Weather refers to short-term changes in the atmosphere, but Climate describes what the weather is like over a long period of time in a specific area. Weather can change within a few minutes or hours whereas climate takes a very long time to change (over 30 years)

Source: NOAA.gov

Climate change refers to long-term shifts in temperatures and weather patterns. These shifts may be natural, such as through variations in the solar cycle. But since the 1800s, human activities have been the main driver of climate change, primarily due to burning fossil fuels like coal, oil and gas.

Source: UN.org

Burning fossil fuels generates greenhouse gas emissions that act like a blanket wrapped around the Earth, trapping the sun’s heat and raising temperatures. Examples of greenhouse gas emissions that are causing climate change include carbon dioxide and methane. These come from using gasoline for driving a car or coal for heating a building, for example. Clearing land and forests can also release carbon dioxide. Landfills for garbage are a major source of methane emissions. Energy, industry, transport, buildings, agriculture and land use are among the main emitters.

Source: UN.org

Greenhouse gas concentrations are at their highest levels in 2 million years. And emissions continue to rise. As a result, the Earth is about 1.2°C warmer than it was in the late 1800s. If emissions continue to increase at the current rate, Earth is likely to be 1.5°C warmer (2.7° degrees Fahrenheit) between 2030 and 2052 and >4.5°C warmer by the end of the century. A warming of even 1.5 degrees will still result in large-scale drought, famine, heat stress, species die-off, loss of entire ecosystems, and loss of habitable land, throwing millions into poverty.

Source: ipcc.ch

Many people think climate change mainly means warmer temperatures. But temperature rise is only the beginning of the story. Because the Earth is a system, where everything is connected, changes in one area can influence changes in all others. The consequences of climate change include, among others, intense droughts, water scarcity, severe fires, rising sea levels, flooding, melting polar ice, catastrophic storms, declining biodiversity, spreading more infectious diseases. Climate change can affect our health, ability to grow food, housing, safety and work. Climate impacts will advance to the point where whole communities will have to relocate creating large number of ‘climate refugees’.

Source: UN.org

The emissions that cause climate change come from every part of the world and affect everyone, but some countries produce much more than others. Wealthy, industrialized nations have released most of the greenhouse gas pollution to date. The 100 least-emitting countries generate 3 per cent of total emissions. The 10 countries with the largest emissions contribute 68 per cent. Everyone must take climate action, but people and countries creating more of the problem have a greater responsibility to act first.

The top seven emitters (China, the United States of America, India, the European Union, Indonesia, the Russian Federation, Brazil) accounted for about half of global greenhouse gas emissions in 2020.

Source: UN.org

Generating power: Generating electricity and heat by burning fossil fuels causes a large chunk of global emissions. Most electricity is still generated by burning coal, oil, or gas, which produces carbon dioxide and nitrous oxide – powerful greenhouse gases that blanket the Earth and trap the sun’s heat.

Manufacturing goods: Manufacturing and industry produce emissions, mostly from burning fossil fuels to produce energy for making things like cement, iron, steel, electronics, plastics, clothes, and other goods. Mining and other industrial processes also release gases, as does the construction industry. Machines used in the manufacturing process often run-on coal, oil, or gas; and some materials, like plastics, are made from chemicals sourced from fossil fuels. The manufacturing industry is one of the largest contributors to greenhouse gas emissions worldwide.

Cutting down forests: Cutting down forests to create farms or pastures, or for other reasons, causes emissions, since trees, when they are cut, release the carbon they have been storing. Each year approximately 12 million hectares of forest are destroyed. Since forests absorb carbon dioxide, destroying them also limits nature’s ability to keep emissions out of the atmosphere. Deforestation, together with agriculture and other land use changes, is responsible for roughly a quarter of global greenhouse gas emissions.

Using transportation: Most cars, trucks, ships, and planes run on fossil fuels. That makes transportation a major contributor of greenhouse gases, especially carbon-dioxide emissions. Road vehicles account for the largest part, due to the combustion of petroleum-based products, like gasoline, in internal combustion engines. But emissions from ships and planes continue to grow. Transport accounts for nearly one quarter of global energy-related carbon-dioxide emissions. And trends point to a significant increase in energy use for transport over the coming years.

Producing food: Producing food causes emissions of carbon dioxide, methane, and other greenhouse gases in various ways, including through deforestation and clearing of land for agriculture and grazing, digestion by cows and sheep, the production and use of fertilizers and manure for growing crops, and the use of energy to run farm equipment or fishing boats, usually with fossil fuels. All this makes food production a major contributor to climate change. And greenhouse gas emissions also come from packaging and distributing food.

Powering buildings: Globally, residential and commercial buildings consume over half of all electricity. As they continue to draw on coal, oil, and natural gas for heating and cooling, they emit significant quantities of greenhouse gas emissions. Growing energy demand for heating and cooling, with rising air-conditioner ownership, as well as increased electricity consumption for lighting, appliances, and connected devices, has contributed to a rise in energy-related carbon-dioxide emissions from buildings in recent years.

Consuming too much: Your home and use of power, how you move around, what you eat and how much you throw away all contribute to greenhouse gas emissions. So does the consumption of goods such as clothing, electronics, and plastics. A large chunk of global greenhouse gas emissions are linked to private households. Our lifestyles have a profound impact on our planet. The wealthiest bear the greatest responsibility: the richest 1 per cent of the global population combined account for more greenhouse gas emissions than the poorest 50 per cent.

Source: Based on various UN sources

The solutions fall into 2 groups: Mitigation and Adaptation

Mitigation: involves reducing the flow of heat-trapping greenhouse gases in the atmosphere (example, the burning of fossil fuels for electricity, heat, or transport) or enhancing the “sinks” that accumulate and store these gases (such as the oceans, forests, and soil).

Adaptation: Adapting to life in a changing climate – involves adjusting to actual or expected future climate. The goal is to reduce our risks from the harmful effects of climate change (like sea-level rise, more intense extreme weather events, or food insecurity). It also includes making the most of any potential beneficial opportunities associated with climate change (for example, longer growing seasons or increased yields in some regions). Throughout history, people and societies have adjusted to and coped with changes in climate and extremes with varying degrees of success. Climate change (drought in particular) has been at least partly responsible for the rise and fall of civilizations. Earth’s climate has been relatively stable for the past 10,000 years, and this stability has allowed for the development of our modern civilization and agriculture. Our modern life is tailored to that stable climate and not the much warmer climate of the next thousand-plus years. As our climate changes, we will need to adapt.

Source: NASA.gov

Rapid decarbonization of the power grid to Improve the way we heat and cool. Phase out coal and reduce natural gas while increasing the use of renewables such as solar and wind. Reducing methane emissions from existing sources and electrification of heating and cooking appliances 

Electrifying transportation and shifting to cleaner modes of mobility such as mass public transit, walk and bike options. Rapid penetration of electric cars, buses and trucks and finding sustainable fuel alternatives for planes and maritime transport such as cargo and cruise.

Fixing the food system by shifting consumption from meat and dairy rich diet to plant-based diet. Substitute nitrogen-based fertilizers with emissions free alternatives in production and reducing methane emissions from rice cultivation. Reducing farm to plate supply chain emissions in processing and packaging foods. Reducing food waste in developing countries with improved food chain solutions and limiting wastage in developed countries.

Protecting our nature with better agricultural, land use and forestry management practices. Limiting deforestation and improving natural habitats including but not limited to peatlands, wetlands, grasslands, permafrost to enhance natural carbon capture and storage. Reducing ocean waste and pollution, eliminating deep trawling practices for fishing and mining to protect ocean ecosystems. Enhancing Nature based solutions for carbon removal through reforestation, ocean cultivation of mangroves, seagrasses, kelp etc. 

Reducing pollution from industrial production of materials -> Steel, cement, Plastic, chemicals, paper, glass, apparel etc.

Strong government/corporate policies and commitments to achieve net zero emissions targets. Governments enacting policies to enable faster transition to greener alternatives such as ending subsidies for fossil fuel, Carbon taxing and pricing to reduce the green premiums, Banning HFCs and single use plastics and increasing R&D investment for clean energy.

Innovation and rapid commercialization of green technologies including but not limited to engineered carbon removal, direct air capture and storage, synthetic jet fuels, biofuels, green hydrogen fuels, affordable long duration battery storage etc.

Based on various sources: speed and scale.com, World Resources Institute – www.wri.org

Net zero refers to the balance between the amount of greenhouse gas produced and the amount removed from the atmosphere. We reach net zero when the amount we add is no more than the amount taken away. A growing coalition of countries, cities, businesses and other institutions are pledging to get to net-zero emissions. More than 70 countries, including the biggest polluters – China, the United States, and the European Union – have set a net-zero target, covering about 76% of global emissions.

Source: IEA.org