The Science
Climate change is not a matter of opinion. Here is what the evidence actually says — and where to find it for yourself.
You do not have to “believe in” climate change any more than you have to believe in gravity. The evidence has been collected, tested, peer reviewed, and confirmed by thousands of independent scientists across every country in the world. This page sets out what we know – and why we know it.
What the science tells us
The Earth’s average surface temperature has risen by approximately 1.1°C since the pre-industrial period. That might not sound like much, but small shifts in global average temperature have large consequences, the difference between an ice age and the present day is only about 5°C.
The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) – the body that synthesises climate science for governments worldwide – published its most comprehensive report in 2023. Its conclusion, based on the work of over 700 scientists reviewing tens of thousands of peer-reviewed studies, was unambiguous: human influence has warmed the climate at an unprecedented rate, and the consequences are already being felt in every region on Earth.
Global average temperature has already risen by 1.1°C. Every fraction of a degree of additional warming increases risks.
Across multiple independent studies, over 97% of actively publishing climate scientists agree that climate change is human-caused.
Atmospheric CO₂ is now higher than at any point in at least 800,000 years of ice core records.
Global mean sea level has risen around 20cm since 1900, and the rate is accelerating.
How do we know it’s us?
Scientists can distinguish between natural and human-caused warming using several lines of evidence. The isotopic fingerprint of CO₂ in the atmosphere shows it comes from burning fossil fuels and not from volcanoes or natural ocean release. The pattern of warming (more warming at night than day, more at the poles, cooling in the upper atmosphere) matches what physics predicts from greenhouse gases – not from solar variation or other natural causes.
We have also been measuring and recording atmospheric CO₂ since 1958, and the rise tracks almost exactly with global fossil fuel consumption. This is not a coincidence. It is cause and effect.
Common objections — and what the evidence says
True – and that’s exactly why we can identify something unusual. Scientists study natural climate variation precisely in order to understand what is and isn’t normal. The current rate of warming is far faster than any natural shift in the geological record. Natural factors alone cannot explain what we are seeing.
Solar activity has been measured by satellite since 1978 and has shown no upward trend since the 1980s. If the sun were driving warming, we would expect the upper atmosphere (stratosphere) to be warming too. It isn’t, it’s cooling. This is exactly what the greenhouse effect predicts.
On the basic facts of human-caused climate change, they don’t. Multiple independent analyses of the peer-reviewed literature all find 97% or higher consensus. Genuine scientific debate exists around the detail e.g. climate sensitivity, regional impacts, tipping points – not the fundamental reality of human-caused warming.
Global warming refers to the planetary average, not the weather outside your window. A warmer atmosphere holds more energy, which means more extreme weather of all kinds – including cold snaps, storms, and floods – as well as more heat and drought.
Plants do use CO₂, but the effects of rapid warming on agriculture are overwhelmingly negative. Droughts, floods, soil degradation, and shifting growing seasons are already reducing crop yields in many regions. The idea that more CO₂ is simply good for plants ignores the wider system.
Why this matters for education
Teaching about climate change is not about politics or alarm but about preparing young people (and everyone else) to understand the world they are inheriting. A generation that understands the science is better equipped to make good decisions: as citizens, consumers, workers, and future leaders.
The science also offers something genuinely hopeful: because we understand the causes, we know what needs to change. Climate change is a problem with solutions. Understanding the science is the first step to seeing them clearly.
Further reading — the sources
Everything on this page is based on peer-reviewed science and reports from the world’s leading scientific bodies. Here is where to go if you want to read further.
The authoritative reports
- IPCC Sixth Assessment Report — Synthesis Report (2023) The most comprehensive global assessment of climate science. Start with the Summary for Policymakers.
- Met Office — What is climate change? Clear, accessible explanation from the UK’s national weather service.
- NASA — Evidence of climate change Data and evidence from NASA’s Earth observation programmes, updated regularly.
- NOAA — Climate education resources The US National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s climate data and explainers.
Understanding the consensus
- Skeptical Science — The scientific consensus on climate change Evidence-based rebuttals to common climate myths, maintained by scientists.
- Carbon Brief — What scientists think about climate change Clear data journalism on the science and the consensus, written for non-specialists.
- Cook et al. (2013) — Quantifying the consensus on anthropogenic global warming The peer-reviewed paper behind the 97% consensus figure.
For educators
- Met Office — Climate change in the classroom Teaching resources aligned to the UK curriculum, from KS2 to KS5.
- Office for Climate Education Free, peer-reviewed teaching resources for climate education worldwide.
- The Carbon Literacy Project Accredited carbon literacy training and resources for schools, workplaces and communities.
- Climate Change Committee — The science of climate change The UK government’s independent advisory body on climate change.
Data you can explore yourself
- NASA — Global surface temperature data Live, regularly updated global temperature records going back to 1880.
- NOAA — Mauna Loa CO₂ record (the Keeling Curve) Continuous atmospheric CO₂ measurements since 1958.
- Global Carbon Project Annual data on global carbon emissions and the carbon budget.
Climate change is not a belief system. It is a body of evidence — gathered over more than a century, by thousands of scientists, in every country in the world. The question is not whether it is happening. The question is what we do about it. That is where education comes in.