Climate Change FAQs

The document explains that human activities, primarily the burning of fossil fuels, are the main drivers of global warming, which has seen average global temperatures rise by about one degree Celsius since 1880. It details the resulting environmental impacts, such as rising sea levels, ocean acidification, and increased frequency of extreme weather events, while highlighting the specific vulnerability of the United States to billion-dollar disasters. The text outlines mitigation and adaptation strategies, including the transition to renewable energy and energy efficiency, and discusses the role of international agreements like the Paris Agreement and the influence of climate finance in supporting these transitions.

• Global average temperatures have risen by approximately one degree Celsius (1.8 degrees Fahrenheit) since 1880, with projections suggesting an additional increase of 0.3 to 0.7 degrees Celsius by 2035.
• Human activity is the primary cause of current global warming, specifically through the release of greenhouse gases from burning fossil fuels, deforestation, and livestock farming.
• The United States has seen a significant increase in the frequency and cost of billion-dollar disasters from 1980 to 2019, with the 2010-2019 decade accounting for 44.4% of the total cost of such events.
• Sea levels are rising due to the melting of land-based ice sheets and thermal expansion; under a high-emissions scenario, sea levels could rise more than eight feet above 2000 levels by 2100.
• Ocean acidification, caused by the absorption of 25 to 30 percent of carbon dioxide emissions, has resulted in a 0.1 pH unit decrease, which is roughly a 30 percent increase in acidity.
• In the United States, the transportation sector replaced the power sector as the largest source of greenhouse gas emissions in 2018, representing 28 percent of the total.
• The Paris Agreement aims to limit global warming to well below 2 degrees Celsius; while the U.S. withdrew in November 2020, it rejoined on January 20, 2021.
• Climate finance, utilized through vehicles like the Green Climate Fund and green banks, supports the deployment of renewable energy and energy efficiency to reduce emissions and increase resilience.

APA

McGinn, A., Laporte, A., Anabel, E., Werner, C., & La Shier, B. (2021). Climate Change FAQs. Environmental and Energy Study Institute. https://www.eesi.org/papers/view/faq-climate-change

Chicago

McGinn, Anna, Amaury Laporte, Ethan Anabel, Carol Werner, and Brian La Shier. Climate Change FAQs. Environmental and Energy Study Institute, 2021. https://www.eesi.org/papers/view/faq-climate-change.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |last1=McGinn |first1=Anna |last2=Laporte |first2=Amaury |last3=Anabel |first3=Ethan |last4=Werner |first4=Carol |last5=La Shier |first5=Brian |title=Climate Change FAQs |publisher=Environmental and Energy Study Institute |date=9 February 2021 |url=https://www.eesi.org/papers/view/faq-climate-change |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{mcginn2021climate, author = {McGinn, Anna and Laporte, Amaury and Anabel, Ethan and Werner, Carol and La Shier, Brian}, title = {{Climate Change FAQs}}, institution = {Environmental and Energy Study Institute}, year = {2021}, month = feb, url = {https://www.eesi.org/papers/view/faq-climate-change}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }