Climate Change FAQs: Causes, Impacts and Action

Aerial shot of Haiti flooded after a major stormTackling climate change will be a defining challenge for the next decade and beyond. It will take extensive planning and far reaching-change; but it also presents a new opportunity to create exactly the kind of future we want to see, as we transform our society to achieve the goal of net zero emissions by the middle of this century at the latest.

Creating our shared, sustainable future starts with access to clear, accurate information that describes what we know about the causes and impacts of climate change, how we know it and what actions we can take in response. This resource is developed jointly by the Grantham Institute at Imperial College London and the Grantham Research Institute at London School of Economics and Political Sciences. It covers evidence and information on climate science, the economics of climate change, international climate action and the meaning of a just transition.

FAQ categories

How do we know climate change is happening?

Humans are changing the planet’s climate and causing the global average temperature to rise. How do scientists know this is happening and what exactly causes it?
A man in high viz standing thigh deep in floodwater outside a house with a conservatory

What are the impacts of climate change?

How is the climate changing, and what does this mean for humans, plants and natural ecosystems? What is sea level rise and how will it affect coastal cities? And what about the impacts on the economy?
silhouettes of two firefighters tackling a forest fire.

How and when do we need to act on climate change?

Why is it urgent that governments act on climate change now? How do we meet the Paris Agreement? And what is a ‘net-zero’ emissions target?
Contracted workers clean Heliostats at the Ivanpah Solar Project

What are the world’s countries doing about climate change?

The world’s countries have all signed up to the Paris Agreement. But what does this actually mean, and are we on track to meet its goals? Should the UK set tough targets for climate action if other, bigger countries do less?
Man on a platform at sea looking out at offshore wind turbines

How will acting on climate change affect the economy?

We know we need to act on climate change to create a sustainable future. But climate action is also an opportunity to create a new, green economy. What economic benefits and costs does it bring?

How can acting to halt climate change be made ‘fair’?

Does tackling climate change stop countries developing? What is a ‘just transition’? And why do people talk about an ‘ethical obligation’ to act on climate change?
Globe in the form of a pocket watch swinging like a pendulum Play video
What is climate change? How does it impact people and planet? What can we do to tackle the climate crisis? This animation from the UK Universities Climate Network explains the science behind climate change, the impact that climate change is having on the

Climate Change: why it matters & what to do


What is climate change? How does it impact people and planet? What can we do to tackle the climate crisis?

This animation from the UK Universities Climate Network (UUCN) explains the science behind climate change, the impact that climate change is having on the natural world and societies, and what can be done about it.

Acknowledgements

The Grantham Institute at Imperial College London and the Grantham Research Institute at London School of Economics and Political Sciences would like to thank the following people for their contributions to this resource.

Note that each individual contributor has written and reviewed only some of the questions within the FAQ. As such, no individual contributor should be taken to endorse the FAQ in its entirety. 

  • Dr Ed Atkins, University of Bristol
  • Dr Alina Averchenkova, Grantham Research Institute at LSE
  • Dr Alex Bowen, Grantham Research Institute at LSE
  • Dr Paulo Ceppi, Grantham Institute at Imperial College London
  • Patrick Curran, Grantham Research Institute at LSE
  • Professor Sam Fankhauser, Grantham Research Institute at LSE
  • Dr Robert Falkner, Grantham Research Institute at LSE
  • Dr Ajay Gambhir, Grantham Institute at Imperial College London
  • Alyssa Gilbert, Grantham Institute at Imperial College London
  • Fergus Green, London School of Economics and Political Sciences
  • Professor Joanna Haigh CBE FRS, Grantham Institute at Imperial College London
  • Isabella Neuweg, formerly at Grantham Research Institute at LSE (contribution made in this capacity)
  • Katrine Petersen, Grantham Institute at Imperial College London
  • Dr Joana Portugal Pereira, Imperial College London
  • Professor Iain Colin Prentice FRS, Imperial College London
  • Dr James Rising, Grantham Research Institute at LSE
  • Dr Joeri Rogelj, Grantham Institute at Imperial College London
  • Dr James Rydge, formerly at Grantham Research Institute at LSE
  • Professor Martin Siegert FRSE, Grantham Institute at Imperial College London
  • Dr Swenja Surminski, Grantham Research Institute at LSE
  • Dimitri Zenghelis, Grantham Research Institute at LSE

This FAQ is a joint project between the Grantham Institute at Imperial College London and the Grantham Research Institute at London School of Economics.

Grantham Institute and GRI logos

 

 

[Image by UN Photo/Marco Dormino is licensed under CC BY-NC-ND 2.0]