The Basics
What we know
It’s warming.
Global temperatures have already risen 1.2°C since pre-industrial times. The world could reach 1.5°C as soon as 2030, and without drastically accelerated action we are predicted to warm by 2.4°C by the end of the century.
It’s us.
Humans are causing climate change, largely by burning fossil fuels - oil, gas and coal.
It’s bad.
The Earth’s climate has reached a tipping point that presents an existential threat to human civilisation. Many consequences of global warming - intense drought, floods, heatwaves and bushfires - are already evident in Australia, and are causing devastating impacts for health and wellbeing. Scientists have warned that the 6th mass extinction of wildlife is accelerating.
We can fix it.
The most urgent thing we need to do is reduce emissions at a rapid rate. That means keeping most of the world’s fossil fuel reserves in the ground and a just and rapid transition to a 100% renewables society.