The sustained rise in global temperatures has driven severe weather events, ocean warming, and the shrinking of Arctic sea ice and glaciers. These environmental shifts present devastating local consequences, exemplified by an August 2026 glacial collapse in Nepal that triggered fatal flash floods. The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change notes that billions remain highly vulnerable, facing heightened risks of disease, food insecurity, and irreversible environmental tipping points.
Key points
Between 3.3 and 3.6 billion people live in areas considered highly vulnerable to climate…: Between 3.3 and 3.6 billion people live in areas considered highly vulnerable to climate change impacts.
Poorer nations experience the most severe consequences despite contributing relatively lo…: Poorer nations experience the most severe consequences despite contributing relatively low amounts of greenhouse gas emissions.
Warming beyond 1.5C or 2C risks causing irreversible tipping points, including the collap…: Warming beyond 1.5C or 2C risks causing irreversible tipping points, including the collapse of the Greenland Ice Sheet.
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Human activities are causing world temperatures to rise, posing serious threats to people and nature.
Things are likely to worsen in the coming decades, but scientists argue urgent action can still limit the worst effects of climate change.
What is climate change?
Climate change is the long-term shift in the Earth's average temperatures and weather conditions.
The world has been rapidly warming for around a century, causing weather patterns to change.
Since the 1980s, each decade has been warmer than the previous one, the Met Office says.
2024 was Earth's hottest year on record, with climate change mainly responsible for the high temperatures.
It was also the first calendar year to surpass 1.5C of warming compared to "pre-industrial" levels of the late 1800s, according to the Copernicus climate service, external.
Temperatures remained high in 2025, despite a slight cooling from a natural weather pattern called La Niña.
The opposite El Niño pattern, combined with climate change, makes it likely that 2026 will also rank among the hottest years ever recorded.
Human-driven warming has increased global temperatures by approximately 1.4C, significantly shifting hydrological cycles and driving extreme weather patterns worldwide. These elevated temperatures increase atmospheric moisture retention, leading to unprecedented precipitation events alongside intensified soil evaporation. As a result, regions across Europe, the Caribbean, and Asia are facing compounding crises ranging from critical water shortages to severe flooding.
The international climate accord seeks to prevent severe environmental tipping points, including ice sheet collapse and coral reef extinction, by capping temperature rises over a 20-year average. Despite widespread participation, global progress faces significant hurdles following the January 2026 departure of the United States, the planet's second-largest greenhouse gas contributor. Without immediate and drastic emissions reductions, scientists project that the crucial lower warming threshold will soon be surpass…
Cross-party consensus on British environmental commitments has deteriorated as right-leaning parties reject clean energy transitions over economic burdens. Meanwhile, the incumbent Labour administration faces intensifying scrutiny from watchdogs and green campaigners over conflicting infrastructure and fiscal priorities. This widening divide threatens the nation's long-term emissions trajectory despite statutory climate goals.