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Essay On Climate Change – 10 Lines, Short and Long Essay For Kids

Key Points To Remember When Writing An Essay On Climate Change For Lower Primary Classes

10 lines on climate change for kids, paragraph on climate change for children, short essay on climate change in 250 words for kids, long essay on climate change in english for children, interesting facts about climate change for kids, what will your child learn from the essay.

Climate change is described as a shift in weather conditions due to human and environmental factors. We are experiencing temperatures rising at substantial rates on earth, and because of this, icecaps are melting. Global warming is a significant concern which is why learning about various hazards such as air, water, and soil pollution, industrial waste disposal, contamination of resources, etc., is crucial. We are going to talk about how to write an essay on climate change for classes 1, 2, and 3 children. A climate change essay in English isn’t hard to comprehend and can be simple; we’ll show you below.

Climate change can be a big threat to our environment, and it affects every aspect of our lives and may cause global catastrophes if ignored. Here are some key points to remember for kids on how to write an essay on climate change.

• Begin with an introductory overview of what climate change is. Describe how it works, impacts the environment, and what steps can be taken to analyse it.
• Discuss the consequences of not addressing climate change concerns and how it may affect livelihood.
• Go through steps on how to reduce waste, increase natural resources, and improve climate change.
• Add a conclusion paragraph at the bottom and summarise your essay.

Intense bouts of famine and rainfall, sudden changes in weather conditions, and forest fires result from climate change. Kids can refer to these lines while writing an essay for classes 1 and 2 on climate change:

• Climate change is bad for our planet and should not be underestimated.
• The consequences of climate change are catastrophic. It can melt glaciers, cause deforestation, and deplete other non-renewable sources
• Animals depend upon natural resources for survival, and climate change causes them to go extinct.
• Climate and global warming negatively impact agriculture.
• Greenhouse gases play a significant role in climate change.
• The earth is heating up at an alarming rate, which is unnatural.
• Ozone layer depletion is a major consequence of climate change.
• We must start inculcating sustainable living practices and ensure our natural resources don’t get depleted.
• Taking better care of our environment and planting many trees makes a big difference.
• We should educate others about climate change and reduce non-biodegradable waste and plastic usage.

Frequent changes in weather conditions are not normal and should be prevented. Given below is a paragraph on climate change for more insight on the topic.

Global warming happens when the earth’s average temperature rises at exponential rates, thus contributing to climate change. We cannot fully control climate change as humans. Still, we certainly play a part by preserving natural resources and controlling air pollution by opting for public transport over private vehicles. Scientists are unclear whether global warming is solely responsible for climate change or whether other factors are involved. The main reason behind climate change is attributed to greenhouse gases, mainly consisting of carbon dioxide, CFOs, methane, and Chloro Fluro Carbons. Constant fluctuations in environmental temperatures can be stressful to wildlife, and nature is not used to going through such shifts. Humanity should join hands to tackle this serious environmental issue.

Climate change is not a good indicator and means that the earth is depleting rapidly. Kids can include this point in a short essay for classes 1, 2, and 3 kids and can write an amazing essay.

The change in the weather patterns over a long period of time is called climate change. These changes are sometimes necessary, while they may be unexpected on rare occasions. Climate change is causing a negative impact on all living beings. The overpopulation crisis makes surviving nearly impossible. People are facing difficulties procuring food and water due to untimely climate fluctuations. Climate change has existed for centuries and is not a recent threat. But it was not so severe or rapid as today. Rather than bring worries, it is imperative to take action and rectify it as soon as possible. The affluent countries can help poorer nations combat the crises and develop adequate funding for access to research and technology. Direct participation of local communities or the grassroots movement is one of the best ways to get to the heart of it. Understanding that climate change results from humanity’s unhealthy relationship with nature is crucial. The Paris Agreement is an example of the world doing its share to build a sustainable future and come together to fight the climate change crisis.

Writing a long-form essay on the topic will need your child to be aware of the existence of climate change and its issues at present, although it began generations ago with the Ice Age. Here is a sample essay for class 3 on climate change your child can read before drafting their own write-up.

Climate change is defined as the change that impacts our ecosystems. This can happen due to internal and external factors, sometimes the scale being large enough to affect communities. The earth has experienced several periods of drought, famine, and cyclical rainfall for more than 2 million years, and many species and wild animals have become extinct due to this reason.

Global warming depletes the ozone layer, impacts agriculture, and affects water supply. Various problems can be caused by climate change, such as transportation issues, natural disasters, water logging, and air pollution. There are various reasons for climate change including fossil fuel extraction, dumping of oils in oceans, industrial waste, and releasing other toxic contaminants such as radiation into the atmosphere, etc.

If we do not think about climate change now, a day will come when the planet may go extinct. There will be heavy damage to the environment, and land may become uninhabitable. Animals depend upon the environment to survive, but too many changes in weather conditions rob them of valuable natural resources. Deforestation and forest fires are also becoming a significant problem in this regard. Although humans are responsible for the adverse effects of climate change, it is not too late to start over or curb them. An excellent first step is planting as many trees as possible and caring for our neighbourhoods.

Rapid warming of the planet is not natural, and in history, it never happened at such unprecedented rates. Volcanos also contribute to climate change by releasing ash, molten lava, and debris into the environment, thus causing landslides and other natural disasters. If everyone takes responsibility for their actions and what they do for the environment, the planet would be a better place to live in.

What Is Climate Change?

Climate change refers to the natural shifts in weather patterns and any changes made in solar cycles. Many changes in the climate are unprecedented, and humans have been noticing these changes for thousands of years.

What Are The Causes And Effects Of Climate Change?

Here is a list of the causes and effects of climate change on the planet.

Causes of Climate Change

A few major causes of climate change are:

• The buildup of greenhouse gases
• Industrial waste disposal
• Soil erosion
• Increased volcanic activity
• Changes in solar cycles

Effects of Climate Change

The major effects of climate change are as follows:

• Droughts and sandstorms
• Destruction of various lifeforms and animal habitats
• High rates of carbon emissions
• Melting of glaciers and ice caps
• Air, soil, and water pollution
• Depletion of natural resources

Ways to Prevent Climate Change

Here are the different ways to prevent climate change:

• Encourage biodiversity in ecosystems by planting more trees and reducing the global warming crisis
• Promote sustainable living practices and recycle waste
• Stop using plastic and do not dump industrial waste in soils and water bodies
• Get active, stop using fossil fuels, and ride your bike more
• Commute to work on foot and use public transportation
• Control your electricity consumption for sustainable living.

Although the samples given above can help your child write a decent essay, some more knowledge on the topic will allow them to add more value to it or make it an interesting read. Read on to learn some interesting facts about climate change.

• The earth was very cold around 600-800 million years ago and turned to ice.
• As per many scientists, climate change is caused by humans these days.
• The earth raised its temperature by 0.69 degrees Celsius between January to December 2014, which was recorded as the highest in history.
• We are currently going through a phase known as the Holocene. The Holocene can be defined as the last 11,700 years of the earth’s existence.

Your child will learn a lot about the earth from writing an essay on the topic. They will understand how they can positively contribute to climate change, what can be done to improve it, and how to preserve our natural resources for a better life on this planet.

The amount of energy we get from the sun proves that life on earth can be perfect. But it’s more about how we use our natural resources and not deplete them. Hopefully, this climate change essay has shed some light on the subject.

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global warming

Introduction.

Greenhouse Effect

To understand global warming, it helps to understand the greenhouse effect . A greenhouse is a glass house where plants grow. Glass lets light in and keeps heat from escaping. This trapped heat keeps the plants warm even when it is cold outside.

Likewise, Earth’s atmosphere traps energy from the Sun. Carbon dioxide and other gases—called greenhouse gases—in the air do this trapping. Without these gases too much heat would go back into space, and living things could not survive. However, as more greenhouse gases get into the air, they also trap more heat. This leads to global warming.

For much of Earth’s history, greenhouse gases were not a problem. This situation changed as people came to depend on fossil fuels (oil, gas, and coal). People burn fossil fuels to power factories, run cars, produce electricity, and heat houses. As fossil fuels burn, they release carbon dioxide into the atmosphere.

Also, people have cut down many forests. Trees use carbon dioxide when they make their own food. Fewer trees mean that less carbon dioxide is being taken out of the atmosphere.

Reasons for Concern

Scientists cannot tell how warm Earth may get over time. Some guess an increase between 3.2° F and 7.2° F (1.8° C and 4° C) by the year 2100. The warmer weather could harm living things. It also could cause polar ice caps to melt. This would cause sea levels to rise. Plants, animals, and buildings along coastlines would be in danger.

Stopping Global Warming

Global warming is a worldwide concern. Governments are trying to find ways to limit the amount of greenhouse gases put into the air. Individual people can help by driving less. They also can save energy by turning off unneeded lights and other electrical devices.

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Global Warming Essay

500+ words global warming essay, its causes, effects and ways to counter it.

Global warming is a serious problem that our planet is facing. The Earth’s average temperature is rising causing a huge change in the Earth’s climate. This rise in the average temperature of the Earth’s surface is caused by an increase in greenhouse gases. Glaciers are melting, the sea levels are rising and life on earth is trying to keep pace with the change. This phenomenon is called global warming, which poses a serious threat to life on our planet.  This global warming essay talks about what global warming is, its causes, effects, and ways to reduce it.

What Is Global Warming?

Global warming is the phenomenon where the average temperature of the Earth’s surface gradually rises due to the greenhouse effect. Gases like carbon dioxide, methane, nitrous oxide, ozone, Chlorofluorocarbons (CFC), and water vapor trap the sun’s heat and create a natural “blanket.” This natural blanket prevents the heat from escaping back into the atmosphere and keeps the Earth warm. This effect is called the Greenhouse effect.

The greenhouse effect and greenhouse gases aren’t really bad. In fact, they’re one of the things that keep the Earth warm and makes it a comfortable place to live in. So, these greenhouse gases are crucial to sustain life on earth. Without the greenhouse effect, there would be no natural barrier and the heat from the sun’s radiation would escape back into the atmosphere. This would create a very cold atmosphere making it impossible for living beings to survive. However, an increase in the amount of greenhouse gases traps more of the sun’s radiation. This causes the Earth to heat up and leads to global warming. 

Read on to know more about what causes global warming in this global warming essay.

Also read: Climate change essay , pollution essay , water pollution essay and air pollution essay .

Causes Of Global Warming

What is causing global warming? We know that greenhouse gases and the greenhouse effect are good. But over the last few centuries, with increased human activity, there has been an increase in the emission of greenhouse gases. This increase in greenhouse gases means more heat is trapped in the Earth’s atmosphere, thus increasing the Earth’s average temperature. The rise in temperature leads to climate change because of which glaciers are melting, sea levels rising, cloud forests dying, etc. 

Further, there are several other factors, which contribute to global warming and climate change. Here is a list of the biggest causes of global warming:

• Deforestation
• Burning of fossil fuels
• Industrialization
• Urbanization
• Transportation
• Oil and natural gas drilling
• Power plants
• Garbage in landfills
• Volcanic eruptions

Now that we know the causes of global warming, learn about its effects in this global warming essay.

The Effects Of Global Warming

Global warming is a dangerous phenomenon and has serious repercussions on the environment, ecosystems and life on earth. Global warming and the resulting climate change pose a serious threat to the planet and all life forms on it. Here are some devastating effects of global warming:

• Stress on ecosystems
• Loss of biodiversity and habitat
• Water shortage
• Fire threats like wildfires
• Extreme weather events like heavier rainfall, storms, hurricanes, typhoons, heatwaves, earthquakes etc
• Draught 
• Melting polar ice caps and mountain glaciers
• Increase in sea levels and ocean acidification
• Increase in average temperature
• Loss of arable land and crop failures
• Food shortage
• Economic Instability
• Poor air quality
• Decreased population
• Human and animal extinction

Find out what preventive measures you can take to reduce global warming and climate change in this global warming essay.

How To Prevent Global Warming?

The population of the earth is now facing a severe crisis from global warming. If we don’t take steps to prevent it now, global warming could have devastating consequences. Here are some preventive measures we can take to reduce global warming:

• Renewable energy: One of the greatest contributors to global warming is carbon dioxide released from burning fossil fuels. Shifting to renewable energy will reduce greenhouse gas emissions and can reduce global warming.
• Reuse and recycling: Reusing and recycling reduces waste, which in turn, reduces garbage. Along with this, stop overproduction and overconsumption. This reduces the impact on the environment.
• Save water and energy: Along with producing clean energy, we need to conserve and use energy and water efficiently. 
• Sustainable agriculture and transportation: A great way to reduce carbon dioxide emissions is to shift to sustainable agriculture practices and transportation methods. Choose public transportation or carpool, or use electric vehicles to fight global warming.
• Stop deforestation: Deforestation is one of the major contributors to global warming. Stopping deforestation is necessary to combat climate change and global warming. Planting more trees will reduce CO2 emission and improve the air quality. 

We need to wake up and take these effective measures to fight global warming and climate change.

We hope this global warming essay was useful to you. Check essays for kids to explore more topics.

FAQs on Global Warming

What is global warming.

Global warming is the phenomenon where the Earth’s average temperature rises because of the increase in greenhouse gases in the Earth’s atmosphere.

What are the causes of global warming?

Global warming is caused by several factors such as burning fossil fuels, deforestation, industrialization, urbanization, pollution, unsustainable farming practices, oil and gas drilling, mining, inefficient garbage disposal, overpopulation, overproduction, overconsumption, volcanic eruptions, etc.

How can you reduce global warming?

Shifting to renewable energy sources, sustainable transportation and agriculture practices, water, natural resources and energy conservation, reuse, recycling and planting more trees.

To find more information, explore related articles such as air pollution essay and climate change essay .

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• Copy URL https://www.pbs.org/newshour/science/how-to-talk-to-your-kids-about-climate-change

How to talk to your kids about climate change

There is a playbook for how to talk to children following a major tragedy like a mass shooting so that they can start to cope without being traumatized: be honest, no matter how young; don’t be too graphic; and emphasize their support networks.

These same rules apply to how we talk to children about the climate crisis. Young activists including 16-year-old Greta Thunberg of Sweden dominated news coverage during the U.N. summit and strikes across the world last week, but discussing global warming can be complicated because of the immediate and long-term anxieties surrounding the climate crisis. And kids can be affected even when they aren’t direct victims of a weather incident.

“I look at it through two lenses,” said pediatrician Samantha Ahdoot, a lead author of the American Academy of Pediatrics policy statement on Global Climate Change and Children’s Health. “Through the mental health consequences of extreme weather events, and through the effects of living in a world that is changing and the fear that it invokes in children.”

Thanks to decades of research , it is clear now that environmental disasters, like hurricanes and wildfires, contribute to mental health conditions among victims.

“Rates of depression, anxiety, post-traumatic stress disorder and substance abuse things tend to increase after you’ve experienced an event like that,” said Susan Clayton, a conservation psychologist at The College of Wooster in Ohio, who co-authored a 2017 from the American Psychological Association and ecoAmerica 2017 entitled “ Mental Health and Our Changing Climate: Impacts, Implications, and Guidance .”

But mainstream media coverage can also mentally stress those who witness these tragedies from afar , in what’s known as vicarious psychological trauma.

Here are a few “what to do’s” for parents of climate crisis generations, according to a psychologist, a pediatrician and a school counselor, interviewed by the PBS NewsHour.

A student activist takes part in a demonstration as part of the Global Climate Strike in Manhattan in New York, U.S., September 20, 2019. Photo by REUTERS/Shannon Stapleton

For a child who has lived through a climate- or weather-related disaster

Since 2014, weather-related disasters have displaced around 100 million people worldwide , according to the Internal Displacement Monitoring Centre. In the U.S. alone last year, two climate-fueled hurricanes ( Hurricane Michael , Hurricane Florence ) and two wildfires ( Woolsey and Camp fires in California ), created more than 1 million extreme weather migrants — those who had to move either temporarily or permanently after the disasters.

Ahdoot said she’s seen a number of children who were impacted by the recent hurricanes in Florida and Puerto Rico in her pediatric clinics in Alexandria, Virginia. They are struggling to verbalize the feelings associated with escaping the disasters, she said.

That’s likely because extreme weather events can devastate the social foundations of children’s mental health and well-being. Children lose family members, their homes or schools, or even access to resources like their doctors. Surviving the fallout of a weather disaster — such as living in a shelter or needing to relocate, even temporarily — can cause significant mental health consequences.

After their home in Paradise was destroyed by the Camp Fire, Landyn Butts, 3, and his family shop for new household items in Chico, California, on Nov. 18, 2018. Photo by REUTERS/Terray Sylvester

Rising temperatures themselves have also been tied to mental health issues outside of storms and fires, Clayton said. While it’s harder to trace, increases in heat have been tied to upticks in aggression and crime , increased suicide and more hospitalizations for mental, behavioral and cognitive disorders. In one study in Australia, researchers found drought — which can be more frequent and more extreme thanks to global warming — was associated with suicide rises among rural farmers .

Clayton and Ahdoot recommended that parents tailor their responses to these kinds of events to fit the age of the child. For infants, they recommend that parents try to save so-called comfort objects — any toy, blanket or other item to which a young child has a special attachment — if it can be done safely.

“If they lost that, maybe get a get them a substitute,” Clayton said, because doing so can reinforce social support. Reminding children of these support networks is one of the most crucial steps after a disaster, she added. “Whatever they can be provided with in terms of family or social support will help them.”

Climate change environmental teen activist Greta Thunberg takes part in a climate strike march in Montreal, Quebec, Canada, on Sept. 27, 2019. Photo by REUTERS/Andrej Ivanov

The stakes are higher the younger a child is, because experiencing early trauma can permanently change the way a person responds to trauma later in life. Early exposure to trauma can make it more difficult to regulate emotional responses and increase a child’s chances of depression and PTSD .

If a toddler or elementary-age child asks about what is happening, Clayton recommended speaking frankly because even young children can demonstrate a profound amount of resilience. But don’t offer too much detail.

“I would not lie to them, of course, but emphasize that things are gonna be O.K.,” Clayton said. “Just say ‘Well, sometimes big storms happen and we thought we were ready, but this was worse than we thought. We’re going to make sure that we’re safe from weather in the future.”

Older children can handle a broader explanation of the disaster and its consequences because most are exposed to current events and have some awareness of the issues. Teenagers also do not respond well when adults are not transparent with them and they learn the facts on their own, Clayton said.

“Even teenagers need security so they don’t feel like things are completely out of their control,” Clayton said.

For a child worried about the Earth’s future

A growing number of Ahdoot’s pediatric patients are also expressing general unease over the Earth’s environmental trajectory. She recalled one teenager who visited her clinic last year after a trip to Germany to visit her mother’s family.

“The hotel didn’t have air conditioning so she said she spent most of the trip in the house taking baths because that was the only way that they could get cool,” Ahdoot said.

Another patient had a similar experience after visiting France this summer during record heat waves. In both cases, the children were exposed to the consequences of a warming world in a way they weren’t at home. Those kinds of episodes — especially when contrasted with the knowledge that their parents didn’t face the same kind of challenges growing up — can be frightening for kids, Ahdoot said.

Combine those omens with regular news coverage of the climate disasters, Clayton said, and it is easy to comprehend the views of young climate activists toward older generations.

In an effort to prove the severity of the climate crisis and its effect on her generation, Thunberg sailed across the Atlantic to New York to speak during the United Nations General Assembly last week.

“This is all wrong. I shouldn’t be up here. I should be back in school on the other side of the ocean,” Thunberg said during her speech at the U.N. Climate Summit in New York City on Monday. “You have stolen my dreams and my childhood with your empty words.”

To help minors cope with what they’re seeing in popular media, parents and other adults should speak to them at a level that they can understand.

“A high school student in most cases is going to be able to handle more information,” said Eric Sparks, assistant director for the American School Counselor Association, whereas with younger students, what you say needs to be more general.

A child holds a flag during the climate strike march in Montreal, Quebec, Canada, on Sept. 27, 2019. Photo by REUTERS/Andrej Ivanov

For example, if a young grade schooler exclaims something like, “The world is on fire, so what’s the point of doing anything anymore” — as my young nephew did two weekends ago — Clayton said one should correct them in terms they can understand.

“You could say that, ‘Our atmosphere is like a blanket and it keeps the Earth warm, which is a good thing. It’s just that the blanket is too thick now because of gases we put in the air,” Clayton said. “Give them some simple metaphor, so they have a better sense of what’s actually happening.”

For all age groups, Ahdoot, Clayton and Sparks said parents should avoid defeatism because the world isn’t doomed. They also said to emphasize that there is still time to waylay the worst outcomes through environmental actions. A young child, for instance, could be taught how to compost their scraps, the value of growing vegetables or the benefits of switching to reusable water bottles.

“An elementary school child can understand why it’s better to walk to their friend’s house instead of being driven, or why they can wear a sweater in the house instead of just cranking up the heat,” Ahdoot said. “Parents can convince their schools to bring clean energy to their energy supply. They can testify to the town or even to the United Nations.”

What if you don’t want your child to be exposed to climate stories?

This week, conservative pundits responded to Thunberg’s speech at the U.N. Climate Summit with a range of criticism and attacks, including one said that the 16-year-old is instilling “fear in millions of kids around the world.”

Such assertions raise the question of whether parents should avoid talking about climate change with their children altogether.

Ahdoot, Clayton and Sparks said that trying to sidestep such discussions is a fruitless task because climate change is an empirical reality — backed by decades of study.

“We don’t need to hide reality from them,” Ahdoot said. But “we need to be cautious about how we presented it to them.”

Graphic media coverage of a disaster — like a mass shooting — can have deleterious mental effects. But trying to conceal the truth can also generate fear, harm a child’s ability to trust and skew their objectivity. Along those lines, Clayton and Ahdoot said it’s important to provide minors with reliable sources of climate information.

“Children get worried when they feel like something’s being kept from them because that means the problem is so bad that people aren’t talking about it,” Clayton said. “If you think one of your parents is sick and nobody’s telling you about it, then you really start to get scared.”

As they can with sexual education, parents can always opt out of pieces of climate curriculum. But there’s no real way to insulate students from the climate conversation.

“A school’s responsibility is to build a place where students can have and share differing viewpoints,” Sparks said. “It’s probably unrealistic to think that a student could be completely shielded from the climate issue.”

Nsikan Akpan is the digital science producer for PBS NewsHour and co-creator of the award-winning, NewsHour digital series ScienceScope .

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A Climate Change Guide for Kids

By Julia Rosen and Yuliya Parshina-Kottas April 18, 2021

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Bad Future, Better Future

A guide for kids, and everyone else, about climate change — and what we can do about it..

By Julia Rosen Illustrations by Yuliya Parshina-Kottas

April 18, 2021

If you’re a kid, almost every year you’ve been alive has broken a temperature record, or come close. You’ve witnessed huge wildfires, intense droughts and severe storms. This is what climate change looks like, and it’s here to stay.

The planet is going to change a lot more in your lifetime. Things could get really bad. Or, if we take action now, we could avoid the worst effects. You can help decide. So, let’s take a look at how both scenarios could unfold.

But first, how did we get here?

Take a look around your home. Your lights, refrigerator and television are all powered by electricity.

For most of human history, we lived without it. But since the late 1800s, electricity has become an essential part of modern life. Americans now use 13 times as much as they did in the 1950s.

Your home probably gets electricity from power lines that run along your street. They lead to a power station, one small part of a vast energy network that keeps our houses, businesses and factories running.

Historically, we’ve produced electricity by burning fossil fuels like coal, oil and natural gas. These substances also provide most of the energy used for heat and nearly everything else humans do.

Today, fossil fuels are big business. People use almost seven billion tons of coal every year and roughly 100 million barrels of oil and other liquid fuels every single day.

Fossil fuels form deep underground from the remains of ancient plants and animals. When we extract them and use them for energy, we release prehistoric carbon into the air as carbon dioxide and methane.

These greenhouse gases work like a blanket: As the sun’s energy warms the planet, they prevent some of Earth’s heat from escaping. Human-caused emissions have already made the climate hotter than it’s been in at least a thousand years. And we keep producing more.

When we burn fossil fuels, we also produce pollutants that can cause health problems.

These pollutants hurt low-income people and communities of color the most. They often live near pollution sources like power plants or major highways because of housing prices and discrimination.

In the United States, cars and trucks are a major source of both harmful pollutants and greenhouse gases. Over all, transportation produces more than a third of the country’s carbon dioxide emissions.

Greenhouse gases also come from less obvious sources. Think about the concrete buildings and sidewalks in your town.

The cement that holds them together is made by crushing and heating limestone, which requires energy and releases carbon dioxide. Cement, steel and other industries account for about 20 percent of global emissions.

What we eat matters, too. Cows and other livestock produce greenhouse gases when they burp, fart and poop. Gases also seep from crop fields.

In some places, like the Amazon Rainforest, people cut down trees to clear lands for farming. And this releases large amounts of carbon stored in wood and soils. Globally, agriculture and other ways of using the land account for about a quarter of all greenhouse gas emissions.

If we continue on like this, the planet will keep getting hotter and the effects of climate change will get worse. Let’s take a look at this scenario, which we’ll call “The Bad Future” because life will get harder for many people and other living things.

In The Bad Future, most places on Earth will be hotter, although there will still be some cold days. School and sports will be canceled during intense heat waves.

High temperatures could even be fatal for vulnerable populations like older people and those who work outside.

Changes in the weather will make it harder for us to grow food. In certain places, water supplies will dry up.

Many people will leave their homes in search of better places to live, and the poor will suffer more than the rich. This is already happening today.

Extreme heat and drought will make wildfires even more dangerous. More of us will be exposed to unhealthy smoke.

Many plants and animals will face extinction from habitat loss and other human threats.

As glaciers and ice sheets continue to melt, rising seas will flood many coastal communities, displacing hundreds of millions of people worldwide by the end of the century.

The ocean will get more acidic as seawater absorbs carbon dioxide from the air.

The water will keep getting hotter, too, which will help some marine animals but hurt others — including many that humans depend on for food. Coral reefs will likely disappear.

World leaders and business people have to get serious about addressing climate change, and the rest of us have to help, if we want The Better Future to be the real future. Will we do it? The choice is ours.

And here’s the good news: We already know how to make many of these changes. In fact, they’re already happening in many places — just not fast enough. That’s because the biggest challenges we face are not about science, they are about people.

Sunlight, wind and other renewable energy sources would provide electricity without producing more greenhouse gases. We could store extra energy to use later so that the lights stay on even when it’s cloudy or when there’s no breeze.

Cities could encourage people to travel on public transit and bikes. Planes would still emit some carbon dioxide, but we could fly less.

In The Better Future, we would get around in cars that run on electricity and cleaner-burning fuels, instead of gasoline and diesel. This would also improve air quality in many communities.

The transformation would touch every part of society, including industry. We could invent ways of making concrete that emit much less carbon dioxide. We would live and work in energy-efficient buildings made of sustainable materials like wood and local stone.

We could also eat differently in The Better Future. Many people could eat less meat than they do today. And our farms could grow crops that are well suited to the new climate and use sustainable farming practices.

This future would still bring large wildfires and poor harvests, but less often. We could protect forests and plant more trees, which suck some carbon back out of the air as they grow. Indigenous peoples with deep ecological knowledge could lead the way.

Wealthier countries, which have done the most to cause climate change, would help poorer countries cope with the effects.

In The Better Future, the effects of climate change would be slower and less extreme, so nature and society could adapt more easily. For instance, governments could help to move coastal communities farther inland where they’d be safer from flooding.

That all sounds really bad. But it doesn’t have to be this way! There is still time to choose a different path. Although the science may be settled, the future is not.

The greenhouse gases we’ve already released will bring warmer temperatures, higher sea levels and ecological changes. But if governments, companies and all of us humans work together, we can cut emissions over the next few decades and avoid the worst effects of climate change.

Let’s take a look at life in “The Better Future.”

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Climate Basics » Climate Classroom

Climate basics for kids.

This page will help you understand  the science  behind climate change,  the impacts  of a changing climate, and  how you can help slow climate change and prepare for it .  We’ve also created a  list of resources and activities  for educators and students of all ages.

The Science

Science paints a clear picture: Climate change is happening; it is caused mostly by humans; and it creates many serious and damaging effects. The primary cause of climate change is human activities – like driving cars, creating electricity, and cutting down forests – not natural changes in the climate. These human activities release gases into the atmosphere called greenhouse gases , which slowly warm the planet, creating climate change.

The climate is very complex, and there are still some things we don’t know about it. But through centuries of studies and experiments, we’ve been able to create a strong understanding of how the system works, and how humans are changing it.

The Greenhouse Effect

Imagine a greenhouse made of glass used to grow plants, like flowers and vegetables. The greenhouse keeps the plants inside warm even when it’s cold outside because it traps heat from the sun. The earth’s atmosphere acts like a greenhouse: When light from the sun passes through the atmosphere, some of it is absorbed by the Earth’s surface to heat it, but some heat is also trapped in our atmosphere by certain gases. These heat-trapping gases are called greenhouse gases, and they act like a blanket, keeping the earth warm. This greenhouse effect is a natural process that makes the planet comfortable to live.

But human activities are increasing the amount of greenhouse gases in our atmosphere. One type of greenhouse gas, carbon dioxide, has reached a level in our atmosphere that the Earth hasn’t seen for more than 400,000 years ! Plants, soils, and the ocean can absorb carbon dioxide, but they can’t keep up with all the extra greenhouse gases that we have been releasing. And some greenhouse gases stay in the atmosphere for a long time, from hundreds to even thousands of years. All these gases are making things hotter than natural, so we need to stop producing them to avoid climate change.

The Greenhouse Effect Explained

National Park Service

Where do greenhouse gases come from?

Up until about 150 years ago, humans did not produce many greenhouse gases. That changed as the human population grew, we cut down forests to make way for cities and farms, and important inventions and technology, like in-home electricity and cars, transformed the way we live.

These inventions and technologies need energy. Some types of energy called fossil fuels — like coal, oil, and natural gas — have become important sources of that energy. Burning fossil fuels releases carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases into the atmosphere. We call the release of these gases emissions .

Today in the United States, electricity and transportation (cars, trucks, and planes) are responsible for almost 60 percent of greenhouse gas emissions. The rest comes from agriculture, industry – such as factories that make products we use – and from energy we use in our homes and businesses.

Learn more about U.S. greenhouse gas emissions here.

Greenhouse Gases

The most common types of greenhouse gases are:

• Carbon Dioxide (CO 2 ) : Carbon dioxide is the most common greenhouse gas created by human activities. It makes up 80 percent of U.S. greenhouse gas emissions. Most carbon dioxide enters the atmosphere when fossil fuels (oil, natural gas, and coal) are burned for electricity and transportation, and because of other processes like making cement. Carbon dioxide is removed from the atmosphere and stored when it is absorbed by plants, soils, animals, and the ocean as part of the carbon cycle.

Learn more about how energy emissions are controlled in the United States.

• Methane (CH 4 ) : Methane is the next most common greenhouse gas emitted by human activities. It makes up 10 percent of U.S. greenhouse gas emissions. Most methane emissions come from raising livestock (like cows), but methane is also released when coal, natural gas, and oil are produced and transported, and when organic waste (like food) decays in landfills. Methane is a stronger gas than carbon dioxide, meaning it creates more warming, but it stays in the atmosphere for a shorter time.

Learn more about how industrial greenhouse gases like methane are controlled in the United States.

• Nitrous Oxide (N 2 O) : Most nitrous oxide is emitted by agricultural activities, like applying fertilizer, but it also comes from industrial activities, burning fossil fuels, and other sources. It makes up 6 percent of U.S. greenhouse emissions. Nitrous oxide is even more powerful than methane and carbon dioxide at warming the atmosphere.
• Hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs), Perfluorocarbons (PFCs), and Sulfur Hexafluoride (SF6) : Try saying these gases three times fast! They’re called “fluorinated gases” for short. These gases combined make up only 3 percent of all U.S. greenhouse gas emissions. That may sound small, but they are very important to solving climate change because they stay in the atmosphere for a very long time (sometimes for thousands of years!) and are much more powerful warmers than all other gases. These gases are made by humans and are used to cool our refrigerators, freezers, buildings and cars.

U.S. Greenhouse Gases by Gas Type and Sector, 2021

In 2021, the United States emitted 6.3 billion metric tons of greenhouse gases (CO2e). Carbon dioxide accounted for the largest percentage of greenhouse gases (79%), followed by methane (13%), nitrous oxide (6%), and other greenhouse gases (3%). Total U.S. emissions for 2021 totaled 6,340 million metric tons of CO2e; net emissions, accounting for carbon sinks, totaled 5,586 million metric tons CO2e. Greenhouse gases are emitted by all sectors of the economy, including electric power (25% of total), transportation (28%), industry (23%), residential (6%), commercial (7%), and agriculture (10%).

Inventory of U.S. Greenhouse Gas Emissions and Sinks 1990-2021 (EPA, 2023)

Impacts of a Changing Climate

Because of increases in greenhouse gas emissions, global temperatures are rising. Each of the past four decades has been warmer than the previous one. 2016 and 2020 were the warmest years on record, and the six warmest years have all been  since 2010 .

Learn more about the relationship between extreme weather and climate change.

The following charts show how emissions and temperatures have gone up since 1900, and how they could continue to change in the future. If we continue to emit more and more greenhouse gases, the temperature of the Earth will rise a lot – maybe as much as 5 degrees Celsius (9 degrees Fahrenheit) by 2100. Even if we reduce our emissions right now, the temperature of the Earth will still rise slightly, but we might be able to keep the rise below 2 degrees Celsius (or about 4.8 degrees Fahrenheit). Two degrees might not sound like much, but scientists agree that even that small amount of warming can have large impacts on humans and the environment.

Past and Projected Changes in Carbon Emissions and Temperature

Fourth National Climate Assessment (USGRP, 2018)

Rising global temperatures affect many things, like extreme weather , human health, food supply, and ecosystems. These impacts are already being felt today, and groups like the poor, elderly, and others are especially vulnerable.

Impacts of climate change include:

• Heat waves . Heat waves are long periods of time with temperatures that are hotter than normal. As the Earth warms, more areas will be at risk for hotter and more common extreme heat waves. Learn more about the link between  climate change and extreme heat .
• Heavy precipitation and storms . Heavy precipitation – like rain or snow – is becoming more common in many locations, which can lead to flooding and other dangerous weather. As seas warm, coastal storms like hurricanes are also becoming more frequent and damaging. Learn more about the link between climate change and  heavy precipitation and hurricanes .
• Sea level rise . Sea levels have risen about 8 inches since 1880 because glaciers and ice sheets are melting and seas are warming. Scientists predict that, with 1.5 degrees Celsius of warming, sea levels could rise by as much as 1.8 feet this century, which would harm communities living on islands and near coasts. These rises could be even higher if glaciers in Greenland or Antarctica melt very quickly.
• Threats to habitats and animals . Warming temperatures, rising seas, melting ice, and other impacts of climate change can threaten the habitat of many plants and animals. Some species are moving to new habitats, but others may struggle to adapt and become endangered or extinct.
• Ocean acidification . Extra carbon dioxide in the atmosphere is absorbed by the oceans, making them more acidic. This can make it difficult for corals and organisms that form shells to survive, which can create problems in the food chain for other sea animals.
• Wildfires . These are fires that burn large amounts of forests and brush. When they are not controlled, wildfires can destroy homes and be deadly. The number of large wildfires and the length of the season when they’re most likely and threatening have been increasing in recent years. Find out how climate change will  worsen wildfire conditions .
• Drought . A drought is a period with little rain and not enough water. Global warming will increase the risk of drought in some places and make it harder to grow food. Learn about the links between  climate change and drought .

The American pika, a roughly potato-sized relative of the rabbit, is one of many animals feeling the impacts of climate change. The pika lives on mountains in cool areas, but warmer temperatures can push the pika to higher and higher altitudes, where it’s cooler. Eventually, they may run out of space.

Pikas Disappearing from Parts of the West Due to Climate Change (USGS, 2015)

How can you help?

Even though climate change sounds scary, we still have time to avoid some of the worst impacts. Everyone can play a part, including government, businesses, and you.

There are two main things we need to do:

The first is to reduce the greenhouse gas emissions responsible for climate change.  By choosing cleaner ways to power our homes, offices, and cars, and being more efficient and less wasteful, we can produce fewer greenhouse gas emissions.

There are lot of things you can do to help, like turning off the lights when you leave a room to reduce the electricity you use, walking or biking where you can, or planting trees to absorb carbon dioxide. If you do any of these things, make sure you communicate with other people (like your family, teachers, and friends) about why you’re doing them! Communication can inspire more people to change their habits and help save the climate.

Look for more ideas on what we can do  together  and  individually .

The second is to prepare for life in a changing climate.  Even if we could stop creating greenhouse gases tomorrow, the climate would still change some because of our past emissions. So we need to make sure our buildings, roads, businesses, and communities are ready for the climate changes that we can’t avoid. This includes things like helping cities on the coast prepare for floods, preventing wildfires in our forests, and more.

Learn  how communities and companies are preparing .

The power of YOUth

Around the world, young people are learning about climate change and taking action. In fact, young people are some of the most important voices in the climate movement because you can inspire powerful people to create a better future for you.

You don’t have to be a rocket scientist or a politician to make a difference in the fight against climate change. Whatever your talents are, there’s a role for you to play. Some young people, like Greta Thunberg , Vanessa Nakate , and others, are leading the Fridays for Future movement to tell their governments to create strong policies to fight climate change. Other students are inventing new technologies to cut emissions and reduce waste. And others are using their creativity to bring awareness to climate change by writing music and creating art .

You can also look for ways to get involved in your community – maybe you can help your school set up a composting program to keep food waste out of the landfill. Maybe your synagogue or mosque needs help switching to energy efficient lights. Maybe you can write a letter to your local government to encourage your community to prepare for extreme weather or wildfires. Everyone can do something to fight climate change.

Check out our  Educator Resources  page for activities you can do to learn more about how climate change works and how you can be a part of the solution.

C2ES thanks the Alcoa Foundation for its support, which allowed us to develop our Climate Classroom content. As a fully independent organization, C2ES is solely responsible for its positions, programs, and publications.

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Teach Our Children - About Climate Change

Teach our children — about climate change, americans think it's time for schools to get in the act, a tc survey finds.

A large majority of Americans support teaching primary and secondary school students about global warming and climate change, according to  new findings from The Public Matters: How Americans View Education, Psychology and Health , a public-survey project at Teachers College. However, support for such climate education is significantly higher among women, people of color, younger adults, people in urban communities, and those identifying as liberals or moderates. 

The new findings come on the eve of the United Nations Climate Summit. In addition, on Friday, Sept. 20, youth around the world walked out of classrooms in a planned “ climate strike .” 

[Read the new report, Americans Endorse Climate Change Education , on how the public feels about teaching climate change in schools.]

While a growing majority of Americans now believe climate change is a major threat to the nation’s wellbeing, the Public Matters effort breaks new ground in examining Americans’ views on teaching about the topic in schools.

Climate change is a defining issue of our time...schools can help young people grasp reality amid today’s noise and polarization, and shape academic, civic and career paths that can help build a climate-safe future. Public Matters survey report

“Climate change is a defining issue of our time,” assert Teachers College’s Oren Pizmony-Levy , Associate Professor of International and Comparative Education, and Aaron Pallas , Arthur I. Gates Professor of Sociology & Education, in a report on the survey, titled “Americans Endorse Climate Change Education.” “By engaging students with climate science, energy history and related subjects, schools can help young people grasp reality amid today’s noise and polarization, and shape academic, civic and career paths that can help build a climate-safe future.”

Oren Pizmony-Levy, Associate Professor of International and Comparative Education and Aaron Pallas, Arthur I. Gates Professor of Sociology and Education (Photo: TC Archives)

Pizmony-Levy says that New York City’s Department of Education has been “a leader in engaging its schools with sustainability issues and climate change.” Since 2009, the city has been the only major municipality in the country to require each of its public schools to appoint a sustainability coordinator – part of the city’s broader sustainability plan to have net-zero Greenhouse Gas Emissions citywide by 2050. [Read a story about the efforts of Pizmony-Levy and his students to help the city evaluate this work.]

New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio has also expressed support for the planned walkout by the city’s students. “We have ten years to save the planet,” the Mayor recently tweeted. “Today’s leaders are making decisions for our environment that our kids will have to live with. New York City stands with our young people. They’re our conscience. We support the 9/20 #ClimateStrike.”

of those surveyed by The Public Matters say elementary and secondary schools should teach students about global warming and climate change

The Public Matters survey was conducted online in summer 2017, with 3,117 adults participating. Overall, 77 percent of respondents said it is important that elementary and secondary school students learn about global warming and climate change.

Among the specific findings:

• Half of women (51 percent) say teaching about climate change is “very important,” versus slightly more than one-third of men (36 percent).
• More than half of Asian Americans (56 percent), blacks (55 percent), and Latinx (57 percent) said that teaching about climate change is “very important.” Among whites, the figure drops to 37 percent.
• Fifty-seven percent of respondents ages 18-24 and 53 percent of respondents ages 25-44 said that teaching about climate change is “very important.” The figure drops to 38 percent for respondents age 45-64 and to 28 percent for respondents age 65 and above.
• Fifty-five percent of residents of urban communities said that teaching about climate change is “very important,” compared to 42 percent of suburban and 37 percent of rural respondents .
• Sixty-seven percent of those identifying as liberals said teaching about climate change is “very important,” compared to 22 percent of conservatives and 45 percent of moderates.
• Fifty-three percent of those identifying as not religious at all said teaching about climate change is “very important,” compared to 35 percent of very religious respondents.

Interestingly, responses to The Public Matters survey were not affected by substituting the phrase “climate change” for “global warming,” or vice versa. Previous research had demonstrated that such minor variations in question wording could elicit major shifts in responses.

Topics like global warming tie into everyday life – it’s important for kids to know why they need to take care of the environment. Respondent to the Public Matters Survey

The new report also directly quotes many respondents. A 24-year-old man from Vermont wrote that “topics like global warming tie into everyday life – it’s important for kids to know why they need to take care of the environment.” A 38-year-old Latina mother from Arizona said of young people that “sometimes they don’t have enough information about this important issue and they don’t know how to react or behave.” And a 31-year-old Asian father from Georgia wrote, “Students should learn about global warming and human rights… many less developed nations are now experiencing global warming.”

Launched in 2018, The Public Matters draws on infrastructure and survey research expertise at Teachers College and brings together faculty from across the College to collaborate on public opinion projects related to their specific areas of interest.

Oren Pizmony-Levy directs the Teachers College Initiative for Sustainable Futures , a working group supported by TC’s Office of the Provost that is exploring the role of schools of education in the face of global environmental challenge, and which serves as a social infrastructure that connects TC community members interested in sustainability. [Check out the Initiative’s  resources page to access webinars, a listing of sustainability organizations and other information.]

Aaron Pallas chairs TC’s Department of Education Policy & Social Analysis. He uses a variety of research tools to inform the public about the relevance and usability of educational research for policy and practice. He educates stakeholders—including representatives of the media—about the complexities and unexpected consequences of accountability and resource distribution policies in public schools. His current work, taken up by the  Washington Post, Wall Street Journal, New York Times , and a variety of media reaching local political leaders, policymakers, parents, and voters, illuminates these dynamics across New York City, New York State and beyond.

Tags: K-12 Education Civics Climate Change Research School food / gardens / policy / food deserts Sustainability

Programs: Comparative and International Education Sociology and Education

Departments: Education Policy & Social Analysis International & Transcultural Studies

Published Tuesday, Sep 17, 2019

Teachers College Newsroom

Address: Institutional Advancement 193-197 Grace Dodge Hall

Box: 306 Phone: (212) 678-3231 Email: views@tc.columbia.edu

Talking to Children about Climate Change

Kottie Christie-Blick is a teacher at Cottage Lane Elementary School in the South Orangetown Central School District, in Blauvelt, New York. She's also an educational consultant. Kottie has published articles in several educational journals, and has presented at educational conferences across the United States and in several other countries. She's a NOAA Planet Stewards Educator and a Distinguished Fulbright Teacher.

The musical alert jolts me awake before I ease back into a grateful calm reading the words on my phone. All schools in the district are on a two-hour delay. I now have extra time on this icy morning to correct that stack of essays on climate change before heading off to teach my 5th grade class. It will take that long for the snowplows to finish clearing the roads.

Climate change – global warming – a curious topic to be thinking about on such a frigid morning? Not at all. The scientific evidence is in. No matter what local weather we're experiencing on a day-to-day basis, our planet is warming up, with far-reaching implications for us all. The conversation in scientific circles now is how Earth will respond, how well the living things on Earth will be able to adapt, who will be the winners and the losers, and what we can do to slow down our warming climate.

"Why Have We Started Having Fiercer Hurricanes in New York?" essay written by Ben, Dylan, Elisa, Greg.

The reason we are having fiercer hurricanes in New York is because global warming is heating up our oceans. When our parents and grandparents were growing up here in New York, they didn't have such hurricanes. That's because way back then there wasn't as much carbon dioxide gas in the air. Scientific studies from NOAA (National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration) and NASA (National Aeronautics and Space Administration) have shown that carbon dioxide and temperature go together. When there is more carbon dioxide in the air, the average air temperature around the earth rises. This warm air warms our oceans. This causes more water to evaporate, which forms lots of warm, moist air. This is the kind of air that hurricanes need to start up, and they need a steady supply of it to keep them going. Our warmer ocean this year and last kept the hurricanes alive all the way up the coast to New York! We must slow down climate change. It's fueling hurricanes like Hurricane Sandy and Hurricane Irene.

Some think of climate change as a topic for grown-ups. However, even young children are able to understand the basic idea. More importantly, they're able to begin taking action to slow down global warming. It's in their best interest to do so. Their future depends on the actions we all take now. If we teachers, and their parents, don't tell them the truth, and don't point the way toward a positive future, who will?

"Is Climate Change too Scary for Kids?" essay written by Christian, Isaiah, Shay, Lauren.

Climate change is not too scary for kids, but it is a problem. Climate change is happening now. We've started to see some changes on our planet. We understand if we don't slow down global warming, bigger changes could come. That would be scary. We don't want areas near the ocean to flood because we have friends and family living there. We don't want innocent animals to lose their habitats. However, we've learned we can help slow down global warming, and the changes it's causing, by putting less carbon dioxide in the air. That's why climate change isn't scary for kids. When kids understand cause and effect they know what to do. It just makes sense!

When talking with children about climate change, match the depth of conversation to the child's age. Keep it honest. Children want to know the truth. They want to understand this world they're living in without being overwhelmed by too much information. Explain the difference between day-to-day weather and "climate," the average weather over a long period of time (a decade or more). Read a children's book about climate change together. Assign pairs of students to read and discuss  newspaper article s on climate. Watch a YouTube video together about the difference between weather and climate, and how to use a graph to predict future climate . Visit the Environmental Protection Agency's website for the background basics of climate change. For more advanced information, see the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's website, Climate.gov . You may have to translate sophisticated language, but your students will benefit by seeing the graphics, and you'll be given accurate information. In addition, older children will benefit by hearing such terms as mean , trend, and evidence , in real world contexts.

"How Can Adults Explain Climate Change to Kids?" essay written by Emilia, Chris, Gianluca, Sofia

Climate change isn't hard to understand. We get it! Our globe is warming because the carbon dioxide gas in the air is trapping the sun's heat near the Earth. Evidence from scientific studies shows us that factories, power plants, and cars put the most carbon dioxide in the air. Global warming is a big problem and it needs to be solved. Unfortunately the problem is getting worse. The longer we ignore the problem the worse it gets. Fortunately, it's not too late to make a change and turn things around. So you see, it's important to start talking about climate change NOW!

Complicated topics such as The Greenhouse Gas Effect , which describes why Earth is warming, can be explained at different levels, from basic understanding to complicated chemical equations. The important part is that children understand that some gases, such as carbon dioxide, trap the sun's warmth near the earth. We need some of this warmth to sustain life on this planet, so some carbon dioxide in the atmosphere is a good thing. However, the more carbon dioxide in the air, the warmer the planet becomes . Our quality of life depends on having fairly predictable weather and a livable climate. Adding more carbon dioxide to the air threatens that, because the additional warmth it causes upsets the balance of natural systems. Older children will appreciate the scientific evidence for climate change. In the short term (the past 200 years), it's clear to see that the increased carbon dioxide in the air from factories, power plants, and cars has caused our planet to warm. For the older child, looking farther back in time (thousands, or even millions of years), it's interesting to look at the fossil evidence of climate shifts. Note that the shifting takes place over thousands of years, not the short time scale we're seeing now since the Industrial Revolution.

"Is It True That People Are Causing the Climate to Change?" essay written by Luke, Jacob, Grace, Leah

People contribute to climate change every day. We release carbon dioxide into the air, which traps the sun's heat. We do this in many ways. When power companies burn coal, oil or gas to make electricity, they put carbon dioxide in the air. When we use our cars, we put carbon dioxide in the air.

Some people don't think it's true that people are the problem, but respected scientists from NOAA and NASA have told us global warming is real, and that the carbon dioxide people put into the air is the main cause. They are also predicting more changes in the climate as people continue to pollute the air.

Scientists have equipment that measures how much carbon dioxide is in the air. They also look at carbon dioxide bubbles that have been trapped in ice for thousands of years to understand what the climate was like a long time ago. They compare climates over time. We've seen the graphs.

Their evidence shows that most of the carbon dioxide put into the atmosphere is caused by people, and as the carbon dioxide increases, the Earth's temperature increases. As you can see, people are contributing to climate change. We know it's true because respected scientists have shown us the evidence.

To expose your children to first hand evidence, take them to a local science museum. Look for displays showing scientific evidence of Earth's climate, thousands, or even millions, of years ago: pollen grains in sediment cores, fossils, signs of changing sea level, etc. Contact a science department at your local university: geology, oceanography, atmospheric sciences, or environmental sciences. See if they give tours. Invite a scientist who specializes in paleoclimate to your classroom. Ask her to bring physical evidence, and a slide show of evidence-gathering in the field. What a life-changing experience it can be to engage with a real scientist, and hold fossils that are millions of years old that contain evidence of climate change.

"What Will Happen If We Ignore This Changing Climate?" essay written by Kavitha, Patrick, Bartosz, Mariel

Global warming is a problem, and it's happening now. If we don't do anything about it our lifestyles will change. It's already causing changes for us. For example, sea level is rising, causing more flooding during storms. Because the Earth is warming, glaciers on land are melting into the ocean, so high tide is now higher around the world. If we don't slow down the warming, we'll have more flooding in Manhattan, and in other areas, like Piermont, New York, where some of us live. Weird weather has been happening all over the world lately, and has been causing a lot of trouble for people. Some places aren't getting enough rain and others are getting way too much!

Our lives were really disrupted because of Hurricane Sandy this school year. Our school was closed for a whole week! That meant that the regular vacation time was taken away from us. Everyone in our area lost power for many days. Many houses were damaged. We couldn't get gas for our cars. This may not happen again every year, but there's no denying the evidence that our weather is becoming more extreme in New York, and in other areas. As you can see, if we ignore global warming our lifestyles will change.

Once children understand the difference between weather and climate, and the cause and effect between carbon dioxide in the atmosphere and global warming, they'll want to know why it matters. It's all about keeping our earth in balance to maintain our quality of life.

Classroom conversations can empower them. As with all of the other scary things in life we need to discuss with our children, such as stranger danger, they can handle it if they understand they have some control over the situation. It's encouraging for them to know that they're not alone. There are actions people are taking now to reduce the amount of carbon dioxide going into the air. And they can too, even if they're just kids. As our words turn into actions we become part of something bigger, something important. Even very young children can begin learning that we need to take care of Planet Earth, even if they don't yet fully understand why.

"What Can Kids Do to Slow Down Climate Change?" essay written by Jessica, Shane, Kelly, Dan

Kids can help slow down climate change. One way we can help is to use less electricity, because power plants put a lot of carbon dioxide in the air when they burn coal, oil, or gas to make power. At home, we can turn off lights, the TV, and the computer when we're not using them. We can also recycle paper, glass, plastics, metals, and other things. When we recycle, factories don't have to make so many new products, which means less burning of fossil fuels, so less carbon dioxide in the air. We can also carpool with friends. Fewer cars on the road means less carbon dioxide in the air. A fun way to slow down climate change is to plant things that grow. Plants absorb the carbon dioxide in the air. The bigger the plant, the more carbon dioxide it takes in! In conclusion, there are many ways kids can help slow down climate change.

Our educational system is beginning to understand the responsibility and power we teachers have to move society forward. The Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS) directs us to teach Earth's Systems, and ways in which people affect these systems. The Common Core State Standards for English Language Arts that requires the reading and analysis of nonfictional texts, and the writing of expository essays, provides opportunities for students to use their emerging skills to understand a concept that's important to them. The Common Core State Standards for Math mandates that students spend class time analyzing data, and using graphs to recognize patterns in order to predict the future. When your students put the Common Core to good use to understand important concepts that affect their lives, you'll come to appreciate the accelerated academic rigor of these new standards, and your important role in influencing society's priorities.

Additionally, there are programs for teachers to learn more about climate change. As a Climate Stewards Educator , I receive free information from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. NOAA also provides opportunities to participate in webinars, field trips, and collaborative projects with other Planet Stewards. This year, my students participated in "live lessons" with a class of 5th graders in South Africa, discussing climate change. The Fulbright Distinguished Awards in Teaching Program provides teachers the opportunity to work on significant academic issues, such as teaching climate change, in a foreign country. During the 2011-12 academic year, I worked in South Africa researching environmental issues, consulting in the schools, and sharing the information with my school back in New York. When our students understand that children and adults in other countries are also helping the environment, they understand that positive change is possible.

Kottie Christie-Blick and 5th Grade Students.

Don't worry about not knowing all the facts at first. Plunge in by visiting the links in this article. They'll lead you to other informative sites. The important thing is to start talking about our changing climate, and to begin modeling ways we can help slow down climate change. The quality of our children's lives, and THEIR children's lives, depends on the actions we take today.

The two-hour gift of time all too quickly consumed, I head off to school. I think about my students' essays, the children's questions and concerns, their enthusiastic discussion yesterday about what they want to be when they grow up.  The car radio diverts my attention. 2015 was the warmest year on record for the contiguous United States. Time to start teaching.

Click here to read this article on Ms. Christie-Blick's Class web site, see related videos and find out about other projects she is involved in.

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The Climate Crisis

Climate change is a grave threat to children’s survival.

Right now, in the U.S. and around the world, children's lives are under threat due to climate change . Nearly 710 million children are currently living in countries at the highest risk of suffering the impact of the climate crisis . However, every child will inherit a planet with more frequent extreme weather events than ever before.  

Extreme events, including wildfires , floods and hurricanes , have become a frightening new normal. Hotter temperatures, air pollution and violent storms are leading to immediate, life-threatening dangers for children, including difficulty breathing,  malnutrition and higher risk of infectious diseases. 

Save the Children is a global leader working in the U.S. and around the world to help children and their communities adapt to the impacts of the climate crisis.  Your donation today supports this life-saving work. Make a one-time donation to the Children's Emergency Fund or join Team Tomorrow to connect with the causes you care about - like the climate crisis - through your monthly donation.

What Are the Effects of Climate Change on Future Generations?

While climate change affects everyone, those who have contributed the least to the crisis—children, those in poverty, and future generations—are the most affected.

Extreme temperatures leave many families living in poverty with less food, less clean water, lower incomes and worsening health. 

Children’s immune systems are still developing, leaving their rapidly growing bodies more sensitive to disease and pollution.  

Extreme events can destroy homes, schools, child care centers and infrastructure critical to children’s well-being.

Droughts and flooding can destroy crops and cut access to clean water.  

The UN warns that many families will have to choose between starvation and migration.   

Statistics About Climate Change and Children

The climate crisis magnifies inequality , poverty , displacement and may increase the likelihood of conflict .

• 90% of diseases resulting from the climate crisis are likely to affect children under the age of five.
• By 2050, a further 24 million children are projected to be undernourished as a result of the climate crisis.
• By 2040, it is estimated that one in four children will be living in areas with extreme water shortages .
• Almost 160 million children are exposed to increasingly severe and  prolonged droughts .
• The education of around 38 million children is disrupted each year by the climate crisis.
• The climate crisis is forcing families to migrate. By 2050, there could be 143 million more migrants due to the climate crisis.

Our Work to Help Communities Adapt to the Impacts of the Climate Crisis

Because the climate crisis affects all aspects of children’s lives, so does Save the Children’s work.  

Save the Children’s work ranges from food security programs for families suffering severe drought in the Horn of Africa, to providing emergency relief supplies for those recovering from the West Coast wildfires.

From green jobs that secure livelihoods , to disease reduction, to advocacy and more, Save the Children’s experts consider the short- and long-term impacts of the climate crisis and how our programs can support the present and future of children in the U.S. and around the world.

Our Humanitarian Climate Change Initiative is pushing to sustain and scale up child-centered anticipatory action systems globally. We partner with communities to use early warning systems and pre-position funds so they have the tools and resources to take action before they are hit by devastating climate events.

In 2019 Save the Children Australia became the first non-environmental NGO to be accredited by the Green Climate Fund (GCF). In 2022, the organization signed a deal with GCF and the governments of Vanuatu and Australia to deliver the Pacific region’s largest ever investment in community-based climate change adaptation in Vanuatu.

Learn More About the Impact of the Climate Crisis

Addressing the Climate Crisis

Together with children and their families, we are pushing governments to recognize the climate crisis.  

Climate Crisis: Hunger in the Horn of Africa

For millions of children affected by the drought-driven hunger crisis in the Horn of Africa, time is running out.

Worsening Drought Threatens Somalia’s Children

The climate crisis is a major driver of extreme weather conditions including drought. 

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13 ways to save the Earth from climate change

Easy ways to help

We know you love watching videos on your phone. But modern activities— such as plugging in devices, driving cars, and cooling homes—often rely on energy sources such as natural gas, oil, and coal. Those energy sources release a gas called carbon dioxide (CO2) into the atmosphere. When CO2 and other greenhouse gases trap heat that would otherwise escape Earth’s atmosphere, the planet’s temperature rises. That’s called global warming, which causes climate change .

Most scientists believe that climate change is happening and causing rising seas, stronger storms, and shifting habitats for wildlife and people. But you don’t have to give up videos or totally shut down the A/C to fight climate change. Read on to learn how you can help!

Used Goods Are Good

Reduce and reuse as much as possible. Factories emit carbon dioxide when making new products. So instead of buying new stuff, fix your appliances and clothes. Good thing holey jeans are back in style!

Send a postcard

Send a letter, postcard, or drawing to your mayor, government representative, or even the president asking them to do something about climate change.

Slay the vampire

"Vampire" appliances suck energy even when turned off. Kill these monsters by unplugging phone and laptop chargers when not in use, and use power strips for lamps and TVs. (Bonus: It’ll save your parents money on energy bills!)

Close the door

If you see a business with its door wide open in the summer, ask an adult to help you email or talk to an employee about closing it. An open door to an air-conditioned building can let 2.2 tons of carbon dioxide escape over one summer. That’s about as much as a car on a 5,000- mile road trip.

Season your fruit

Try to eat mostly inseason and locally grown fruits and vegetables. This cuts down on the energy used to grow and transport food, which reduces the release of heattrapping gases.Does your favorite ice-cream shop use plastic spoons? Ask an adult to help you talk to the owner about switching to a non-plastic option. Some kinds of spoons are even edible!

Calculate your impact

Use an online carbon footprint calculator to see how much carbon dioxide your actions release. If you know how you’re impacting the planet, you can take steps for change.

Eat your veggies

Livestock such as cows account for some of Earth’s heat-trapping gas emissions. (Yep, it’s the cow toots!) Eating more plants cuts down on the need for so much livestock.

Help out at the hotel

Hang up and reuse your hotel towels instead of washing them after each use. That saves water and energy.

Walk it out

Walk or bike as much as you can. Biking or walking just one mile a day for a year could save 330 pounds of carbon dioxide—that’s the same as planting four trees and letting them grow for 10 years!

Spread the word

Write a letter to the editor about climate change in your local or school newspaper. The more people talk about the issue, the better!

Wear a warm sweater instead of turning up the heat, and open your windows and turn on a fan instead of blasting the air conditioner.

Be a science champion

Not everyone understands climate change. Learn the facts and talk to your friends and family. If everyone gets the science, we can work together to find solutions.

Hang up your freshly washed clothes to dry. You’ll be saving energy by not using the dryer and helping with chores.

Photo credits: Adobe Stock / jzehnder (smokestack); Katalinks, Shutterstock (vampire); Nate Allred, Shutterstock (cow); Photograph by iofoto, Shutterstock (bikes); Alex Staroseltsev, Shutterstock (strawberry); Cookie Studio, Shutterstock (sweater); Mike Flippo, Shutterstock (clothes)

Explore more

Learn about plastic and how to reduce your use., save the earth, save the earth tips, endangered species act.

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Earth > Ask a Scientist About Our Environment > How can kids help prevent global warming?

What are the most important things kids can do to prevent global warming? —  Armano B., Grade 6

Geologist Ed Mathez answers this question:

Dear Armano,

Thank you for your question. It's a really good one. There is no single solution, so let me give you three things that kids can do to help minimize global warming.

1. Conserve energy in your everyday life.

Making simple choices to save energy  may help avoid the serious consequences of global warming. For example:

• Turn off the lights.
• Close doors immediately so heat does not escape.
• Take short showers.
• Walk or bike if you can (instead of having your parents drive you).
• Turn off your computer when not in use (don't leave it on just to keep Facebook or Myspace active).

We can make simple choices to save energy.

2. Convince the people around you to save energy.

Now, you have to be careful here because people don't like to be told what to do, so convince is the important part. Your parents would be perfect subjects for persuasion, but do it with love and humor. Here are some suggestions that you can provide for your family and friends.

• Replace incandescent with fluorescent lights. (This saves a lot of money!)
• Ask your parents not to leave the car running needlessly, for example, when waiting to pick you up at school.
• Recycle  (this saves energy in manufacturing).
• Run the dishwasher and other appliances on energy saver mode.
• Keep the house at 68°F or less. And make sure the heat goes off at night and when everyone is away.
• Start a conservation club at school to raise awareness. Get your fellow students and teachers on board to have the school reduce energy consumption.

It takes energy to produce everything we buy. We can save energy by recycling.

In fact, not knowing is one of the problems. Global warming is a significant risk to society. On the one hand, we do not know exactly what will happen. On the other, we realize that what could happen could be serious. And these consequences could affect different parts of the world in different ways.

3. Keep learning.

These ideas all involve conservation. While that's important, what's more important is finding and implementing sources of energy that do not pollute the environment. Who is going to do that? It can be you! So the third and most important thing you can do is get the best education you can get, so that you can be a responsible citizen and continue making good decisions. Maybe you will help find scientific, technological, economic, or political solutions to the present situation.

You Can Make a Difference!

• It takes a lot of energy and water  to produce everything that we use and buy. Find out how to Be a Water Saver  with this checklist.

Explore More:

• Take this Virtual Water Quiz  to test your knowledge about the water you didn't know you were using.
• Find out how global warming is endangering the planet's species and habitats in Going, Going... Gone?

Name: Edmond Mathez

Job Title: Curator, Department of Earth & Planetary Sciences

Known For: Ed is a geologist. He researches the origin and composition of  igneous rocks.

Cool Fact:   Ed has collected rock samples from all over the world, including Greenland and South Africa. He's gone as deep as 2 kilometers (1.2 miles) down into a mine.

You might also like...

Be an energy saver.

Find out what you can do to save energy and slow climate change!

What Do You Know About Climate Change?

Think you're an expert on changing climate? Test your knowledge with this quiz!

Meet the OLogist: Ed Mathez

Do you dig the Earth? If so, you'll want to meet Ed.

Image Credits:

Earth, courtesy of NASA; recycling bins, by Eric Hamilton © AMNH; Edmond Mathez, © AMNH.

What Is Climate Change?

Weather vs. climate.

Weather describes the conditions outside right now in a specific place. For example, if you see that it’s raining outside right now, that’s a way to describe today’s weather. Rain, snow, wind, hurricanes, tornadoes — these are all weather events.

Climate , on the other hand, is more than just one or two rainy days. Climate describes the weather conditions that are expected in a region at a particular time of year.

Is it usually rainy or usually dry? Is it typically hot or typically cold? A region’s climate is determined by observing its weather over a period of many years—generally 30 years or more.

So, for example, one or two weeks of rainy weather wouldn’t change the fact that Phoenix typically has a dry, desert climate . Even though it’s rainy right now, we still expect Phoenix to be dry because that's what is usually the case.

Want to know more about the difference between weather and climate? Take a look at this video !

Alaska's Muir glacier in August 1941 and August 2004. Significant changes occurred in the 63 years between these two photos. Credit: USGS

Climate change describes a change in the average conditions — such as temperature and rainfall — in a region over a long period of time. For example, 20,000 years ago, much of the United States was covered in glaciers. In the United States today, we have a warmer climate and fewer glaciers.

Global climate change refers to the average long-term changes over the entire Earth. These include warming temperatures and changes in precipitation, as well as the effects of Earth’s warming, such as:

• Rising sea levels
• Shrinking mountain glaciers
• Ice melting at a faster rate than usual in Greenland, Antarctica and the Arctic
• Changes in flower and plant blooming times.

Earth’s climate has constantly been changing — even long before humans came into the picture. However, scientists have observed unusual changes recently. For example, Earth’s average temperature has been increasing much more quickly than they would expect over the past 150 years.

Want to know more about how we know climate change is happening? Check it all out here !

How Much Is Earth’s Climate Changing Right Now?

Graph of change in annual global temperatures, compared to the average of global annual temperatures from 1880-1899. Credit: NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center

Some parts of Earth are warming faster than others. But on average, global air temperatures near Earth's surface have gone up about 2 degrees Fahrenheit in the past 100 years. In fact, the past five years have been the warmest five years in centuries.

Many people, including scientists, are concerned about this warming. As Earth’s climate continues to warm, the intensity and amount of rainfall during storms such as hurricanes is expected to increase. Droughts and heat waves are also expected to become more intense as the climate warms.

When the whole Earth’s temperature changes by one or two degrees, that change can have big impacts on the health of Earth's plants and animals, too.

What Causes Climate Change?

A simplified animation of the greenhouse effect. Credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech

There are lots of factors that contribute to Earth’s climate. However, scientists agree that Earth has been getting warmer in the past 50 to 100 years due to human activities.

Certain gases in Earth’s atmosphere block heat from escaping. This is called the greenhouse effect . These gases keep Earth warm like the glass in a greenhouse keeps plants warm.

Human activities — such as burning fuel to power factories, cars and buses — are changing the natural greenhouse. These changes cause the atmosphere to trap more heat than it used to, leading to a warmer Earth.

Does What We Do Matter?

This video shows how Arctic sea ice has been changing since 1984. Credit: NASA

Yes. When human activities create greenhouse gases, Earth warms. This matters because oceans, land, air, plants, animals and energy from the Sun all have an effect on one another. The combined effects of all these things give us our global climate . In other words, Earth’s climate functions like one big, connected system.

Thinking about things as systems means looking for how every part relates to others. NASA’s Earth observing satellites collect information about how our planet’s atmosphere , water and land are changing.

By looking at this information, scientists can observe how Earth’s systems work together. This will help us understand how small changes in one place can contribute to bigger changes in Earth’s global climate.

Climate change is harming children’s mental health – and this is just the start

Postdoctoral Fellow in developmental public health, Université de Montréal

Hon Professor of Climate Change and Mental Health, University of Sydney

Disclosure statement

Francis Vergunst receives postdoctoral fellowship funding from the Canadian Institute of Health Research (CIHR) and Fonds de Recherche du Québec Santé (FRQS)

Helen Louise Berry has received funding from various competitive research funding sources. She is a member of the Australian Labor Party.

Université de Montréal provides funding as a founding partner of The Conversation CA-FR.

University of Sydney provides funding as a member of The Conversation AU.

Université de Montréal provides funding as a member of The Conversation CA.

View all partners

With record-breaking heat waves, wildfires and floods , 2021 may be the year we finally wake up to climate change . According to the most recent assessment of the International Panel on Climate Change, the effects are now “widespread, rapid, and intensifying.” Many impacts are irreversible and changes to oceans, ice sheets and sea levels will persist for thousands of years.

In August, the United Nations Children’s Fund reported that half the world’s 2.2 billion children are at “extremely high risk” from the impacts of climate change. More than 230 health-care journals have since published a joint editorial calling for urgent action to address the “catastrophic harm to health” from climate change .

Despite these warnings, surprisingly little has been written about the mental health consequences of climate change for children.

In a new research paper , we show that climate change is already affecting the healthy psychological development of children worldwide. These impacts begin before birth and stretch across development, and will accelerate as climate change advances.

Playing havoc with development

Although awareness about climate change and mental health is increasing, most attention has focused on the issue of worry about climate change — sometimes called “eco-anxiety” — and the effects of single acute stressors such as extreme weather events. While these problems are important, mental health (both good and bad) is not the consequence of single events, but rather the result of complex causal chains that begin before birth and unfold across development.

We need a broader conceptual framework to understand the relationship between climate change and mental health. A developmental life-course perspective is particularly well-suited to this end. Developmental perspectives are widely used in psychology, psychiatry and related developmental sciences to understand the origins, course and outcomes of mental health across the lifespan.

The approach is based on the observation that most mental disorders begin early in life, that disorders are the consequence of genetic, psychosocial and environmental factors — including the interplay between them — and that the timing, severity and duration of early-life stressors can have life-long effects on psychological health and well-being.

Developmental approaches are well-suited to studying the effects of complex, interactive and ongoing stressors like those that arise in the context of climate change. This can be illustrated with several concrete examples.

Children’s vulnerability to climate change

Childhood is a period of extremely high developmental vulnerability . Even before birth, acute environmental stressors — such as hurricanes, wildfires, floods and heat waves — can traumatize the mother physically and mentally. These experiences can harm the developing fetus and increase disease vulnerability for the unborn child throughout life .

Sub-acute stressors like summer heat waves are linked to increased risk of obstetric complications and preterm birth , which are well-established risk factors for several major psychiatric disorders .

From birth to age five, children are highly vulnerable to infectious disease, environmental toxins, heat exposure and dehydration. Physical health problems can delay reaching developmental milestones in areas such as cognition and language, and these interact with and increase mental health vulnerability .

In the middle childhood period (six to 12 years), children remain vulnerable to acute and chronic environmental stressors, and become more able to understand climate change and its anticipated impacts. This heightens their capacity to experience stress and anxiety about the consequences of living on a warming planet.

Adolescence on a warming planet

Major physiological, hormonal and social changes characterize adolescence and many teenagers feel overwhelmed by the challenges presented during this time. The peak age of onset for any psychiatric disorder is 14.5 years, and around half of all disorders are established before age 18.

Climate change is turning up the heat on this pressure-cooker life stage by increasing the frequency, intensity and duration of weather-related stressors such as drought, heat waves, cyclones and floods. Exposure to such events is linked to increased risk of PTSD , anxiety and depression , which compromise long-term mental health resilience.

Heat waves alone can disrupt sleep , learning , cognitive test performance and high school graduation rates . These factors can impede the healthy transition to adulthood and damage long-term social and economic prospects.

In other words, climate change is creating new risks for children and adolescents because it can trigger a cascade of abnormal developmental changes that interact in complex ways to undermine healthy psychological maturation across the life course.

Protecting children

The best way to protect children from the effects of climate change is to aggressively mitigate global heating and supercharge adaptation to the harm it has already done. This may seem obvious, but the persistent failure of national governments to collectively tackle climate change has crushed optimism and nibbled away at hope.

Many young people feel helpless and betrayed and are angry with adults for failing to prevent the climate crisis. They can and should be empowered to participate in adaptation and response planning. Effective climate change education is central to this end. It can help children cope and lay the foundation for a new generation of engaged citizens and effective leadership.

Around 85 per cent of the world’s children live in developing countries that are most vulnerable to climate change, despite being least responsible for causing it. Swift and effective action to reduce this burden is therefore a matter of major international and inter-generational justice.

No time to lose

Healthy psychological development underpins societies’ future social, economic and human capital, but it is being undermined by unchecked climate change. The damage begins before birth and cascades across development, with each unresolved challenge setting traps for the next.

Rapid and effective action to reduce these risks is a pressing practical and moral imperative and a critical investment in the health and well-being of current and future generations of children around the world. There is no time to lose.

Mental health quick facts

• Mental disorders affect more than a billion people worldwide every year .
• They are a leading cause of global disease burden, ranked first in terms of years lived with disability .
• In high-income countries, one in four people will experience a mental health problem in any given year .
• People exposed to extreme weather events such as cyclones and wildfires have increased risk of PTSD, anxiety, depression and suicide .
• 15-60 per cent of children and adolescents exposed to such events experience PTSD , anxiety and depression .
• Most children with mental health problems, including those living in high-income countries, receive no treatment .

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• Childhood development
• Mental health
• Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD)
• Environment
• Extreme weather
• Children's mental health
• Extreme heat
• Children's mental well-being
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• Biology Article
• Essay on Global Warming

Essay On Global Warming

Essay on global warming is an important topic for students to understand. The essay brings to light the plight of the environment and the repercussion of anthropogenic activities. Continue reading to discover tips and tricks for writing an engaging and interesting essay on global warming.

Essay On Global Warming in 300 Words

Global warming is a phenomenon where the earth’s average temperature rises due to increased amounts of greenhouse gases. Greenhouse gases such as carbon dioxide, methane and ozone trap the incoming radiation from the sun. This effect creates a natural “blanket”, which prevents the heat from escaping back into the atmosphere. This effect is called the greenhouse effect.

Contrary to popular belief, greenhouse gases are not inherently bad. In fact, the greenhouse effect is quite important for life on earth. Without this effect, the sun’s radiation would be reflected back into the atmosphere, freezing the surface and making life impossible. However, when greenhouse gases in excess amounts get trapped, serious repercussions begin to appear. The polar ice caps begin to melt, leading to a rise in sea levels. Furthermore, the greenhouse effect is accelerated when polar ice caps and sea ice melts. This is due to the fact the ice reflects 50% to 70% of the sun’s rays back into space, but without ice, the solar radiation gets absorbed. Seawater reflects only 6% of the sun’s radiation back into space. What’s more frightening is the fact that the poles contain large amounts of carbon dioxide trapped within the ice. If this ice melts, it will significantly contribute to global warming. 

A related scenario when this phenomenon goes out of control is the runaway-greenhouse effect. This scenario is essentially similar to an apocalypse, but it is all too real. Though this has never happened in the earth’s entire history, it is speculated to have occurred on Venus. Millions of years ago, Venus was thought to have an atmosphere similar to that of the earth. But due to the runaway greenhouse effect, surface temperatures around the planet began rising. 

If this occurs on the earth, the runaway greenhouse effect will lead to many unpleasant scenarios – temperatures will rise hot enough for oceans to evaporate. Once the oceans evaporate, the rocks will start to sublimate under heat. In order to prevent such a scenario, proper measures have to be taken to stop climate change.

More to Read: Learn How Greenhouse Effect works

Tips To Writing the Perfect Essay

Consider adopting the following strategies when writing an essay. These are proven methods of securing more marks in an exam or assignment.

• Begin the essay with an introductory paragraph detailing the history or origin of the given topic.
• Try to reduce the use of jargons. Use sparingly if the topic requires it.
• Ensure that the content is presented in bulleted points wherever appropriate.
• Insert and highlight factual data, such as dates, names and places.
• Remember to break up the content into smaller paragraphs. 100-120 words per paragraph should suffice.
• Always conclude the essay with a closing paragraph.

Explore more essays on biology or other related fields at BYJU’S.

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Sample essay on global warming

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Essay on Global Warming

• Updated on  
• Apr 27, 2024

Being able to write an essay is an integral part of mastering any language. Essays form an integral part of many academic and scholastic exams like the SAT, and UPSC amongst many others. It is a crucial evaluative part of English proficiency tests as well like IELTS, TOEFL, etc. Major essays are meant to emphasize public issues of concern that can have significant consequences on the world. To understand the concept of Global Warming and its causes and effects, we must first examine the many factors that influence the planet’s temperature and what this implies for the world’s future. Here’s an unbiased look at the essay on Global Warming and other essential related topics.

Short Essay on Global Warming and Climate Change?

Since the industrial and scientific revolutions, Earth’s resources have been gradually depleted. Furthermore, the start of the world’s population’s exponential expansion is particularly hard on the environment. Simply put, as the population’s need for consumption grows, so does the use of natural resources , as well as the waste generated by that consumption.

Climate change has been one of the most significant long-term consequences of this. Climate change is more than just the rise or fall of global temperatures; it also affects rain cycles, wind patterns, cyclone frequencies, sea levels, and other factors. It has an impact on all major life groupings on the planet.

Also Read: Essay on Yoga Day

Also Read: Speech on Yoga Day

What is Global Warming?

Global warming is the unusually rapid increase in Earth’s average surface temperature over the past century, primarily due to the greenhouse gases released by people burning fossil fuels . The greenhouse gases consist of methane, nitrous oxide, ozone, carbon dioxide, water vapour, and chlorofluorocarbons. The weather prediction has been becoming more complex with every passing year, with seasons more indistinguishable, and the general temperatures hotter.

The number of hurricanes, cyclones, droughts, floods, etc., has risen steadily since the onset of the 21st century. The supervillain behind all these changes is Global Warming. The name is quite self-explanatory; it means the rise in the temperature of the Earth.

Also Read: What is a Natural Disaster?

What are the Causes of Global Warming?

According to recent studies, many scientists believe the following are the primary four causes of global warming:

• Deforestation 
• Greenhouse emissions
• Carbon emissions per capita

Extreme global warming is causing natural disasters , which can be seen all around us. One of the causes of global warming is the extreme release of greenhouse gases that become trapped on the earth’s surface, causing the temperature to rise. Similarly, volcanoes contribute to global warming by spewing excessive CO2 into the atmosphere.

The increase in population is one of the major causes of Global Warming. This increase in population also leads to increased air pollution . Automobiles emit a lot of CO2, which remains in the atmosphere. This increase in population is also causing deforestation, which contributes to global warming.

The earth’s surface emits energy into the atmosphere in the form of heat, keeping the balance with the incoming energy. Global warming depletes the ozone layer, bringing about the end of the world. There is a clear indication that increased global warming will result in the extinction of all life on Earth’s surface.

Also Read: Land, Soil, Water, Natural Vegetation, and Wildlife Resources

Solutions for Global Warming

Of course, industries and multinational conglomerates emit more carbon than the average citizen. Nonetheless, activism and community effort are the only viable ways to slow the worsening effects of global warming. Furthermore, at the state or government level, world leaders must develop concrete plans and step-by-step programmes to ensure that no further harm is done to the environment in general.

Although we are almost too late to slow the rate of global warming, finding the right solution is critical. Everyone, from individuals to governments, must work together to find a solution to Global Warming. Some of the factors to consider are pollution control, population growth, and the use of natural resources.

One very important contribution you can make is to reduce your use of plastic. Plastic is the primary cause of global warming, and recycling it takes years. Another factor to consider is deforestation, which will aid in the control of global warming. More tree planting should be encouraged to green the environment. Certain rules should also govern industrialization. Building industries in green zones that affect plants and species should be prohibited.

Also Read: Essay on Pollution

Effects of Global Warming

Global warming is a real problem that many people want to disprove to gain political advantage. However, as global citizens, we must ensure that only the truth is presented in the media.

This decade has seen a significant impact from global warming. The two most common phenomena observed are glacier retreat and arctic shrinkage. Glaciers are rapidly melting. These are clear manifestations of climate change.

Another significant effect of global warming is the rise in sea level. Flooding is occurring in low-lying areas as a result of sea-level rise. Many countries have experienced extreme weather conditions. Every year, we have unusually heavy rain, extreme heat and cold, wildfires, and other natural disasters.

Similarly, as global warming continues, marine life is being severely impacted. This is causing the extinction of marine species as well as other problems. Furthermore, changes are expected in coral reefs, which will face extinction in the coming years. These effects will intensify in the coming years, effectively halting species expansion. Furthermore, humans will eventually feel the negative effects of Global Warming.

Also Read: Concept of Sustainable Development

Sample Essays on Global Warming

Here are some sample essays on Global Warming:

Essay on Global Warming Paragraph in 100 – 150 words

Global Warming is caused by the increase of carbon dioxide levels in the earth’s atmosphere and is a result of human activities that have been causing harm to our environment for the past few centuries now. Global Warming is something that can’t be ignored and steps have to be taken to tackle the situation globally. The average temperature is constantly rising by 1.5 degrees Celsius over the last few years.

The best method to prevent future damage to the earth, cutting down more forests should be banned and Afforestation should be encouraged. Start by planting trees near your homes and offices, participate in events, and teach the importance of planting trees. It is impossible to undo the damage but it is possible to stop further harm.

Also Read: Social Forestry

Essay on Global Warming in 250 Words

Over a long period, it is observed that the temperature of the earth is increasing. This affected wildlife, animals, humans, and every living organism on earth. Glaciers have been melting, and many countries have started water shortages, flooding, and erosion and all this is because of global warming. 

No one can be blamed for global warming except for humans. Human activities such as gases released from power plants, transportation, and deforestation have increased gases such as carbon dioxide, CFCs, and other pollutants in the earth’s atmosphere.                                              The main question is how can we control the current situation and build a better world for future generations. It starts with little steps by every individual. 

Start using cloth bags made from sustainable materials for all shopping purposes, instead of using high-watt lights use energy-efficient bulbs, switch off the electricity, don’t waste water, abolish deforestation and encourage planting more trees. Shift the use of energy from petroleum or other fossil fuels to wind and solar energy. Instead of throwing out the old clothes donate them to someone so that it is recycled. 

Donate old books, don’t waste paper.  Above all, spread awareness about global warming. Every little thing a person does towards saving the earth will contribute in big or small amounts. We must learn that 1% effort is better than no effort. Pledge to take care of Mother Nature and speak up about global warming.

Also Read: Types of Water Pollution

Essay on Global Warming in 500 Words

Global warming isn’t a prediction, it is happening! A person denying it or unaware of it is in the most simple terms complicit. Do we have another planet to live on? Unfortunately, we have been bestowed with this one planet only that can sustain life yet over the years we have turned a blind eye to the plight it is in. Global warming is not an abstract concept but a global phenomenon occurring ever so slowly even at this moment. Global Warming is a phenomenon that is occurring every minute resulting in a gradual increase in the Earth’s overall climate. Brought about by greenhouse gases that trap the solar radiation in the atmosphere, global warming can change the entire map of the earth, displacing areas, flooding many countries, and destroying multiple lifeforms. Extreme weather is a direct consequence of global warming but it is not an exhaustive consequence. There are virtually limitless effects of global warming which are all harmful to life on earth. The sea level is increasing by 0.12 inches per year worldwide. This is happening because of the melting of polar ice caps because of global warming. This has increased the frequency of floods in many lowland areas and has caused damage to coral reefs. The Arctic is one of the worst-hit areas affected by global warming. Air quality has been adversely affected and the acidity of the seawater has also increased causing severe damage to marine life forms. Severe natural disasters are brought about by global warming which has had dire effects on life and property. As long as mankind produces greenhouse gases, global warming will continue to accelerate. The consequences are felt at a much smaller scale which will increase to become drastic shortly. The power to save the day lies in the hands of humans, the need is to seize the day. Energy consumption should be reduced on an individual basis. Fuel-efficient cars and other electronics should be encouraged to reduce the wastage of energy sources. This will also improve air quality and reduce the concentration of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere. Global warming is an evil that can only be defeated when fought together. It is better late than never. If we all take steps today, we will have a much brighter future tomorrow. Global warming is the bane of our existence and various policies have come up worldwide to fight it but that is not enough. The actual difference is made when we work at an individual level to fight it. Understanding its import now is crucial before it becomes an irrevocable mistake. Exterminating global warming is of utmost importance and each one of us is as responsible for it as the next.  

Also Read: Essay on Library: 100, 200 and 250 Words

Essay on Global Warming UPSC

Always hear about global warming everywhere, but do we know what it is? The evil of the worst form, global warming is a phenomenon that can affect life more fatally. Global warming refers to the increase in the earth’s temperature as a result of various human activities. The planet is gradually getting hotter and threatening the existence of lifeforms on it. Despite being relentlessly studied and researched, global warming for the majority of the population remains an abstract concept of science. It is this concept that over the years has culminated in making global warming a stark reality and not a concept covered in books. Global warming is not caused by one sole reason that can be curbed. Multifarious factors cause global warming most of which are a part of an individual’s daily existence. Burning of fuels for cooking, in vehicles, and for other conventional uses, a large amount of greenhouse gases like carbon dioxide, and methane amongst many others is produced which accelerates global warming. Rampant deforestation also results in global warming as lesser green cover results in an increased presence of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere which is a greenhouse gas.  Finding a solution to global warming is of immediate importance. Global warming is a phenomenon that has to be fought unitedly. Planting more trees can be the first step that can be taken toward warding off the severe consequences of global warming. Increasing the green cover will result in regulating the carbon cycle. There should be a shift from using nonrenewable energy to renewable energy such as wind or solar energy which causes less pollution and thereby hinder the acceleration of global warming. Reducing energy needs at an individual level and not wasting energy in any form is the most important step to be taken against global warming. The warning bells are tolling to awaken us from the deep slumber of complacency we have slipped into. Humans can fight against nature and it is high time we acknowledged that. With all our scientific progress and technological inventions, fighting off the negative effects of global warming is implausible. We have to remember that we do not inherit the earth from our ancestors but borrow it from our future generations and the responsibility lies on our shoulders to bequeath them a healthy planet for life to exist. 

Also Read: Essay on Disaster Management

Climate Change and Global Warming Essay

Global Warming and Climate Change are two sides of the same coin. Both are interrelated with each other and are two issues of major concern worldwide. Greenhouse gases released such as carbon dioxide, CFCs, and other pollutants in the earth’s atmosphere cause Global Warming which leads to climate change. Black holes have started to form in the ozone layer that protects the earth from harmful ultraviolet rays. 

Human activities have created climate change and global warming. Industrial waste and fumes are the major contributors to global warming. 

Another factor affecting is the burning of fossil fuels, deforestation and also one of the reasons for climate change.  Global warming has resulted in shrinking mountain glaciers in Antarctica, Greenland, and the Arctic and causing climate change. Switching from the use of fossil fuels to energy sources like wind and solar. 

When buying any electronic appliance buy the best quality with energy savings stars. Don’t waste water and encourage rainwater harvesting in your community. 

Also Read: Essay on Air Pollution

Tips to Write an Essay

Writing an effective essay needs skills that few people possess and even fewer know how to implement. While writing an essay can be an assiduous task that can be unnerving at times, some key pointers can be inculcated to draft a successful essay. These involve focusing on the structure of the essay, planning it out well, and emphasizing crucial details.

Mentioned below are some pointers that can help you write better structure and more thoughtful essays that will get across to your readers:

• Prepare an outline for the essay to ensure continuity and relevance and no break in the structure of the essay
• Decide on a thesis statement that will form the basis of your essay. It will be the point of your essay and help readers understand your contention
• Follow the structure of an introduction, a detailed body followed by a conclusion so that the readers can comprehend the essay in a particular manner without any dissonance.
• Make your beginning catchy and include solutions in your conclusion to make the essay insightful and lucrative to read
• Reread before putting it out and add your flair to the essay to make it more personal and thereby unique and intriguing for readers  

Also Read: I Love My India Essay: 100 and 500+ Words in English for School Students

Ans. Both natural and man-made factors contribute to global warming. The natural one also contains methane gas, volcanic eruptions, and greenhouse gases. Deforestation, mining, livestock raising, burning fossil fuels, and other man-made causes are next.

Ans. The government and the general public can work together to stop global warming. Trees must be planted more often, and deforestation must be prohibited. Auto usage needs to be curbed, and recycling needs to be promoted.

Ans. Switching to renewable energy sources , adopting sustainable farming, transportation, and energy methods, and conserving water and other natural resources.

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Digvijay Singh

Having 2+ years of experience in educational content writing, withholding a Bachelor's in Physical Education and Sports Science and a strong interest in writing educational content for students enrolled in domestic and foreign study abroad programmes. I believe in offering a distinct viewpoint to the table, to help students deal with the complexities of both domestic and foreign educational systems. Through engaging storytelling and insightful analysis, I aim to inspire my readers to embark on their educational journeys, whether abroad or at home, and to make the most of every learning opportunity that comes their way.

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This was really a good essay on global warming… There has been used many unic words..and I really liked it!!!Seriously I had been looking for a essay about Global warming just like this…

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I want to learn how to write essay writing so I joined this page.This page is very useful for everyone.

Hi, we are glad that we could help you to write essays. We have a beginner’s guide to write essays ( https://leverageedu.com/blog/essay-writing/ ) and we think this might help you.

It is not good , to have global warming in our earth .So we all have to afforestation program on all the world.

thank you so much

Very educative , helpful and it is really going to strength my English knowledge to structure my essay in future

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Global warming is the increase in 𝓽𝓱𝓮 ᴀᴠᴇʀᴀɢᴇ ᴛᴇᴍᴘᴇʀᴀᴛᴜʀᴇs ᴏғ ᴇᴀʀᴛʜ🌎 ᴀᴛᴍᴏsᴘʜᴇʀᴇ

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Global Warming ( AQA GCSE Biology )

Revision note.

Biology Lead

Global Warming

Greenhouse gases.

• A greenhouse gas is a gas that absorbs infrared radiation from the Sun so it remains trapped in the Earth’s atmosphere
• This is important to ensure Earth is warm enough for life, however if levels of these gases in the atmosphere increase it leads to an increase in the greenhouse effect which causes the Earth’s average temperature to rise
• Water vapour
• Carbon dioxide
• Nitrous oxides
• Carbon dioxide is produced during the combustion of fossil fuel
• Methane is produced by cattle as they digest grass and released by rice paddy fields

The greenhouse effect

• The Sun emits rays that enter the Earth’s atmosphere
• The heat bounces back from the Earth’s surface
• Some heat is reflected back out into space
• Some heat is absorbed by greenhouse gases and is trapped within the Earth’s atmosphere – this is normal
• However, as the levels of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere rise due to human activities the Earth’s average temperature rises beyond normal (an enhanced greenhouse effect ), causing global warming

How the greenhouse effect works

The consequences of global warming

• Ocean temperatures increasing , causing melting of polar ice caps / rising sea levels / flooding / coral bleaching
• Increasing temperatures causing extreme weather like super storms, flooding, droughts
• Changes in or loss of habitats due to these extreme weather events
• Decreases in biodiversity as food chains are disrupted and extinction rates increase
• Increases in migration of species to new places, including increased spread of pests and disease

The evidence for global warming

• There is scientific consensus (almost all scientists agree) that global warming is happening and that human activities are largely responsible for the most recent warming
• This scientific consensus is based on systematic reviews of thousands of scientific research papers that have been ‘ peer reviewed ’ by other scientists (the method used by scientists to check each other’s work in order to ensure that research findings are valid)
• Although they can make good predictions , it is difficult for scientists to say for certain what the consequences of global warming will be

Describing the consequences of global warming is a common exam question and so it is worth learning at least three effects of increasing global temperatures.

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• Biodiversity & the Effect of Human Interaction on Ecosystems
• Trophic Levels in an Ecosystem
• Food Production
• Cell Structure
• Cell Division
• Transport in Cells
• Organisation: Digestion
• Organisation: The Cardiovascular & Respiratory System
• Health & Disease
• Plant Tissues, Organs & Systems

Author: Lára

Lára graduated from Oxford University in Biological Sciences and has now been a science tutor working in the UK for several years. Lára has a particular interest in the area of infectious disease and epidemiology, and enjoys creating original educational materials that develop confidence and facilitate learning.

Projected changes in heatwaves and its impact on human discomfort over India due to global warming under the CORDEX-CORE framework

• Maharana, Pyarimohan
• Kumar, Dhirendra
• Das, Sushant
• Tiwari, P. R.
• Norgate, Marc
• Raman, Viswanathan Anantha Venkat

Due to climate change, rapid warming and its further intensification over different parts of the globe have been recently reported. This has a direct impact on human health, agriculture, water availability, power generation, various ecosystems, and socioeconomic conditions of the exposed population. The current study thus investigates the frequency and duration of heatwaves, human discomfort, and exposure of the human population to these extremes using the high-resolution regional climate model experiments under two Representative Concentration Pathways (RCP2.6, RCP8.5) over India. We find that more than 90% of India will be exposed to uncomfortable warm nights by the end of the 21st century with the highest rise over western India, Madhya Pradesh (MP), Uttar Pradesh (UP), Punjab, and the Haryana region. States like Odisha, Chhattisgarh, eastern parts of MP and UP, and some parts of J&K will be the worst hit by the intense and frequent heatwaves and human discomfort followed by the densely populated Indo-Gangetic plains under RCP8.5. Strict enforcement of the stringent policies on stabilization of population growth, improvement of local adaptive capacities, and economic status of the vulnerable population along with enforcing effective measures to curb greenhouse gas emissions are important to reduce human exposure to future heat stress. We demonstrate that a proper mitigation-based development (RCP2.6) instead of a business-as-usual scenario (RCP8.5) may help to reduce 50–200 heatwave days, 3–10 heatwave spells, and 10–35% warm nights over the Indian region. Consequently, this can avoid the exposure of 135–143 million population to severe discomfort due to extreme heat conditions by the end of the 21st century.

• Warm nights;
• Population exposure;
• Thom's index;
• CORDEX-CORE