User:Clayoquot/Stripes

Human emissions of heat-trapping greenhouse gases, such as carbon dioxide and methane, are raising global temperatures and thus changing the weather. Most emissions come from burning fossil fuels (coal, oil, natural gas), with further contributions from agriculture, deforestation, and some industrial processes. Climate change drives sea level rise, glacial retreat, desertification, and the intensification of heat waves, wildfires and storms. These changes pose risks to food security, water availability and global health. Climate change can be limited with low-carbon energy such as wind and solar, preservation of forests and grasslands, and a shift in agriculture. While people can adapt to climate change—with coastline protection, disaster management, and drought-resistant crops—adaptation alone cannot avert the risk of severe, pervasive and irreversible impacts. Preventing the worst effects of climate change would require halving emissions by 2030 and achieving near-zero emissions by 2050.