure Administrator

An Azure Administrator is a professional responsible for implementing, monitoring, and maintaining Azure Solutions. He or she manages cloud infrastructure service instances and various cloud servers as well as sets up public and private cloud systems. 

Computer Programmer

Careers in computer programming primarily refer to the systematic act of writing code and moreover include wider computer science areas. The word 'programmer' or 'coder' has entered into practice with the growing number of newly self-taught tech enthusiasts. Computer programming careers involve the use of designs created by software developers and engineers and transforming them into commands that can be implemented by computers. These commands result in regular usage of social media sites, word-processing applications and browsers.

Information Security Manager

Individuals in the information security manager career path involves in overseeing and controlling all aspects of computer security. The IT security manager job description includes planning and carrying out security measures to protect the business data and information from corruption, theft, unauthorised access, and deliberate attack 

ITSM Manager

Automation test engineer.

An Automation Test Engineer job involves executing automated test scripts. He or she identifies the project’s problems and troubleshoots them. The role involves documenting the defect using management tools. He or she works with the application team in order to resolve any issues arising during the testing process. 

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Simon Evans

Did Santa bring any of these this Christmas?

We asked 25 thinkers, writers and journalists a simple question: What books or readings inspired you to get involved in climate change-related work?

We were expecting to get back a list of books – and we did. But we also got some interesting insights into why people work on this issue, why they started, and why they carry on.

Professor of meteorology at Penn State University. Author of The Hockey Stick and the Climate Wars .

“Two books that inspired me as a young scientist were The Mismeasure of Man by Stephen J. Gould and The Demon-Haunted World by Carl Sagan. Gould and Sagan were both heroes of mine, premier scientists in their domains (evolutionary biology and planetary science respectively), and also gifted communicators.

“Both books explore the pernicious societal impact of antiscience and pseudoscience. In Gould’s case, the bad science behind early 20th century dogma contending a racial basis to human intelligence. In Sagan’s case, it was the tendency for human beings to hold irrational views about matters such as faith healing, extrasensory perception, and UFOs.

“Both exemplify how scientists can be effective advocates for an informed public discourse over societally-relevant matters of science.”

For an 8-year old Maureen Raymo, Jacques Cousteau’s love of the ocean was infectious

Maureen Raymo

Professor of palaeoceanography at Columbia University  and author of Written in Stone .

“I’ve been around a long time and the books that inspired me as a grad student were written in the 80s and are now fairly obsolete. However, my greatest inspiration was a person, Jacques Cousteau (and his books and TV shows). From the age of eight I wanted to explore the ocean.”

Daniel Ortega

Ecuador’s lead climate negotiator.

“For over 50 years, Rachel Carson’s masterpiece ‘ Silent Spring ‘ has continued to provoke controversy and public awareness. This book made the case that our actions have an impact both on nature and humans, and that the remedy to environmental problems can be worse than the original illness.

“Reading Carson’s book during the earlier years of my training to become an agronomist, while working in the fields and inside forests in rural Latin America, inspired me to reflect on climate change, its causes and impacts on poor countries and their efforts to eradicate poverty.

“Since then I have worked on climate at every level of society, from social movements up to international negotiations, hopefully learning from the achievements of Ms Carson’s book.”

Natalie Bennett

Leader of the Green Party of England and Wales .

“I’d recommend, for readers well into their science studies, or readers prepared to stick with some fairly technical stuff, Oxygen: A Four Billion Year History by Donald E Canfield.

“It explains both the incredible recent progress of the science (lots of what I was taught in school is now clearly wrong), and also still how little we know about the massive past changes in our world that could help inform us about the risks of the Anthropocene. I’ve written more here .”

David MacKay

Professor of engineering at the University of Cambridge and former chief scientific adviser to the Department of Energy and Climate Change.

“I recommend Challenged By Carbon by Bryan Lovell. This is an unusual book, intertwining two stories, one of them 55 million years old, and one less than 55 years old. For the older, slower story, Dr Lovell delves into the details of the geological history of Iceland, the North Atlantic, and the North Sea.

“The younger, rapidly-moving story is the `insider’s view’ of how the oil industry, in the last 15 years, changed its mind about human-caused climate change. Starting from positions of climate inactivism (by which I mean ‘yeah, it may be true, but there’s lots of uncertainty and there’s no point doing anything, and we oppose greenhouse-gas-reduction treaties’) or outright denial, the big oil companies, driven by the science, changed their tunes.”

Political director of Greenpeace UK

“I am not a Utopian. I think the best that I can do is battle dystopia –  and leave the door open for human potential.  And so the book I would recommend is a story about ‘little’ people toiling against the tyranny of big lies – against those sweeping ideological certainties that disconnect us from reality and enable war, cruelty and poverty to ride triumphant.

” Alone in Berlin by Hans Fallada tells the story of an elderly German couple whose son is killed in the Second World War.  Their hearts are broken, and they set out on a brave, funny and finally doomed mission to tell the truth to their fellow citizens.

“The example of remaining consistently faithful to a politics that protects the intimate and domestic is one I find inspiring and in this case awe-inspiring.  I would like it to inform all my work, not just my work on climate change.”

Richard Betts

Leader of the climate impacts team at the Met Office.

“I was particularly inspired by Gaia: A new look at life on Earth by James Lovelock, which I read in 1991 when doing my MSc in meteorology. I was fascinated by the idea that life plays a central role in the climate system, and this has led to the well-established field of Earth System Science which is where I see my own research contributing.

“I acknowledged Lovelock in my first paper in Nature on climate-vegetation feedbacks, which led to a set of new models in the Met Office Hadley Centre that are now central to the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change assessment reports.”

Psychotherapist researching climate change.

“My choice isn’t an old favourite but a new one, Naomi Klein’s This Changes Everything: Capitalism vs the Climate [published tomorrow, 16 September]. Klein covers all bases with a clear systematic understanding of the issues.

“She’s curious about the everyday denial which allows us to simultaneously know but ignore the significance of climate change. She’s courageous in investigating our abuse of nature. She’s savvy about politics and the deadly influence of free-market fundamentalism. She takes on the arguments about growth.

“She’s clear-headed about the need for state intervention. She’s encouraging about the possibilities of building solidarity. She’s empathic with and angry about the suffering of ordinary people. And she weaves it all together in clear, compelling prose. Everything you need in one book.”

Oliver Morton

Briefings editor of the Economist and author of Eating the Sun: How Plants Power the Planet .

“Two big influences on me: The Ages of Gaia , by Jim Lovelock – probably his best book. I already had a sense of earth system science and of the deep past, so the book simply fascinated me, and deepened both my knowledge of and my feelings about the planet. If I hadn’t been prepared for it I think it would have blown my mind completely.

“And the Martian Trilogy by Kim Stanley Robinson. These excellent books are not just among the best science fiction novels of recent decades. Their central theme of terraforming makes them a long and subtle look at political and personal beliefs in the context of changing how a planet works.

“The estrangement that comes from making the debate about Mars and not (directly) the Earth makes the effect all the stronger, opening up the question of what it really means to be an environmentalist.”

Jules Verne – an early thinker about the risks of geoengineering, it turns out

Brigitte Nerlich

Professor of science, language & society at Nottingham University .

“If I had to choose a text, but only if I had to, because it would be a lie to say that a particular text ‘inspired’ me to think about climate change, I would point Jules Verne’s The Purchase of the North Pole .

[Originally titled Sans Dessus Dessous, the book takes readers on a flight of imagination in which a group of entrepreneurs plan to use a giant cannon to alter the earth’s tilt, so ending seasons, melting the North Pole and making accessible vast coal reserves under the Arctic.]

“I read this book many years ago when studying French literature and had almost forgotten about it. However, it all came back to me when beginning to explore the social and cultural roots and impacts of debates about climate change in general and geoengineering in particular.

“Debates about the climate and human interference in the climate system have a long history, not only in science, but also in popular culture. Understanding these debates needs knowledge of both.”

Green thinker and co-founder of environment thinktank E3G .

“There are two quotations from the Duino Elegies by Rainer Maria Rilke that have been important for me in my thirty year involvement in climate change. They come from the Duino Elegies, Rilke’s masterpiece which he began composing in June of 1914.

“The first is ‘strange to see all that once was relation so loosely fluttering, hither and thither, in space’. This line sums up for me what we are fighting for. Climate change will destroy ‘all that was once relation’ – everything that is best about this planet both from what nature has done and what mankind has done.

“The second quotation is ‘Is it not time that in loving we learnt to endure as, quivering, the arrow endures the string, to become in the gathering outleap something more than itself’. There are many dark days in the fight to keep the climate safe for civilisation and I find a comfort in these words when my spirits are low.”

Prakash Mathema

Nepalese climate expert and chair of the Least Developed Countries group at the UN climate negotiations.

“Climate change is undermining the development efforts of Nepal and other Least Developed Countries, making it even more difficult for us to reduce poverty and enhance economic growth. My firm belief is that the UN climate convention is the only legitimate global forum where international cooperation can best deliver such an agreement spurred me to join the climate change negotiations process.

“I have been inspired by Hot, Flat and Crowded by Thomas Friedman, which asserts that the best way forward is to replace wasteful inefficient energy practices with a strategy for clean energy, energy efficiency and conservation.

” Toward a Binding Climate Change Adaptation Regime by Mizan Khan is another inspiration. It sets out a framework for establishing a legally-binding adaptation regime under the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change, with the view to reducing the gap between the focus on mitigation and adaptation.”

A New York Times article of 8 January 1979 inspired Ken Caldeira

Ken Caldeira

Climate scientist at the Carnegie Institution Department of Global Ecology at Stanford University.

“I was inspired to get into climate science by reading the daily newspaper. In 1979 I read a story in the New York Times about the potential for greenhouse warming to melt ice sheets and result in dramatic sea level rise. I then got my hands on some early reports on climate change.

“Back then, there was no Internet and you had to either go to libraries or even write to people by postal mail. It is far easier to get information now, but also far easier to find bad information. Eventually, I went to graduate school and became a scientist which was one of the best decisions I have ever made.”

Professor of climate and culture at Kings College London and author of Why We Disagree About Climate Change .

“Hubert Lamb’s Climate, History and the Modern World surveys a huge canvas and he paints in eloquent terms the relationships between climate and society over the last 2,000 years. The book first established for me that, whatever the balance of factors that contribute to a changing climate, climate should not be regarded as a fixed boundary condition for society.

“Although Lamb was never entirely convinced by the arguments for the enhanced greenhouse effect being the dominant cause of climate change, he had grasped before all of us that climate and society are tightly coupled systems and co-evolve on all time and space scales.”

Climate scientist at the University of Reading . Runs the Climate Lab Book website.

“The Callendar Effect , by James Fleming describes the work of Guy Stewart Callendar in establishing the role of carbon dioxide in warming the planet. Callendar was the first person to demonstrate that the Earth was warming in 1938, and that increases in atmospheric CO2 were at least partly responsible.

“These feats are even more impressive given that he was an amateur meteorologist, and did all the tedious calculations by hand. The book helps highlight that the basic physics behind climate science was established many decades ago.”

Geoffrey Lean

Environment correspondent at the Telegraph .

“I started to write about climate change in the 1970s, inspired by Barbara Ward’s and Rene Dubos’ classic Only One Earth . But the book that most impressed the importance of the issue upon me was Nigel Calder’s The Weather Machine and the Threat of Ice published in 1974.

“Calder’s book was concerned with global cooling not warming and perhaps marked the climax of the short-lived concern that the major danger was of a new ice age – a concern now routinely mocked by climate contrarians, somewhat paradoxically because he was a prominent sceptic himself. But it introduced to me – and the general public – the  important concept that climates can change both rapidly and radically.”

Researcher and writer on the politics of science, technology and the environment. Contributor to the Road to Paris blog .

” The Discovery of Global Warming by Spencer Weart doesn’t offer a eureka moment. As the author stresses, our knowledge of climate change has been an elongated process of multiple discoveries, scientific and political.

“Such granular development might seem a bit depressing and/or boring. But this book is both engrossing and liberating. It’s a useful explainer of how we got to here with respect to climate change, but it’s also a book of hope. Above all, it’s a story of social awareness and change, with a real sense that more change is possible.”

Head of policy at Ovo Energy , and former head of energy and environment at Policy Exchange .

“I tend to think the most useful books about climate change are often those which have nothing to do with it, but make general arguments that are applicable to the debate (John Kay’s Truth About Markets is the best example).

“But Sustainable Energy Without the Hot Air by David Mackay is an excellent exception. It drills down into the detail of what a low-carbon UK actually means, challenges woolly thinking on the argument that decarbonisation is easy and makes the reader confront difficult choices. It is a wonk reference work and we use it most weeks in our internal discussions.”

James Painter

Climate journalism researcher and head of journalism fellowship programme at Oxford University’s Reuters Institute .

“It is virtually impossible to write a successful novel about climate change. The science gets in the way, the characters too easily become advocates for action or villains for opposing it, or plots can be too driven by visions of apocalypse.

” Flight Behaviour by Barbara Kingsolver is the exception. Her knowledge of etymology is worn lightly, her characters are drawn with sympathy and insight, and her narrative is compelling. She even knows about science communication. The scientist at one point complains that ‘as long as we won’t commit to knowing everything, the presumption is we know nothing’.”

Katharine Hayhoe

Director of the Climate Science Centre at Texas Tech University and science advisor to climate change documentary series ‘ Years of Living Dangerously ‘.

” Red Sky Warning by Gus Speth places climate change within the larger context of human society and development on this planet and what it will take to ensure a truly sustainable life for ourselves and our kids.”

Mark Brandon

Climate scientist and ice expert at the Open University .

“I love Fixing Climate by Robert Kunzig and Wallace Broecker because it plays to my natural optimistic personality. It’s a book of two halves.

“In the first we get a fantastic overview of how climate history was discovered by one of the pioneers. It spells out what the climate problem is and what may very likely happen in the near future.

“In the second half Kunzig and Broecker explain what we could actually do to solve the situation we have mostly unknowingly created. It’s very well written and is compelling stuff. I am surprised it is not more popular.”

Max Boykoff’s copy of The Carbon War is well-thumbed

Max Boykoff

Climate media researcher and associate professor, Colorado University.

“I can point to Jeremy Leggett’s The Carbon War . Published in 2001, it is an early take on the politics of climate change. His sharp accounts of the foundational science-policy interactions at the international scale still make this a useful set of insights that shed light on continuing climate change politics in 2014.

“The crescendo of the book in Kyoto in 1997 is worth revisiting as we move through critical UN climate meetings in Lima, Bonn and Paris over the next 15 months or so. It inspired me to do work I continue doing now on the cultural politics of climate change – my heavily dog-eared and marked up copy remains close by in my office.”

Jonathon Porritt

Environmentalist and author of Capitalism As If the World Matters .

“I would like to put forward  Reinventing Fire by Amory Lovins and others at the Rocky Mountain Institute. Lovins has been summoning up visions and blueprints for an ultra-low-carbon world for around forty years, so he really knows what he’s talking about by now. Reinventing Fire fizzes with intellectual and practical energy of every kind. It’s like sticking your finger into a scintillating and wholly uplifting energy source – without the pain!”

Director of research at the Climatic Research Unit , University of East Anglia.

“Nothing really inspired me to get where I am back in the 1970s (I finished my PhD in 1976/7). At that time it was just a job. It has worked out well, but this was basically chance. When I started it was climate research. There wasn’t climate change then!

“We have prospective MSc students wanting to read something before they come. I always recommend the Rough Guide to Climate Change – which seems now in its third edition. Not really inspirational, but gets across simply many of the points we want to instill into a new set of students.”

Bryony Worthington

Labour life peer and founder of carbon trading campaign group Sandbag .

“The book that inspired me when I was starting to get interested in climate change was   Natural Capitalism , in particular Chapters 12 and 13. It’s a fascinating and stimulating read that influenced me when I was thinking of starting Sandbag. Even today we often quote the great line: ‘In God we trust: all others bring data.’

“It was in this book I first came across the idea of Negawatts and the idea of creating markets in increased resource efficiency. There is still a long way to go to bring many of these ideas to life but the overwhelming logic of them is compellingly presented in this book.”

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Ecological Impacts of Climate Change (2008)

Chapter: 1 introduction.

Below is the uncorrected machine-read text of this chapter, intended to provide our own search engines and external engines with highly rich, chapter-representative searchable text of each book. Because it is UNCORRECTED material, please consider the following text as a useful but insufficient proxy for the authoritative book pages.

1 Introduction The world’s climate is changing, and it will continue to change throughout the 21st century and beyond. Rising temperatures, new precipitation patterns, and other changes are already affecting many aspects of human society and the natural world. Climate change is transforming ecosystems at extraordinary rates and scales. As each species responds to its changing environment, its interactions with the physical world and the creatures around it change—triggering a cascade of impacts throughout the ecosystem, such as expansion into new areas, the intermingling of formerly non-overlapping species, and even species extinctions Climate change is happening on a global scale, but the ecological impacts are often local and vary from place to place. To illuminate how climate change has affected specific species and ecosystems, this document presents a series of examples of ecological impacts of climate change that have already been observed across the United States. Human actions have been a primary cause of the climate changes observed today, but humans are capable of changing our behavior in ways that reduce the rate of future climate change. Human actions are also needed to help wild species adapt to climate changes that cannot be avoided. Our approaches to energy, agriculture, water management, fishing, biological conservation, and many other activities will all affect the ways and extent to which climate change will alter the natural world—and the ecosystems on which we depend. What are ecosystems and why are they important? Humans share Earth with a vast diversity of animals, plants, and microorganisms. Virtually every part of the planet––the continents, the oceans, and the atmosphere––teems with life. Even the deepest parts of the ocean and rock formations hundreds of meters below the surface are populated with organisms adapted to cope with the unique challenges each environment presents. In our era organisms almost everywhere are facing a new set of challenges; specifically, the challenges presented by rapid climate change. How have plants, animals, and microorganisms coped with the climate changes that have already occurred, and how might they cope with future changes? To explore these questions we start with a discussion of how plants, animals, and microorganisms fit together in ecosystems and the role of climate in those relationships. Earth has a great diversity of habitats. These differ in climate, of course, but also in soils, day length, elevation, water sources, chemistry, and many other factors, and consequently, in the kinds of organisms that inhabit them. The animals, plants, and microorganisms that live in one place, along with the water, soils, and landforms, make an ecosystem. When we attempt to understand the impacts of climate change, thinking about ecosystems––and not just individual species––can be helpful because each ecosystem depends on a wide array of interactions among individuals. Some of these involve competition. For example, some plants shade others or several animals compete for the same scarce food. Some involve relationships between animals and their prey. Others involve decomposition, the process of decay that returns minerals and organic matter to the soil. And some interactions are beneficial to both partners, for example, bees that obtain food from flowers while pollinating them. Climate influences ecosystems and the species that inhabit them in many ways. In general, each type of ecosystem is consistently associated with a particular combination of climate characteristics (Walter 1968). Warm tropical lands with year-round rain typically support 

2 Introduction tall forests with evergreen broadleaved trees. Midlatitude lands with cold winters and moist summers usually support deciduous forests, while drier areas are covered in grasslands, shrublands, or conifer forests. In a similar fashion shallow tropical-ocean waters harbor coral reefs on rocky bottoms and mangrove forests along muddy shores, whereas temperate shores are characterized by kelp forests on rocky bottoms and seagrasses or salt marshes on sediment- covered bottoms. These major vegetation types or biomes can cover vast areas. Within these areas a wide range of subtly different ecosystems utilize sites with different soils, topography, land-use history, ocean currents, or climate details. Humans are an important part of most ecosystems, and many ecosystems have been heavily modified by humans. A plot of intensively managed farmland, a fish pond, and a grazed grassland are just as much ecosystems as is a pristine tropical forest. All are influenced by climate, all depend on a wide variety of interactions, and all provide essential benefits to people. The lives of animals, plants, and microorganisms are strongly attuned to changes in climate, such as variation in temperatures; the amount, timing, or form of precipitation; or changes in ocean currents. Some are more sensitive and vulnerable to climate fluctuations than others. If the climate change is modest and slow, the majority of species will most likely adapt successfully. If the climate change is large or rapid, more and more species will face ecological changes to which they may not be able to adapt. But as we will see later, even modest impacts of climate change can cause a range of significant responses, even if the changes are not so harsh that the organism dies. Organisms may react to a shift in temperature or precipitation by altering the timing of an event like migration or leaf emergence, which in turn has effects that ripple out to other parts of the ecosystem. For example, such timing changes may alter the interactions between predator and prey, or plants (including many crops) and the insects that pollinate their flowers. Ultimately we want to understand how climate change alters the overall functioning of the ecosystem and in particular how it alters the ability of the ecosystem to provide valuable services for humans. Ecosystems play a central role in sustaining humans (Figure 1) (Daily 1997; Millennium Ecosystem Assessment 2005). Ecosystems provide products directly consumed by people. This includes food and fiber from agricultural, marine, and forest ecosystems, plus fuel, including wood, grass, and even waste from some agricultural crops, and medicines (from plants, animals and seaweeds). Our supply and quality of fresh water also depends on ecosystems, as they play a critical role in circulating, cleaning, and replenishing water supplies. Ecosystems also regulate our environment; for example, forests, floodplains, and streamside vegetation can be critically important in controlling risks from floods; likewise, mangroves, kelp forests, and coral reefs dampen the impact of storms on coastal communities. Ecosystems provide cultural services that improve our quality of life in ways that range from the sense of awe many feel when looking up at a towering sequoia tree to educational and recreational opportunities. Ecosystems also provide nature’s support structure; without ecosystems there would be no soil to support plants, nor all the microorganisms and animals that depend on plants. In the oceans, ecosystems sustain the nutrient cycling that supports marine plankton, which in turn supply food for the fish and other seafood humans eat. Algae in ocean ecosystems produce much of the oxygen that we breathe. In general, we do not pay for the services we get from ecosystems, even though we could not live without them and would have to pay a high price to provide artificially. 

Introduction 3 FIGURE 1 Ecosystem services. SOURCE: Millennium Ecosystem Assessment (2005). Ecosystem services rely on complex interactions among many species, so in most environments it is critical that they contain a diverse array of organisms. Even those services that appear to depend on a single species, like the production of honey, actually depend on the interactions of many species, sometimes many hundreds or thousands. Honey comes from honeybees, but the bees depend on pollen and nectar from the plants they pollinate. These plants depend not only on the bees but also on the worms and other soil animals that aerate the soil, the microorganisms that release nutrients, and the predatory insects that limit populations of plant- eating insects. Scientists are still at the early stages of understanding exactly how diversity contributes to ecosystem resilience—the ability of an ecosystem to withstand stresses like pollution or a hurricane without it resulting in a major shift in the ecosystem’s type or the services it provides (Schulze and Mooney 1993; Chapin et al. 1997; Tilman et al. 2006; Worm et al. 2006). But we are already certain about one thing. Each species is a unique solution to a challenge posed by nature and each species’ DNA is a unique and complex blueprint. Once a species goes extinct, we can’t get it back. Therefore, as we look at the impacts of climate change on ecosystems, it is critical to remember that some kinds of impacts—losses of biological diversity—are irreversible. What do we know about current climate change? Over the last 20 years the world’s governments have requested a series of authoritative assessments of scientific knowledge about climate change, its impacts, and possible approaches 

4 Introduction for dealing with climate change. These assessments are conducted by a unique organization, the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC). Every five to seven years, the IPCC uses volunteer input from thousands of scientists to synthesize available knowledge. The IPCC conclusions undergo intense additional review and evaluation by both the scientific community and the world’s governments, resulting in final reports that all countries officially accept (Bolin 2007). The information in the IPCC reports has thus been through multiple reviews and is the most authoritative synthesis of the state of the science on climate change. Earth’s average temperature is increasing In 2007 the IPCC reported that Earth’s average temperature is unequivocally warming (IPCC 2007b). Multiple lines of scientific evidence show that Earth’s global average surface temperature has risen some 0.75°C (1.3°F) since 1850 (the starting point for a useful global network of thermometers). Not every part of the planet’s surface is warming at the same rate. Some parts are warming more rapidly, particularly over land, and a few parts (in Antarctica, for example) have cooled slightly (Figure 2). But vastly more areas are warming than cooling. In the United States average temperatures have risen overall, with the change in temperature generally much higher in the northwest, especially in Alaska, than in the south (Figure 3). The eight warmest years in the last 100 years, according to NASA's Goddard Institute for Space Studies, have all occurred since 1998 (http://www.giss.nasa.gov/research/news/20080116/). During the second half of the 20th century, oceans have also become warmer. Warmer ocean waters cause sea ice to melt, trigger bleaching of corals, result in many species shifting their geographic ranges, stress many other species that cannot move elsewhere, contribute to sea- level rise (see below), and hold less oxygen and carbon dioxide. 

Introduction 5 FIGURE 2 Global trends in temperature. The upper map shows the average change in temperature per decade from 1870 to 2005. Areas in orange have seen temperatures rise between 0.1-0.2oC per decade, so that they average 1.35 to 2.7oC warmer in 2005 than in 1870. The lower map shows the average change in temperature per decade from 1950 to 2005. Areas in deep red have seen temperatures rise on average more than 0.4oC per decade, so that they average more than 2oC warmer in 2005 than in 1950. SOURCE: Joint Institute for the Study of the Atmosphere and Ocean, University of Washington. 

6 Introduction FIGURE 3 Temperature trends in North America, 1955 to 2005. The darker areas have experienced greater changes in temperature. For example, the Pacific Northwest had average temperatures about 1oC higher in 2005 than in 1955, while Alaska’s average temperature had risen by over 2oC. SOURCE: Created with data from Goddard Institute for Space Studies. Sea levels are rising Climate change also means that sea levels are rising. Not only do warmer temperatures cause glaciers and land ice to melt (adding more volume to oceans), but seawater also expands in volume as it warms. The global average sea level rose by just under 2 mm/yr (0.08in/yr) during the 20th century, but since satellite measurements began in 1992, the rate has been 3.1 mm/year (0.12in/yr)(IPCC 2007a). Along some parts of the U.S. coast, tide gauge records show that sea level rose even faster (up to 10 mm/yr, 0.39in/yr) because the land is also subsiding. As sea level rises, shoreline retreat has been taking place along most of the nation’s sandy or muddy shorelines, and substantial coastal wetlands have been lost due to the combined effects of sea- level rise and direct human activities. In Louisiana alone, 4900 km2 (1900 mi2) of wetlands have been lost since 1900 as a result of high rates of relative sea-level rise together with curtailment of the supply of riverborne sediments needed to build wetland soils. The loss of these wetlands has diminished the ability of that region to provide many ecosystem services, including commercial fisheries, recreational hunting and fishing, and habitats for rare, threatened, and migratory species, as well as weakening the region’s capacity to absorb storm surges like those caused by Hurricane Katrina (Day et al. 2007). Higher sea levels can also change the salinity and water circulation patterns of coastal estuaries and bays, with varying consequences for the mix of species that can thrive there. 

Introduction 7 Other effects are being seen Water Cycle Climate change is linked to a number of other changes that already can be seen around the world. These include earlier spring snowmelt and peak stream flow, melting mountain glaciers, a dramatic decrease in sea ice during the arctic summer, and increasing frequency of extreme weather events, including the most intense hurricanes (IPCC 2007b). Changes in average annual precipitation have varied from place to place in the United States (Figure 4). Climate dynamics and the cycling of water between land, rivers and lakes, and clouds and oceans are closely connected. Climate change to date has produced complicated effects on water balances, supply, demand, and quality. When winter precipitation falls as rain instead of snow and as mountain snowpacks melt earlier, less water is “stored” in the form of snow for slow release throughout the summer (Mote 2003), when it is needed by the wildlife in and around streams and rivers and for agriculture and domestic uses. Even if the amount of precipitation does not change, warmer temperatures mean that moisture evaporates more quickly, so that the amount of moisture available to plants declines. The complex interaction between temperature and water demand and availability means that climate change can have many different kinds of effects on ecosystems. FIGURE 4 Trends in precipitation from 1901 to 2006 in the United States. Areas in red are averaging some 30 percent less precipitation per year now than they received early in the 1900s. Dark blue areas are averaging 50 percent more precipitation per year. SOURCE: Backlund 2008. Created with data from the USGS and NOAA/NCDC. Extreme Events The character of extreme weather and climate events is also changing on a global scale. The number of frost days in midlatitude regions is decreasing, while the number of days with extreme warm temperatures is increasing. Many land regions have experienced an increase in days with very heavy rain, but the recent CCSP report on climate extremes concluded that “there are recent 

8 Introduction regional tendencies toward more severe droughts in the southwestern U.S., parts of Canada and Alaska, and Mexico” (Kunkel et al. 2008, Dai et al. 2004; Seager et al., 2007). These seemingly contradictory changes are consistent with a climate in which a greater input of heat energy is leading to a more active water cycle. In addition, warmer ocean temperatures are associated with the recent increase in the fraction of hurricanes that grow to the most destructive categories 4 and 5 (Emanuel 2005; Webster et al. 2005). Arctic Sea Ice Every year the area covered by sea ice in the Arctic Ocean expands in the winter and contracts in the summer. In the first half of the 20th century the annual minimum sea-ice area in the Arctic was usually in the range of 10 to 11 million km2 (3.86 to 4.25 million mi2) (ACIA 2005). In September 2007 sea-ice area hit a single-day minimum of 4.1 million km2 (1.64 million mi2), a loss of about half since the 1950s (Serreze et al. 2007). The decrease in area is matched by a dramatic decrease in thickness. From 1975 to 2000 the average thickness of Arctic sea ice decreased by 33 percent, from 3.7 to 2.5 m (12.3 to 8.3 ft) (Rothrock et al. 2008). Ocean Acidification About one-third of the carbon dioxide emitted by human activity has already been taken up by the oceans, thus moderating the increase of carbon dioxide concentration in the atmosphere and global warming. But, as the carbon dioxide dissolves in sea water, carbonic acid is formed, which has the effect of acidifying, or lowering the pH, of the ocean (Orr et al. 2005). Although not caused by warming, acidification is a result of the increase of carbon dioxide, the same major greenhouse gas that causes warming. Ocean acidification has many impacts on marine ecosystems. To date, laboratory experiments have shown that although ocean acidification may be beneficial to a few species, it will likely be highly detrimental to a substantial number of species ranging from corals to lobsters and from sea urchins to mollusks (Raven et al. 2005; Doney et al. 2008; Fabry et al. 2008). Causes of climate change Both natural variability and human activities are contributing to observed global and regional warming, and both will contribute to future climate trends. It is very likely that most of the observed warming for the last 50 years has been due to the increase in greenhouse gases related to human activities (in IPCC reports, “very likely” specifically means that scientists believe the statement is at least 90 percent likely to be true; “likely” specifically means about two-thirds to 90 percent likely to be true [IPCC 2007b]). While debate over details is an important part of the scientific process, the climate science community is virtually unanimous on this conclusion. The physical processes that cause climate change are scientifically well documented. The basic physics of the way greenhouse gases warm the climate were well established by Tyndall, Ahrrenius, and others in the 19th century (Bolin 2007). The conclusions that human actions have very likely caused most of the recent warming and will likely cause more in the future are based on the vast preponderance of accumulated scientific evidence from many different kinds of observations (IPCC 2007b). Since the beginning of the Industrial Revolution, human activities that clear land or burn fossil fuels have been injecting rapidly increasing amounts of greenhouse gases such as carbon dioxide (CO2) and methane (CH4) into the atmosphere. In 2006 emissions of CO2 were about 36 billion metric tons (39.6 billion English tons), or about 5.5 metric tons (6.0 English tons) for every human being (Raupach et al. 2007). In the United States average CO2 

Introduction 9 emissions in 2006 were approximately 55 kg (120 lb) per person per day. As a consequence of these emissions, atmospheric CO2 has increased by about 35 percent since 1850. Scientists know that the increases in carbon dioxide in the atmosphere are due to human activities, not natural processes, because they can fingerprint carbon dioxide (for example, by the mix of carbon isotopes it contains, its spatial pattern, and trends in concentration over time) and identify the sources. Concentrations of other greenhouse gases have also increased, some even more than CO2 in percentage terms (Figure 5). Methane, which is 25 times more effective per molecule at trapping heat than CO2, has increased by 150 percent. Nitrous oxide (N2O), which is nearly 300 times more effective per molecule than CO2 at trapping heat, has increased by over 20 percent (Forster et al. 2007). Scientific knowledge of climate is far from complete. Much remains to be learned about the factors that control the sensitivity of climate to increases in greenhouse gases, rates of change, and the regional outcomes of the global changes. These uncertainties, however, concern the details and not the core mechanisms that give scientists high confidence in their basic conclusions. 

10 Introduction Atmospheric concentrations of CO2, CH4 and N2O over the last 10,000 years (large panels) and since 1750 (inset panels). Measurements are shown from ice cores (symbols with different colors for different studies) and atmospheric samples (red lines). The corresponding radiative forcings (amount of energy trapped per unit area) relative to 1750 are shown on the right hand axes of the large panels. Source: IPCC 2007d. FIGURE 5: Historical concentrations of greenhouse gasses CO2, CH4, and N2O over the past 10,000 years. For each of these greenhouse gases, the characteristic “hockey stick” shape of the 

Introduction 11 curve is the result of large increases in the concentrations of these gases very recently, compared to their relatively stable levels over the past 10,000 years. SOURCE: IPCC 2007d. What do we expect from future climate change? Evidence of rising atmospheric and ocean temperatures, changing precipitation patterns, rising sea levels, and decreasing sea ice is already clear. Average temperatures will almost certainly be warmer in the future. The amount of future climate change depends on human actions. A large number of experiments with climate models indicate that if the world continues to emphasize rapid economic development powered by fossil fuels, it will probably experience dramatic warming during the 21st century. For this kind of “business as usual” future the IPCC (IPCC 2007b) projects a likely range of global warming over 1990 levels of 2.4-6.4ºC (4.3-11.5ºF) by 2100 (Figure 6, scenario A1F1). If greenhouse gas emissions grow more slowly, peak around the year 2050, and then fall, scientists project a likely warming over 1990 levels of 1.1-2.9ºC (2.0- 5.2ºF) by 2100 (Figure 6, scenario B1).5 Temperature increases at the high end of the range of possibilities are very likely to exceed many climate thresholds. Warming of 6°C (10.8°F) or more (the upper end of the projections that the 2007 IPCC rates as “likely”) would probably have catastrophic consequences for lifestyles, ecosystems, agriculture, and other livelihoods, especially in the regions and populations with the least resources to invest in adaptation—that is, the strategies and infrastructure for coping with the climate changes. Warming to the high end of the range would also entail a global average rate of temperature change that, for the next century or two, would dramatically exceed the average rates of the last 20,000 years, and possibly much further into the past. Mean seawater temperatures in some U.S. coastal regions have increased by as much as 1.1°C (2°F) during the last half of the 20th century and, based on IPCC model projections of air temperature, are likely to increase by as much as 2.2-4.4°C (4-8°F) during the present century. “Business as usual” emissions through 2100 would likely lead to oceans with surface temperatures that are 2-4ºC (3.6-7.2ºF) higher than now and surface waters so acidified that only a few isolated locations would support the growth of corals (Cao et al. 2007). Most marine animals, especially sedentary ones, and plants are expected to be significantly stressed by these changes (Hoegh-Guldberg et al. 2007). Some may be able to cope with either increased temperatures or more acidic waters, but adjusting to both may not be feasible for many species. 5 Projections of warming are given as a range of temperatures for three reasons. First, gaps in the scientific understanding of climate limit the accuracy of projections for any specific concentration of greenhouse gases. Changes in wind and clouds can increase or decrease the warming that occurs in response to an increase in the concentration of greenhouse gases. Loss of ice on the sea or snow on land increases the amount of the incoming sunlight that is absorbed, amplifying the warming from greenhouse gases. Second, the pattern of future emissions and the mix of compounds released to the atmosphere cannot be predicted with high confidence. Some kinds of compounds that produce warming remain in the atmosphere only a few days (Ramanathan et al. 2007). Others, like CO2, remain for centuries and longer (Matthews and Caldeira 2008). Still other compounds tend to produce aerosols or tiny droplets or particles that reflect sunlight, cooling the climate. Third, there is substantial uncertainty about the future role of the oceans and ecosystems on land. In the past, oceans and land ecosystems have stored, at least temporarily, about half of the carbon emitted to the atmosphere by human actions. If the rate of storage increases, atmospheric CO2 will rise more slowly. If it decreases, then atmospheric CO2 will rise more rapidly (Field et al. 2007). 

12 Introduction Continued emissions under the “business as usual” scenario could lead by 2100 to 0.6 m (2 ft) or more of sea-level rise. Continuation of recent increases in loss of the ice caps that cover Greenland and West Antarctica could eventually escalate the rate of sea-level rise by a factor of 2 (Overpeck et al. 2006; Meehl et al. 2007; Alley et al. 2005; Gregory and Huybrechts 2006; Rahmstorf 2007). There will also be hotter extreme temperatures and fewer extreme cold events. An increase in climate variability, projected in some models, will entail more frequent conditions of extreme heat, drought, and heavy precipitation. A warmer world will experience more precipitation at the global scale, but the changes will not be the same everywhere. In general, the projections indicate that dry areas, especially in the latitude band just outside the tropics (for example, the southwestern United States), will tend to get drier on average (IPCC 2007b; Kunkel et al. 2008). Areas that are already wet, especially in the tropics and closer to the poles, will tend to get wetter on average. Increased climate variability and increased evaporation in a warmer world could both increase the risk and likely intensity of future droughts. Changes in the frequency or intensity of El Niño events forecast by climate models are not consistent (IPCC 2007b). El Niños are important because they are often associated with large-scale drought and floods in the tropics and heavy rains just outside the tropics, but projecting how the interaction between climate change and El Niño events will affect precipitation patterns is difficult. Another example of inconsistent results from models is that model simulations indicate that future hurricane frequency and average intensity could either increase or decrease (Emanuel et al. 2008), but it is likely that rainfall and top wind speeds in general will increase in a world of warmed ocean temperatures. For all of these different factors––temperature, precipitation patterns, sea-level rise and extreme events––both the magnitude and speed of change are important. For both ecosystems and human activities, a rapid rate of climate change presents challenges that are different from, but no less serious than, the challenges from a large amount of change (Schneider and Root 2001). 

Introduction 13 Solid lines are multi-model global averages of surface warming for scenarios A2, A1B and B1, shown as continuations of the 20th-century simulations. These projections also take into account emissions of short-lived GHGs and aerosols. The pink line is not a scenario, but is for Atmosphere-Ocean General Circulation Model (AOGCM) simulations where atmospheric concentrations are held constant at year 2000 values. The bars at the right of the figure indicate the best estimate (solid line within each bar) and the likely range assessed for the six SRES marker scenarios at 2090-2099. All temperatures are relative to the period 1980-1999. SOURCE IPCC 2007b. FIGURE 6 Projected future temperatures. This figure shows projected trends of average global surface temperature, based on output from all of the major climate models, shown as continuations of the 20th century observations (with the average for 1980-1999 plotted as 0). The pink line represents what would happen if CO2 concentrations could be held constant at year 2000 levels. Scenarios B1, A1B and A2 represent alternative possible futures. A1B and B1 are futures with modest population growth, rapid economic growth, and a globally integrated economy, with A1B focusing on manufacturing and B1 focusing on service industries. A2 is a world with more rapid population growth but slower economic growth and less economic integration. The bars to the right of the graph represent the likely range of average global temperature from the same models in the years 2090-2099 for a wider range of possible futures, with the horizontal bar in the middle indicating the average across the models. As of 2006, actual CO2 emissions were higher than those in the A2 scenario, making the full range of scenarios look like underestimates, at least for the first years of the 21st century. (IPCC 2007b, Raupach et al. 2007). 

14 Introduction Climate change can impact ecosystems in many ways Hundreds of studies have documented responses of ecosystems, plants, and animals to the climate changes that have already occurred (Parmesan 2006; Rosenzweig et al. 2007). These studies demonstrate many direct and indirect effects of climate change on ecosystems. Changes in temperature, for example, have been shown to affect ecosystems directly: the date when some plants bloom is occurring earlier in response to warmer temperatures and earlier springs. Extreme temperatures, both hot and cold, can be important causes of mortality, and small changes in extremes can sometimes determine whether a plant or animal survives and reproduces in a given location. Changes in temperature, especially when combined with changes in precipitation, can have indirect effects as well. For many plants and animals soil moisture is critically important for many life processes; changes in precipitation and in the rate of evaporation interact to determine whether moisture levels remain at a level suitable for various organisms. For fish and other aquatic organisms both water temperature and water flow are important and influenced by the combined effects of altered air temperatures and precipitation. For example, warmer, drier years in the northwestern United States, often associated with El Niño events and anticipated to be more common under many climate scenarios, have historically been associated with below- average snowpack, stream flow, and salmon survival (Mote 2003). Some salmon populations are especially sensitive to summer temperatures; others are sensitive to low stream-flow volumes in the fall (Crozier and Zabel 2006). The fact that climate change leads to rising seas means that organisms and ecosystems located in coastal zones between the ocean and terrestrial habitats are squeezed, especially when the coastal land is occupied by buildings or crops. The ecological impacts of climate change are not inherently beneficial or detrimental for an ecosystem. The concept that a change is beneficial or detrimental has meaning mainly from the human perspective. For an ecosystem, responses to climate change are simply shifts away from the state prior to human-caused climate change. Measured by particular ecosystem services, some changes could be beneficial; for example, warmer temperatures extend the growing season in some latitudes, and higher CO2 levels increase the growth of some land plants, with higher potential yields of food and forestry products (Nemani et al. 2003). Others are detrimental, for example, western mountain areas with a longer snow-free season are experiencing increased wildfires, reduced potential wood harvests, and loss of some recreational opportunities (Westerling et al. 2006). In some settings uncertainty about future ecosystem services may be a cost in itself, motivating investments that may not turn out to be necessary or that may be insufficient to effectively address changing needs. To date, many species have responded to the effects of climate change by extending their range boundaries both toward the poles (for example, northward in the U.S.) and up in elevation, and by shifting the timing of spring and autumn events. Plants and animals needing to move but prevented from doing so, for example, because appropriate habitat is not present at higher elevations, are at greater risk of extinction. Shifting species ranges, changes in the timing of biological events, and a greater risk of extinction all affect the ability of ecosystems to provide the critical services—products, regulation of the environment, enhanced human quality of life, and natural infrastructure—they have been providing. 

Introduction 15 Ecosystems can adjust to change—over time Ecosystems are not static. They are collections of living organisms that grow and interact and die. Ecosystems encounter an ever changing landscape of weather conditions and various kinds of disturbances, both subtle and severe. Whatever conditions an ecosystem encounters, the individual organisms and species react to the changes in different ways. Ecosystems themselves do not move, individuals and species do; some species can move farther and faster than others, but some may not be able to move at all. For example, a long-lived tree species may take decades to spread to a new range, while an insect with many hatches per year could move quickly. A species that already lives on mountaintops may have nowhere else to retreat. Rapid and extreme disturbances can have major and long-lasting ecological impacts. For example, a severe drought, wildfire, or hurricane can fundamentally reshape an area, often for many decades. In one of the most dramatic examples the impact of an asteroid 65 million years ago is believed to have so radically changed conditions on Earth that the dominant animals, the dinosaurs, died off and were supplanted by mammals (Alvarez et al. 1990). On longer time scales, most places on Earth have experienced substantial climate changes. During the peak of the last ice age, approximately 21,000 years ago, most of Canada and the northern United States were under thousands of feet of ice (Jansen et al. 2007). Arctic vegetation thrived in Kentucky, and sea levels were about 120 m (400 ft) lower than at present. Over the past million years Earth has experienced a series of ice ages, separated by warmer conditions. Global average temperatures during these ice ages were about 4-7°C (7.2-12.6°F) cooler than present, with the cooling and warming occurring over many thousands of years (Jansen et al. 2007). These ice ages triggered extensive ecological responses, including large shifts in the distributions of plants and animals, as well as extinctions. The massive changes during past ice ages certainly pushed ecosystems off large swaths of Earth’s surface as ice- dominated landscapes advanced. However, these changes were generally slow enough that surviving species could move and reassemble into novel, as well as familiar-looking, ecosystems as the ice retreated (Pitelka et al. 1997; Overpeck et al. 2003). The 10,000 years since the last ice age have seen substantial regional and local climate variation, but on a global scale climate was relatively stable, and these regional climate changes did not drive species to extinction nor result in the scale of global ecosystem change seen during glacial-to-interglacial transitions. Even when the global climate is not changing noticeably, regional climate variability (droughts, storms, and heat waves) can have dramatic regional (often short-term) impacts. In a period of climate change it is important to remember that this climate variability will continue to occur on top of the more long-term human-caused climate changes. Data on ecosystem responses to disturbances in the distant past can provide valuable information about likely responses to current and future climate change. But it is important to recognize that the current rate of increase of CO2 in Earth’s atmosphere is faster than at any time measured in the past, indicating that human-caused global climate change in the current era is likely to be exceedingly rapid, many times faster than the long-term global changes associated with onset and termination of the ice ages (Jansen et al. 2007). One of the big concerns about the future is that climate changes in some places may be too fast for organisms to respond in the ways that have helped sustain ecosystem services in response to natural changes in the past. Understanding how quickly ecosystems can and cannot adjust is one of the key challenges in climate change research. 

16 Introduction Climate change, other stresses, and the limits of ecosystem resilience Climate change is not the only way humans are affecting ecosystems. Humans have a large and pervasive influence on the planet. We use a substantial portion of the land for agriculture and the oceans for fishing (Worm et al. 2006; Ellis and Ramankutty 2008). Many rivers are dammed to provide water for crops or people, or they are polluted with fertilizer or other chemicals. Chemical residues and the by-products of industrial activity, from acid precipitation to ozone, affect plant growth. Human activities, especially land and ocean use, limit some opportunities for species migrations while opening routes for other species. Globally humans have moved many non-native species from one ecosystem to another. Ecosystems operate in a context of multiple human influences and interacting factors. Earth’s ecosystems are generally resilient to some range of changes in climate. A resilient ecosystem is one that can withstand a stress like pollution or rebuild after a major disturbance like a serious storm. A resilient ecosystem can cope with a drought or an unusually hot summer in ways that alter some aspects of ecosystem function but do not lead to a major shift in the type of ecosystem or the services it provides. Thus, a resilient ecosystem may not appear to be affected by modest or slow climate changes. But this resilience has limits. When a change exceeds those limits, or is coupled with other simultaneous changes that cause stress, the ecosystem undergoes a major change, often shifting to a fundamentally different ecosystem type. There is a threshold point when dramatic ecosystem transformations may occur (Gunderson and Pritchard 2002). These thresholds are like the top of a levee as the water level rises. As long as the water level is even slightly below the top of the levee, function is normal. But once it rises above the levee, there is a flood. This kind of threshold response is common in ecosystems, where extreme events like heat waves often serve as triggers for an irreversible transition of the ecosystem to a new state. Currently plants and animals are responding to rapid climate change while simultaneously coping with other human-created stresses such as habitat loss and fragmentation due to development, pollution, invasive species, and overharvesting. How do we know climate change itself is causing major changes in ecosystems? First, species changing their ranges in the Northern Hemisphere are almost uniformly moving their ranges northward and up in elevation in search of cooler temperatures (Parmesan and Yohe 2003; Parmesan 2006; Rosenzweig et al. 2007). If any or all of the other stressors were the major cause of ecosystem changes, plants and animals would move in many directions in addition to north, and to lower as well as higher elevations. Second, when we look at the association over time of changes between species ranges and temperatures modeled using only natural variation in climate, such as sunspots and volcanic dust in the stratosphere, the relationship is poor. When temperatures are modeled using natural variability as well as human-caused drivers, such as emission of CO2 and methane, the association is very strong. Consequently, humans are very likely causing changes in regional temperatures to which in turn the plants and animals are responding (Root et al. 2005). 

The world's climate is changing, and it will continue to change throughout the 21st century and beyond. Rising temperatures, new precipitation patterns, and other changes are already affecting many aspects of human society and the natural world.

In this book, the National Research Council provides a broad overview of the ecological impacts of climate change, and a series of examples of impacts of different kinds. The book was written as a basis for a forthcoming illustrated booklet, designed to provide the public with accurate scientific information on this important subject.

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The Paradox That's Supercharging Climate Change

No good deed goes unpunished—and that includes trying to slow climate change. By cutting greenhouse gas emissions, humanity will spew out fewer planet-cooling aerosols—small particles of pollution that act like tiny umbrellas to bounce some of the sun’s energy back into space.

“Even more important than this direct reflection effect, they alter the properties of clouds,” says Øivind Hodnebrog, a climate researcher at the Center for International Climate Research in Oslo, Norway. “In essence, they make the clouds brighter, and the clouds reflect sunlight back into space.”

So as governments better regulate air quality and deploy renewable energy and electric vehicles, we’ll get less warming thanks to fewer insulating emissions going into the sky, but some additional warming because we’ve lost some reflective pollution. Hodnebrog's new research suggests that this aerosol effect has already contributed to a significant amount of heating.

The most important component in fossil fuel pollution is gaseous sulfur dioxide, which forms aerosols in the atmosphere that linger for mere days. So slashing pollution has an almost immediate effect, unlike with carbon dioxide, which lasts for centuries in the atmosphere.

It’s a gnarly, unavoidable catch-22, but in no way a reason to keep polluting willy-nilly. Fossil fuel aerosols kill millions of people a year by contributing to respiratory problems, cardiovascular diseases, and other health issues. So by decarbonizing we’ll improve both planetary and human health. The urgency is growing by the day: Last year was by far the hottest on record , and this March was the 10th month in a row to notch all-time highs. Meanwhile, ocean temperatures—boosted by El Niño, the warm band of water that periodically arises in the Pacific, which also added heat to the atmosphere—have soared to and maintained record highs for over a year, stunning scientists .

“The preponderance of those records and the margins by which they were broken was eye-opening,” says Jennifer Francis, senior scientist at the Woodwell Climate Research Center in Massachusetts. “Until society manages to stop increasing the greenhouse blanket, record-smashing events like those in 2023 will become more common, even without the boost from El Niño.”

Slowing down the growth of that insulating blanket is already underway. “We seem to be flattening greenhouse gas emissions , which is a good thing,” says Zeke Hausfather, a research scientist at Berkeley Earth. “But we’re also uncovering some warming that our pollution had historically been masking. And because of that, our models expected—and we seem to be starting to see—some evidence of a speed-up in the rate of surface warming.” This is known in climate science as acceleration. Hausfather points to data showing that since 1970, the warming rate was 0.18 degree Celsius per decade, which has jumped to about 0.3 degree Celsius per decade over the past 15 years.

In his new paper, published in the journal Communications Earth and Environment , Hodnebrog and his colleagues set out to quantify just how much an effect curbing aerosols has had. To start, they gathered measurements between 2001 and 2019 from the Clouds and the Earth’s Radiant Energy System, satellite instruments that detect the difference in the solar energy coming to our planet and the energy reflected back out into space. This is the overall “energy imbalance” of the Earth, with it trending upwards as the world warms.

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The researchers then fed global emissions data into four different state-of-the-art climate models and managed to reproduce those satellite measurements. “When we set the aerosol emissions to constant—so we didn’t include any change over time in the aerosol emissions—then this upward trend in the energy imbalance was much reduced, and we didn’t manage to reproduce the satellite measurements,” says Hodnebrog. “So our main conclusion is that these aerosol emission reductions need to be accounted for in order to explain what we see now, what we measure from space.”

The researchers found that over the past two decades, the reduction in aerosol emissions has accounted for nearly 40 percent of the increase in energy imbalance—that is, the extra warming energy that’s raised global temperatures. “I would be surprised if this will not lead to temporary acceleration in surface temperature warming,” says Hodnebrog of the ongoing tailing off of aerosol emissions.

Projecting forward with aerosols, though, is tricky, because we’re dealing with extraordinarily complex atmospheric processes. For one, modeling cloud formation is notoriously difficult, and it’s hard to tell just how much human-made aerosols contribute to a given cloud versus natural aerosols.

There’s also uncertainty about how strong a cooling effect aerosols have up in the sky. If they have an intense cooling effect, we’ll get more warming in the future as they decrease. It’d be like switching off the planet’s air conditioning. But if they have a milder cooling effect, losing them wouldn’t lead to as much warming. In 2022, a separate team of scientists calculated that if it ends up being the latter case, we’d have a better chance of keeping warming below the 1.5-degree Celsius limit established in the Paris Agreement. (In their new aerosols paper, Hodnebrog and his colleagues accounted for this uncertainty by running those different models, which had different representations of aerosols and their interactions with clouds. Their results were the average of the four models.)

Even in the present day, some scientists are skeptical that we’re seeing acceleration of global warming from reduced aerosols. “Yes, it is responsible for the acceleration in warming during the 1970s to 1980s,” says climate scientist Michael Mann of the University of Pennsylvania. That was when clean-air regulations started requiring “scrubbers” on coal-fired power plants to remove the sulfur dioxide that forms aerosols. “There is no evidence for any acceleration over the past few decades, however.”

Instead, we could be seeing natural variability, Mann says—the rising and falling of global temperatures over the years that Earth would see even in the absence of human-caused warming. Last year was a good illustration of this. Record-smashing temperatures were due to humans failing to stop pumping so much carbon into the atmosphere, but also due in part to the natural emergence of El Niño. “Think of it as a tide on top of a rising sea,” Mann says. “The rising sea—the steady warming—is what we should be concerned about, and that will continue until net emissions reach zero.”

That much is very clear, and very much agreed upon by scientists: Humans need to stop burning fossil fuels, even if losing some aerosols leads to additional warming going forward. “Right now the recent acceleration is borderline significant, which is why there’s some debate,” says Francis. “But aside from all this, the real story is the relentless global warming that we know is caused by the thickening blanket of greenhouse gases owing to human activities.”

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Guest Essay

We Don’t See What Climate Change Is Doing to Us

By R. Jisung Park

Dr. Park is an environmental and labor economist and assistant professor at the University of Pennsylvania and author of “Slow Burn: The Hidden Costs of a Warming World.”

Many of us realize climate change is a threat to our well being. But what we have not yet grasped is that the devastation wreaked by climate change comes not just from headline-grabbing catastrophes but also from the subtler accumulation of innumerable slow and unequal burns that are already underway — the nearly invisible costs that may not raise the same alarm but that, in their pervasiveness and inequality, may be much more harmful than commonly realized. Recognizing these hidden costs will be essential as we prepare ourselves for the warming that we have ahead of us.

Responsibility for mitigating climate change on the local level lies in part with public institutions — not only in encouraging emissions reductions, but also in facilitating adaptation. Public discourse around climate change too often misses the central role that local institutions play in this latter function, how much of the realized pain locally depends not simply on the physical phenomena of climate change per se but also how they interact with human systems — economic, educational, legal and political.

Let’s start with heat, which is killing more people than most other natural disasters combined. Research shows that record-breaking heat waves are only part of the story. Instead, it may be the far more numerous unremarkably hot days that cause the bulk of societal destruction, including through their complex and often unnoticed effects on human health and productivity. In the United States, even moderately elevated temperatures — days in the 80s or 90s — are responsible for just as many excess deaths as the record triple-digit heat waves, if not more, according to my calculations based on a recent analysis of Medicare records.

In some highly exposed and physically demanding industries, like mining, a day in the 90s can increase injury risk by over 65 percent relative to a day in the 60s. While some of these incidents involve clear cases of heat illness, my colleagues and I have found that a vast majority appear to come from ostensibly unrelated accidents, like a construction worker falling off a ladder, or a manufacturing worker mishandling hazardous machinery. In California, our research shows that heat may have routinely caused 20,000 workplace injuries per year, only a tiny fraction of which were officially recorded as heat-related.

A growing body of literature links temperature to cognitive performance and decision-making. Research shows that hotter days lead to more mistakes, including among professional athletes ; more local crime ; and more violence in prisons , according to working papers. They also correspond with more use of profanity on social media , suggesting that even an incrementally hotter world is likely to be a nontrivially more irritable, error-prone and conflictual one.

Children are not immune. In research using over four million student test scores from New York City, I found that, from 1999 to 2011, students who took their high school Regents exams on a 90-degree day were 10 percent less likely to pass their subjects relative to a day in the 60s. In other research, my colleagues Joshua Goodman, Michael Hurwitz, Jonathan Smith and I found that across the country, hotter school years led to slower gains on standardized exams like the Preliminary SAT exams. It may not seem a huge effect on average: roughly 1 percent of learning lost per one-degree-hotter school year temperatures. Probably hardly noticeable in any given year. But because these learning effects are cumulative, they may have significant consequences.

And that’s just heat. Researchers are bringing to light the more subtle yet cumulatively damaging effects of increased wildfires and other natural disasters. The hidden consequences of wildfire smoke may cut even deeper than the more visible death and destruction caused by the flames. Tallying the downstream economic and health costs of smoke exposure, researchers have estimated in a not-yet-published paper that increased wildfire smoke due to climate change may cause more than 20,000 additional deaths per year nationwide by 2050. Very few of these will be officially categorized as having been caused by wildfires, because they will have been the result of the cumulative influence of worsened air quality and weakened health over the course of many weeks and months. Research now suggests that wildfire smoke can adversely affect fetal health , student learning and workers’ earnings as well.

Since even “noncatastrophic” climate change may be more subtly damaging and inequality amplifying than we used to think, local interventions are essential to help us prepare for the warming that is to come.

At present, our social and economic systems are not well prepared to adjust to the accumulating damage wreaked by climate change, even though much of what determines whether climate change hurts us depends on the choices we make as individuals and as a society. Whether a hot day leads to mild discomfort or widespread mortality comes down to human decisions — individual decisions such as whether to install and operate air-conditioning, and collective decisions around the pricing and availability of insurance, the allocation of hospital beds, or the procedures and norms governing how and when workers work.

Recent research indicates that how temperature affects human health depends greatly on the adaptations that happen to be at play locally. For instance, a day above 85 degrees in the coldest U.S. ZIP codes has nearly 10 times the effect on elderly mortality relative to in the warmest ZIP codes. In other words, a string of such days in a place like Seattle will lead to a much higher increase in the mortality rate than in a place like Houston, even though both places have similar income levels. In rural India , institutional factors like access to banking may affect how many lives are ultimately lost due to heat; heat can reduce crop yields, leaving subsistence farmers dependent on financing sources to keep them afloat.

In our research of heat and learning , we find that the adverse effects of a one-degree-hotter school year are two to three times larger for Black and Hispanic students, who are less likely to have working air-conditioning at school or at home even within a given city, and are virtually nonexistent in schools and neighborhoods with high levels of home and school air-conditioning. We estimate that hotter temperatures may already be responsible for 5 percent of racial academic achievement gaps. Without remedial investments, climate change is likely to widen these gaps further. With a shift in focus to these subtler social costs, we can devise and carry out more effective strategies. But right now, adaptation efforts remain highly fragmented and are often focused on more visibly salient climate hazards, like storm surges .

And, of course, an empirically nuanced understanding of climate damages makes it even clearer that reducing emissions aggressively makes cost-benefit sense, not only because we want to insure against total ecological breakdown (cue “extinction rebellion” and “tipping points”), but also because the economic costs of even “noncatastrophic” warming may be considerable. Recent Environmental Protection Agency estimates that incorporate just some of these cumulative impacts suggest that a single ton of carbon dioxide sets in motion $190 worth of future social costs, which means that technologies that can reduce such emissions at a lower per-ton cost are most likely worth pursuing.

Climate change is a complex phenomenon whose ultimate costs will depend not only on how quickly we transition away from fossil fuels but also on how well we adapt our social and economic systems to the warming we have in store. A proactive stance toward adaptation and resilience may be useful from the standpoint of safeguarding one’s own physical and financial security, whether as a homeowner or the head of a Fortune 500 company. It may be vital for ensuring that the ladders of economic opportunity are not fraying for those attempting to climb its lower rungs.

R. Jisung Park is an environmental and labor economist and assistant professor at the University of Pennsylvania and author of “Slow Burn: The Hidden Costs of a Warming World.”

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