What is the Climate Emergency?
What causes climate change?
Many things we do increase the amount of carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases in the earth's atmosphere. These gases trap the sun’s heat and warm the planet. We can already see the impact of this warming, from more extreme weather to the melting of polar ice, to flooding and crops failing.
We generate greenhouse gases from all sorts of activities. Burning fossil fuels, such as coal, oil and gas, creates greenhouse gases. This creates energy that provides electricity, heat and power. Greenhouse gases are also created during the production of steel, concrete, plastic and other products that we use every day. What we eat also affects the amount of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere.
Climate change is happening now. If we don't take urgent action, there will be irreversible damage.
Page last updated: 04 January 2023
