The planet is getting hotter, and humans are at the helm, steering towards an increasingly warm and volatile climate. This unsettling trajectory, outlined with alarming clarity by a wealth of scientific research, underscores the paramount role of human activity in escalating Earth’s temperatures, an influence so significant that it overshadows the natural processes that have historically shaped our climate.

Since the Industrial Revolution, a striking upsurge in carbon dioxide levels—now 48% higher than pre-industrial levels—along with other greenhouse gases like methane and nitrous oxide, has been the critical driver of climate change.

It’s “extremely likely,” in the cautious parlance of scientists, that human actions are the dominant cause of the warming observed since the 1950s.

The science is unequivocal: We are bearing witness to a planet warming at a rate unprecedented in recent millennia. This fact is underpinned by a range of evidence—from ice cores to ocean sediments to satellites tracking the heat balance of our planet.

The global average surface temperature has crept up approximately 1.1°C above pre-industrial levels, bringing with it a slew of environmental changes from melting ice caps to rising sea levels.

Sifting through the data, the stark trend is evident: since the mid-20th century, Earth’s temperature rise has been “unprecedented over millennia.” A detailed analysis points out that human emissions and activities have caused around 100% of the warming observed since 1950, according to the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change’s (IPCC) fifth assessment report.

Human-induced factors like the burning of fossil fuels, deforestation, and intensive farming are pushing the amounts of greenhouse gases in our atmosphere to levels not seen for at least 800,000 years.

The evidence for rapid climate change is compelling. The top 100 meters of the ocean have warmed, the Greenland and Antarctic ice sheets are shrinking, and extreme weather events are increasing in frequency.

This reality sets a stark backdrop against the urgent international goal to keep warming well below 2°C and pursue efforts to limit it to 1.5°C to avert catastrophic global environmental changes.

To turn the tide, emissions of carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases must reach net zero, a mammoth challenge that necessitates immediate and sustained action globally.

The reduction of other potent greenhouse gases like methane can also make a significant dent in slowing down warming, particularly in the short term. These efforts are more than mere environmental altruism; they are crucial steps to safeguard the future of our planet.

The EU, recognizing the dire consequences of inaction, has placed countering climate change high on its agenda, striving towards becoming the first climate-neutral continent. It underscores that all reductions in CO2 emissions contribute to slowing global warming.

Despite natural factors that have historically contributed to Earth’s climatic fluctuations, such as changes in solar radiation and volcanic activity, their influence is now dwarfed by the monumental impact of human activities.

In fact, natural causes are estimated to have contributed less than plus or minus 0.1°C to total warming between 1890 and 2010—a minuscule amount compared to the human contribution.

Relevant articles:
– Causes of Climate Change, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (.gov)
– Analysis: Why scientists think 100% of global warming is due to humans, Carbon Brief
– NASA Science, NASA Science (.gov)
– Causes of climate change, European Union