Why climate matters: What science tells us about climate change

The now rampant levels of greenhouse gases, especially of carbon dioxide, work like a blanket which traps heat within the earth’s atmosphere. And the thicker this blanket gets as a result of ever more CO2 emissions, the more heat it traps. Science shows that the planet today is already about 1°C hotter compared to average temperatures before the industrial age.¹  It is also warming faster. Without any changes to the emissions output, it will be more than 4°C hotter by 2100.²

Like a chain of dominoes, the rising temperatures have many knock-on effects that further disrupt the balance of life on earth. The animal and plant life that forms carefully adjusted living systems is already facing the death of more than one million species as a result of climate change.³

The warming of the planet jeopardises the oceans’ ability to regulate the earth’s climate by moving heat and moisture through wind and currents. Sea levels rise as ice melts and flows into the oceans, especially in Greenland. The warmer water again speeds up the further melting of ice sheets and glaciers. Scientists expect that a melting of the Greenland ice could raise sea levels by up to seven more metres if the warming of the planet is not limited to 1.5°C.⁴

Because the oceans absorb more carbon dioxide than is healthy for them, their chemistry also changes and they become more acidic. Like bones that turn brittle, they lose calcium carbonate which, in turn, disrupts the health and stability of marine life. Especially at risk are coral reefs, which protect coast lines, break down carbon dioxide and act as the oceans’ purification system.

As the earth’s energy balance is disturbed, weather events are getting more extreme. Storms, floods, pollution, heat and droughts will become increasingly severe and affect the health, well-being and livelihoods of humans across the world. More hunger, poverty, social injustice as well as economic and political instability are knock-on effects if global warming continues unabated.

More than 97 per cent of climate scientists are warning that only a limited amount of time remains to contain and mitigate the harmful effects of climate change.⁵  If societies continue to emit carbon dioxide at the current rate, a warming of 1.5°C above pre-industrial levels becomes unavoidable within only seven years, and within 25 years, the climate system will be locked into a temperature level that is 2°C warmer.⁶  The situation would become exponentially worse once climate change reaches certain tipping points, such as the melting of the Arctic permafrost or the deforestation of the Amazon rainforest. By the time today’s teenagers are in their eighties, the planet could be on track for an unstoppable warming of 4°C.⁷

In the 2015 Paris Climate Accord, the international community agreed to keep the planet’s warming within 1.5°C by 2100. However, in order to reach this, greenhouse gas emissions need to be reduced rapidly and brought to zero within the next thirty years. As of yet, the commitments of national governments would lead to a warming by at least 3°C.

The good news is that the solutions to fix the climate crisis are available even now – from more sustainable energies, to more energy-efficient infrastructure, buildings and transport systems, as well as greener farming and food production. There is no one silver bullet to solve the problem of climate change, yet there is plenty of effective silver buckshot to choose from to accelerate the move towards a carbon-free, climate-safe future. Climate philanthropists and social investors can affect change in key sectors and regions or strengthen levers for climate action.